supasi

At this stage do not even worry about CO2. You need to understand the principles of why and what before you go high tech. Ferts I would suggest would be maybe some Flourish. http://www.hollywoodfishfarm.co.nz/detail/view/seachem-flourish-100ml/m/1007/ Not Excell, just the normal stuff. Once you get that sorted you could then try some excel. It is a liquid carbon additive which does much the same as CO2 without the PH swings etc. You need to add some more sand/gravel for the plants to root into. Maybe you could then consider some plants like Cryptocoryne or some of the smaller Echinodorus species. They are fairly easy to grow and are good indicators of nutrient deficiencies. Are you an FNZAS member? I have just written an article for the Aquarium World Magazine that talks about plants that are sold in LFS that are not really suitable for aquariums. It will eventually appear on the Forums Homepage after publication in the magazine. As Joe pointed out, Acorus rush is not really suited but will survive several months submerged. That purple waffle plant is suited to being planted in damp soil only. It will rot. Generally as a rule if it has red leaves or it looks like a pot plant then it probaly wont be suitable for submersion. There are exceptions to the rules, Ludwigia species and Rotala are red plants that happily live submersed.

Removing plants constantly will not fix the issue. Everytime you move the plants you disturb their roots. When the plants get put back into the tank they spend most of their time trying to re establish its roots system. This does not give the plants a time to thrive and actually grow. Plants work best with little disturbing of the root system. Your method is only treating the issue as it happens rather than allowing nature to take is course and balance itself and sort itself out.

Ok, that makes it easier to comment. The sand does not look deep enough for the plants to root properley into. What ferts are you using if any? Holes in leaves is a sign of nutrient deficiency. Secondly. Get rid of the Hemigraphis alternata ( Purple waffle) plant. It is not an aquatic plant and will eventually begin to rot and this will be feeding the algae. Also it looks like you have just planted your plants as they come from the shop. Remove the lead weights and separate the stems. Those lead weights crush the stems which also causes part of them to rot. HTH

That brown stuff is Diatoms. It is almost inevitable in every planted tank to start with. Just give it time and it will disappear on its own. Why are you replacing the plants? What sort of lighting. If there is insufficient light then the plants will become tall and leggy. Sand is one of the best mediums for plants but you have to watch for dead spots. ( Anaerobic decomposition beneath the sand) Do you have any pics of the tank you could post up to give us an idea what you have?

depends what type of stuff you collect. Round river stones just put outside in sun for several days. The heat of sun and direct sunlight will kill algae and hitchikers. For woods and more porus objects I would boil to kill any critters etc.

Red = Leaf Blue = Spathe Sorry bout the cheap paint image. :smln:

Trust me , your Mum will think you have a dead rat in your room. Pretty potent. Look at the images of C. cordata in my blog and you can see the new leaf and the spathe side by side. Leaves look maroon when still rolled up. http://supasi.wordpress.com/cryptocoryne-flowers/c/

Agreed. C.cordata is not as fast growing as C.wendtii or becktii. When it does flower I hope you dont mind the smell of rotting flesh.

Sorry to rain on your parade but that to me looks like a cordata leaf. ( I may be wrong so dont stone me if it is &c:ry ) C. cordata spathes are a definate pinkish colour and are more rounded at the base. The fact it is putting out new leaves is great though. Got any other closer pics?

Copied from other Merry Christmas thread

Merry Christmas Mcrudd, Wok and Alan. Alan for you and Jennifer and other Christchurch members I feel for having to deal with this at this time of year. And to all other forum members and FNZAS Executives and Members. Its been a trying year for many. Look to the horizon and keep plodding forward. For me this is my first real Christmas since my childhood. Having a child makes it all the more special ( Even if he is more interested in the wrapping) Merry Christmas to all.

The Callitriche stagnalis will shoot straight to the surface if it survives in the warner water. It is more common in boggy muddy areas. The lighting from Mitre 10 is just as good in my opinion. The only bulbs I buy from LFS is the T5HO ones as I cant find them anywhere else. Looking great Joe.

