New to me crypts

[Tim_Koles]

Hi all,

So I came away from todays meeting with several nice crypts and I'm looking for some advise for growing them. My main tank has become a crypt killing beast and I'm not really sure why as I had the nicest wendtii in there that I have ever grown. After melting completely, one of the plantings is slowly growing back but not really robustly. I got some pontederiifolia from Kris and I will try a stem of that in the tank as it seems to be pretty tolerant to many conditions and not prone to melting. The other two, nurii and dewitii, I feel it would be a death sentence if I put them in the tank. I was thinking about putting them in my "farm" tank but I could easily set up a new small tank as well if that would be better. The farm tank has had my wendtii in for over a decade and has a substrate of original Flourite. I got some hudoroi and they seemed to be growing well in this tank before I transferred them to the big tank without retaining a piece. They were gone shortly after that. I searched the pages and saw that several of you have keep at least nurii submerged but did not see what conditions you had in the tank. Any input would be appreciated.

Tim
Trying to be a crypt farmer but not working out to well

[Linus_Cello]

I have nurii. It does fine in regulars temperature water (discus is too hot) and it likes more constant water parameters. So small frequent water changes rather than one big one.

[SCMurphy]

You forgot to tell us the parameters of you tank.

[Tim_Koles]

Thanks Linus

Sean,
Big crypt killing tank -
80 degrees F, pH 6.5, 0 NH3, 10ppm NO3, 0 NO2, 20ppm KH, 150ppm GH, CO2 added

Farm tank
78 degrees, pH 7.5, 0 NH3, 0 NO3, 0 NO2, 80 to 120 ppm KH, 150ppm GH, no CO2 added

Mini hex
72 degrees, pH 7.0, 0 NH3, 0 NO3, 0 NO2, 40 to 80 ppm KH, 75ppm GH, no CO2 added

Grow out with some stuff on lava rock
68 degrees, pH 7.2, 0 NH3, 10ppm NO3, 0 NO2, 80 ppm KH, 150ppm GH, no CO2 added

[Linus_Cello]

80 may be a little too warm?

[SCMurphy]

80 may be a little too warm?

Yup, sustained 8O° F is going to be too warm. Most of our plants are from flowing waters, which are actually a little cooler in the tropics than we think. At 80° you kind of put the plant on overdrive and it wears itself out. When they are growing emersed they can take the warming temps but they also have a different leaf for emersed growth.

Just curious, why is the farm tank so alkaline?

[Tim_Koles]

Yeah I think you two are on to something. Looking back at my notes, the tank started out around 78 and then got a little warmer last summer as we keep the house warm. It then went back to the 78 or so. Crypts were great during this time. Around April I had an Ich outbreak and adjusted the tank for a week around 86 or so. No problem then but the tank only made it down to around 80 and then we went through summer so it stayed warmer. I did a bunch of work on the tank yesterday and took it down to 79 and I will drop it a bit more tonight. What do you think a good temp is. 78 or lower?

Not sure why the farm tank is that way. It always has been and I first set up that tank in 2003. I used to keep peat containers in it back in the day. I thought it was the Flourite again back in the day but I have a portion of the same stuff in the Hex and its always neutral. Only other thing in that tank since that time is some bog wood. Maybe thats contaminated. Everything seems to be fine in that tank so I never worry about it.

So back to my original question. The nurii and dewitii. Based on their needs, which tank do you think I should place them in or should I set up something different. From what I have found online, it seems that the big tank would best meet the very broad range of parameters I'm seeing assuming the temperature is the issue.

[SCMurphy]

If you cool off that killer I'd go there just because of the CO2. Otherwise dewittii in mini hex because the GH is the lowest. Put the nurii anyplace, it grows like wendtii.

[Tim_Koles]

Thanks Sean, Im going to try the dewittii in the hex if I can fit it in and the nurii in the big tank. Im down to 78 and I may take it down a little more.