Some Aquarium Plant Questions...?

Question

Hello. I have a ten gallon planted tank with some danios and amano shrimp. The plants include some crypts, java fern, a mini anubias and some dwarf sagittaria. The plants are doing well but the tank isn't as lush as I would like it. Would adding CO2 be okay? I heard that its harder to control water parameters in a small tank. Another issue concerns the shrimp. Are they going to be okay? Is the lighting enough with a single full spectrum fluorescent bulb? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Answer 1

You need to check the nitrate levels. In that small of a tank, the plants many be using up all the nitrates. Nitrates must be at least 10 ppm for healthy plants.
Also, you need to be adding fertilizer with iron.
You can increase the CO2 levels just by cutting back on the number of hours you light the tank. The plants will release CO2 during dark hours. There is no need to add CO2.
If you don't notice any plant growth, the lack of nitrates is almost always the cause.

Answer 2

The plants you have chosen for your tank are all slow growing plants. I have an anubias in one of my tanks that is 2 years old and just now is becoming the centerpiece for the tank (a 10 gallon).

The Java fern is also a slow one as it propagates by the tuber that the leave grow out of getting longer and adding more leaves.

The crypts are touchy plants that will sometimes go into what is called a "crypt meltdown" where all of the leaves turn to mush and all you have left is the bulb. It is not dead at this point and will regrow, but it is like starting all over again.

The sagittaria is the only one that grows halfway quickly and can be coaxed by adding some plant grow tabs with the right fertilizers for aquatic plants. You can find them at your LFS (local fish store).

Adding a CO2 generator is more trouble than it is worth unless you plan to do it on a much larger scale than a 10g tank.

I have some Amanos as well. They are great little creatures. I also keep some ghost, red claw, wood, vampire and cherry shrimp. The cherrys and red claws are spawning for me right now. I sell the cherrys at our area fish club auctions and make a little pocket money to help pay for their food.

Here is a site that has some info on building your own CO2 generator.

http://www.qsl.net/w2wdx/aquaria/diyco2.html

Good luck.

Answer 3

sounds like you are doing ok. All you need is time. CO2 tends to lower the pH levels and you danios might fair well but sometime shrimp aren't as forgiving(especially if they have just molted). All your plants are fairly low-light plants. I think it you shouldn't need more light than that. Just keep cycling it out( I would change the bulb every 1 1/2 to 2 years some change even more frequently) to keep the light fresh. As they age florescent bulbs don't put out as full a spectrum and it sounds like you are more concerned about the plants than the fish. So I would add that step.