My Journey Of Keeping Planted Tanks

NEW BIRTH....New Scape for 2015

2015-11-11T15:19:00.001+08:00

Hi everyone, i finally found some free time to post...

My latest creation is " New Birth...well to celebrate the birth of my daughter Olivia Wong... although she is already 23 months old this year... hahaha

The setup manages to rank 1666 in IAPLC, 328 in IIAC and 115 in AGA 2015.... so this scape marks my last contest scape... i will still rescape but will not enter competition again as its very tiring to source out materials for it.... i hope you guys likes the scape as much as i do,

Details
Tank size:- 60cm x 30cm x 33cm
Lights:- 4 x 24 watts T5HO, 6-8 hours per day
CO2 injection 1-2bps
Plants:-
HC, Moss, Mini Nanas, Staurogyne, ferns, mini reneckii...algae...
Fish:-
Oto, boraras brigittae

World Largest Nature Aquarium By Mr Amano

2015-04-19T11:35:00.003+08:00

Hi all,

Mr Amano does it again, this time is the Largest Nature Aquarium, 160T of water... enjoy the video with Eng Subtitles

Part 1

Part 2

Hope they enjoy diving while maintaining the tank... haha...

Cherry Shrimps

2015-03-15T12:21:00.004+08:00

I saw a nice post from www.redcherryshrimp.net . It shows gradings of Cherry Shrimps... well all Neocaridina davidi var. red are really just cherry shrimps ( wild colour is brown)... they develop nicer red/yellow/green/orange/ brown through selective breeding and culling. Due to the effort, their price also goes higher.Below is the extract of the post in case the post is deleted due to whatever reason. Credits to www.redcherryshrimp.net.

Wiki Links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherry_shrimp

Well how much do they cost locally in SG? ( not updated regularly)
Cherry :- 50pcs for S$10-12, S$10 for 6-8 bucks
Sakura:- 10pcs for S$12-15 bucks
Fire red:- 1pcs for S$ 1.50 - 3 bucks
Painted red/ bloody mary:- not readily available price hard to estimate

So, do you think a tiny shrimp really worth that much of money? to me...well IMHO the answer is definitely a NO. I will only buy cherry shrimps in bulk as they are just algae crew to me, selective breeding and culling is too much work for a hardworking person like me lol... well i don't cull, i worry about karma..:)

Plant List From Aquatic Plant Central

2014-10-30T19:41:00.000+08:00

Hi all, I found a very nice encyclopedia of plant list from aquatic plant central. below is the extract from the website in case it got deleted due to whatever reason.

the original website is http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/plantfinder/all.php

Credits to the original author and website...good job...thank you for your hardwork ( in case you are reading this)

Eriocaulaceae sp. 'type 2'

Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Eriocaulaceae sp. 'type 2' (erroneous)

Aciotis acuminifolia
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Acisanthera sp. (erroneous)

Acmella repens
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Acmella oppositifolia, Spilanthes americana

Alternanthera aquatica
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Alternanthera reineckii 'lilacina'
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant

Alternanthera reineckii'rosaefolia'
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant

Ammannia crassicaulis
Difficulty : Difficult
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Nesaea crassicaulis

Ammannia gracilis
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant

Ammannia latifolia
Difficulty : Difficult
Lighting Requirements : Medium High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Ammannia mauritiana
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Nesaea triflora (hobby)

Ammannia pedicellata
Difficulty : Difficult
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Nesaea pedicellata

Ammannia praetermissa
Difficulty : Very Difficult
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Nesaea sp. 'red', Nesaea praetermissa

Anubias barteri var. barteri
Difficulty : Very Easy
Lighting Requirements : Low
Tank Placement : Epiphyte
Category : Aquarium Plant

Anubias barteri var. nana
Difficulty : Very Easy
Lighting Requirements : Low
Tank Placement : Epiphyte
Category : Aquarium Plant

Anubias barteri var. nana 'Marble'
Difficulty : Very Easy
Lighting Requirements : Low
Tank Placement : Epiphyte Category : Aquarium Plan

Anubias barteri var. nana 'Petite'
Difficulty : Very Easy
Lighting Requirements : Low
Tank Placement : Epiphyte
Category : Aquarium Plant

Anubias gracilis
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium Low
Tank Placement : Epiphyte
Category : Aquarium Plant

Aponogeton boivinianus
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plan

t
Aponogeton crispus
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plan

t
Aponogeton madagascariensis
Difficulty : Difficult
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Azolla caroliniana
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Bacopa australis
Difficulty : Very Easy
Lighting Requirements : Low
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Bacopa caroliniana
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Bacopa innominata
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Bacopa cyclophylla, Bacopa stragula

