Posts tagged Planted Aquariums
Upgrading Your Aquarium Lighting – What a Bright Idea!
Jan 7th
Please welcome guest blogger Jeff Berdel, a member of our sales staff, who has submitted a few tips on helping your livestock to adjust to new lighting.
Upgrading aquarium lighting is a common step forward for many aquarists who are looking to get more growth out of their corals or plants, or open themselves up to newer species that may have higher light requirements. Other times, we may find ourselves buying new light-demanding inhabitants for our already stocked tanks. Often aquarists can be too anxious for their photosynthetic pets to get all the light they think they need, but fail to realize the effect that the newer, more intense lighting will have on them.
When You Install New Lighting
There are some easy things you can do to help the photosynthetic organisms in your tank to adjust to new lighting.
When you first install your upgraded fixture, start with a very short photo-period like 3-4 hours a day and gradually add an hour on every 2-3 days until you’ve reached the desired photo-period. You can also elevate the lighting system about 18 inches above the aquarium and gradually lower it a few inches every other day until it’s at the desired height above the tank. If the lighting system features numerous bulbs (like a T5 HO fixture), try the system first with a few of the bulbs out, and then after 3-4 days add a bulb until all the bulbs have been replaced. These small adjustments can help to ease the transition to what will soon make them very happy!
Introducing a New Inhabitant
When you can’t resist purchasing a new and exotic addition to your planted tank or reef, place the new specimen close to or on the bottom of the tank, or in a place with less direct light exposure. Then, gradually move the specimen to the desired position over the course of no longer than ten days. Be sure to let new additions remain at the lower position for 2-3 days before you attempt to move it to any other position.
Anemones can be more difficult as they generally adhere themselves to rocks or the substrate. However anemones and also mobile, and more often than not, the anemone will move to the desired lighting location. Remember, it has the ability to sting anything that gets in it’s way, so be sure you know where it is moving and where it settles so you can relocate anything too close for comfort.
Photosynthetic inhabitants aren’t the only ones to consider when upgradign your lighting. Fish are also susceptible to being stressed out from a sudden increase in the light’s brightness. Just like when you acclimate a new tank inhabitant to your tank’s water chemistry, it’s important to acclimate your livestock to your new lights. It may be safest to introduce new fish with the lights off for the first few hours, or with only actinic or accent lighting fired. Results of not doing so can lead to fish becoming severely stressed. Fish may be skittish and might want to jump out or hide under rocks, anemones and soft corals might retract, and hard corals may lose polyp extension or possibly bleach out. All of this can be avoided by following the above methods for acclimatin to new lighting.
Putting a light over the aquarium with a higher intensity requires a little more than just plugging it in and flipping the switch if the tank is already stocked with aquarium inhabitants. They have become quite used to their source of light being as bright as it is, and a sudden shift in that intensity may shock them. If given time to adjust with these easy steps, your fish and corals will be more vibrant and your plants more lush than ever!
Thanks,
Jeff
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Loading ...Why Did My Plant Do That? Exploring Some Common Aquarium Plant Problems – Part 1
Jan 4th
Hello, Craig here again! With 15 years on the retail side of this hobby, I have been asked a lot of questions, many of which have been centered on the well-being and growth of live plants for the freshwater aquarium. In my next couple of entries, I thought I would explore some frequently asked questions about aquarium plants. Here we go!
Why is my sword plant losing leaves when I just bought it?
As a general rule, most aquarium plants are not actually true aquatic plants. Most of them are found along the banks of rivers, streams, or lakes. This is the case with Echinodorus sword plants. In their natural environment wild Echinodorus are very rarely fully submerged and some individuals may never be fully submerged. Rainy seasons are part of what allows hobbyists to keep these beautiful plants in a fully aquatic environment!
