An African cichlid set up. Tap water nitrate runs 90+ so I'm going to try
adding plants at one end. Lighting is 2x55w cf over a 110 show so I need low
light cichlid proof plants. I would like to achieve a 3-tiered effect. Maybe
1 low growing plant in front with two rows behind in a corner - back left of
tank. Area is ~18"x18". Preferably slow growing in front using faster
growing in rear for nitrate consumption. Sound doable?

Any and all help appreciated,

Bill

--
______________________________________________
"Luge strategy? Lie flat and try not to die."
--Carmen Boyle (Olympic Luge Gold Medal winner - 1996)

An African cichlid set up. Tap water nitrate runs 90+ so I'm going to try
adding plants at one end. Lighting is 2x55w cf over a 110 show so I need low
light cichlid proof plants. I would like to achieve a 3-tiered effect. Maybe
1 low growing plant in front with two rows behind in a corner - back left of
tank. Area is ~18"x18". Preferably slow growing in front using faster
growing in rear for nitrate consumption. Sound doable?

Yikes. That's a lot of nitrate. And it's going to be worse, if you overstock
your tank as many cichlid keepers do, to reduce aggression.

One watt per gallon isn't too bad for a tank over 100 gallons. You might be
able to grow some stem plants with that lighting. But for nitrate removal, try
floating plants. They'll be right up under the lights, and they can get CO2
from the air, so there's no need for CO2 injection. Water sprite would be a
good choice; I believe some species are native to the rift lakes.

You may have to pick your fish carefully to keep your plants from being eaten.
If you have diggers, try planting in pots. Or use Anubias or Java fern, and
tie them to rock or driftwood. Vallisneria might be good for this tank, too,
though you might have to plant it in pots.

You might want to check out the current (April 2003) issue of Aquarium Fish
magazine. Karen Randall's "Sunken Gardens" column is about setting up a
planted tank for African cichlids.



Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

Bill, I would use anubias- assorted and java fern, both plants are low light
and cichlids don't like their taste. Check out my site on plants.
Wilma
http://www.jayscustomcomputers.com/wilma/

"Wm Hopkins" wrote in message
rthlink.net...
An African cichlid set up. Tap water nitrate runs 90+ so I'm going to try
adding plants at one end. Lighting is 2x55w cf over a 110 show so I need
low
light cichlid proof plants. I would like to achieve a 3-tiered effect.
Maybe
1 low growing plant in front with two rows behind in a corner - back left
of
tank. Area is ~18"x18". Preferably slow growing in front using faster
growing in rear for nitrate consumption. Sound doable?

Any and all help appreciated,

Bill

--
______________________________________________
"Luge strategy? Lie flat and try not to die."
--Carmen Boyle (Olympic Luge Gold Medal winner - 1996)

Xref: 127.0.0.1 rec.aquaria.freshwater.plants:64866

crypts and jungle vals also fare well, as do amazon swords

"Wm Hopkins" wrote in message
rthlink.net...
An African cichlid set up. Tap water nitrate runs 90+ so I'm going to try
adding plants at one end. Lighting is 2x55w cf over a 110 show so I need
low
light cichlid proof plants. I would like to achieve a 3-tiered effect.
Maybe
1 low growing plant in front with two rows behind in a corner - back left
of
tank. Area is ~18"x18". Preferably slow growing in front using faster
growing in rear for nitrate consumption. Sound doable?

Any and all help appreciated,

Bill

--
______________________________________________
"Luge strategy? Lie flat and try not to die."
--Carmen Boyle (Olympic Luge Gold Medal winner - 1996)

I have set up a planted african tank..mind you, its only been up a couple of
months..but they leave alone my amazon sword, crypts, dwarf sag, and the stem
plant I have...not exactly sure what it is...red something or other....

they also leave java fern alone...they seem to eat the java moss quite a bit.

Wm Hopkins wrote:

An African cichlid set up. Tap water nitrate runs 90+ so I'm going to try
adding plants at one end. Lighting is 2x55w cf over a 110 show so I need low
light cichlid proof plants. I would like to achieve a 3-tiered effect. Maybe
1 low growing plant in front with two rows behind in a corner - back left of
tank. Area is ~18"x18". Preferably slow growing in front using faster
growing in rear for nitrate consumption. Sound doable?

Any and all help appreciated,

Bill

--
______________________________________________
"Luge strategy? Lie flat and try not to die."
--Carmen Boyle (Olympic Luge Gold Medal winner - 1996)

On Fri, 11 Apr 2003 20:45:43 GMT, "Wm Hopkins"
wrote:

An African cichlid set up. Tap water nitrate runs 90+ so I'm going to try

Wow.

Where do you get your water? What country are you in? My sewage
treatment departments puts out less nitrate at the the output end of
the process. If you have a well, you have some infiltration issues.




James Ervin
Remove SPAM to email me.

Xref: 127.0.0.1 rec.aquaria.freshwater.plants:64918


"James Ervin" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 11 Apr 2003 20:45:43 GMT, "Wm Hopkins"
wrote:

An African cichlid set up. Tap water nitrate runs 90+ so I'm going to try

Wow.

Where do you get your water? What country are you in? My sewage
treatment departments puts out less nitrate at the the output end of
the process. If you have a well, you have some infiltration issues.



I'm in central Iowa which explains SOME nitrate. Just got through speaking
with a Culligan rep and found EPA limit is 10 mg/L (PPM) so it must be my
test kit. I will be purchasing another brand shortly as my current kit is
nearly new-too many purples though.

On Tue, 15 Apr 2003 20:59:14 GMT, "Wm Hopkins"
wrote:

I'm in central Iowa which explains SOME nitrate. Just got through speaking
with a Culligan rep and found EPA limit is 10 mg/L (PPM) so it must be my
test kit. I will be purchasing another brand shortly as my current kit is
nearly new-too many purples though.


I ordered the Hach test for nitrate that is accurate from 0 to 10 ppm.
Expensive, but it fits the bill. A good friend recommended the Hack
line of test and I have never regretted the extra money to get
professional grade tests.

Remove SPAM to send me email.