Anubias Logs?

[Leicharti188]

Just recently got a few and was wondering what the best way to to maintain them and stimulate further growth?

Any help would be greatly appreciated

[repair]

I would PM plantguy he knows everything about growing things ibn an aquarium.

[HarleyK]

Just recently got a few and was wondering what the best way to to maintain them and stimulate further growth?

Any help would be greatly appreciated


Howdy,

Aniubias are extremely slow growing plants. It'll be hard to "stimulate" rapid growth, although once established it grows steadily. Do you keep it rooted in substrate or mounted on driftwood/rock? As with all plants, add quality aquarium fertilizers regularly (check that they are free of nitrate and phosphate) and have good & new lights.

HarleyK

[Leicharti188]

Thanks for the quick replies!

They're actually mounted on driftwood . The plants are currently established.

Sorry mate, but I'm really new to this, whenever I hear fertilser I think of the big smelly bags of the stuff you add to plants in the back yard! Are there specific aqua fertilisers to add to the wood/roots of the plant to ensure they get the nutruients they need?

I've got fish in the tank so I don't particularly want to add anything i don't really need to the water.

[HarleyK]

They're actually mounted on driftwood

Yeah, I should have read the title of your thread more thoroghly. I though "man, that's an anubia (i.e. anubia logs) that I haven't heard of, yet" :duh: :ROFL:


whenever I hear fertilser I think of the big smelly bags of the stuff you add to plants in the back yard! Are there specific aqua fertilisers to add to the wood/roots of the plant to ensure they get the nutruients they need? I've got fish in the tank so I don't particularly want to add anything i don't really need to the water.

Not a problem. All the aquarium fertilizers have been developed to work with fish. There are very few people who enjoy a tank with only plants. Maybe in Holland. Anyhow, check out the aquarium aisel in your pet store. Brand names are e.g. Tetra or Dupla. You are looking for liquid fertilizers, to be added with every water change or in regular intervals. Dupla is pretty top notch. If you only keep anubia, Tetra will be fine. Again, don't expect them to grow an inch a day ;)

Have fun, sounds like you got great plants!
HarleyK

[tom h]

definitely check into the fertilizers. any decent ones will be perfectly fine with fish. anubias is definitely a slow grower, but hardy. it dosen't need a bright light, but it'll do a little better with 2 or 3 watts per gallon. you don't need to rush out and but an expensive light if you are just keeping anubias or other "low light" plants.. for the fertilizers i like flourish by seachem. also look at flourish excell. not necessary, but definitely a bonus. i have anubias in my bichir tank, and it's holding up verry well except that the congo tetras keep nibbling at the leaves. i like the look of live plants in a tank they just add a "presence" that other decorations don't and they help a little with the bio filtration. some other easy to keep plants you may want to look at anything in the fern or moss family, like java fern and moss, african fern(bolbitas heudelotti), and bolbitas heteroclita.

[Leicharti188]

Thanks for that - dupla/tetra/seachem - I have a look out for these liquid fertislers at the aquarium next time i head out

Very helpful comments.

Yea part of the reason why I have the plants are to improve the water quality.

I have one more question though: I am advised that these plants need fish to eat the algae off the leaves otherwise they die. I currently have a common pleco (7inches) in there and the person at the LFS advised that it should do t he job...no worries.

However, I always thought that pleco eat/damage the leave when they suck on them! Is that true???

Thanks again

PS: heres a pic of my tank -

[Loubard]

They look good!

[HarleyK]

Howdy,

That's a great set-up, I like your tank a lot! Anubia will only marginally help you with your water quality. They just grow too slow. Try floating plants if you have problems with excess nutrients (nitrates). The slow growth is the reason why anubia is susceptible to algae growth. Other plants just shed their old leaves and grow new ones. Anubia really doesn't. You'll have those leaves around for a good, long time. Anyhow, they don't really die with algae on their leaves. It's just fine. Not great aesthetically, but fine for the plants. They're hardy. Your pleco might do its job well, maybe. And plecos only hurt the leaves of sensitive plants, like echinodorus. They actually eat those leaves. Hardly any fish touches anubia (except for congo tetras and some argus, and maybe silver dollars).

Good luck,
HarleyK

[Leicharti188]

Thanks for the compliments.

I'd love to have some floating plants but the circulation of the tank might blow them around too much or mess it up. I've got an inlet near the surface and worry that the floating plants may clog it up . I've tried water sprite but that stuff blew and broke off all over the place.

Do you have any opinions of any floating plants that may work in there? they'd have to be hardy and not require too much light.

Cheers

[HarleyK]

Do you have any opinions of any floating plants that may work in there? they'd have to be hardy and not require too much light.

Cheers


Howdy,

If you have problems with floating plants clogging up your circulation, then try to block the sensitive areas off with cork bark. You get that in aquarium shops or also reptile shops. Fix it with suction cups to the site you want them to stay at. Now you can add floating plants, and they won't ever get into your filter.

Regarding floating plants, check out this thread:

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8334


HarleyK

[guppy]

Although not as effective in reducing excess nutrients there are several rooted plants that produce floating leaves and look great in tanks.

[tom h]

try frog bit it's bigger than duckweed and easier to controll as far as completely covering the top of the tank

[tom h]

also look into java fern (microsorium pteroprius) another low light plant that propigates very well , and uses up a lot of nutrients in the tank a very good bio filtration suppliment