When swords are cultivated at an aquatic nursery, they are typically grown in a bog like setting, or even grown hydroponically in a greenhouse. The growth rate of an emerge-grown sword is more rapid and transportation and shipping of that plant tends to be safer than if the plant was grown completely submerged. Knowing that the plant has been grown emerged helps to explain why some of the leaves die off when you get the plants to your home aquarium. It helps to explain why, even though you have a nutrient rich substrate and bright light, your swords still seem like they are dying. When that plant is fully submerged in water, the growth form changes somewhat. Those long, rigid stems and smaller leaves that you see will begin to decay shortly after the plant is placed fully underwater. Once you see that emerge-grown leaf start to turn brown, simply clip it off near the base of the stem and the plant will pop a new leaf out to replace it. This new leaf will grow from the center of the sword’s rosette and will often have a slightly different shape and/or color. The new growth may start slow, but adding the proper nutrients will ensure that the sword maintains growth. Fortunately, most plants make the transition to fully submerged form rather quickly and easily!
So, next time you see a big beautiful Sword that you can’t resist , just show a little patience and give it a little pruning. You will be amazed how resilient swords can be!
Thanks, Until Next Time,
Craig
(-1 rating, 5 votes) Loading ...A Simple CO2 Solution for the Planted Aquarium
Dec 5th
Brandon here. If you’re like me and want to get the best growth and color out of your planted aquarium, you’ll probably want to add CO2 to your tank at some point. The addition of CO2, in conjunction with adequate lighting, will greatly increase the rate of growth of your aquatic plants and is almost a necessity for certain hard to keep species. Here at That Fish Place we carry a number of supplies for dosing your aquarium with CO2.
The first CO2 additive that I used on my planted 20 gallon was the Turbo CO2 Bio System by Red Sea. This system is relatively inexpensive and fairly simple to use. It works by attaching the reaction chamber to airline tubing which runs into a small powerhead. A mixture of yeast and sugar inside the reaction chamber produces CO2 and usually lasts four or five weeks. The downfall to this system is that the CO2 generated cannot be regulated and the duration of the mixture is usually inconsistant.
Once I upgraded to my 55 gallon aquarium, I decided I should upgrade my CO2 system as well. To save money, I bought a 20 oz paintball tank instead of a larger tank similar to the ones we use in the fishroom. To diffuse the CO2, I purchased a Maxi-Jet 400, attaching the airline to the venturi. This actually diffuses the CO2 very well. To regulate the CO2 coming out of the tank, I bought the CO2 regulator by TAAM. The regulator comes with a needle valve for adjusting the amount of CO2 released into the tank and a solenoid so I can control when the unit operates by attaching it to the same timer as my lighting system.
My plants have never been healthier since I began CO2 additions. I have several different species that have grown almost too large and need constant pruning, such as my watersprite, bacopa, and bronze wendtii. If you decide to run CO2 on your aquarium, be aware of several complications you may run into:
CO2 will displace oxygen in the water. If you add too much, your fish may suffer.
A high degree of surface agitation will drive the CO2 out of the water and make the addition of CO2 worthless.
CO2 will also lower the pH of the water. Be sure your carbonate hardness is within the proper range (3-8 dkH).
CO2 will increase the rate of growth of your plants when used with adequate aquarium lighting. Fast growing plants will deplete trace minerals in the water (iron, potassium, calcium, manganese). Plants that are deficient in these minerals tend to have health issues and even die. Be sure to test your water and dose with trace minerals accordingly for the best growth.
Hope this helps,
Until next time,
Brandon
Until next time,
Brandon
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Winners of the 2008 ADA Aquatic Design Aquascaping Contest Announced
Nov 12th
Brandon here. Now that pond season is over, lots of aquarists are looking for the opportunity for those aquatic green thumbs to keep busy all winter long. Much of the time planted set-ups are overlooked for the more elaborate (and more expensive) saltwater reef tanks. I personally find a lot of enjoyment in keeping my favorite aquatic plants indoors where I can view them all year long.
This may be old news for some of you, but last month the winners of the 2008 ADA (Aqua Design Amano Co) Aquascaping Contest were announced. These are some serious planted tank people! The tanks are well laid out and must have taken countless hours of planning, planting, and trimming. My personal favorites are second, fourth, and ninth place. Maybe someday I’ll have the time and patience to make my tank look like one of these!
