Journal SkaleyAquatics Re-attempted Dutch

[SkaleyAquatics]

Its been almost 2 months since I posted the main tank. I think its time to change that.

The 180:


This tank has been extremely steady and smooth sailing(Hopefully I did not jinx that). I have not changed the dosing regiment in this tank. Once the holidays are over I think its time to start prepping for next years contest and get the tank layout redone. Listed below are my likes and expected changes to this scape.

Likes:

• The Bylxa japonica street disappearing behind the Ludwigia 'super red'
• Gratiola viscuda has grown in extremely nicely and is a great looking bush. I think i want to expand the size of this. Its also a great green color that compliments the 'monte carlo' and limnophila aromatica 'mini' nicely.

Improvements:

• the layout is desperately missing a brown crypt. I think separating the lobelia cardinalis and the hygrophila 53b would be a good spot for this.
• Missing a background plant in the middle of the tank. The pogostemon deccanensis never really gained any height. It is hidden behind everything else.
  • This kinda goes with that and the limited space for background plant shaping, its basically a line thats all the same size. Will have to fix this in the future.
• Background would benefit from a moss wall.
• The rotala macrandra 'kochi' and hygrophila difformis being basically one group. Its a great color transition but they grew into each other.

 

[SkaleyAquatics]

I must be going crazy. I mixed up a new batch of Micros and when I went to dose I did not think the mix was dark enough. I started looking at my numbers to confirm I did not calculate anything incorrectly, sure enough I did not. Apparently I do not remember the shade of micro mix very well.

 

[SkaleyAquatics]

Whew 2 months since an update on this tank! This is long overdue then. The 180gal Dutch has been extremely smooth sailing the past few months. Almost so much that as long as dose and do my weekly water changes nothing pops up besides the GDA on the glass which as you may remember I am notorious about not removing . I completely want to get this tanks layout started for this years AGA as I really am disappointed not to have competed this past year, pesky co² running out at the worst time!!! I have a few ideas in mind for this years and want plants to put where.
Here is the tank February 1st:

Here is the tank today:

I did a swap meet at one of the local clubs on the 7th and completely ripped apart most of the plants in this tank to sell. I ended up with 114 bags of plants for sale at the meet and am extremely pleased with how I did.
I did end up removing the Micranthemum tweedei (Monte Carlo) as it never completely filled in like I would have liked and I kept getting tuffs of algae in it. I think this is due to the lax approach I take at gravel vacuuming the aquasoil. I am trying Marsilea minuta but we will see as I have not had much success with TC in mature tanks, as of late. This tank has 1 more year with this aqua soil before I'm ripping it out and going back to inert. I am glad I tried it but I just prefer inert substrates in my tanks. I see the benefits of aqua soil but for me its not worth the additional price to grow that extra few plants I do not care to grow anyways.

 

[Unexpected]

Looking good already.

 

[SkaleyAquatics]

So the 180... its no more for the time being. I want to completely restart it. Im talking new lights, new substrate and new filters. Its currently completely drained with everything torn apart. But that doesn't mean that a Dutch doesn't live on!
If you have seen my other journal planted adventures you know that I have a Dutch Ive been working on at work.
Here is a Picture from Today 5/11/2026:

This was post trim on 4/29/2026.

Some observations: This tank gets a ton of brown diatoms. I am currently only dosing PO4 to 1ppm. N is at 15ppm and K is at 25ppm. I am still using EDDHA but now at a 0.03ppm dose 3 times a week and it still stains the water a bit. I am hoping with 50% water changes quickly it doesn't accumulate enough to stain the water further but we will see. If it does I may have to switch chelated to DTPA.

Plant Health: In terms of plant growth, weirdly Myrio sp. Roriama does not seem to do great though the new tops are looking better. Also Bylxa japonica is extremely small, to the point it might have to be swapped to something else., which stinks because all other short grasses spread via runners and keeping it tidy seems like a hassle. The crypt axelrodi has been doing great, honestly it has been one of the surprises for me. Also a bit eye opening because in the lower pH tanks I would randomly get crypt melt. Something to keep an eye on moving forward. The Hygro's and acmella repens are doing great and the acmella has grown the best for me in this tank. I continue to really despise lobelia cardinalis 'mini' vs the normal variant and am sad I no longer have the normal version, the growth pattern seems much better in the normal version. We will see how this fills in as it moves along.

