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Photos Of My Native Plant Tanks


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#1 Guest_BTDarters_*

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Posted 15 October 2007 - 06:31 AM

Well, I thought I would post some photos of the native plants that I keep in my tanks. I'm trying this out and hope to get more species but thought I would post what I have at this time.

In my 4-gallon nano-tank I have in my bathroom, I'm growing Illinois pondweed (Potamogeton illinoensis) and some Riccia fluitans, as well as some non-native Cryptocorene wendtii. The tank doesn't look all that great, but I'm going to be adding some Vallisneria americana that I'm growing in another tank and is doing well. I was growing some Richardson's Pondweed (Potamogeton richardsonii) in the tank, too, but it didn't last. I've had the tank set-up since about May. You may notice an air diffuser in the tank that's not being used. I was using a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) yeast CO2 reactor, but I didn't keep it going, and the plants seem to be doing OK now without it. As far as fish go, I have 2 Blackchin Shiners (Notropis heterodon) and four non-native Otocinclus catfish. The Otos are for algae control. Enough talk! On with the pics!

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Potamogeton illinoensis

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4-gallon Nano-tank

This next shot is of some Blackstripe Topminnows (Fundulus notatus) among Vallisneria americana that I have in another 4-gallon nano-tank. I collected the small topminnows and the Val. I also have an unidentified pondweed in the tank, but it's not faring too well. The tank is not CO2 injected. The light over the tank is a Finnex 13 Watt, 7100K Daylight bulb. The substrate is a custom mix. There is a small Shiruba nano-filter on the tank. The tank is not aerated. In addition to the topminnows, there are 3 small Amano shrimp and one non-native Cory cat to eat the stray blackworms that get into the gravel.

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#2 Guest_Irate Mormon_*

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Posted 16 October 2007 - 12:12 AM

What are the labels on the tank for?

#3 Guest_BTDarters_*

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Posted 16 October 2007 - 02:48 AM

What are the labels on the tank for?


Irate,

The labels on the tank were to remind me what plants I was trying to grow in there. You can see that the plants that those two labels were for (Potamogeton richardsonii and Potamogeton amplifolius) did not take as there is a bare space where they used to be.

Brian

Brian J. Torreano - Owner
BTDarters
American Native Fish for
your aquarium...and more!
Web: http://www.btdarters.com
Phone: (262) 268-7489

#4 Guest_Irate Mormon_*

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Posted 16 October 2007 - 11:00 PM

I should have that many tanks that I don't know what I'm trying to grow in them! With my work schedule I'll settle for my 1, plus my pond. I envy you, Brian! Well, I do have to make time for guitar practice - it's a fair trade.

#5 Guest_BTDarters_*

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Posted 17 October 2007 - 05:20 AM

I don't know if it's that I have that many tanks, it's just that my memory can be goofy. :wacko: Is 8 tanks a lot?

#6 Guest_BTDarters_*

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Posted 21 October 2007 - 05:36 AM

Scratch that, I actually have 10 tanks, plus 2 plant-only tanks. Those tanks have Giant Duckweed and Forked Duckweed. I collected the Forked Duckweed locally.

Brian

Brian J. Torreano - Owner
BTDarters
American Native Fish for
your aquarium...and more!
Web: http://www.btdarters.com
Phone: (262) 268-7489

#7 Guest_Irate Mormon_*

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Posted 21 October 2007 - 07:18 PM

Brian, can you post a photo of the forked duckweed?

#8 Guest_BTDarters_*

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Posted 23 October 2007 - 05:35 AM

Attached File  PA230046_ForkedDuckweed_800x600.jpg   74.76KB   0 downloads
Forked Duckweed (Lemna trisulca) with dime for scale.

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My Forked Duckweed "setup". Duckweed in the glass vase with a halogen lamp about 6 inches over the water of the "tank" for illumination. I use FloraPride to fertilize the tank. (The round tank behind my Forked Duckweed tank is my "Heterandria formosa Hurricane". It has 8 Heterandria and a lot of Java Moss.)

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Profile of the tank to show the Forked Duckweed's growth pattern. It floats near the surface but not on the surface of the water like traditional duckweed. It forms underwater "masses". When I collected the duckweed and placed it in the tank, a lot of little buggies came out of it. Amphipods, and the like.

Brian

Brian J. Torreano - Owner
BTDarters
American Native Fish for
your aquarium...and more!
Web: http://www.btdarters.com
Phone: (262) 268-7489

#9 Guest_Irate Mormon_*

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Posted 23 October 2007 - 05:34 PM

Hunh. I've never seen that stuff before. Interesting!




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