riioKen's journal. Will it work?

[riioKen]

Hi, I would like to start this new adventure, it's my first journal, I'll update it weekly after maintenance.

The aim is to create a sort of diary/note book, where I will write down any updates, things that are working, problems and above all, which is very important, post photos to keep track of the evolution of the aquarium, especially plants.

 

Currently the aquarium is still not established, I don't have a stand for it (should arrive tomorrow).

The tank is a 90g 43x19x24 (330 litres 110x50x60h). 

 

The idea is to do a nano fish, red plant based tank. 

 

Right now I have a 20g running with cpd, pygmy Cory, ember tetra, otos and amano. This tank will be taken down and the livestock will be moved to the 90g.

 

When the stand arrives, i would like to execute the "Dark Start Method", only soil (Tropica Aquarium soil), hardscape and  filter, no light and no plants for about 4 weeks.

 

Where I live it's late, it's midnight, I'll update it tomorrow with some photos of the tank. 

[Fish Folk]

Sounds good! Be patient, stick with your plans. 

[riioKen]

New day, new update I'll post a few photos of the tank, the living room is a mess, I'm "rescaping" it too lol.

The tank underneath has a wood panel. As you can see, the packages near the tank, are about 50kg of tropica soil. 

 

This journals will be a bit boring considering that the tank will be ready in about a month. Meanwhile I'll post some photos of the actual 20g. Everything will be moved to the 90g

 

 

 

[riioKen]

After a while, here's a new update. DART START BEGINS

 

Which do you suggest me? A fully Dutch style or semi with some dragon stone?

 

Equipment:

Tank: 110x50x60h (substrate starts from 8cm front till 15cm kn the back)

Filter: 2 Oase Biomaster thermo 600 with 8 litres of Seachem matrix mad 500ml of purigen (250ml each filter)

In/outflow: 2 Lily pipe and 1 inflow skimmer, 1 regular inflow glass.

Substrate: 50kg tropica aqua soil

Light: Week Aqua P900 with hanging kit (and if needed 1 chihiros WRGB2 Slim60)

 

[riioKen]

Dark start is almost complete (maybe?)

 

The test says that ammonia is at 0, nitrites at 0 and 100+ppm of nitrates

 

The light is installed!!!

[nabokovfan87]

On 9/23/2023 at 5:36 PM, riioKen said:

Which do you suggest me? A fully Dutch style or semi with some dragon stone?

There's a few really amazing, high quality, dutch scapers here.  I would love to see another one!

 

[riioKen]

Here comes THE UPDATE, the aquarium is officially underway.

 

The initial idea was to make a Dutch style, during the "Dark Start" period, I studied the techniques and forms to follow in order to create a true Dutch style. In the end however, when choosing the plants, I chose them completely based on my tastes and not based on the needs of "a good Dutch style"

 

So it would be more correct to say a riioKen's Style, rather than Dutch style. I followed the rules of alternating the colors and shapes of the leaves, but in the end I'm not an aquascape expert, this is my first attempt to an Aquascape and this is my first large tank.

 

Here are the photos

I need to move the soil around because it moved due planting.

Plants naming, left to right, 3 layers (front mid back)

Front: Rotala indica bonsai -> ludwigia polycarpa -> hygrophila polysperma Tiger -> ludwigia verticellata white -> Althernathera Reineckii mini

Mid: ludwigia brevipens -> rotala ramosior Florida -> ammannia capitellata -> ludwigia super red -> rotala Wallichi

Mid-Back: Althernathera Reineckii "Kleines Papageienblatt" -> rotala macrandra 

Back: limnophila hippuridoides -> myriophyllum Roraima -> rotala blood red (Singapore) -> Proserpinaca palustris Cuba -> hygrophila polysperma Rosanervig 

[TheSwissAquarist]

That’s gonna look stupendous once it grows in! 

Are there gonna be any fishy inhabitants? 

[riioKen]

On 10/26/2023 at 2:17 PM, TheSwissAquarist said:

Are there gonna be any fishy inhabitants? 

I already have fish in the tank.

Celestial pearl danio, ember tetra, otocinclus, amano and pygmy Cory.

 

I was thinking in buying 4-6 pearl gourami but after 1-2 months. I would like to achieve stability with plant growth before adding more livestock

[TheSwissAquarist]

Wise decision, and your ember tetras will look great against the red plants. 

