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Re: Plants for a shiner tank




Hurray!  I was afraid I was the only one using UGFs.

Luke



On Thu, 6 Aug 1998, Warren H.Lund Jr. wrote:

> Hi;
>    I'm going to have to disagree with y'all about the use of UG filters in a
> plant tank.  I have a 20 gal. high, river-type tank,  that has been set up
> for almost four years.  I use an undergravel filter with a small powerhead
> as my only source of filtration.  I also added an airstone to provide some
> extra oxygen. The gravel consists of a mixture of 50% #2 sandblast gravel
> and 50% pea gravel to a depth of 2 1/2 - 3 inches.  I have multiple pieces
> of driftwood and a few small stones.  The light is a Pennplax 15w
> flourescent bulb that sometimes stays on 24hrs but never less than 12-14
> hrs. I use no heater and the temperature stays at around 68-70 F in my air
> conditioned living room.  I have a plexiglass cover over the entire aquarium
> so water evaporation is minimal.  The water I use is de-ionized and is
> tannic stained from the drift wood.  The pH stays at around 6.4.   In the
> four years of its existance, I have done minimal water changes less than ten
> times. The water is siphoned  out through the UG lift tube to remove some of
> the mulm and detrius from under the filter plate.  Plants include Java fern,
> Java moss, various crypts, Hygrophilla polysperma and a broadleaf Amazon
> sword. I had water sprite but took it out because it kept taking over.  I'm
> getting ready to do the same with the Hygrophilla.  I have some wild
> Ludwegia that I collected last weekend to put in its place.  All of my
> plants are prospering without the use of chemicals or other additives.  I
> have very little algae, and it is not problematic.  The bulk of it is on the
> plexiglass top where the water condensates.
>    The first inhabitants were a school of miscellaneous La. shiners, some
> Gulf darters  and some Elassoma zonatum (Pygmy sunfish).  These fish lived
> for almost three years with no disease and very minimal fish loss.  I only
> really lost fish when a baby Black madtom that I had put in the tank and
> forgot about, grew to adulthood and ate every fish in the tank before I
> discovered him.  He now resides in my pond.  The aquarium has been restocked
> with the same assortment of fish and I have had no fish loss and all of them
> are healthy and thriving.  I feed them once a day and often skip feedings
> once or sometimes twice a week.  They are fed heavily, but not more than
> they can eat.
>    I have a new 75 gal. tank that I am setting up soon and I will use an UG
> filter in it as well, with the same type of set up.  I know that this set up
> won't work for everybody, but it works for me.  If you are starting out with
> live plants, the best thing to do is to experiment and find out what works
> best for you.  The main thing is to obtain a balance where everything works
> together.
> ... says the "Phishhed"
> 
> WARREN
> a.k.a. Phishhed        <*(((>{
> ICQ#11777434
> AOL-Inst.Msgr. screen name: welaka
> 
>            "It's not the quantity, it's the quality !"
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> Check out my web pages at:
> www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pointe/1931/index.html
> Contact me at; phishhed at acadiacom_net
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Josh Wiegert <jwiegert at nexus_v-wave.com>
> To: nfc at actwin_com <nfc at actwin_com>
> Date: Thursday, August 06, 1998 11:31 AM
> Subject: Re: Plants for a shiner tank
> 
> 
> >I fully agree with you here on UGFs.  They provide fair filtration, but
> >IMNHO, just not enough to warranb their use.  They're far too much hassle
> >to be worth it, especially with plants, breeding fish, and fish that like
> >to dig.
> >Hornwort, IME, has been diffiocult to grow.  It generally just falls
> >apart, poluting the water badly, and leaving its "needles" all over the
> >place.
> > ><>
> >J. L. Wiegert                            NFC at actwin_com List Admin
> >Come Chat at SomeThing Fishy             To join: Send e-mail to
> >Telnet to:                               nfc-request at actwin_com with
> >Nexus.V-Wave.Com, port 7000              the command 'subscribe' in
> >                                         the body.  To leave, use
> >www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/2308  'unsubscribe'.
> >-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
> > Dubotchugh yIpummoH.                      bI'IQchugh Yivang!
> >
> >On Wed, 5 Aug 1998, D. Martin Moore wrote:
> >
> >>
> >>
> >> > Hi all,
> >> > I am about to setup a tank for some Redfin Shiners. I bought this
> >> > tank used with a UGF. I plan to add at least 1.5 inches of gravel on
> top
> >> > of the UGF and grow some plants. Any suggestions on what kind of plants
> to
> >> > get for the tank? I would prefer native species which I are available
> from
> >> > Arizona Aquatic Gardens (planning to split an order w/a friend soon).
> >> >
> >> > I am thinking Cabomba, Watersprite, Vals. What else?
> >>
> >> Sajjad,
> >>
> >> Cabomba and Val require very bright light.  Much more than you will
> >> get from the hood that probably came with your tank.  UGF's are not
> >> too good with rooted plants either, because then you can't add
> >> laterite to the gravel.  I would suggest spatterdock in small pots
> >> with a little soil at the bottom.  It's native and does well in low
> >> light.  There are also native(?) Echinodrus in Florida and
> >> South Georgia.  Waterprite in its floating form is good too, but it
> >> will overshadow your bottom plants.  Hornwort is very easy to grow in
> >> almost any light.  It floats below the surface.  Duckweed is easy
> >> too, but not too attractive.
> >>
> >>
> >> Prost,
> >>
> >> Martin
> >>
> >> -----------------------------------------------------------
> >> Greater American Freshwater Fishes Resource Site (GAFFeRs):
> http://www.localink4.com/~archimedes/
> >>
> >> "Fie on thee, fellow!  Whence come these fishes?" - Scheherazade
> >>
> >> "Any fish with good teeth is liable to use them." - Wm. T. Innes
> >>
> >
> 
> 


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