SkaleyAquatics

@Seattle_Aquarist I normally do no gas present to fully saturated on the pH. It was 5.8 today fully saturated and am currently degassing some to see what it is fully degassed. dGH is 6 and dKH is 2. Working on bringing this as low as I can but its been a slow process. Nitrate are at 5 ppm after doing a 50% water change this morning. (I am trying to keep it lean to incourage the rotala to get red) -Sean

@Seattle_Aquarist Hey Roy, looking for some advice on this one in regards to the new growth looking stunted. I originally thought it was a Ca deficiency but want to confirm this. Do you think this is a Ca deficiency or a Co2 issue? or something else completely?

Its multiple pieces put together, the "Trunk" being Malaysian driftwood and the twigs being spider wood

Hello everyone, I present to you a newly setup low planted tank. I put this together rather quickly on 4/2/22 after a fish auction. The plan was to do have more pictures to add but with it being chaotic trying to rush the build to get new fish in, that did not happen. However, for rushing this I am pretty happy with how it turned out. Tank: Standard 40 gallon breeder (36in x 18in x 16in) Light: Finnex Planted 24/7 ALC Filter: 2x Sponge Filters CO2: None Heater: Eheim Thermocontrol-E 150 watt? (I think) Substrate: Black Diamond Blasting Sand Fertilizers: Osmocote root tabs Water Changes: N/a for now Plants: Pearlweed Crypt sp. Cyrpt Usteriana Java Fern Guppy Grass Taiwan Lotus Inhabitants: Trio of Black Moscow Guppies Red Cherry Neo's Bristlenose Pleco's Rhadinocentrus Ornatus Carland Creek I am pretty sure that all these fish are new to me, I've never had rainbows, never had guppies, and never had neo's, I am pretty sure I have never had BN plecos either. This will be an exciting journey for me!

So its been 2 weeks since my last update. And things have changed. I decided to rip out the monte carlo, just was not doing it for me. I have since reduced to 15 ca and 5 mg per water change and have cut the k out of the reminerialized water. Yesterday I noticed new growth looks twisted and stunted. So wondering if that is to do with the lower ca dosing or something else, Any ideas on this? I Only seem to notice it in the rotala and the ar mini, possibly the bacopa salzmanii as well. I did up my APT complete dose to 3ml 5x a week. The other thing that has been on my mind is to stop messing around and go down the EI method... I know @Mmiller2001 would like to see it. As a follow up look for a new journal, that didn't get all the pictures snapped I wanted to this past weekend on setup.

Haha, when I rip out a plant I just don't mention it to my girlfriend and she almost never notices because she does not pay attention to my aquariums anyways.

Could you PM me the new journal as well. I have been looking for it.

I was a little confused but just assumed it was the front right plant. I did not go back and look at the old pictures to compare.

Following! Looking forward to how this turns out.

That is a interesting propagation method. Does not provide much information about combing them and what it does other than removing plantlets.

Awesome! I look forward to the contact info

How long has the tank been setup? The first reason I ask is because my AR is very slow growing and does not like to be uprooted. I personally do not have experience with the other ones you mentioned are slow growing. The second reason is because of your light regime. While I do not think it is wrong, as I am running my light at 30% for 6 hours, to help mitigate algae. Though I would be curious to see where the lights are placed. Another thought is the 3 fast growers may be using up the NO3 before the other plants can get them, if you are not dosing and only what the fish provides. I am sure some of the more experienced planties may be able to provide more feedback on this.

Lol no no don't PM put it out to the public cause I want to know also.

I also want to see this as I am now intrigued.

I think you have 2 males, but could be wrong, I have never seen a female cacatuoides that has the orange in there fins. Depending on how the tank set up you could add another pair in general.

I do not know honestly I had some strands of willow moss leftover that was stuck in the monte carlo and it didn't died back. Also did a quick search and Tom Barr says he assumed moss would be harmed but both Xmas and Fissidens were fine. Java moss also appeared to be fine. Word of caution though getting the dead algae out of the moss maybe very labor intensive, I used a toothbrush and twisted the moss around it once it was dead to remove from my plants. So plants it just wanted to pull the whole plant with it.

I did like the look of his week aqua's they are also a bit pricey when i looked at aquarockscolorado.

Didn't even think about the shrimp in the tank. Worked wonders for me

You definitely need to do that black out. Also what helped get rid of my thread algae was API Algaefix. Had turned white within 2 doses, might help if the blackout doesn't work. The rest of the plants look pretty good though in the 40g.

If you are not keeping it I wouldnt go through the trouble. Do you know what led's you would get?

I like how the chihiros looks in this tank. I am surprised by the amount of ight bleed from the T5

Anything and everything helps. I know everyone tanks vary and we all have varying success as to what works and what doesn't.

Love the algae as a success. I'm surprised by the Java Fern nit working for you, I've heard it does better in softer water and I am afraid to try it because of this.

I have actually.