cranetech

I would also take a look at your nitrate levels. Many fish can be sensitive to above average levels of no3. It seems to me the El Natural style would be a low consumption setup of nutrients. (i dont know alot about it and this is only a casual observation) If you are adding nutrients to the water column and also using enriched substrate, you may have nutrient buildup that is adversely affecting your fish.

Jimbo205

Good news.

I have not had any problems with any fish for the last 3 weeks. I have trimmed a good amount of plants out of the tank and had at least 1/3 of the tank opened up for free swim for the fishies.

Of course the Rotala Rotundifloria Green grows like a banshee and I trimmed them so that they were at least as long/tall as the water.

But it does spread quickly.

Did I read from a post in the last day or two that you can take fast growing plants or their offshoots / trimmings to the store to trade for more expensive plants?

I would love to learn how to have an assortment of plants for a 10 gallon tank (someday the 27 gallon tank also) that looks proportional to the tank.

I am just very happy that I finally have plants growing and not just fighting algae and plants that barely survive!

Tiapan

my question would be do you have any salt in your tank, mollys love salinity (can even be converted all the way to salt) and do wonderfully in a brackish tank, but only a little salt is necesary to make them happy, but not all plants do well with salt, so u might want to look into that

Jimbo205

Seachem Live Bearer Salt. I try to make them happy. Being able to trade in trimmings for Fish Food or other supplies makes my life easier. ( I hope my 2nd trade with the other local fish store was as successful as the first. I have to call back and find out how much credit they ended up giving me but I diverge from the topic and tread.

Seachem Live Bearer Salt. I aim for happy plants = happy fish.

dwalstad

Many livebearers, especially guppies, sold in the hobby are diseased. Those with tuberculosis may last a few weeks before they stop eating and die.

Just something to consider before reaching for the salt or blaming plants/poor water quality or considering Mollies as "fragile".

Here is an earlier thread on the subject.

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/f...l?highlight=TB

Jimbo205

They have been fine for the longest time now. They have not had any more babies that I can see, but they sure do try!

They were all from the same Mother Silver Lyretail I purchased about 1 1/2 to 2 years ago and they were all fine for the longest time. I think maybe that the size of my tank and the number and size of the fish may have had a lot to do with it. Since I have left some clear swimming area in the tank, I have not had any problems that I have found in the last 2-3(?) months.

dwalstad

Sorry, I wasn't paying attention. If you haven't introduced new fish lately to this tank, then what I wrote about problems with diseased fish doesn't apply.

Diana

pesciolino

Hallo,
i'm an aquarist from Italy and i have good experience with low and high-tech aquaria. I enjoy "Ecology of the planted aquaria" (italian version) and Ilove it. I think european and american aquaria are very different and I have some doubt. I would like very much to make some questions to Diana Walstad:
1) In Italy we don't have distinction between pot-soil and garden-soil, but we have "universal soil" - it contains: High % of peat(>50%) and organic matter and few clay (we have also special soil like cactus-soil, geranium-soil grass-soil...). Is it good for natural aquaria? I have good results with it.
2) Many fishes love and need fine sand, can organic soil became too anaerobic under it? under the sand is to use clay or/and black peat better?
3) In Europe there are many different kinds of lamps. I use succesfully full spectrum cool-white (osram/Philips 4000K de luxe). It,s less blue than "vita-lite"(6500k) but it includes all the colors of sunlight. What do you think abaut it?
4)Finally I think that hard-water and soft-water plants can live well together in hard water but with few bicarbonate,(without CO2 addition).
Thank you very much,I think I will have other questions.

P.S. I'm sorry for my english!

flagg

There's an italian version?! Cool! Our own Diana Walstand, an international celebrity!

Sounds like your soil contains a little more peat moss than most soils I've encountered here. The cactus soil is very good. It probably contains bone-meal or other such additives that will provide hardwater nutrients for the plants.

You'll find that most people here use a variety of lights. I personally (and, mind you I'm not Diana) haven't seen the Philips 4000K you describe but it sounds perfectly adequate. I've changed all my single-tube fixtures to cool white. Those tanks also get sunlight so there's no need for a full spectrum bulb as that is provided by the sun. My double fixture has a full spectrum bulb and a cool white. I get very good growth in all tanks.

Both hard water and soft water plants will do well in hard water. However, hard water plants will not do as well in soft water.

Well, I know your questions were meant for Diana, but I hope you don't mind me answering. I'm sure she'll chip in with her thoughts too!

-ricardo

PS No need to apologize for your English, it's a lot better than my Italian!

Rattail

I'd also like to hear about the soil...?