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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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