alanmin4304

Thankyou for those kind words (howmuchyouwannaborro)

I have left you a message on the Australian Killie site.

When you transplant most Echinodorus sp. (amazon sword family) they generally grow new roots and the old ones die off so there is a period where they are not feeding very well because they have few roots. When established all should be well.

I keep them in 2 litre icecream containers with the sides roughed with fine sandpaper to make it easier for them to climb. If the start realy coating the sides and you dont remove them to thin them out they will die off fom their own waste so feed them out (even to your adults) and they will keep going longer. I keep a number going where some are starting out and others going out so I have them all the time.

It may be OK to use but I never have as I have an aversion to puting teatree oil in an aquarium.

Great weekend and many thanks to those who did the graft. Am still trying to lock in all the stuff I learned from pinching others brains.

I am very open minded. You may txt me as much as you like about whatever you like. I don't own a mobile phone.

I have common amazon swords bleheri and amazonicus as well as medium/small java fern. Pm me if you are interested.

Will do.

To hell with daylight saving to check the smoke alarms---just burn the porridge.

Flourish Excel is an avilable form of carbon and can be used instead of, or in conjunction with CO2 but you still need other nutrients regardless of their source. There are three main requirements for plant growth: Lighting, carbon and other nutrients and for the idea to work you need all three. Having one or two will achieve little.

It is all a matter of personal preference. I like to think I can grow plants OK. I don't use CO2 other than from fish and use flourish excel to control black beard algae. My lighting is only moderate and I only grow plants that the average Joe Blow might be able to grow. I use the system I used 30 years ago and it still works for me. I have tried different lighting but prefer the old way. There are some plants I don't try to grow because of their light or water requirements but that still leaves a lot. Everything about aquariums is a compromise (with fish and plants) so do what works for you. Contrary to popular belief Mrs Google is not gods mother in law.

I read on another forum that the harder the water the more light required by Java Fern and that could be your problem.

These floating leaves are the normal form of the plant and what we are doing is attempting to keep it in its juvenile form. This can be done with lotus, banana plant and some large swords like cordifolius. It is easiest if you get them at the juvenile stage and maintain that rather than try to revert them. You can cut off the floaters and hope it sends new submersed leaves (and doesn't die). Digging the plant up and cutting the roots will often encourage the juvenile state in cordifolius and might work here.

I have two tanks on for 17hrs/day

It may do but it depends how long they are on at present. They do need a rest period though so you cannot leave them on all the time.

Never tried it but Lobelia cardinalis might be OK, or some of the Cryptocoryne that come from Sri Lanka or Tailand where the water is hard (wendtii red or green, beckettii, lutea,nevillii and balansai.

I have glosso grown emersed (which is how it is usually grown when you buy it). I can take a bit to the conference to pass on to someone from near you if you wish. BE WARNED-----It is very hard to plant other than in sand because it is such a small plant with small leaves and tiny roots. It also requires very strong light. Let me know if you want a clump to start you off.

You will never get to heaven if you sell it (or give it away)---so what to do?

Sorry I don't know--have never done it.

Bubble and Squeek pet shop here had some about a year ago which he was going to try and breed. Haven't seen any since. They were nice looking fish with the characteristic sterbai pectoral fins.

With lotus and banana plant if you want submersed growth it is best to nip off the leaves heading for the surface as they put them up. With banana plant if you nip the floating leaf after development it will often develop plantlets on the stem if you let those leaves float.

You can but try. I used to breed them in 24x24 inch bare tanks but you might get away with it if you condition the female well. I found bronze, albino and peppers the easiest.

I used to feed them green water along with small (nz or san francisco) brine shrimp nupli and microworm. I prefered to condition the female well untill full of roe then spawn them in a bare tank with a net to keep them from eating the eggs. That way they can't eat the eggs and you can see them. I had a small tank, then a smaller one inside with stainless steel mesh on the bottom instead of glass and straps on the top to support it and give rigidity. When you see eggs you lift the inside tank out and relocate the parents.

I have a 1200mm tank 450mm high with 2 x 4ft flouros going 17 hours/day as I described so your tank is equivalent almost exactly to half of mine. Mine grows plant well so yours should as well. The tubes are better quality now than they used to be and will last about a year so the age of yours will not be a problem. Many people swear by daylight (7500k), and I think cool white is about 4000k and growlux about 10000k. I try all sorts of combinations and end up with what I think works for me, and I suggest you do the same. Contrary to popular belief Mrs Google is not Gods Mother in Law and not everything you read is the absolute truth. I am presently growing a whole range of plants emersed under artificial light and experimenting with different lights. One thing is clear and that is that not all plants like the same conditions and there are therefore many compromises that must be made. The challenge is to figure those compromises that work best for you.