Grow out questions! Planted vs bare

[yngggru]

Those swords are hardy but if you really want a nitrate sucker get some duckweed it multiples like crazy so when you dona water change just grab some duckweed out with a net to your desired amount

Lol I just read from another thread about the duckweed problem they have. Im gonna give it a try tho. Really want to grow these monsters fast! Thanks for the suggestion. So Do you think I should go bare tank?


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

 

[Eglinlotus]

No I wouldn't go bare. Polys love to hid under and in swords and other plants they like the cover and the since of security so they won't be stressed. Stress, in all walks of life is a leading factor of not eating right or at all. In order form your fish to grow happy and healthy they need a good eating routine and low nitrate levels. Also higher temperature speeds up metabolism in all creatures so keep that in mind too.

 

[yngggru]

No I wouldn't go bare. Polys love to hid under and in swords and other plants they like the cover and the since of security so they won't be stressed. Stress, in all walks of life is a leading factor of not eating right or at all. In order form your fish to grow happy and healthy they need a good eating routine and low nitrate levels. Also higher temperature speeds up metabolism in all creatures so keep that in mind too.

Yeah but I was kinda balancing the thought of not being able to get excess food and hidden poop dduring cleaning time vs easier clean up and better monitoring over the fish. If I do go for bare bottom I would add a good amount of hiding places too. This is only for grow out tho. My 75 is waiting for them once they reach around 7-8". I was also thinking of planting the plants in a different pot and putting the pot inside the tank. Would that do good?


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

 

[BuffaloPolypteridae]

If you want better growth I'd go with a larger tank, planted may make them calmer then bare, if its strictly for grow out I would keep it the way it is, reaching in n snagging some poop with a net/baster isn't too much of a deal, I would go with pothos before duckweed, unless your trying to take apart your filter once a week to make sure none is growing inside haha

Also protein and fat are pretty essential to growth, along with vitamins, bugs are full of protein (look up which are good to feed poly) and the massivore pellets should give them enough vitamins, fat can come from a couple different sources, I use tilapia fillet (kind of on a one for you, one for me basis, I love raw tilapia)

Sent from my DROID4 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

 

[yngggru]

If you want better growth I'd go with a larger tank, planted may make them calmer then bare, if its strictly for grow out I would keep it the way it is, reaching in n snagging some poop with a net/baster isn't too much of a deal, I would go with pothos before duckweed, unless your trying to take apart your filter once a week to make sure none is growing inside haha

Also protein and fat are pretty essential to growth, along with vitamins, bugs are full of protein (look up which are good to feed poly) and the massivore pellets should give them enough vitamins, fat can come from a couple different sources, I use tilapia fillet (kind of on a one for you, one for me basis, I love raw tilapia)

Sent from my DROID4 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

Another problem is that I couldnt monitor their eating. I seem to notice the delhezi is getting pretty thick but the ornate (the most recent) isnt putting on any weight. I want to monitor their eating which I cant seemt o do in my current set up because the ornate just hides under the wood. I'll just see until I get the 35 gal. I just really want to maximize the growth of my fish while theyre still young


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

 

[Dr.B]

DO NOT do duckweed it is a pain. I had 1 little piece that got stuck to one of my plants and 1 week later the whole tank was filled. All it does is make a place for small bugs/parasites to hide on your duckweed. It seems like a good idea, but IMO and IME i wouldn't even think about it. When your filters try and suck it up it will get stuck and mess your filters up. Also why don't you try and tie the moss and some of your plants onto the driftwood. Then you'd get the benefits of plants, you'd be able to see your polys eat, and you'd be able to clean easier without the plants directly on the ground, you'd probably also have more floor space.

 

[BuffaloPolypteridae]

Another problem is that I couldnt monitor their eating. I seem to notice the delhezi is getting pretty thick but the ornate (the most recent) isnt putting on any weight. I want to monitor their eating which I cant seemt o do in my current set up because the ornate just hides under the wood. I'll just see until I get the 35 gal. I just really want to maximize the growth of my fish while theyre still young


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

I've had this problem with my red hi fin and my own ornate, the hi fin would steal food from the ornate, literally right from in front of it. So I started dividing the tank so I know how much each are eating. I'd do that if I were you, if there's one you think is not eating, then put him aside from the rest, or if your tank isn't big enough to divide every one just split one off from the group at a time

I also would take Dr.B and myselfs advice about the duckweed, there are much better options that are easier to maintain

Sent from my DROID4 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

 

[Eglinlotus]

I havent had issues with duckweed, then again I used a HOB filter with an extremely long intake tube so it never got stuck in my filter. I couldn't do that in my 120 because its an overflow. There are better plants to use I just threw that out there. But a good super fast growing plant is a that cannot get sucked up is anacharis. Its a stem plant so once it gets to long for your taste cut them to length and you can regrow the stems that you cut off. If your having issues monitoring dinner time you may want to re-arrange your tank. That could also help getting the poop to get stirred up and filtered out. If you have any plant related questions feel free to ask. I have a 55gallon that is my strictly planted aquarium.

 

[yngggru]

DO NOT do duckweed it is a pain. I had 1 little piece that got stuck to one of my plants and 1 week later the whole tank was filled. All it does is make a place for small bugs/parasites to hide on your duckweed. It seems like a good idea, but IMO and IME i wouldn't even think about it. When your filters try and suck it up it will get stuck and mess your filters up. Also why don't you try and tie the moss and some of your plants onto the driftwood. Then you'd get the benefits of plants, you'd be able to see your polys eat, and you'd be able to clean easier without the plants directly on the ground, you'd probably also have more floor space.

The moss is already tied to my drift wood. They jist fall off once in a while. Okay no duck weed. Lol. Right now I have some pothos plants with roots dangling in the tank. I guess the wood is just too big. I think I should get some snails maybe to stir the sand. Heres a pic of the set up


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

 

[yngggru]

I've had this problem with my red hi fin and my own ornate, the hi fin would steal food from the ornate, literally right from in front of it. So I started dividing the tank so I know how much each are eating. I'd do that if I were you, if there's one you think is not eating, then put him aside from the rest, or if your tank isn't big enough to divide every one just split one off from the group at a time

I also would take Dr.B and myselfs advice about the duckweed, there are much better options that are easier to maintain

Sent from my DROID4 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

I thought about dividing it but that would also half the footprint of the small tank. Another problem is that the ornate never comes out of hiding. Especially when Im around. But sometimes I catch him swimming near the top. I reaally want to get the best growth for these guys


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app