Plantman

Hi All i am not sure whether i am in the right area but this is the area where Planted tank hobbist meet. This books focus only on aquatic plants. i have not order any books yet. i would like to know the number of people interested before i place an order with the overseas supplier. it has clear a lot of my questions about aquatic plants and i am sure it will help many in NZ. i have being to most LFS before and non has this book at all. i may need to ask for payment once i place the order. if you want me to show some pictures of my book, please let me know. Spread the word around. so that i can keep track of the number of people placing order for this book.

Calling all aquatic planters, i recently got to know about ordering may be 20 or 30 copies of this book. for more information, check up this website: http://www.tropica.com/default.asp type "The Aquarium Plant Handbook" in the advance serch and enter. cost per book, including shipping to AUckland is $45.00 this book describes 400+ species of aquarium plants. i have a copy myself and i find it useful as it uses photography picture rather than drawing to identify the plant species. easy reference and pratically a dictionary for most of the popular plants among the Planted tank hobbist. if the number of order is there, i can ship then over to me adn then to you. depending on your location, shipping to you will be an added cost. if only a few people are interested, the cost will be higher. for $45, i will need only 20 orders. this is a book worth investing as it gives many tips on various issues for aquatic plant. if you are interested or want to order for your friends, please reply this tread, PM me or email to me so that i can have a count of number of people interested. you do not have to pay me until the books arrive. waiting for your reply. Foreword by Takashi Amano Interesting Moss Ball

Your search is correct. 6,500 is the optimum (very close to similate the rigt spectrum of the sun light). i am not too familiar with 18,000 k. is it pink in colour? what does it do other than light up pink in the tank? let me know the deal you have with the supplier. i may need to get some myself. i will need a 4 feet one. wattage can be high. thanks

i am not familiar with TLD86. Is it a florescent tube? white, pink or blue? why do you need a 25 watts tube? a general guide line is that there ought to have 1 to 2 ratio of wattage to litre of water in your tank. if you have a 100 litre tank, you will need to have around 50 watt for a planted tank. Kelvin message the colour temparature; 5,500 to 6,500 is more toward day light (highly recommended) and 8000k gives you the blue light and 10,000 gives you the pink. florescent tube with 2,500 lumens should be chosen for planted tank. i normally go to this wholsale lighting shop who is cheaper than any LFS. look up this person named Roy. Lamps Exclusively Ltd. Roy is the director located at 4/36 Eaglehurst Road, Elersile, number 5791512 5791412

one thing i learn about planted tank is to, like any other garden, you need to landscape your tank. map out your tank and decided what type of plant you want in your tank. it can be a cummunity planted tank or just 2 or 3 types of plants. if you are doing moss, fern and other low demanding plants, do them together. you can use thin (2mm thick) perspex and made a wavery line on the bottom glass and use silicon to allow them to hold on to it position. it will stay until you decided to re-landscape again. then follow by adding gravel. if you are planning on using a substrate fertlizer, you may not want to spray it out all the area of the tank. allocate an area for your substrate because if you do not have many plants, the unuse fertilizer will turn toxic for your fish or ferlitizer wasted. Root tab and liquid fertlizer are very important nutrients for your plant. Change your water regularly once a week until your plant settle down. as water brings nutrient and keeps away the algaes. trimming and pruming is necessary so that you can keep a right balance as you do want one one type to be growing faster than the other type. Hair grass is not easy as i have know many of my friends got algaes on it. it is a slow grower and the only way to speed up is the right balance between fertilizer, light and CO2. Preferbly pressured CO2 (which i have trouble sourcing the gas supplier in Auckland, maybe some one can help me help me here.) PM if you want more information. Fish, i was once told not to have bottom feeders until the plants takes root. once the plant's roots are established, it will be ok. the root will them grow and spread runners. hope that helps. Cheers

thanks for the help guys. let me know if you have any questions.

ok, i will get onto it. thanks

Hi All this is my first time placing picture in the forum. hope you all enjoy it. this tank is for real and is everyones dream. serene is the word. it comes with a price that include appropriate lighting, CO2 (must) and of course fertilizer. i have two more clump to sell lol. if interested, please PM me. Thank you sorry, no pic. give up. can someone teach me how to place the picture here??? http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2131221655&idx=3 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictu ... 1655&idx=3

some time ago, i came across mitre 10 selling hairgrass (Henderson) but have not seen it since. check out Mitre 10 in your area, you never know. to have a lawn of hair grass is not easy as HG is a demanding one. made sure there is enough lighting (at least 1-2 watt per 4 litre of tank water), CO2 (lots but balance your PH and KH) and good root and liquid fertilizer. normally it is a slow grower but given the above condition, it may pick up.

it is the same way anyone would tie java moss to the wood. first determine if you want to cover all side. tie a knot on one end, spread out the moss of the surface of the wood on one side, twirl the fishing line over it many time (not need to be tied), after you finish, place the next spread of moss on the other side and do the same thing, than continue the next portion until you reach the other end of the log. place it in the water, in a few days you will see the moss growing. it will grow long and soon cover the fishing line. there is no need for trimming. enjoy as much as you like as the moss takes the shapes of the log. made sure that the wood is secure and try not to move its position during water change. becasue the moss grow acording to the position of your light above. if you think you have enough and want to spread it out and cover more area. take out the whole log, use a scissor and cut the nylon thread. cut as much as possible and put out the thread. gently pull out the lossen moss. you will find that you have gain 3 times your initial portion. spread out again and repeat the above process. let me know if you have other questions. Sorry, HG not available but you can get from LFS.