[riioKen]

On 10/26/2023 at 5:40 PM, TheSwissAquarist said:

Wise decision, and your ember tetras will look great against the red plants.

Yep, I already added fish in this tank because 1 of the 2 Biomaster 600 was already cycled with the same livestock in a 20g (7month old tank). The new Biomaster Is running since early September with some media from the other cycled Biomaster.

 

When I measured the water of this tank after 2 weeks, the ammonia and nitrites were already 0, then I waited 4 weeks more before adding livestock and plants.

 

Before adding more livestock I want to obtain some more growth from the plants and check if melting happen.

 

Ember are always stunning, I bought them as dither for cpd but I'm enjoying way more them than the others. Bit the true eye catcher are otos and pygmy with their swim behaviours

[riioKen]

New update guys, after 1 week since planting, 3-4 vitro plants are melting. Honestly I was expecting some melts, but not this much.

The plants are melting from the bottom, seems that roots die (likely due to fresh aqua soil) and then the tops follow after 1-2 days.

 

If I see the bottom melting but the top is somewhat healthy, if I cut the top e discard the bottom can I recover something? 

 

The plants that melt are:

Rotala indica, almost disappeared

Ludwigia polycarpa, brevipens and super red mini

Proserpinaca palustris Cuba

Myriophyllum Roraima

 

[nabokovfan87]

On 11/3/2023 at 12:00 PM, riioKen said:

If I see the bottom melting but the top is somewhat healthy, if I cut the top e discard the bottom can I recover something? 

Not really sure, honestly.  I've had plants melt like that and I've never really been able to recover them.

For the sake of it, can you check KH and GH?

The only other thing that stood out was the drop checker color.  Looks like it might be leaning slightly yellow, indicating slightly too much CO2.  In a plants only tank, I don't really know if that's an issue at all.

[riioKen]

On 11/4/2023 at 4:16 AM, nabokovfan87 said:

For the sake of it, can you check KH and GH?

Sure, kh 3 gh 6.5

 

On 11/4/2023 at 4:16 AM, nabokovfan87 said:

The only other thing that stood out was the drop checker color.  Looks like it might be leaning slightly yellow, indicating slightly too much CO2

Yeah, it's leaning a bit to yellow but it was at the end of photoperiod and I'm sure that for plants is only a positive thing. Kh3 pH 6.5 so around 33mg of co2

[nabokovfan87]

On 11/4/2023 at 12:47 AM, riioKen said:

Sure, kh 3 gh 6.5

What is the one or two plants you're having the most trouble with.... I'll check my database tool and see what it recommends for those specifically and try to dig up some proper parameters for them.

On 11/4/2023 at 12:47 AM, riioKen said:

Yeah, it's leaning a bit to yellow but it was at the end of photoperiod and I'm sure that for plants is only a positive thing. Kh3 pH 6.5 so around 33mg of co2

Agreed. The only thing I can think is that massive swings causing cell damage in the same way that RR (seltzer dips on plants) works. Repeating that "damage" daily causing the melting. Perhaps?

The plant is basically trying all it can to grow and propagate out, the main issue when I have plants melt like that is that they don't ever grow roots and just turn to mush on me.

[riioKen]

On 11/4/2023 at 10:31 AM, nabokovfan87 said:

that is that they don't ever grow roots and just turn to mush on me.

I have just cleaned all the mess, I uprooted all the plants affected and all of them had roots like mush.

 

Plants affected:

- Ludwigia polycarpa and brevipens (those two only few stems, the other seems healthy)

- rotala indica (all of them melted and removed from the tank)

- myriophyllum Roraima (same)

- ludwigia super red (same)

- proserpinaca palustris Cuba (same)

 

To all the plants that I've "removed from the tank", I cut the tops still alive and I'm floating them in a net, maybe stronger light and unlimited CO2 can let grow in some way.

[nabokovfan87]

On 11/4/2023 at 3:30 AM, riioKen said:

- Ludwigia polycarpa and brevipens (those two only few stems, the other seems healthy)

Temp: 12-28 C
Light: Med-High
dKH: 2-10

"Sufficient light (0.5 watts per litre or above) is the most important aspect when cultivating this plant submersed. Adding micro- and macronutrients is beneficial, especially if CO2 is injected. Low nitrate levels, going together with relatively high phosphate readings, provide a reddish, sometimes orange colouration of the shoot tips. Emersed cultivation is possible, given that the plant gets sufficient light."

