what are some fast growing low light/tech plants?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
evercl92;534937; said:
Depending on what you are looking for for that tank, I may be able to help you stock that one too. It'll be time to trim, about mid-week. Just let me know.
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Thanks Tim! I've already have a big Amazon sword, java fern and some dwarf Vals in there already since the 20gal came with some live plants. The 20gal is having a bacterial bloom right now so I didn't take a pic of the tank yet.

Here is a pic of my 55gal. I can't wait until all the taller growing plants reach the top! My tank is going to be a ambush predators playground :D

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Compairing before and after photos is simply amazing. I assume all the plants arrived OK? The tank sure filled out nicely. Keep an eye on the wisteria though, I can get quite bushy, and block light to lower-level plants. I had six 2-foot plants in one small area, and it was almost a full shadow underneath the canopy of it.

Are the Leopard Ctenopomas the fish that mimic leaves and ambush? I love those.
 
evercl92;535334; said:
Compairing before and after photos is simply amazing. I assume all the plants arrived OK? The tank sure filled out nicely. Keep an eye on the wisteria though, I can get quite bushy, and block light to lower-level plants. I had six 2-foot plants in one small area, and it was almost a full shadow underneath the canopy of it.

Are the Leopard Ctenopomas the fish that mimic leaves and ambush? I love those.
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Thanks for the coompliments Tim. Couldn't have done it without you! I'm hoping that the wisteria grows quickly so I can put some in the 20gal.

I attached a pic of the Leo. Ctenopomas. They are really cool to watch. I might get a couple more at the Aquascape MFK meet this weekend. Also, I may pick up 2 Nandus nandus from Pedro as well. They're a lot like the Ctenopomas and grow about 2 inches bigger and also have a nice camoflouge pattern. :)

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evercl92;535346; said:
Wow. He looks bad@ss. Good choice for planted tank predators.
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Thanks. Here is a pic of a Nandus nandus.

I'm getting one more nice chunk of driftwood for the middle since you can't have too many hiding spots. Plus it will give me more places to attach more plants :)

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If I pick up some Flourish Excel, would it even make a difference if I only added it once a week? If I remember correctly, I think I saw an entire collection of different kinds of Flourish Excel at a LFS. Which one should I get?

Thanks Tim...oh and btw, lemme know whenever you have other big chunks of Wisteria (like the size of the 3 bushy plants you sent me in my pic). I need 2 more plants of the same size you sent me initially. Lemme know when the time comes ;)

Brian
 
Seachem makes a line of plant supplements, named Flourish. There are many Flourish options, but only one Excel. Check here for details.

Carbon will very likely be your limiting factor in your tank (rather than K, P, N, Mg, Ca, Fe) so I would recommend dosing at least 2x a week. A buddy of mine has a low-tech, low-maintenance tank, and he doses mon-weds-fri with pretty decent growth rates. He has swords, anacharis, and some vals.

Keep in mind, introduce Excel gently. I can 'melt' vals, anacharis, crypts, and other soft-leaved plants. Use half dose (still 2 or 3 x /wk, just half dose) for a week or two, then you can up it to full strength.

You took the last wisteria I had... I traded it off to grow alternanthera and rotala macrandra. Those aren't my pics, but you get the idea. I have one friend that has a tall tank though, with wisteria. I'll let him know that you'll take some if he gets too much.

For me, it was too much of a nutrient wh0re, not allowing the other (harder to grow) plants get what was available.
 
Thanks for the info Tim. I got the Rotala on saturday and I will post up pics of the new aquascape when I get back from work tonite! The background of the tank is virutally full (besides right next to the filter intakes)!! I also separated some of the Wisteria plants you gave me originally and spread them out a little more...making me happier with the look :)

Brian

btw. R. macranda looks pimp!
 
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