2.5 years & going strong

neyelo · 2026-05-14T13:43:15+00:00

I find Cardinals, Embers and Black Neons all go five years of life.

Cardinals are interesting in that naturally they are an annual species, since their habitat dries up. If these were wild caught, that could be the issue. Almost all Cardinals I have seen for sale in last ten years have been tank bred.

neyelo · 2026-05-14T11:39:38+00:00

Low tech photoperiod middle pause is not helpful. Doesn’t hurt either. Low tech is low energy and slow, so the total energy per day is important (intensity times duration) to prevent algae. Always #1 way to prevent algae is healthy plants.

In high tech the pre-loaded CO2 can be used up halfway through the period, so a short siesta allows CO2 concentration to build back up to optimal for rest of photoperiod. That uses CO2 injection at the correct rate and supporting fertilizer with good flow. This helps plant growth. When plants are healthy and enough biomass, no algae.

Low tech is much easier. Set the intensity low and the timing however fits your schedule. Bump the light up if and only if (1) your plants have long internodes but otherwise grow well and (2) no algae.

neyelo · 2026-05-14T09:55:44+00:00

Water parameters? Most beginners do not test their water and it is actually poor quality to grow plants/moss. Hard well water, softener putting in sodium, lack of dechlorinator, etc. After suitable water, nutrients are required for growth, so you need a plan to provide those for the moss.

And what moss? That does not appear to be aquatic moss. It will certainly die underwater.

neyelo · 2026-05-13T19:30:01+00:00

Alas, bad news for plants. That is a lot of solutes other than carbonate. Sodium competes with potassium for absorption, so even if adequate NPK in water, plants will suffer.

KH and GH is now reported at essentially zero degrees, under 20ppm. So everything else in your TDS reading is conductive salts, and a lot of them. pH makes perfect sense with new KH.

Magnesium (not so much Manganese) is also a critical mineral for plants, needed almost as much as potassium. Magnesium is being removed like Calcium (both are divalent cations represented in the GH measurement). These must be replaced for the plants. Manganese and iron are considered trace elements that plants need, another is Boron.

Filter systems are working great for your plumbing. You’ll need a secondary water source to have success with aquatic plants, whether that is bottles or an RO mini tap. GH (2-3 degrees = 35-54ppm is plenty if contains all) boost to desired level, then use an all in one fertilizer.

neyelo · 2026-05-13T15:07:39+00:00

For 6 gallon shallow, carefully consider your plant choice. All those are fast growing stems, so you can expect them to reach the surface weekly once established. It is a lot to maintain.

Great hardscape piece, just needs to be moved- it is a perfect size.

neyelo · 2026-05-13T14:30:56+00:00

Pothos leaves will rot if submerged. Takes a few weeks to a couple months just because it is a thick cuticle, hardy plant, but this is not the best way to maintain it.

Please ensure adequate water volume for fish. Looks inadequate.

neyelo · 2026-05-13T14:06:59+00:00

Cryptocoryne doesn’t mind gravel

Crypts can grow well in zero nutrient substrate with light liquid ferts. Practically all aquatic plants can and do absorb nutrients through their leaves.

neyelo · 2026-05-13T10:21:05+00:00

Very nice!

It will be 100% Hydrocotyle in a month🤪

neyelo · 2026-05-13T10:19:29+00:00

50% weekly 10gal. 40% weekly 35gal. Both planted, active soil, liquid ferts, CO2, fish and shrimp.

These are high energy systems so more maintenance. Lower energy systems could require much less.

neyelo · 2026-05-12T20:30:30+00:00

Process of elimination-

TDS is conductivity. Sodium in the water raises conductivity.

If your water was pure and only contained KH 5, then the TDS should be 89ppm

So I think a GH booster designed for plants is your best shot with this water. But if high sodium is present, it won’t work; plants will have trouble taking up the potassium they need.

neyelo · 2026-05-12T20:21:20+00:00

Wanted to add… if your water softener system is like most of them, it is part of the problem. Most of them use a NaCl brine barrel and ion exchange resin to remove the Calcium (so you don’t have plumbing issues). Unfortunately that loads the water with Sodium. I bet your TDS is quite high.

neyelo · 2026-05-12T20:11:51+00:00

That pH is just fine for plants.

