getting a creepy feeling about whats under my aqua soil ?

[goodoo]

My plants were dying (swords) so I put aqua soil down about a month ago not realising you cant gravel vac it, well thats what i was told . Plants are doing well (not dying) kind of growing, not as fast as I would like, I dont know how fast sword plants grow . Now Im worried about the crap accumulating under the soil. So Ive decided to possibly only put the soil in the back and sand at the front. I have five discus In there all around 10 to 14 cm. plus a clean up crew. please no comments about sponges and hands doing the cleaning etc.

[ILLUSN]

this is ythe biggest problem with discus in planted tanks, if i were you I'd plant the swords in pots of aquasoil, they will do fine, if you bury the pots in gravel or sand you can vac away.

if not put the aquasoil at the back and gravel at the front feed in the front part of the tank only.

swords are pretty tough and can grow quite fast, the bigest limitation is light followed by carbon, aim for 2-3w/gal of light, as the swords get old they develop a rhizome at the base of the crown, removing this will cause them to grow fast again, dont throw it away, float it in a fry saver, it will sprout new plants.

[goodoo]

thanks illusn, What do you mean by carbon ? Still havent decided what I will do for substrate. This wont be a problem in around 4 months as I will be able to faze back the feedings. Till then um well fun fun . Im thinking pots could be good. My discus supplier suggested the same thing. I like sand as all the nasty stuff sits on top and gravel looks nasty.

[Mickey C]

Think he means carbon dioxide ;) Without light or CO2 photosynthesis can't take place.

EDIT: Instead of CO2 it could also be a form of "useable" carbon as it says on the Excell bottle. I don't specifically know what a form of useable carbon is though! I doubt Carbon Monoxide would be too useable though :lol:

[swampy1972]

2-3wpg is considered high light and most sword species are considered low light plants. I have 2 massive swords growing just in pots of plain gravel under a single T8 tube and no ferts'.
From the reading I've done on the subject of aquatic soils, in the planted environment they form their own little 'ecosystem' so shouldn't require vacuuming. If there's any solids left on top, simply wave your hand above the substrate surface to stir up the waste and syphon it out that way.
Using sand in an area as part of your scape and feeding over it is a great idea. As you rightly say, waste etc sits on top of it making it easier to clean.
As for carbon, Seachem sell it in liquid form if you don't want to go with Co2 injection.

[goodoo]

What I want is big swords and big discus, all part of my discus obsession my girlfriend tried to get me to read lord of the rings last night in an effort to steer me away from yet another old fish magazine. Poor girl, When my mate gave me a 70 litre bates pets paradise tank with some tiger barbs and a lone cory (still got the cory) I never new it would turn into full blown obsession. Senoir members when does it end this is getting unhealthy.

[goodoo]

Thanks guys. I thought about doing that last night- the hand wave . got frustrated and stopped. I Will have another go at it. Its crazy the amount of food discus need. Ive noticed when my discus do burnouts they stir up a bit of crap. I would like to think I have a mini eco system going, but im thinking more like mini waste dump. Fish are healthy though.

[ILLUSN]

High light is over 1w/L (4w/G+) with 5-6w/G i had extreme growth on my swords, my marble queen sword even started to show EMERSED growth and color under water.

Swords will survive in low light (2w/G) the will do better in moderate light (2-3w/G), swords are root feeders, fertilizing the water column is a waste of time, they NEED a good substrate. if you want big swords it takes time mine never got BIG untill i went with good light and carbon, either CO2 or excell, in my display tank i use both CO2 and excell to keep BBA away, my amazons are over 2 foot tall. a few people here have seen my old tank with E.horemanni (green), E.devils eye, E.bleheri, E.Cordifolious(marble queen) growing out the top of my 6x2x2 onder ~500w of light (4x96wCF + 2x54W t5HO). my CO2 was ~30ppm i had no discus in this tank.

My advise is go buy some big swords, put them in good sized pots (5-6 inch across 5 inch deep) and hide the pots behind driftwood. It will take years to grow a big sized sword under low light with no CO2.

the aquarium addition never ends it just get bigger and evolves.

[goodoo]

amen to that illusn. When I get a bigger tank I plan to have big swords along the back and sides with sand in the front and middle and wood , which is what I have now but smaller version and without the sand 250 litres . Dont think my floor can take a bigger tank at moment. So Im stuck with my tiny 250 till I get a better place. Atleast Now when I buy I big sword I know I can keep It alive.

[Tommo]

How deep is your substrate ?
Maybe try putting some dino dung from ,and maybe a little "dino pee"
http://www.aquagreen.com.au/catalog.html

Or some clay balls ,that will help the swords,as they like to feed from the roots :)

cheers mate

Andrew

[goodoo]

Thanks tommo. I like their site some nicly priced plants. Its about 1 1/2 inchs deep at front and two oe three at the back.