Dougg

TY. Glad to be here. I really want to end up with a heavily planted tank. That one Val plant (from LFS) lost a few stems after planting but has three new shoots so I'm hoping it comes back strong and propagates well. I just love the look of that plant along the back of a tank. And the pogo stem octo (got four starts in one pot from AC, yay!) is growing like a weed - more than doubled in size in just over a week. All of the AC plants I got arrived in tip top shape and appear to be thriving.

Wonderful response - beats all of the doom driven scenarios running around my head. TYVM! I'll post a follow up in a few days. And TY also for the inspiration and information you have put out into the world via your YT vids. If not for some late night random YT algorithmic quirk I would never have made the decision to try my hand at fish keeping. I was drawn to planted tanks because of those vids. On an unrelated note, is it common to start buying multiple kinds of fish food before even having fish? I'm at four and eyeing the repasi. And I'm already thinking about more tanks.

Hello. Brand new to the hobby and I have AC's many entertaining and informative YT's vids to thank for that (along with a couple hundred bucks of plants and supplies 😀). After several years of hard core social distancing due to being around multiple medically vulnerable people I decided I needed more life in my life. After watching *way* too many aquarium related videos I am starting a 20gl planted low-tech community tank and already loving it. I've improved the hob filter per AC's guidance. I'm currently nine days into a plant only cycle and I'm looking forward to eventually adding 4-6x red wag platys, a Bolivian ram, 6x panda corys, 2-3x blue velvet shrimp, a snail of some kind, and maybe a reticulated hill stream loach if the tank has room. I have really enjoyed the process of researching, assembling, and tinkering with everything. I even sit in front of the tank with morning coffee and just stare at it - I find it very serene. Can't wait to start adding fish in a week or two, and maybe some more plants.

I need some help. I am new to the hobby and setting up my first tank, and there is white fuzzy fungus/algae looking stuff growing on top of my heater. I am nine days into a plant only cycle process (no fish or fish food). The only thing I've done is add some all in one fert (AC "Easy Green") to jump start plant growth. Light is provided by the entry level light that is part of the cover (Aqueon 20gl kit) running 5-6hrs/day. Water parameters are all well within healthy limits, with no measurable ammonia, nitrites or nitrates as expected with a plant only cycling. The only change of potential significance was the addition of a pothos rooted start (not a cutting) two days ago from my potted plant. I was very careful to rinse off the entire start several times but I didn't treat it with any kind of hydrogen peroxide solution so I'm worried I may have introduced some kind of fungus. What is this stuff? Is it a sign of too much fert given the newness of my plants? Is it an expected development for a plant only cycling (bio film, etc)? Will it pass on it's own? Does it pose a risk to my tank or the cycling process? And what, if needed, should I do to to treat or remove it? Thanks.