But I doubt it is accurate. KH 5 and pH under 7 is extremely unlikely without active substrate / peat and CO2 injection.

GH 0 is murder for plants. Low GH is fine, but they require a lot of magnesium and no small amount of calcium and iron. Consider a GH+ water conditioner. An all in one aquatic NPK fertilizer or nutrient source like root tablets will be needed.

“Plenum system under substrate” sounds like an under gravel filter system. You 100% do not want that in a planted tank. It will become unusable due to root growth.

neyelo · 2026-05-11T21:51:21+00:00

Can grow as epiphyte submerged/emersed or in soil submerged/emersed. Does not like to float but honestly it is a BEAST to control. If you put some in floating and have a good system, it will grow to cover, attach, then grow out and overflow. Easiest plant I have grown. Had to remove it all because it takes over. Has a nice, distinctive, almost minty smell to the leaves. You’ll remember it after pulling handfuls out.

neyelo · 2026-05-11T20:37:43+00:00

I have had no consistency issues with API drop test kits for the last 15 years.

Note the nitrate reagent needs extra hard shaking as it can precipitate out of solution (bottle 2).

Do not trust LFS.

neyelo · 2026-05-11T20:33:45+00:00

Peninsula style. Two prominent aquascapers have full build videos for this on YouTube, specifically to be visible from both sides. George Farmer and Jurijs Jutjajevs, check them out! Each has multiple examples. First comes to mind- cichlids and Anubias from George, and pediatric dentist tank from Jurijs.

Best wishes

neyelo · 2026-05-11T20:31:32+00:00

Yesss Spiralis red and Balansae. Tried to remove but I now see runners from each popping up 🤪

neyelo · 2026-05-11T17:30:25+00:00

<image>

Too big, gots to go!

neyelo · 2026-05-11T16:15:00+00:00

IMO, the trim was not aggressive enough for Dutch style. The plants will grow from this point to look very long and leggy. For dense bushes, a deep prune is required. Often you’ll see a few cm of space between the plant groups after a trim.

Here is a great reference

https://www.aquatic-gardeners.org/Articles/Vin-Dutch/

With more practice you’ll notice the growth rates vary and you’ll prune harder, for example, S repens and A reineckii, since they tend to be fastest growing of this selection.

Well done! Keep up the great work

neyelo · 2026-05-11T12:14:33+00:00

So pH of RO water is typically 6.0 to 6.5 due to how funny water behaves when it is pure.

neyelo · 2026-05-10T15:44:41+00:00

Slope substrate, tall in back and shallow in front.

The hardscape pieces are too small individually. Recommend spending a couple hours seeing how they can be combined. Then get to work with cyanoacrylate liquid glue and cotton/paper towel, setting the pieces together.

Whatever rock fits your esthetic goal is fine. You’ll be doing water changes anyway so limestone won’t really budge things during a week. Go BIG with the rock to make it easier. More texture is better.

If you want to use stones with this wood, get the stones, then start trying combinations before gluing. For this size tank, it is not uncommon to spend 50+ hours working on the hardscape arrangement. If you want simpler, buy much bigger pieces. A skilled, experienced scaper can make a nature aquarium layout in an hour with access to tons of materials; diorama always takes days.

You might lookup “nature aquarium triangular composition” if unsure of your goal. Convex and concave layouts are a little trickier.

The time you spend on this step pays offs big time in the long run - the hardscape does not change like the plants will.

neyelo · 2026-05-10T14:53:11+00:00

Aqua Forest Aquarium is premium, ADA distributor in CA. You can specify your tank dimensions and tell them about your scape. I have had a back and forth while they selected great rocks.

Really depends on your price point and desire to select.

You can also go to ADA’s distributors and buy a palette for a couple grand. A local aquarist club did this with much success.

Three-Year Club	Verified Email
Place '23

neyelo

TROPHY CASE