# Update of My 90G Planted Community before I start messing around with new species



## baozi2089 (May 17, 2009)

90G Rescape

Fauna:
I try to keep only a few species, so it's easy on the eye.
3 Discus: 1 plain gold, 2 albino red cover
6 Oto Cat
36 Rummy nose tetras
5 spotted corydoras
7 amono shrimp
2 brown pencil fish

I'm thinking about adding another small school of orange flame tetras.

Flora: before
Hygrophilla Corybomsa
Water sprite
Tiger lotus
Elatine triandra
java fern
windelov fern
Rotala Indica
Tiger vals








Flora: After/what's left
Rotala Indica: kinda tired of the look, probably replace it with some arcuata or other bushier looking red stem species. 
Elatine Triandra
Tiger Lotus
Nesaea Crassicaulis
Rotala macrandra
Java fern: will replace with all windelov
Windelov fern
Star Repens









The substrate level was raised on both sides with mixed flourite.

Any suggestions on midground plants? 
I was looking into crypt x willis, alternanthera reneickii lilacina, and some blyxa japonica.

Still deciding on background plants. The temperature is a bit high around 28C. Some species might not do too hot in this range, so I'll have to experiment a bit.

Any comments are appreciated, thanks.

Update: January










Update: February









I recently had a minor BBA break out when I my dosing pump was clogged leaving low nutrients in the tank. To add to that, my water level got too low that my CO2 starts to gas out like crazy. Fluctuating nutrient and CO2 levels = algae... Ordered some excel and started over dosing to combat the algae and supplement the CO2. Great growth, on a daily basis! As with the BBA, it turned red initially after 2 days, then translucent gray and is now starting to melt away. It is zee best!

BBA Cleared:


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

Is that water wisteria?


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## baozi2089 (May 17, 2009)

It's water sprite. Awesome, hardy, plant! More of a background plant/filler. IMO water wisteria could a good midground plant.


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

baozi2089 said:


> It's water sprite. Awesome, hardy, plant! More of a background plant/filler. IMO water wisteria could a good midground plant.


Whatever it is, it's pretty awesome!


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## baozi2089 (May 17, 2009)

solarz said:


> Whatever it is, it's pretty awesome!


I know eh! It really adds scale to the scape. Especially when my oto cats rests on it. It's a great species that's a little under acknowledged by hobbyists IMO.


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## baozi2089 (May 17, 2009)

Just added 15 rummy nose tetras on top of the 21 I already have. Took out the SAEs. Now the tank has mainly rummy nose with 3 discus and a couple brown pencil fish with 5 cory cats schooling on the bottom. 

Planted some Nesaea Crassicaulis, and Rotala Macrandra under high light areas. So far they are all light green in colour. Hopefully, I will get to observe their transformation.


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## baozi2089 (May 17, 2009)

baozi2089 said:


> Just added 15 rummy nose tetras on top of the 21 I already have. Took out the SAEs. Now the tank has mainly rummy nose with 3 discus and a couple brown pencil fish with 5 cory cats schooling on the bottom.
> 
> Planted some Nesaea Crassicaulis, and Rotala Macrandra under high light areas. So far they are all light green in colour. Hopefully, I will get to observe their transformation.


Took some photos the plants are starting to color up at 15 inches below water. I floated some stems, they are redder but not to the effect I wanted yet, so I'll up my iron dosing and reduce my nitrate.

One funny thing I noticed with my albino discus, they get really red under shadows. I guess the light is a bit high for them.


































Any suggestions on how to get my plants redder? I plan on using flourish Iron rather than CSM+B to avoid overdosing manganese. Also ordered some root tab on ebay, I'll see if it is effective for stem plants.

Have a nice day!


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## DaFishMan (Dec 19, 2006)

Awesome tank Lex ! Discus also.

What you said about less species so true its a better look. A rule I break often lol.


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## baozi2089 (May 17, 2009)

Thanks! Ya, it's great when all my 36 rummies school in circles. Maybe I'll take a video next time I see it. 

I'm thinking about tossing the giant watersprite and fill the ground with only carpet and mid ground plants. It'll provide more room for my rummies and really make my water lotus stand out. what you think?


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## DaFishMan (Dec 19, 2006)

Makes sense. My plant mentor keeps hinting at me how only a few plant types can be as effective as a Dutch tank.


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## baozi2089 (May 17, 2009)

I have to agree. Fewer species tends to resemble nature more closely and make the scape job easier.


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## baozi2089 (May 17, 2009)

Pulled out a load of plants. Raised the substrate level on both sides.