 

On 11/4/2023 at 3:30 AM, riioKen said:

- myriophyllum Roraima (same)

Temp: 4-28C
Light: Med-High
dKH: 2-14

This Myriophyllum has no special requirements and also grows in medium-hard water and without CO2 addition. However, it unfolds its full splendour with rather strong lighting, complete macro- and micronutrient supply via the water column and CO2 addition. The rapid growth makes frequent pruning necessary, and pruning leads to bushier growth. Propagation is easy by head cuttings and partial cuttings. The Roraima Milfoil tolerates a wide temperature range and is also suitable for cold-water aquaria.

 

 

On 11/4/2023 at 3:30 AM, riioKen said:

- rotala indica (all of them melted and removed from the tank)

Temp: 18-30C
Light: High
dKH: 0-14

Rotala indica is a rather slow grower, and in the aquarium it has relatively high demands regarding light intensity and nutrient supply. Its almost pillar-like upright shoots are best planted as larger, individual group of stems of different length in the middleground of a tank.
 

On 11/4/2023 at 3:30 AM, riioKen said:

- ludwigia super red (same)

Temp: 18-28C
Light: Med-High
dKH: 0-14

First and foremost, Ludwigia palustris needs lots of light. Even though it may survive under moderate light, it grows spindly and greenish.
It responds well to the addition of the macronutrients NO3 and PO4, however, they are not necessarily required. CO2 injection and micronutrient fertilisation are both not necessary either, however, Ludwigia palustris grows considerably more robust, healthy and colourful if they are added.

[riioKen]

@nabokovfan87 based on your infos, aren't difficult plants. In fact myriophyllum Roraima grows like a weed (it almost doubled its size in a week, then started melting from the bottom).

 

 

[nabokovfan87]

On 11/4/2023 at 1:11 PM, riioKen said:

@nabokovfan87 based on your infos, aren't difficult plants. In fact myriophyllum Roraima grows like a weed (it almost doubled its size in a week, then started melting from the bottom).

Yeah. It makes me wonder what is going on with the substrate or what is causing the roots to "choke."

I've seen it in my own tanks over and over again neither AR and never really found out why apart from things not being "balanced correctly."

[riioKen]

Well TC plants are more delicate, some melt some not, idk what to think honestly... 

 

I'm buying new plants but this time I'm searching for potted version or some local grower where I can buy them from.

[nabokovfan87]

On 11/4/2023 at 2:23 PM, riioKen said:

Well TC plants are more delicate, some melt some not, idk what to think honestly... 

 

I'm buying new plants but this time I'm searching for potted version or some local grower where I can buy them from.

Best of luck. I've heard that about TCs, but I've also heard the opposite.

Let me know how it goes!

[riioKen]

On 11/4/2023 at 10:30 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

Let me know how it goes!

If I receive a single stem of around 15-20cm from a local seller, should I split it in more pieces or plant it as it is and then after established I'll cut it?

[nabokovfan87]

On 11/5/2023 at 11:27 AM, riioKen said:

If I receive a single stem of around 15-20cm from a local seller, should I split it in more pieces or plant it as it is and then after established I'll cut it?

Sort of depends. You can almost always cut it, but it's often left to float, propagate out, then repeat that to get plants. I would plant it and let it adjust to your water first. The main reason for that is just trying to get roots where they need to be and nutrients flowing.

[riioKen]

Probably the best thing is to plant stems directly without splitting them. After I see new and constant growth on top, I'll cut and replant the top, seems the safest thing to do.

 

About photoperiod, I have the light on for 5h (with 30m for sunrise and 30m sunset) at 50%

 

When is the right time to increase intensity and/or duration of photoperiod? For now, I think is better to remain as it is, because I'm having melting ongoing

[riioKen]

New update. Almost all melting ended, there is still some here and there but I'm sure that plants stocking won't change. 

I'm thinking to get a Ro unit (arka myaqua 1900) what do you think?

 

@Mmiller2001 if I'm not wrong I talked to you some months ago about my old 20g, you helped me a lot.

 

I'm thinking to swap position of rotala h'ra and AR Kleines-Papageienblatt, the first is growing horizontally but short, the second straight up