Bacopa lanigera
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Bacopa madagascariensis
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Bacopa monnieri
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Bacopa salzmannii
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Bacopa sp. 'Araguaia'

Bacopa serpyllifolia
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium High
Tank Placement : Foreground
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Bacopa sp. 'Japan'

Bacopa sp. 'Colorata'
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant

Barclaya longifolia
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant

Blyxa alternifolia
Difficulty : Difficult
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Blyxa aubertii
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Blyxa japonica
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Foreground
Category : Aquarium Plant

Bolbitis heudelotii
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Low
Tank Placement : Epiphyte
Category : Aquarium Plant

Cabomba caroliniana
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Cabomba caroliniana 'Silver-Green'
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Cabomba furcata
Difficulty : Difficult
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant

Cabomba palaeformis
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Callitriche terrestris
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Elatine americana (erroneous

)
Cardamine lyrata
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Ceratophyllum demersum
Difficulty : Very Easy
Lighting Requirements : Low
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Ceratopteris pteridoides
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Clinopodium brownei
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant
Synonym : Lindernia anagallis (erroneous)

Crinum calamistratum
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Cryptocoryne beckettii 'petchii'
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Low
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant

Cryptocoryne cordata var.cordata 'blassii'
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Low
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant

Cryptocoryne crispatula var.balansae
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Cryptocoryne parva
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Foreground
Category : Aquarium Plant

Cryptocoryne pontederiifolia
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Low
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Cryptocoryne undulata
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Low
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Green Gecko'
Difficulty : Very Easy
Lighting Requirements : Low
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Mi Oya'
Difficulty : Very Easy
Lighting Requirements : Low
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant

Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Red'
Difficulty : Very Easy
Lighting Requirements : Low
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant

Cryptocoryne x willisii 'lucens'
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Low
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Cuphea anagalloidea
Difficulty : Difficult
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Bacopa sp. 'Red' (erroneous), Rotala sp. 'Araguaia' (erroneous)

Cyperus helferi
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Didiplis diandra
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Diodia virginiana
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Diodia cf. kuntzei
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Hygrophila sp. 'Pantanal' (erroneous), Rubiaceae sp. 'Pantanal'

Echinodorus berteroi
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Echinodorus cordifolius
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Echinodorus major
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Echinodorus martii (erroneous)

Echinodorus parviflorus 'Tropica'
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Echinodorus uruguayensis
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Echinodorus 'Kleiner Bar'
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant

Echinodorus 'Ozelot'
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Echinodorus 'Rubin'
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Echinodorus x barthii
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant

Egeria densa
Difficulty : Very Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant
Synonym : Anacharis densa

Egeria najas
Difficulty : Very Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Egleria fluctuans
Difficulty : Difficult
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Eichhornia diversifolia
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Elatine triandra
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Foreground
Category : Aquarium Plant

Eleocharis acicularis
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Foreground
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Eriocaulon cinereum
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Foreground
Category : Aquarium Plant

Eriocaulon setaceum
Difficulty : Difficult
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Eriocaulon sp. 'Mato Grosso'
Difficulty : Very Difficult
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Foreground
Category : Aquarium Plant

Eriocaulon sp. from Goias
Difficulty : Difficult
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Glossostigma elatinoides
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Foreground
Category : Aquarium Plant

Gymnocoronis spilanthoides
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Low
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Helanthium bolivianum'Angustifolius'
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Echinodorus angustifolius

Helanthium tenellum
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Foreground
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Echinodorus tenellus

Hemianthus callitrichoides
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Foreground
Category : Aquarium Plant

Hemianthus glomeratus
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Hemianthus micranthemoides (erroneous), Micranthemum glomeratum

Heteranthera zosterifolia
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Hottonia palustris
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Hydrilla verticillata
Difficulty : Very Easy
Lighting Requirements : Low
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Hydrocotyle leucocephala
Difficulty : Very Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Hydrocotyle verticillata
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Foreground
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Hydrotriche hottoniiflora
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Hygrophila balsamica
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Hygrophila corymbosa'angustifolia
'Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Hygrophila corymbosa'Siamensis'
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Hygrophila corymbosa 'Stricta'
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium Low
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Hygrophila difformis
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Hygrophila lancea
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium High
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Hygrophila sp. 'Sarawak'

Hygrophila odora
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Hygrophila sp. 'Guinea'

