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Fertilizer, identification of Java Moss, news group
> From: Michael Irlbeck <u7211aa at sunmail_lrz-muenchen.de>
> Date: Fri, 12 May 1995 12:47:25 +0200 (MET DST)
> Subject: Which fertilizer/trace elements do you use?
>
> CO2 injection - pH 7.3 (CO2 of about 15mg/l).
Your pH is high for Co2; are you using vigorous aeration or turbulence? This will
dissipate the Co2. I think ,from what I've read recently, the optimum
is 6.4-6.2. There are side effects on the plant's leaf chemistry at lower pHs.
Carbonate hardness is the other factor along with pH which determines the
concentration of Co2. See the FAQ. With your light intensity I think you
might need slightly more Co2 but reduce aeration and turbulence; your
fish load is not high so you'll not be short of O2. If you have algae now,
I wouldn't continue to increase fertilization because your plants aren't fully
utilizing it, the algae is.
> Crypt. wendtii (not doing well),
Suspect you need to leave this for a while to establish roots and stabilize. Algae
can also attack those slow growing leaves so keep it in check. Do NOT use algicide
if you have algae eaters.
> The tank was only set up ten days ago and almost all plants are doing
> extremely well,
Good that you have many plants to avoid the Ammonia problem of a new tank!
> So far I only put in some of Tetras Planta min fertilizer. A colegue
> suggested I should monitor iron levels, with the MH light and the CO2, I
> would probably need many times the suggested dose, especially in the
> beginning.
You have iron in the laterite and other additives. It can overdose I believe.
I'll let the experts give you advice on that. I wouldn't add too much. If you
observe yellow veins on the Hygro difformis, then yes it is in short supply.
If you use activated charcoal, this might remove it.
___________________________________________________________
Subject: Riccia or Java Moss
> From: Karen Randall <76535.2776 at compuserve_com>
> The leaf forms of Riccia and Java Moss are very different.
OK, thanks for the help classifying it. You're right, it was dark and fluffy with long
tough strands.
> Remember that a "lawn" is not a short-term
> project no matter what plant you choose. Plan on it taking 6-12 months to
> become established, even with strong lighting, supplemental CO2 and trace
> element supplementation.
Yeah, but that's good because you don't want the lawn to be so fast growing that
it takes over or chokes out the other plants. We have to think about what plants
LIKE to grow together too and I understand swords and esp. Crypts prefer their
own kinds. What I found with Java moss, it was too much work to keep it
out of the other plants and I let it get out of control. Do you find you have to
trim it? and how often? I don't think you could just pull parts off by hand; it's
too tough and would loose it's shape and anchorage.
______________________________________________________________
Subject: re:Newsgroup
Judging from the lack of plant topics on the newsgroup, I think we plant people have
already migrated HERE! The plant topics were just too diffuse and time consuming
to read and reply too. This mailing list is way better. (look how often some of us
post now! *ahem* )
-- Steve :-)