window tank plant report

Yesterday I changed something in the paradise fish tank so I took a lot of pictures. I had this chunk of mopani wood in a corner that was really too big for the space, and an anubias I'd taken out of the betta tank weeks ago- it was getting too large for the 10g. I sawed the mopani into several smaller pieces- ended up with two medium and a bunch small. Onto one I tied the large anubias- it neatly hides the sponge filter in that corner. I figure anubias will do better here than those crypts which melted few weeks ago. Could be from how the light changes, where it angles to hit this end of the tank during different seasons. I'd rather have to remove some anubias leaves that get algae once in a while, than deal with crypt melt and wait to regrow over and over.

Here's a picture of that anubias from the front- and there's the crypts in foreground still trying to grow back.

This is my younger crypt moehlmanii- wow has it grown.

A row of random buces. I keep sticking buces in here, that come loose from tethers in the angelfish tank. There's a 'green wavy' front left that a snail has been chewing on, a bunch of 'brownie ghost' behind (I think), a few round-leaved 'emerald green'.

In front of the newly-sized driftwood chunk I put that anubias on, a few buce 'selena'. And the crypt willisii of course.

Another buce 'green wavy' on the other side of the tank. I ought to regroup them by type someday.

Anubias congensis on the other short end- this one is really chewed on. Some of my snails are hungry? Maybe I have too many trumpet snails in here, they aren't finding enough leftovers or algae to eat off the glass? could be time to cull snails.

I finally gave in to ferts. Had firm idea early on, I wouldn't dose this tank, just grow what can manage off the fish waste. Not any more- tucked half a root tab under these vals and finally they are showing some progress. (The anubias congensis is next to them, maybe you also noticed in the previous pic it's putting out a new leaf too)

The other medium-sized driftwood piece, I tied some windelov ferns onto it. Kind of rearranged all the windelov.

Here's more- that have their roots clinging to substrate or a rock- off to the side of the mopani piece. They never look too good in this tank, maybe someday I'll decide to move them all out and just have in here the plants that do well . . .

On the even smaller pieces of wood (that broke off while I was working at it with the saw) I tied some bolbitis fern. There were rhizomes growing off the main clump on the driftwood, and some scattered here and there on the tank floor. Here's one of the new bunches on small wood- middle of this photo in the back, between the two ludwigia arcuata stems.

Another piece with bolbitis tied on is behind this crypt moehlmanii.

Surprise- my tiny bit of anubias pangolino appears to be growing. It's on the dragon stone behind this clump of crypt becketti.

Another happy surprise- the fissidens I tied onto another dragon stone behind the other crypt becketti cluster- is also growing out! (couldn't quite get the camera to focus on it)

there's some on each end of the rock- here's the other side:

I've found that the elodea pieces that came loose and float, do so much better here than the ones I had stuck in the substrate. So (like hornwort in the angel tank) I let them all do that:

I'm wondering if I should just give up on the crinum. Mine keeps growing new strappy leaves, and stays green, but the leaves never grow out long, they always break off. So doesn't seem to be doing so well. Maybe the substrate is too shallow for it.

Side view of my ludwigia (or is it hygro?) stems - photo isn't that great, but you can see how they've grown! I cut and replanted tops again.

Side view looking down long through the tank- crypts becketti on left, flanked by the dragon stone, windelov fern in front, stems on the right (which is the rear of the tank), bolbitis fern just visible in background. More upcoming . . .