Hygrophila polysperma
Difficulty : Very Easy
Lighting Requirements : Low
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Hygrophila polysperma 'Ceylon'
Difficulty : Very Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant

Hygrophila polysperma 'Sunset'
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant

Hygrophila sp. 'Araguaia'
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Foreground
Category : Aquarium Plant

Hygrophila sp. 'Bold'
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Hygrophila sp. 'Red'
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant

Hygrophila sp. 'Tiger'
Difficulty : Very Easy
Lighting Requirements : Low
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Hyptis lorentziana
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Hemigraphis traian (erroneous)

Juncus repens
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Lagarosiphon madagascariensis
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Lagarosiphon major
Difficulty : Very Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Lemna minor
Difficulty : Very Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Lilaeopsis brasiliensis
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Foreground
Category : Aquarium Plant

Limnobium laevigatum
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Limnophila aromatica
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant

Limnophila repens
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Limnophila sp. 'Mini'

Limnophila sessiliflora
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Limnophila sp. 'Broad'
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Limnophila sp. 'Gigantea'
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Limnophila sp. 'Guinea Broad-Leaf'
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Foreground
Category : Aquarium Plant

Limnophila sp. 'Sulawesi'
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Lindernia dubia
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Lindernia grandiflora
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Lindernia rotundifolia 'Variegated'
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Lindernia sp. 'India'
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Lobelia cardinalis
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Lobelia cardinalis 'Small Form'
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Foreground
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Ludwigia arcuata
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Ludwigia brevipes
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant

Ludwigia glandulosa
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : "Ludwigia peruensis" (erroneous)

Ludwigia inclinata
Difficulty : Difficult
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant

Ludwigia inclinata var verticillata'Araguaia'
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Ludwigia inclinata var. verticillata'Cuba'
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant

Ludwigia inclinata var. verticillata'Pantanal'
Difficulty : Difficult
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant

Ludwigia ovalis
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant

Ludwigia palustris
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Ludwigia repens
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant

Ludwigia repens x L. arcuata
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Low
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Ludwigia palustris (erroneous)

Ludwigia sedoides
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Ludwigia senegalensis
Difficulty : Difficult
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Ludwigia sp. 'Guinea'

Ludwigia sphaerocarpa
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Foreground
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Ludwigia pilosa (erroneous)

Ludwigia sp. 'Rubin'
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Low to Very High
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant

Ludwigia x lacustris
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Ludwiga brevipes x palustris

Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea'
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Marsilea spp.
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Foreground
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Mayaca fluviatilis
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Micranthemum umbrosum
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Microsorum pteropus
Difficulty : Very Easy
Lighting Requirements : Low
Tank Placement : Epiphyte
Category : Aquarium Plant

Microsorum pteropus 'Philippine'
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Low
Tank Placement : Epiphyte
Category : Aquarium Plant

Microsorum pteropus 'Trident'
Difficulty : Very Easy
Lighting Requirements : Low
Tank Placement : Epiphyte
Category : Aquarium Plant

Microsorum pteropus 'Tropica'
Difficulty : Very Easy
Lighting Requirements : Low
Tank Placement : Epiphyte
Category : Aquarium Plant

Microsorum pteropus 'Windelov'
Difficulty : Very Easy
Lighting Requirements : Low
Tank Placement : Epiphyte
Category : Aquarium Plant

Monosolenium tenerum
ifficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Low
Tank Placement : Epiphyte
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Pellia endiviifolia (erroneous)

Murdannia keisak
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Murdannia sp. 'Red'
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Myriophyllum aquaticum
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Myriophyllum mattogrossense
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Myriophyllum propinquum
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Myriophyllum tuberculatum
Difficulty : Difficult
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant

Nymphaea lotus 'Red'
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Nymphaea micrantha
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant

Oldenlandia salzmannii
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Bacopa sp. 'Pantanal' (erroneous), Hedyotis salzmannii

Penthorum sedoides
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Persicaria hydropiperoides
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant
Synonym : Polygonum hydropiperoides

Persicaria praetermissa
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Polygonum sp. 'Ruby', Polygonum praetermissum

Persicaria sp. 'acre'
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Polygonum sp. 'Acre'

Persicaria sp. 'Kawagoeanum'
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Polygonum sp. 'Kawagoeanum'

Persicaria sp. 'Porto Velho'
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Polygonum sp. 'Porto Velho'

Persicaria sp. 'Sao Paulo'
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium High
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Polygonum sp. 'Sao Paulo'

Phyllanthus fluitans
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Pogostemon erectus
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Rotala verticillaris (erroneous)

