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WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?!

zackcrack00

zackcrack00

Members
I just bought some java moss, two amazon swords, and some other cabomba-like plants. I just keep planting them and planting them, but they wont stay. When they finally stayed there, I turned on my tank light and looked at them. THEY LOOKED HORRIBLE!!! All of this crap is floating around my tank, my water looks FILTHY, and I hate how my tank looks!!!! Holly, Christine, ANYONE! Can you guys please help me? I just bury them in my gravel, and they don't even LOOK good! I will try to post some pics off of my kindle. Thanks guys!!! I am SOOOoooo MAD!!
 
chriscoli

chriscoli

Administrator
Well, I guess my first question is "what kind of substrate do you have?" It sounds like you stirred up a bunch of fish poop and mulm from the substrate. That should settle or get pulled out by the filter pretty quickly.

Also, pictures do help.

But I find that when I first plant my tanks they do look pretty crappy till the plants settle in and start growing. There's always a bit of an awkward phase right after they are planted when the stems are facing the wrong way, or the leaves are awkward looking. They'll straighten out on their own. Have patience.

Also, I find that Java moss can look kind of nasty sitting as a blob on the bottom of the tank (the fry love it, though). It gets REALLY pretty when you can put individual strands (don't cheat and just wad a bunch on there...it won't work) on some wood right up under the lights. Give it time to attach and grow, and then it goes nuts growing in these perfect little tiers of beautifully arranged strands. It takes some patience, but it's well worth it.

Arlene can also give you some great advice...she's one of our resident GWAPA Spokespeople.
 
chriscoli

chriscoli

Administrator
So why do you think that looks bad? Stand back and take another pic of the whole tank. You've got to get into the Feng Shui of the whole thing....
 
zackcrack00

zackcrack00

Members
Oh my gosh, do you watch tanked, too?! Haha. And actually, once the fish carp settled, derelict looks great. (Except for those fine-leaved plants) And I have pea gravel.
 
mscichlid

mscichlid

Founder
You will first have to change your substrate. Some suggestions would be Eco-Complete, Flourite, Fluval, or Amazonia.
 
B

b considine

a dude playing a dude disguised as another dude
The substrates Francine mentioned are designed for planted aquariums. They contain nutrients or are able to pull them from the water column and hold them for the plant roots.

From your pictures, it looks like you have a fairly large size gravel. Something smaller will do a better job of holding the plants in place until they grow roots.

As others have said, plants have an adjustment period when placed in a tank. Some, such as crypts, are prone to "melting", where they lose their leaves and appear to have died. They'll bounce back.

Finally, while you mention you have enough light, you don't say what kind of light. Specifically, what temperature light. Plants do best with a temperature (K) of between 5,000 and 10,000, with 6,700 being close to ideal. So, while you might have plenty of light, it might not be what the plants are looking for.

Shameless plug: Check out GWAPA (http://gwapa.org/wordpress/), the area's planted aquarium club. It's got some big names in the planted tank community, and more than a few (myself included) who were where you are now.

Blaise
 
hollyfish2000

hollyfish2000

Members
A few thoughts -- get rid of that gravel and replace with Eco Complete black. It's very attractive and will help the plants stay down and feed them as well. Also, I think that real plants make fake plants look faker. I would remove all fake platns. I also suggest some easy beginner plants. Swords are good (you do need fertilizer tabs after a while, but not immediately. Then spring for a nice anubias anchored with some metal plant stakes or glued or tied to a piece of wood or rock. Also, order online a nice mat of java fern. This is very green and pretty and hard to kill. After that, some other easy plants are crypts, vals, giant hygro. Stay away from low, carpet like plants and anythign with red in them. I personally don't wait for things to grow in. I overplant so I get the right look right away and then trim or rearrange as things grow. Of course, I do like the overgrown look.
 
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