A post for Tyler!!!

[Gipper]

Tyler,

Next time you are in the chat room be sure to ask Don about his plants, he has develope a new strain and he is excited about it!!!


Gipper

Gipper are you talking about his Barebotopedilum, or perhaps the Kleenbotopsis? ???
If so I agree... they both are very nice... :P :P lol

I think Don needs to post a pic, so we all know exactly....

Julz

Sorry Don.. LMAO at you're expense... forgive me... :-\

[April]

hi tyler
don is online...and on his way to chat im sure.
itd be worth your while to have a chat with him
;D
hi don
come to chat

[Tyler]

I always knew i would win don!!!! The evil has been defeated......and good will reign throughout the world!!!!
Hahaha....im really lovin' this.
But ya know what scares me the most? Maybe we are switching places don. I have had a potted amazon alive in my angel tank for about a month now.....and its only a little brown!!!! Can you believe it???? LOL.
Oh yes and i love Julz's idea......we want pics don!!! Tons and tons of pics!! And while your at it, why not make them your avatar???

Tyler

p.s. Still loving this moment......

[Don_Lee]

OK, I must reply...For those who do not know, I did remove all of the substrate from my tank, and all of the plants. However, I am considering adding some plants, like anubias, to my driftwood in the tank. Anyone have any suggestions? I have removed some of my lighting too, anyone want to buy a 2x96 watt AH Supply setup? Now I have about 1 wpg of CF lighting, which should be plenty for the fish but am not sure if I will be able to keep any plants alive. I am still on the "dark side" lol. I am certainly not anti-plants, I am just so busy I could not dedicate the time to address all of the needs of the plants properly.

Don ;D

[Wahter]

Hi Don,

Once I kept a 20 gallon (high) with only 18 watts of lighting (Triton) and was still able to keep java fern, java moss, bolbitis, anubias nana, (all on driftwood) and some crypt wendtii (in flourite substrate) alive. No CO2 either. That's as 'low tech' as I have gotten in a while (I've since changed the light to a 36 watt Compact Fluorescent and added DIY CO2).

Good luck!

Walter

[DarkDiscus]

Don,

I've used anubias barteri on driftwood plus some Java moss to create planted logs in the past. It has worked very well and grows slowly but stedily until the wood is covered.

I would consider it as a possibility for a discus tank.

As long as the bottom is bare, plants are okay!

John

[Serpae]

Hiya :wave:

I can't beleive it :waaa: Don has turned, even after finding us a new hiding place (show tanks). or is he planning something a little more sinister, after all we got April.

I have found that you can create an amazing display with just Anubias species attached to wood. Small A. barterii nanna, and the larger A. barterii underplanted with A. congensis, afzelli, Emerald Heart, and some of the newer hybrids with ruffled leaves, variagation and red tainted foliage give you great results with the mix of foliage, colouration and size.

[Ralph]

I'm setting up a tank just like that now. It's a 30 gal grow-out tank for three discus. I didn't use Anubias on my big tank, I wanted to go strictly South American plants so I used almost all swords. But I like the leafy look of the Anubiases. And the driftwood planting sure has some advantages. Do you pull them out for tank cleaning or is that even necessary?
This would make a good thread by itself, "Driftwood Planting."

[ari_wh]

Hhhmm... this is not good....!!!!!

Been away from simply for 10 days and suddenly Don is giving up on planted tanks??????? What has the world become.....lol. I definitely have to get the whole story.....

I don't think anyone can convert me to bare bottom tank... Try if you can.....!!! I still love to see discus in planted tank... and yes... substrate. But, yes, Don... I do find it is almost impossible to killl java fern. I have heaps on all my tanks now, and they all start from a single plants.... They are weeds, if you ask me....lol.

Regards, Ari :)

[April]

Serpae. i have the last of Dons plants here. but...not in my discus tanks. so you didnt really "get me".
their in my swordtail and angel tank.
yes ari..you need to check in to make sure we havent all gone bonkers while your gone. ;D

[Serpae]

Bugger, well gang, we will have to work a little harder on April then so she get's some plants in those discus tank's.

Ralph, It depends on how creative you get with the driftwood look. It can get complicated with removing and then restructuring the look that you first created. You know things never go back in the way that they came out, lol.

The roots on Anubias as they get older tend to roam a little, and you will find over time that they can stick pieces together quite easily making it hard to move them.

I guess that if you construct the planting in a bb tank, the filters and water movement should get rid of most of the accumulated debri from the bottom as well as routine vaccuming, there is always the option of having some sort of clean up crew in the tank.

[April]

Serpae.....maybe soon i will add my mopani wood and java fern to my wild tank. i have a 100 gallon in my bedroom i could do that to.....we'll see. might surprise you yet.
i have nice mopani wood. but i dont want them to get an owie when they horse around. sharp edges and all...lol. could take out an eye!!
on the other hand i may need the tank for growing out fry. :o i hope

[ChloroPhil]

Anubias, Java Moss, Java Fern, and Bolbitis will grow readily on PVC. If you want to construct some sort of framework and use a coarse sand paper to scuff the surface pretty well the plants will attach to that in time. Or you can use a drinking supply safe resin and roll the stuff in a sand/gravel mix to give it a more natural look before tying the plants on. That way all you need do is remove the whole structure when you want to do a complete cleaning.

[Wahter]

I have had very good luck with java fern (all varieties - the standard, wendelov, Tropica, narrow leaf, etc...) growing on driftwood.

I have better luck with bolbitus heudelotti on rocks than driftwood, but Amano uses it on wood all the time:

http://forum.simplydiscus.com//index.php?board=7;action=display;threadid=3072

(Ultimate 'darkside tank')

Walter

[Don_Lee]

Great thread guys, thanks for all of the suggestions. However, you guys are killing me, lol. My secret keeps being pushed to the top, it reminds me of when I asked a question about hydrosponge filters on the general board that was so embarrassing, and it just kept popping up to the top. ;D
Seriously, I have certainly not given up on plants. Just a break, and a change in direction. I have spent too much time and money learning about them to give up on them! lol ;D

Don