Pogostemon helferi
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Foreground
Category : Aquarium Plant

Pogostemon stellatus
Difficulty : Difficult
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Eusteralis stellata (erroneous)

Pogostemon stellatus 'Broad Leaf'
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Eusteralis stellata (erroneous)

Pogostemon yatabeanus
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Eusteralis yatabeana (erroneous)

Potamogeton crispus
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Potamogeton dentatus
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Potamogeton gayi
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Potamogeton perfoliatus
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Proserpinaca palustris from Cuba
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Ranunculus inundatus
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Foreground
Category : Aquarium Plant

Riccardia chamedryfolia
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Epiphyte
Category : Aquarium Plant

Riccia fluitans
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Epiphyte
Category : Aquarium Plant

Riccia sp. 'Dwarf'
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Epiphyte
Category : Aquarium Plant

Ricciocarpus natans
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Rotala indica
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Ammannia sp. 'Bonsai' (erroneous)

Rotala macrandra
Difficulty : Difficult
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant

Rotala macrandra 'Green Narrow Leaf'
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Rotala macrandra 'Green'
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Rotala macrandra 'Mini Type 2'
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Rotala macrandra 'Narrow Leaf'
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant

Rotala macrandra 'Variegated'
Difficulty : Difficult
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant

Rotala mexicana 'Araguaia'
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Rotala pusilla (erroneous)

Rotala mexicana 'Goias'
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Foreground
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Rotala sp. 'Goias'

Rotala ramosior
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Rotala rotundifolia
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Rotala indica (erroneous)

Rotala wallichii
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant

Rotala sp. 'Colorata'
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant

Rotala sp. 'Green'
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Rotala sp. 'Nanjenshan'
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Rotala sp. 'Sunset'
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Ammannia sp. 'Sulawesi' (erroneous)

Rotala sp. 'Vietnam'
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Red
Category : Aquarium Plant

Sagittaria subulata
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Foreground
Category : Aquarium Plant

Salvinia minima
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Salvinia natansDifficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Salvinia oblongifolia
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Saururus cernuus
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Saururus chinensis
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Sphaerocaryum malaccense
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Arthraxon sp. 'Malaysia' (erroneous)

Staurogyne stolonifera
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Hygrophila sp. 'Rio Araguaia' (erroneous), Staurogyne sp. 'Rio Araguaia'

Staurogyne sp. 'Bihar'
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Hygrophila sp. 'Bihar' (erroneous)

Staurogyne sp. 'Low Grow'
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Foreground
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Hygrophila sp. 'Low Grow' (erroneous)

Staurogyne sp. 'Porto Velho'
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium High
Tank Placement : Foreground
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Hygrophila sp. 'Porto Velho' (erroneous), Hygrophila sp. 'Roraima' (erroneous)

Syngonanthus sp. 'Belem'
Difficulty : Difficult
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Tonina sp. 'Belem' (erroneous)

Syngonanthus sp. 'Manaus'
Difficulty : Difficult
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Tonina sp. 'Manaus' (erroneous)

Taxiphyllum alternans
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Low
Tank Placement : Epiphyte
Category : Aquarium Plant

Taxiphyllum barbieri
Difficulty : Very Easy
Lighting Requirements : Low
Tank Placement : Epiphyte
Category : Aquarium Plant
Synonym : Vesicularia dubyana (erroneous)

Tonina fluviatilis
Difficulty : Difficult
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium Plant

Utricularia gibba
Difficulty : Very Easy
Lighting Requirements : Low to Very High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

Utricularia graminifolia
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : Medium
Tank Placement : Foreground
Category : Aquarium Plant

Vesicularia ferriei
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Low
Tank Placement : Epiphyte
Category : Aquarium Plant

Vesicularia montagnei
Difficulty : Easy
Lighting Requirements : Low
Tank Placement : Epiphyte
Category : Aquarium Plant

Poaceae sp. 'Purple Bamboo'
Difficulty : Moderate
Lighting Requirements : High
Tank Placement : Not Specific
Category : Aquarium and Pond Plant

EI Dosing Guideline

2014-10-29T20:47:00.001+08:00

First of all, EI is Estimated Index from the grandmaster of aquatic plants....Mr Tom Barr.

I am using it as a guide for my fertilizer dosing and i find them very useful especially if you are into high tech setup.