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## baozi2089 (May 17, 2009)

My rotala finally decided to turn red.


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## DaFishMan (Dec 19, 2006)

Tanks lookin good ! What's in the foreground ?


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## baozi2089 (May 17, 2009)

DaFishMan said:


> Tanks lookin good ! What's in the foreground ?


Thanks. Got some staurogyne repens on the left, some Elatine Triandra in the middle and some rotala macrandra and nesaea crassicaulis on the right (tentatively).


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## andrewdingemans (Dec 7, 2012)

baozi2089 said:


> My rotala finally decided to turn red.


good to see it is. I love my rotala. It's growing about a half inch a day and is bright red with only seachem iron supplements and CO2.

Your natural tank scape looks great. Lovely fish also!


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## baozi2089 (May 17, 2009)

Ya, I like rotala species too. Your magenta looks great.

Thanks for your comment. My new scape is a barren mess right now. I'm still deciding on which species to get and waiting for the rotala to turn red and grow so I can top them. I'm hoping to achieve this look.









Will go stone hunting in creeks when I get time.


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## Jsu (Dec 4, 2009)

Hey man. you E. Triandra is looking great. you will have a nice thick carpet in no time.


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## baozi2089 (May 17, 2009)

Thanks Jsu. They are growing really nicely. I already had to trim it twice. However, I plan to contain them in that triangle there. Other plants will fill up the rest of the space. I still havn't had time to plant them yet. Maybe during the break.


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## baozi2089 (May 17, 2009)

Caught my rummy nose schooling today while doing a water change. They don't usually school very tight unless it's around feeding time or they are disturbed. I've been feeding them more frequently in small amounts to boost growth of the late comers.


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## baozi2089 (May 17, 2009)

Planted some plants about 2 weeks ago. They are doing quite well but it'll take some time for everything to fill in. I will soon add some crypt species as well.


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## baozi2089 (May 17, 2009)

Planted some new plants and arranged them a bit. Really like the Myriophyllum species. Just put in some root tabs, micro only. Getting some osmocote tabs later this week.


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## baozi2089 (May 17, 2009)

New update.

http://www.gtaaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?p=291029#post291029


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## baozi2089 (May 17, 2009)

small update. 

BBA cleared after excel and raised water level so my CO2 is no longer gassing off. Plants are growing pretty fast. My tiger lotus shoots out 1/2 leaves a day.


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## Jiinx (Apr 5, 2012)

How your tank doing, lex?


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## baozi2089 (May 17, 2009)

Jiinx said:


> How your tank doing, lex?


Hi Sarah!

Thanks for asking! The tank is doing pretty well. You can check out the first page for some pictures I uploaded on Feb 15th. The Elatine Triandra has really taken off, a bit too fast for me to maintain. I'm actually thinking about replacing it with starogyne repens, which grows more compact and a bit slower. The tiger lotus, by far my favourite plant, is doing well too and sending off runner.

Oh ya, I had a chance to check out your thread! It's really coming along eh. The alternanthera spp you have is gorgeous, MUST get some off you if you ever sell any.

Cheers,
L.


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## Jiinx (Apr 5, 2012)

Definitely, lex! It's a slow grower so may take awhile....

I forgot to mention that you helped me out a lot too. Thanks for all your patience. My new algae is green spot. Yay. Another one to do battle with. 

My et is out of control. I'm not too sure whether to pull it too. I love the lushness of it and how bushy it looks,but it grows out of control..

What about downoi? Very very slow grower!


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## baozi2089 (May 17, 2009)

Jiinx said:


> Definitely, lex! It's a slow grower so may take awhile....
> 
> I forgot to mention that you helped me out a lot too. Thanks for all your patience. My new algae is green spot. Yay. Another one to do battle with.
> 
> ...


Ya, I've had some green spot algae too. Some say it's cause of phosphate. But I find it grows on where ever there's not enough flow. The cut off on the panel is uncanny.

Pogostemon helfelri, it's a beautiful plant, but I've yet to try it myself. It is hard to find large portions to purchase without spending a fortune. I currently have some Pogostemon stellatus in my tank. You are right about the slow growth part. My other stem plants would grow about 1 to 2 cm per day. For that one I get 1 or 2 per week, I think it has to do with the length between each node. Pogostemon plants have really short distances between each node.

I've got some Ozelot and red flame sword. Man! the colour pattern is awesome! Ozelot is dark brown while flame is dark maroon! Can't wait till they get big, I get about 1 leave per day.

L.


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