Adron

I had the same question and found this thread! Now I'm curious, does anyone have experience with taking them out of the pots but leaving the rock wool? Does the wool ever break down and release on its own if you give it enough time?

To be a bit more clear what I mean by "near zero," I basically mean "zero." But both my tests (API master kit with test tubes and API quick test strips) require that you read results by matching colors to a chart, and I always find that sort of vague and challenging. But the results came out as close to zero on the color charts as my eyeballs can figure, given that the test doesn't give you total precision. I understand even small amounts of ammonia and nitrite can be a problem. My trouble is I need to carefully weigh the pros/cons of messing up the medication process with water changes. Thanks!

Hi friends! I just started the Co-Op's recommended med trio treatment yesterday in a 20-gallon with a relatively young nitro cycle going in it, but a fair number of plants. This morning I saw a red spot on one of my new guppies' tail, and it looks sort of 3D, like a growth or something hanging onto the tailfin. The internet said "red spots bad! ammonia spike!" and I panicked, about to abort the whole med process and water change the heck out of the tank, but first I tested my water, and ammonia looks to be near zero. Nitrites zero, and nitrates near zero as well. pH and KH however, are quite a bit lower than I'd like - KH is ~ 20 ppm, and pH is ~ 6.2-6.4ish. GH is high; ~100-120 ppm. Since it doesn't appear to be an ammonia spike, does my low pH buffering capacity have something to do with it? Or is this red spot a predictable response to the med trio treatment? Like, is it some kind of evidence of parasites leaving the body? Or is that wishful thinking? I've thrown some API Stress Coat in there to try and raise the vibes in the tank, and I'm trying to take pause before freaking out and aborting the medication mission with water changes. But could use the advice of this wizened community! Thanks so much.

That's really interesting! Actually yes, I do have hornwort, but it's a pretty recent addition; only been in there 3 or so weeks, I think. The reluctance of the java moss goes back further than that, so I'm a bit skeptical hornwort is a factor, but I'm going to see what I can read about that subject. Thanks for sharing!

In a (to be fair, 9-year-old) video, Cory says Java moss is the easiest plant to grow, and a near-certain winner in beginner tanks. I'm not a beginner by any stretch, but I've started to wonder if anyone has a bit more of a complicated history with the moss? Java used to be an absolute gangbusters success in my Fluval Flex 15-gallon tank; I never even bought it, it just snuck out of some driftwood I purchased and slowly bloomed into a gorgeous cloud of green in the background. I've since moved twice, and the moss has never been quite as happy. It's the same tank, but moved across town (Los Angeles) into conditions of VERY hard water (Altadena). Always at the far end of the charts on the test strip, around 150 KH and 180 GH. I also see a more-or-less steady pH of 7.5. I use Seachem Purigen in the filter and have a lot of other plants, as well as 4 nerites and 9 glass bloodfin tetras, all of which seem to do fine. But Java moss has just been much more sluggish and reluctant to pop off during this new chapter for my 15 gallons. None of the inhabitants are munching on it, and water parameters are healthy. Curious if anyone else has a complicated experience with java moss, and maybe if anyone suspects hardness has some effect?

Hi all! I have a space in my bedroom that would be perfect for a new planted tank. I've had lots of successes with standard tank sizes, and this time I'm considering a hexagonal, taller tank between 25 and 35 gallons. I've never done one of these before, and I know there are several reasons to approach with caution, given the limited lateral swimming space and the reduced water surface area. One setup I'm considering would be a 25-gallon hex tank with 3 moonlight gouramis and a small group of bleeding heart tetras. I'm pretty sure the gouramis would be a safe choice for this tank, but I'm less sure about the tetras. I adore bleeding hearts, and to me they seem to be less active than a lot of other, narrower-bodied tetras. What do you think about their chances of doing well in a hex, if I set it up with plenty of surface agitation and an air stone? Happy to hear other suggestions as well!