AQUAFEST MADE ME WANNA AQUASCAPE

[Tony]

If I were to add plants, I would need to buy a CO2 injection system right?

While it doesn't hurt, it is so very far from necessary. I have one high-tech planted 45 gal tank with CO2 and one low tech planted tank without. While the CO2 makes plants grow like weeds (in addition to supplements, under-gravel heater and big lighting), the plants in the low-tech 20 do just fine (anubias, java fern and crypts). you definitely would not want to do it with Africans as it drops the pH somewhat, depending on the GH of the water.

I also keep anubias in almost every tank in the house. My 110 mixed mbuna and hap tank has large groves of it. I keep a piece in every one of my African tanks on my rack as well. The fish will occasionally chew up the brown/yellowing edges of the plants, but leave it alone for the most part.

As a matter of fact, the low-tech planted 20 I was talking about above with the java fern and crypts is inhabbited by 6 juvie demasoni, lol. (I know I'll have to move them eventually, but they're doing fine for now and the wife loves them in her tank.)

And that's coming from an African keeper. If I kept more new world, plants would be coming out of my ears.

 

[Tony]

DQ - I can give you some anubias to test out the waters if you'd like.

 

[chris_todd]

If I were to add plants, I would need to buy a CO2 injection system right?

Not for the kinds of plants Jen is talking about (anubias, java fern, swords, bolbitis, etc.). Sure, they'll do *better* with CO2 and more light than fish folks usually use, but these plants are (typically) hard to kill.

And while Lake Malawi is not exactly known for it's aquatic plants, bolbitis is actually native to the african rivers where you find many cichlids. In our 65g Lake Malawi tank, we have an amazon sword, some nice java fern tied to driftwood, and a rhizome of bolbitis. The leaves of the amazon sword, in particular, make great hiding places for fry or the smaller cichlids.

Swords will grow in ordinary sand, but they'll appreciate a more nutritious substrate (Flourite or Ecocomplete are two kinds you're likely to find in LFSs). If you don't want to swap out the sand in your cichlid tank, you can plant the sword in a flower pot and set the pot in the tank. If you have as much hardscape as DQ has, you can easily hide the pot behind it, so all you see is the plant. For Java Ferns, Bolbitis, or Anubias, just tie them to driftwood using floral wire or cotton thread (though in a cichlid tank, floral wire is probably better) - don't bury the rhizome (the thing that looks kinda like a root) in the substrate; it will kill the plant.

Like Jen said, try it, you'll like it!

 

[crazyclowntang]

MAybe Jen should give us a planting class in one of our CCA meets.

 

[UNCLERUCKUS]

DQ - I can give you some anubias to test out the waters if you'd like.

THANKS TONY THAT WOULD BE GREAT!

 

[UNCLERUCKUS]

Not for the kinds of plants Jen is talking about (anubias, java fern, swords, bolbitis, etc.). Sure, they'll do *better* with CO2 and more light than fish folks usually use, but these plants are (typically) hard to kill.

And while Lake Malawi is not exactly known for it's aquatic plants, bolbitis is actually native to the african rivers where you find many cichlids. In our 65g Lake Malawi tank, we have an amazon sword, some nice java fern tied to driftwood, and a rhizome of bolbitis. The leaves of the amazon sword, in particular, make great hiding places for fry or the smaller cichlids.

Swords will grow in ordinary sand, but they'll appreciate a more nutritious substrate (Flourite or Ecocomplete are two kinds you're likely to find in LFSs). If you don't want to swap out the sand in your cichlid tank, you can plant the sword in a flower pot and set the pot in the tank. If you have as much hardscape as DQ has, you can easily hide the pot behind it, so all you see is the plant. For Java Ferns, Bolbitis, or Anubias, just tie them to driftwood using floral wire or cotton thread (though in a cichlid tank, floral wire is probably better) - don't bury the rhizome (the thing that looks kinda like a root) in the substrate; it will kill the plant.

Like Jen said, try it, you'll like it!

CHRIS YOU ARE A WEALTH OF INFO
*scribbling notes to self *

 

[chris_todd]

CHRIS YOU ARE A WEALTH OF INFO
*scribbling notes to self *

:lol: Everything I know about keeping aquatic plants I've learned over the last 12 months from the fine folks at GWAPA.

It's really cool that we have three large, diverse, and vibrant clubs in this area. Aquafest was perfect evidence of that.

 

[ingg]

If you all want, we (GWAPA) would be glad to do a session on low tech setups style seminar.

We can even show you what plants still work with massive diggers, vs what wouldn't and keep it all low light, np required co2, simple setups.

Heck, if ya ask pretty please and give us a bit of time to gather donated plants, we might be able to have a small tank's worth of setup to raffle after the talk/demo.