Pictures of the top ten can be viewed at Aquatic Eden, a blog about the planted aquarium. You can also see the top twenty-seven layouts at Aquatic Plant Central, a forum for the planted tank enthusiast. They’re some amazing tanks, so if you have a moment, take a look!http://www.aquatic-eden.com/
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/aquascaping/55958-2008-ada-layout-contest-top-27-a.html
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...A Natural Aquarium: Supplies and Care for the Planted Aquarium – Part 2
Oct 10th
Click here to read the first part of this article: A Natural Aquarium: Supplies and Care for the Planted Aquarium – Part 1
Filtration
Filtration on a planted tank can be minimal, and some experienced Aquatic gardeners even keep them without filtration, but for beginners it’s always good to have a safety net. A submersible or canister filter will be ideal to minimize surface CO2 displacement. Even a simple power filter will work, but the likelihood that you’ll need supplemental CO2 will be increased. Do not use under gravel filtration.
Substrates
There are lots of substrates that will be suitable for a planted aquarium. Fluorite, being one of the first iron-enhanced, porous clay, plant-specific substrates has these benefits as well as an rather fine grade for good root development. I would say any fine grade, smooth freshwater substrate will do , even mixed with sand to make a finer mix. Substrate is mostly a matter of taste, though roots are delicate and prefer a smoother denser base. Make the gravel bed at least 3-4″ deep.
Temperature
Most plants can tolerate a pretty wide temperature range, but be sure to look at the specific needs of the plants you want to keep to make sure they don’t prefer temps that you won’t be able to maintain. You’ll want to keep the temperature of the tank regulated more for the fish than for the plants, but some species may not thrive in that ideal range. Average temps that keep tropical fish happy will also keep a slew of aquarium plants happy. Do avoid extreme changes in temperature, like strong drafts from windows and doors. Keep the tank in a temperature stable area, and keep an appropriately sized aquarium heater to regulate the temperature, keeping it in the ideal range.
Furniture
How you decorate a planted tank is entirely up to you. I prefer the natural look, devoid of plastic bridges and castles, but a good piece of gnarly driftwood and a couple of interesting rocks are always welcome. You don’t have to add any embellishments if you don’t want to, but they do add more cover for fish and a focal point in the garden so to speak. Rocks and wood are also useful in terracing. Do be aware before adding any rock in particular as some types of rock and ornamentation may significantly alter PH and other aspects of the chemistry. Beginners may also want to avoid collecting from sources other than aquarium stores and stick to items designed for aquariums to avoid contamination from outside sources.
Fertilizers
Though many of the necessary nutrients for plants will be provided by the fish and feeding, a heavily planted tank will inevitably need some supplemental fertilizer for continued growth and vigor. Products that provide iron in particular are important, with several other micro-nutrients following closely behind. Some plants may need even more nutrients or root tab fertilizer, but keep a broad range fertilizer on hand to start for regular dosing. CO2 injection is a little more complicated and may not be essential initially. Supplemental CO2 will come into play especially when the system is established and the plants really get going and will probably be necessary once the demand for CO2 from the plants increases. You may want to consider how you’ll provide supplemental CO2 early on if not right away at set-up. For a really impressive set-up and robust and lush growth, it should be included in your plan by any means. You can invest in manufactured regulated injection systems, or with a little research, you can do-it-yourself, but that all depends on you and the needs of your tank.
Reap the Rewards
So, you’re all set-up and ready to add all the fun stuff. The principles of set-up are basically the same as any other tank. Start out slow with hardy species, be patient with the progress and the growth, be diligent with maintenance, and keep track of what is working and not working, and you’ll be on the road to success. Plan ahead so you know what you want to add, when and where you want to add it, and always be aware of chemistry and how both the plants and the fish are reacting to any me additions.
Once the tank has become established, and if you’ve taken the process step by step, the maintenance should be pretty minimal, and the results greatly rewarding. A daily feeding and glance over your equipment each day, routine weekly water quality maintenance, periodic trimming and pruning, and annual bulb replacement will leave you in awe of your investment.
This article is by no means as comprehensive as it could be on the subject. There are without a doubt innumerable other literature, articles, blogs, forums and websites entirely dedicated to this corner of the aquarium hobby, and I encourage anyone reading this to explore the topic in depth. I want to spark your interest because I think there is nothing more beautiful than a natural, lush green planted slice of aquarium, and I hope that you’re inspired to create your own. Whether you choose a fantasy or a true to nature biotrope, dream of making anyone who sees your tank green with envy, or keep it your personal treasure, give it a shot; you won’t regret it.
Patty
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