[LimpingFish]

Hello all, i'm new here,
I got some questions, hoping you could help me.
I'm sorry about my grammar, i'm not very good with English.
So. I have a 110 litre tank, with no CO2 injection, yet (and that's why i have tons of algea).
Lighting, total of 66 watts- 2 T5 bulbs, each 24 watt. One is Osram 860, the other is 840.
Another bulb is a T8 18 watt Osram Fluora 77.

This is the temporary design (there are some shoots in the front, i'll move them later on)

Ok, so for the questions-
1. The rotala indica i have on the backround refuses to become pink! Is the lightning not enough? Should i bring another pink T8 bulb? (15 watts- that's the only bulb i have room for) Or should i bring something with no high pink peak?
How much light does it need to develope a good & healthy color?

2.

Is this Nesaea?
What amount of light does it need? It has a strong red color on the BACK of it's leaves, but the upper side remains green. On top of that, I think the bottom leaves are starting to die..

3. Driftwood problem- I have this driftwood in my tank-

As you can see, it's rather big and ugly. It takes a lot of space, and plants cant grow behind it, cause of the shade..
The problem is that I cant take it out , as the loaches (kuhli, clown) are in it almost all the time.
Anyone got an idea where to put it so it will not damage the plants and look good?

4. CO2 injection promotes growth. In what ways will it make the plants 'healthier'? Will it make the colors stronger?

5. Do you have any other aquascaping-tips for my tank?

Thanks!

 

[Sir_BlackhOle]

So you have about 2 watts per gallon, which should be fine, but how about some more information? What kind of substrate are you using? Are you dosing any fertilizers? Have you tried DIY co2? It should work pretty well with your tank size. Carbon is needed by plants, along with other elements, in order for the to grow faster and healthier, so adding co2 as a carbon source would help a lot. You probably dont have quite enough lighting for your rotala to become pink. I have some in my 75 with two watts/gallon and it is only pink near the waters surface, where it is closer to the lights. As for your driftwood, I dont know. Maybe your loaches will come out if when you try to remove it?

 

[JanS]

Hi. Even though I haven't been here too long myself, welcome to the board. I'm sure you'll find it a good source of logical info as I have.

On your driftwood - You could try to buy a smaller, lower profile piece and stick it in the tank for your Loaches to get used to, then remove the larger one (which is a nice one in itself). Even though they may not like the change at first, I'm sure they'll do just fine once they figure out they still have some other nice shelter. They're adaptable.

 

[LimpingFish]

Thanks for the replies,
I used DIY co2, it didn't work well enough (didnt see any pearling, just a little bit on the Riccia), and then i got sick of it..
I'll probably buy something professional really soon.
The substrate is of a basalt (solid lava?).
Fertilizers- I use iron and some un-named fertilizer.
The driftwood- If i was that easy, i would've done that already :/
Most of the time i dont know where to kuhli and clowns are, so i can't really be sure that they will all leave for the new driftwood.. It has to stay,
The question is still where to put it
And doesn't anyone recognize if the plant is Nesaea?
Thanks again

 

[tsunami]

The plant is not Nesaea. It's definitely a Ludwigia, most likely Ludwigia palustris.

CO2 will GREATLY enhance the growth rates, vigor, and coloration of your plants. I highly recommend it over adding more lighting.

The fish will leave the driftwood. Just force them out and put in a new piece. It's as simple as that.

Carlos

 

[LimpingFish]

Thanks Carlos!
Are you sure the plant is Ludwigia palustris? I don't know, the old leaves of the plant has half yellow/half red color, just like Nesaea..
Anyway, do you think the amount of light i have in my tank is enough for it? and for the ELEOCHARIS PARVULUS i have on the bottom?

As for the driftwood, i think i'll leave it in there :? , i'll just move more to the right, maybe it'll look better..

 

[tsunami]

There are three species of Nesaea currently available in the hobby --crassucaulis, sp 'Red Leaved', and pedicellata. None of them have purple undertones with yellowish leaves on top. However, Ludwigia repens, palustris, repens x arcuata do have red undersides with green-yellow-red (depending on lighting, CO2, and nutrient conditions) on the upper side of the leaf.

I think you need to worry about CO2 and not so much about lighting at this point.

Carlos

 

[LimpingFish]

Ok
It's weird though, none of the ludwigia species you mentioned look like my plant.. Maybe when it'll grow..

I'm buying CO2 kit soon.

 

[Sir_BlackhOle]

You might try adding some sort of fertilizer tabs in the substrate if you havent already. Also, what is in the "no name" fertilizer?

 

[LimpingFish]

I'll try that when i'll add CO2.
The fertilizer I use is a fertilizer that someone I know is making&selling, don't know exactly what micro elements are in it, but it's soppoused to be good.