An example, btw, is that tank I set for my brother and posted in another thread. All low light simple, needs no co2, and if you remove the crypts is even digger friendly to an extent - you wouldn't hardscape as much is all.


Bring it to your board as a requested topic, we will work out details.

Dave

 

[UNCLERUCKUS]

If you all want, we (GWAPA) would be glad to do a session on low tech setups style seminar.

We can even show you what plants still work with massive diggers, vs what wouldn't and keep it all low light, np required co2, simple setups.

Heck, if ya ask pretty please and give us a bit of time to gather donated plants, we might be able to have a small tank's worth of setup to raffle after the talk/demo.


An example, btw, is that tank I set for my brother and posted in another thread. All low light simple, needs no co2, and if you remove the crypts is even digger friendly to an extent - you wouldn't hardscape as much is all.


Bring it to your board as a requested topic, we will work out details.

Dave

THATS A SWELL IDEA! IM DOWN IF THE CLUB IS. I WILL PASS THIS ON TO OUR PREZ.

 

[Pat Kelly]

We have done a "plants in the cichlid tank" type of talk before but its been a number of years. I think G did the last one. Man that has been a while.
lol
Any talk that we do has to be "cichlid" related so something like a beginners planted tank for apistos or along that line may work.

 

[ingg]

Pat, we can even make it for the big cichlids, provided they aren't herbivores.

Pull half the rocks (they are 15" tall and narrow, they'd topple with them digging) and a couple of the plants (that you cannot see well, some small crypts and the grass looking crypt spiralis in back right corner), and this would work with most mid sized cichlids - even the modest diggers, I think:






Apistos do very well in beginner to advanced planted tanks. Most don't dig with any significance given hiiding spots, and fully planted tanks provide what they need and more. Can certainly do it that way as well.


I was thinking along the lines of "How to bullet proof plant a cichlid tank" kinda thing. Tricks like attaching plants to rocks so they are moveable and survive digging around them, what plants to use and to avoid, how to attach them, etc...

 

[Cartel]

I would not mind a Cichlids and plants speech

 

[Paul S]

UNCLERUCKUS, your tank looks great but a little added green would make it looks even better!!

 

[krisw]

Pat, let's talk and get on your schedule for 2010. Maybe we can even trade speakers somehow. Maybe a "Cichlids for the Planted Tank" talk from one of the CCA at a GWAPA meeting? Come to one, and you'll know what fish you need, and go to the other to find out what environment to put them in. Let's trade!

 

[danger_chicken]

If you all want, we (GWAPA) would be glad to do a session on low tech setups style seminar.

We can even show you what plants still work with massive diggers, vs what wouldn't and keep it all low light, np required co2, simple setups.

Heck, if ya ask pretty please and give us a bit of time to gather donated plants, we might be able to have a small tank's worth of setup to raffle after the talk/demo.


An example, btw, is that tank I set for my brother and posted in another thread. All low light simple, needs no co2, and if you remove the crypts is even digger friendly to an extent - you wouldn't hardscape as much is all.


Bring it to your board as a requested topic, we will work out details.

Dave

Pat, we can even make it for the big cichlids, provided they aren't herbivores. I was thinking along the lines of "How to bullet proof plant a cichlid tank" kinda thing. Tricks like attaching plants to rocks so they are moveable and survive digging around them, what plants to use and to avoid, how to attach them, etc...

yeah yeah yeah:jumpy:

 

[jonclark96]

I'd enjoy a talk on the plants in the cichlid tank as well.

 

[DonkeyFish]

MAybe Jen should give us a planting class in one of our CCA meets.

I would love to! Looks like Dave has already volunteered us (GWAPA) and Kris is on board too. Seriously, I've been working on this underground movement for months now

Keeping plants + fish is just a natural thing to do. Everybody else is doin' it... LOL! Like I said before, I promise it's not that hard!

 

[mscichlid]

Yeah! I'm not on the board, but I think it's a fabulous idea!

 

[crazyclowntang]

I would love for this to happen. I have always wanted to try plants (especially with cichlids, old world or new), but everywhere I go lfs are like " you need co2" and stuff and they make it seem difficult and expensive. I am gonna have to talk to you some more Jen

 

[DiscusnAfricans]

I would love for this to happen. I have always wanted to try plants (especially with cichlids, old world or new), but everywhere I go lfs are like " you need co2" and stuff and they make it seem difficult and expensive. I am gonna have to talk to you some more Jen

Jen is a good person to talk to. I was afraid to go plants, but she helped sway me. I only keep them in my discus tank, I don't really have much desire to pu them in my african tanks.

I have a tank with PF sand substrate, no CO2, no ferts, no dosing, but a decent light and I'm able to grow plants (so far). Its just a matter of knowing what will work and what isn't worth trying.

I would also like to hear any talk involving keeping fish with plants in low tech tanks.