Re: Ruth' s Tank

[Ruth Klein <violine at bigfoot_com>]

Pat Bowerman wrote:
> 
> 
I also bought a red stem plant (whose name I'll have to
> > > go look up - and I forgot to bring the book) which has grown enough
> > > for
> > > me to make cuttings and replant.
> 
> Anubias are slow growers, no big surprises here. A "red stem
> plant"....you're going to have to be more specific here.

I did look it up; it says here.... rotala macrandra.  Sorry I'm not
really good at scientific names.  I will have to study harder :)

> > > What seems to be thriving are the 3 banana plants (and some Java moss
> > > _covering_ a tall driftwood creation).  Two of the 3 bananas have sent
> > > stems all the way to the water surface.  The leaves on these two
> > > plants
> > > are bright, waxy green.  The third plant has grown huge
> > > red/brown/green
> > > blotchy leaves.  The roots from these plants have covered the bottom
> > > of
> > > the tank (under the substrate).
> 
> "Banana Plants" ? I know what they are, but you seem to be describing a
> dwarf lily instead. Probably a Nymphaea species.

The leaves are a different shape than dwarf lillies.  The roots of these
plants are shaped like small, green bananas.  Let me go look that one up
in the book too...yup, the book says Nymphoides aquatica (Big Floating
Heart, Banana Plant). What's been sold around here as a lily is Nymphaea
lotus (and it's a rather large potted plant in the store).

I also bought some ludwigia last weekend... I can't seem to get it to
stay planted.  But it seems to like floating, because new leaves have
formed on most of the stems...  Go figure.
> 
> > > ...I'm having a hard time maintaining this level.  It
> > > keeps dropping to 5 and under (off my color chart) <snip> Should I be concerned?
> 
> Yes. You need to find out what is causing this. Are you injecting CO2?
> What is your KH?

No, I am not injecting CO2.  This week the problem seems to have
stabalized.  I didn't do ANYthing differently.  Big mystery here.
> 
> > > 2)  The tank lighting is a single 15w Gro-Lite fluorescent.  Do I need
> > > more?  Is there a better bulb?
> 
> Probably and yes. <snip> There is always a great debate about which bulb is best, but Ultra Tri-Lux and Tritons usually get good reviews.

I've temporarily replaced the single flourescent bulb strip with 2.  (I
actually upgraded the lighting on the reef tank to VHO's, and took one
of the old fixtures from that tank.)  So now I have 30w over 10 gal. 
Since this light 'strip' is wider than the single light strip, I took
the plastic hood off.  There's no way the cat can get in now even
without that protection.
> 
> I'm drawing a blank on the TWP water. What is it? 

The Tap Water Purifier.  It's a deionizing unit. I bought it 'cause the
reef tank needs really pure water.  But the water is too pure for a FW
tank, so it comes with a pH adjuster & a mineral adjuster to add back
elements for a FW tank.  Maybe I should just go back to tap water.
> 
> Plants, by themselves, do not cause a ph drop. To the contrary they
> should create a rise in the ph if anything. First, check those
> additives, then think about your substrate.

Now here may be the real cause.  The substrate is lousy - just gravel. 
Remember I had this tank with plastic decorations for a long time.  How
can I get fertilizer UNDER the gravel?
> 
> Good Luck, Pat Bowerman

Thanks,

Ruth      ---- reply to violine at bigfoot_com
"I'm an artist not an engineer!"

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