Its not C. walkeri "lutea". Even in submersed form the red colouration in the stems is quite obvious. http://crypts.home.xs4all.nl/Cryptocoryne/Gallery/wal/wal.html It looks like C. parva but the only real way to know is to flower it http://crypts.home.xs4all.nl/Cryptocoryne/Gallery/par/par.html

Climb up Paratutu Rock. Lots of walks in Egmont/Taranaki National Park if you feel that way inclined. Goblin Forest on Stratford side of mountain is neat.

Illegal importing is a serious matter. Take a look here. Many of you here would not have been around these forums at the time this happened. http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/media/12-06-07/offending Do the fish Gambusia or Koi Carp not come to mind? Or Didymo algae? They are all introduced, some intentionally some not but look at the damage they have caused. Why risk it? Have you any idea of the cost and time involved in researching an organisms suitability to be introduced into the country? Do some research via the net and you will see Hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum) is a huge cost to NZ. It was brought in as a plant to breed goldfish in. You have to look at the big picture. You say lighten up. Why?? You think it is ok to just turn your back and ignore or forget something like this. Illegal importation is not only that, illegal, but it poses a huge risk to our unique environment. Relaxing and "lightening up"as you suggest would be giving the people an impression that it is ok to do these things. It is not.

Those rules are put in place for a reason, And that reason is not just for you to break them. I imagine you would not be laughing if MAF/BSNZ decided to just put a blanket ban on importing at all. It is the immature and ignorant attitude from some people that risk the privilege of many. Yes I speak strongly about this as I actually care about the future of my hobby and it really annoys me when people think they are entitled to just do as they wish at the cost of others. And as Adrienne states, there are many of us who are actual payed and dedicated members of the FNZAS who work hard to build relationships with the applicable authorities to compliment the hobby.

Possibly it is an egg bound female?

I agree, definitely a crypt, but unless I saw it flower or was able to compare it directly beside some of mine it will be near impossible to say what sort. I have one that is similar but I have no ideas as to its ID at this stage. Can I ask where you got this from? It may help to establish its identity.

Jaide, are you or anyone you know coming up to Wanganui any time soon? I have a pair of Pelvicachromis taeniatus ( aka Wild Kribs) which are different from the standard Kribs but in my opinion much more colourful that you can buy for cheap. They are quite peaceful in my tank and the male colours up brilliantly. Let me know if you are keen. I wont ship sorry.

What are the dimensions of that tank? I do not believe that that tank is 300 litres by looking at those photos. In my opinion that is hugely expensive for a secondhand tank of that size. I had a new tank made that size ( assuming its 90 X 30 X 30 ) for less than that. vavoli, sorry I am not trying to be mean and pick, but when it comes to selling you tank it pays to be accurate with sizings etc as it is a huge disappointment to potential buyers when they discover things are not what was described. With all that said, I too think the cabinet would be worth more on its own. And if I underestimated the size of your tank I apologise. http://www.firsttankguide.net/calculator.php

This is just one of my gardens. It was raining and I didnt want to walk down the back in the rain to take photos.

Prob be too small for me :slfg:

Yup, totally agree there Alan, but its the pleasure of being able to walk outside and pick whatever you need for dinner. As cheap as veges are at this time of year, when you are on a single income and need to save on things, every dollar counts.

Awesome. This will be my next year project.

Ok, now that we are into summer, the garden is looking spectacular. Having fresh veges already. So far have plenty of Brocolli and Cauli. Lettuces galore, peas, spinach, strawberries, Silverbeet and Spring onions all being picked for the table. Have planted them all at various stages so have one or two of each ready at any one time. Still in the ground and doing well are my Potatoes, Yams, Carrots, Parsnip, Brussel Sprouts, Celery, Tomatoes, Capsicum, Chilli, Beans, Gerkins, Cucumber, Butternut squash,Onions (red and Brown) Beetroot and Zuchinni. Has been perfect weather for the vege garden this season. How is everyone elses gardens growing?