Layout thoughts: Since trimming and replanting I switched the layout as it was not working as well before. No I am much happier with it, the only change I can see making is swapping the hygrophila difformis and h. triflora, though this might put the triflora to be swapped to something else as the leaf pattern is too similar for my like to difformis. Somehow I currently have exactly 9 species in this tank. I am still debating planted walls. The other thought is ifthe M. roriama doesnt take off to swap that to another red plant, most likely ludwigia super red, I'd love to try an alternanthera again but am hesitent with how much Ive struggled with them on my reset 2 years ago into the planted world.

Fish choice: Ember tetras... these were fine not hiding but may end up getting switched out for a rabora because they hid so much. I am not sure why they are there is 30 in the tank. I have another 20 I could add but don't want to if they are just going to hide.

In other news, this week I travel to Detroit to give two talks, one will be on experience competeing in the AGA and the other was requested to be on how to setup a Dutch(which has been an absolute struggle to create the power point for)

 

[JayP]

In terms of plant growth, weirdly Myrio sp. Roriama does not seem to do great though the new tops are looking better.

I can't get it to slow down. Seems like I trim it and the next day, it's hitting the surface again.

 

[Unexpected]

I can't get it to slow down. Seems like I trim it and the next day, it's hitting the surface again.

One of the fastest growing plants. The plant is abandoning the bottoms to support new growth from a lack of nutrients. Classic sign of need to dose more.

 

[SkaleyAquatics]

One of the fastest growing plants. The plant is abandoning the bottoms to support new growth from a lack of nutrients. Classic sign of need to dose more.

Now that you say this, this plant has never been one that grows so fast i need to trim it weekly.

 

[JayP]

Now that you say this, this plant has never been one that grows so fast i need to trim it weekly.

Interesting. Have you always grown it in inert substrates, assuming that's what's in this current tank?

 

[SkaleyAquatics]

Interesting. Have you always grown it in inert substrates, assuming that's what's in this current tank?

No, ive grown it in soil as well. This tank is inert but its currently growing in a 40gal breeder with soil and I trim once every 3 weeks probably.

 

[JayP]

I have it in my 40 breeder farm tank (aquasoil) and it grows faster than anything else, by a good margin.. It did the same in my 25g Brazilian style tank which is why I chose to remove it.

 

[Unexpected]

Now that you say this, this plant has never been one that grows so fast i need to trim it weekly.

Woops, was thinking I was responding to a PM from someone else lol. Ignore me. I'm old .

 

[SkaleyAquatics]

I have it in my 40 breeder farm tank (aquasoil) and it grows faster than anything else, by a good margin.. It did the same in my 25g Brazilian style tank which is why I chose to remove it.

Hmmm. Typically I fall into an outlier as my tanks are usually 68-72F and that absolutely plays a roll on growth speed.

 

[Unexpected]

That said, mine is not doing great either. Heads are small and the stems will break. I'm dealing with low PO4 right now.

 

[Naturescapes_Rocco]

My Myrio roraima grows almost an inch per day. I've gotten into the habit of just pulling it up, cutting the entire bunch to length, wrapping with a lead weight, and dropping into place. Repeat each week!

 

[JayP]

My Myrio roraima grows almost an inch per day. I've gotten into the habit of just pulling it up, cutting the entire bunch to length, wrapping with a lead weight, and dropping into place. Repeat each week!

Of course I exaggerate on the "hitting the surface again the next day". I trim mine to about half their height and they are back to the surface in a week, so we are probably the same. I know @Dennis Wong has said something similar. I no longer replant any stems in the farm tank or it would absolutely take over. It is a beautiful plant though.

 

[Kwyet]

Mine hits the surface every 5 days, and I start it off very short. I love the way it looks though.

 

[BenB]

I was just thinking I hadn't seen you post in awhile. Good update. Looking forward to the new scape.

 

[SkaleyAquatics]

I was just thinking I hadn't seen you post in awhile. Good update. Looking forward to the new scape.

Life gets busy, im still kicking but the planted tanks have been kinda on the back burner. Honestly posting this made me excited again.

 

[GreggZ]

My Myrio roraima grows almost an inch per day. I've gotten into the habit of just pulling it up, cutting the entire bunch to length, wrapping with a lead weight, and dropping into place. Repeat each week!

I don't even cut it.

I literally just pull them all out at once and rip them in half then shove the tops back in the soil. Been doing that for many years.

When people say plants growing an inch a day is a myth they have never had this one!!