Not sure, may be one or two months. no promises.

other than physical appearance, all the demands are the same. Java moss tends to grow their strain eractically where else Christmas moss grow into a triangular shape (about 60% but more % if the X'Mas moss has good lights, CO2 and fertilizer). overall, if you were to tie it to a DW, it will follow the shape of the DW (very nice like a physical tree griowing side ways). Java Moss will do the same but will not be as nice as Christmas moss.

Thats right, it is beautiful and well sort after plant in many part of the world. i enjoy it very much. Just use a fish line and tie it to any part of a log or stone and it will grow every fast in two months (with good lighting, CO2 and Fertilizer). i truly paid a heafty for the x'mas moss from a friend. to me it is worth it. It is not expensive considering some LFS sell plants at more than $50 if anyone is interested, please bid on it as i have only two lots to sell. thanks for the comment. Cheers

Hi Warren 5 bubble count is a lot. i suppose you got a big (1200) tank. how often do you have to refill? do you know where i can check (in Ak) about buying CO2 gas? do you use a solenoid to turn off when the light is switch off? thanks for the information.

the answer is yes, all aquatic plants need nutrient to grow, either that, they will decay and rot (easy food for the fish). i good fertlizer i will recommend is the seachem flourish excel. CO2 is a good catylst to promote good healthy plant. it is almost essential as you balance between lighting, fertlizer and CO2. Cheers

Hi All Does any knows where to get reasonable CO2? i heard that there is a place where you can top up the CO2 and use their pressured tank. Any one in Auckland know where is this place? Thanks

Hi i have done it before but do not know how to put in the picture into the thread. can someone shop me how? heres how: what you need is a few pieces of perspect that is 2 to 5mm thick. cut it according to the back portion of your tank area. not less than 2mm think because you will need to roll the fishing line over the edge of the perspect with the moss tie down to the surface of the perspect. put the few pieces (any amount you think is convenient for you to move the moss in and out of the tank. there is no need to tie from bottoms up unless you have a bear tank than you may need to do that. to have a moss wall, you will need plenty of moss. if you do not have enough, i suggest you do it portion by portion and let the moss grow. when there are a lot more cut the fishing line and retie again. continue this approach until you got the full wall. does that made sense? all the best.

the size of your tank will determine the number of plant you will put into it. next determine the type of plant you would want to explore. most will go with the hardy plant as their mid and back section. if you choose plants that is red in colour, that will mean you will need a stronger light and fertilizer that have a strong dosage of iron. the number of fishes will depend on the size of the fish. the more fish you have will determine the frequency of water changes. base on the rules of thumb, once a week or twice a week will be OK. i have heard that some hobbist do not change water at all. they depend strongly on the cycle of fish waste to be used up by the plant. i personally do not think so as the plant will not assorb 100% of the fish waste which will turn toxic in due time. thus changing of water is required (20- 30%). if you have not done any substrate fertilizer, you may want to consider using root fertilizer which prove itself effective. liquid fertilizer will eccential as nutrient will inevitably use up be the plant. some will add the fertilizer after changes of water. i have read some books that says a basic requirement for lighting is 50 watts per 100 litre of tank water. somewhere around there or higher is desirable. CO2 is not necessary but are required by some plants. it also promote a health growth. think of it this way, we can get by with a healthy sandwich but with proper nutrient such as exercise to stimulate healthy grow, we human will be more alert and happier. do not know whethre that made sense. i am sure that are much more other hobbist can contribute. Cheers

Hi Warren could you tell me what is the measurement of "a couple of table spons". interm of liquid, it is about 10ml. how many table spoon? thank you

Hi Hummingbird i can spare some if you wanted; Potassium sulphate and Magnesium sulphate. maybe to be mix into less than 500ml of water and you can add 5ml daily. let me know if you are coming my way. cheer PS. hope it is not too late to save the plant.

brother, from your description, i believe you have done well for your plant. i may suggest you double your dose of DIY CO2 into your tank. thats what i did and my tank plant is growing again. you can triple dose but your must check you Ph (prefer 6.8 - 7)and Kh (3-4). cheers

depending on the type of plant (hygrophilia may be sufficient) you have. some are more demanding (especially you have a red plant). if you are looking for a cheap tube, look out for Hydrophonic shops (they may sell tubes) or go to lighting shop and ask for daylight 10,000 kevin (most of then would say they do not have) and they will suggest that you check out their supplier who most likely will have. tube for aquarium. 36 to 40watt at 6500 kelvin(white spetrum light) to 10,000 kelvin (pink spetrum light) will be fine. some brand do not measure it by kelvin but by Lux. find out more information from the shop. they will sell around $20 compare to LFS selling at $30 to $50. if you do not have a lighting folder, you can buy arcadia lighting system. it comes with a switch on the ballast and two cap on both ends of the tube. hope that will help save some money. Cheers PS. if i were you, depending how many plants you have, i will go for three tubes. currently my 265 litre tank has 4 tubes (4 X 36 watt).

assuming you have two tube of Aqua One (15,000k), total will be 80W (bearly sufficient), change water, no algae problems, add your liquid fertilizer weeklyand acordingly; it should be ok. recently i have experince brown leaf too but i increase the CO2 input (more DIY canister), it starting to grow again. you may want to consider DIY CO2, if you have the above sorted out. cheers

Hi i have star grass, anbulia and green pine posted on the internet for auction. let me know if you need any help. thank you

Could you give more information, like: which plant is brown (name of plant)? lighting (how many wattage) CO2 (any?) Fertilizer (why type?) i suspect it is lacking fertiizer. not all plant take in nutrient at the same rate and some need more certain kind of nutrient more than the other. either dose liquid fertlizer or i read somewhere about using potassium Nitrate will help. Cheers