It is amazing how tanks can develop if we just let them. In November 2006 I had the idea to start a low light tank with lots of wood, that shall be covered by Java Fern.
I filled the tank with several pounds of driftwood, everything screwed to an acrylic backpanel. The wood was initially planted with one pot Narrow Leaf Java Fern, later on I added Java Fern Windelow plantlet to one side of the tank. It took a while, but eventually the growth kicked in and the whole tank looks like a jungle now.
This tank may be the greenest I have now - and the one that gets the least maintenance except for regular water changes. So this is what you get with nothing else than just a bit patience: :)
April 2008
(https://www.ovas.ca/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fovas.ca%2Fgallery%2F1560_23_04_08_10_25_11.jpg&hash=68bddac0e15d98c4611659153e622f874ecd57c7)
August 2007
(https://www.ovas.ca/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fovas.ca%2Fgallery%2F1560_23_08_07_9_49_16.jpg&hash=b63e84a3d20304318c4aa2f09a924c88bb22bb43)
February 2007
(https://www.ovas.ca/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fovas.ca%2Fgallery%2F1560_26_02_07_8_54_41.JPG&hash=febaecf4163a0f8d0a243bc89312f6dd2198adcb)
Very very nice. With patience my plants all succumb to algea. sigh!
Wow , good job, this is a great demonstration of what is possible with low light tanks.
what type of lighting are you using & the watts on this tank, what substrate ( not that it really matters for Java fern)
Regards
Oh, nice. That's very encouraging. Thanks for posting.
Thanks for your kind comments!
Lighting is 1x 15W T8 Power Glo, but probably not very powerful anymore as I never changed it since I set the tank up. It is housed in the hood that came with the tank.
The substrate is fine Geosystems gravel - but I cannot really recommend it as it tends to make the water hard. I also mixed in some laterite as I set up the tank, but other plants never really did well under the shade of the wood. There are still some E. tellenus surviving in one corner though, and maybe a tiny crypt somewhere. I also have some Newzealand Grass growing, but it suffered a bit lately.
VERY nice Robert! Now maybe if I stop fooling around with MY tank, I can get the plants to fill in a bit more like yours did... ;)
Quote from: fischkopp on April 24, 2008, 03:05:53 PM
Lighting is 1x 15W T8 Power Glo
Over how many gallons?
Thanks Viz. With everything I tried so far I learned that fooling around too much causes more trouble than letting it be for a while :)
Anja. it is a 20 gal tank, maybe a bit smaller. So its <1 WPG, like impossible to grow anything :) no, really, dont take the WPG rule to serious, for example putting plants higher up to the lights does wonders.
Is that the narrowleaf or needleleaf java fern?
Quote from: jrs on April 24, 2008, 11:10:41 PM
Is that the narrowleaf or needleleaf java fern?
It is Narrow Leaf Java Fern.
That really gives me hope for my tank, which has roughly the same light. I initially lost a couple of crypts and vals, but the others are doing ok, and the moss grows, Java fern and anubias seem to actually be throwing out new leaves. I think I'll change the color of the light when I change the bulb, though. I'm currently using the aqua glo that came with the tank, and am thinking of changing to a full spectrum next time.
I'll hang the picture of your tank up as an inspiration for the next time I doubt I have enough light. :D