EI target nutrient amount in planted tank ( WEEKLY)

Nitrate NO3 range 5-30 ppm
Potassium K+ range 10-30 ppm
Phosphorus PO4 range 1.0-2.0 ppm
Ferum/iron Fe 0.2-0.5ppm or higher
General Hardness GH range 3-5 degrees ~ 50ppm or higher
Carbonate Hardness KH range 3-5
Carbon dioxide CO2 range 25-30 ppm ( drop checker shows Green)

Weekly water change WC 50%

I will explain in Q&A format for easy explaination

Q&A Session

Q1: How to know how much nutrient is enough?
A: Well the name is estimated index, so its " estimated ".... DUH..wahahaha its an easy way out to provide sufficient nutrient to plants without buying all those test kits to test individual nutrient content in tank water. Excess nutrient will be removed as you do your weekly wc of 50%.

Q2: How to dose?
A: Pour fert into tank water and stir...DUH....lol well there are few ways, easy way out is to use commercial available fertilizers and dose accordingly.

Q3: how to dose according to the EI range?
A: good question, depend on your commercial fertilizer, you can use the calculator below to calculate the amount (in quantity required).
http://calc.petalphile.com/
http://www.fishfriend.com/fertfriend.html

Q4: I checked out the calculators, i need to dose astronomical amount of commercial fertilizer weekly? i will be broke in no time...any cheaper alternatives?
A; well, you can buy fertilizers in dry form/ salt form from webstores and dose using the amount calculated in the online calculator in Q3 or Mix/dilute the dry salts in to 500ml/1litre of water and dose accordingly.

Q5: Where can i buy the dry ferts in singapore?
A: you can try out http://www.ecocityhydroponics.com/

Q6: Do i really need to go though the hassle of buying/mixing and wc 50% for my plants?
A: Yes:- if you are into high tech setup
No:- if you are a casual hobbyist with a low tech setup and happy with commercial available fertilizers

Q7: Do i have to follow the amount in EI strictly? aka die die follow?
A; No, you can adjust accordingly. if your plant mass is small, you can reduce the amount accordingly, its not carved on stone...:)

Q8: Is EI shrimp/ fish safe/friendly?
A: Yes and No, there are mixed response over the net and it may not suit all types of shrimps/fish. so to play safe, its better to keep cheapo/hardy shrimps/fish when you are into EI.

Q9: Have you tried EI yourself? what's your experience with it?
A; i tried EI in 3 of my scapes, so far so good...nothing bad had happened, plants growth is very good, that's why i share here.

Disclaimer:- The handsome and macho author above shall take NO responsibility including but not limited to algae outbreaks/deaths of fauna /flora while you experimenting EI in your tank.

Aquatic Plant Deficiency

2014-10-29T20:16:00.001+08:00

I found this on the web and find it quote useful and simple to understand. Enjoy diagnosing your plant problems...haha..

Btw, a friendly reminder, " don't fix if there is no problem "

Inspiring Aquascape Videos

2014-10-29T20:00:00.000+08:00

Hi all,

ADA Contest result is out...well i did not contest this year.....due to my hectic schedule and the birth of my cute baby girl.... well having + bringing up a baby is really exciting and tiring...yet fulfilling...:). Special thanks to my wonderful wife for giving birth to such a cute baby...

Well, back to the original topic, below is the aquascape videos i found in youtube... very nice... they inspires me thus i hope they do the same to you too. Credit to the original creators of the scapes.

Btw, you can find the IAPLC 2014 result here

http://en.iaplc.com/results14/pdf/ranking2014.pdf

The final winner scape pictures can be seen in below link

http://www.adana.com.my/gallery/contest2014.htm

Aquatic Avenue @ Redhill

2014-09-12T21:24:00.002+08:00

Hehe, New LFS review... went to this small LFS twice...small, but sufficiently stocked. fish price is decent, but i find the seachem products a bit expensive.

My Verdict:-

Small amount of aquarium decoration like rocks and driftwood available.
Good stock of aquatic plants around 4 numbers of 3 feet tanks with decent selection of plants.
selling mostly small fishes and shrimps... good hunting ground for casual scapers and shrimper...hehe
more exotic small fishes OTW ( according to shop owner)

The owners/ shop keepers are young chaps... talked to them, quite friendly and given me 10% discount for my new bazooka diffuser ( i later found out it the same price as shown in their website, so actually there is no discount?) .... i also bought some furcata rainbow fish... cute little fishy, great addition to my tank... hehehe

To those who lives near the west side, they are situated near REDHILL MRT, a short walk...

Details of the shop
http://www.aquaticavenue.com.sg/
https://www.facebook.com/AquaticAvenue?fref=ts

ADD:- Redhill Lane Block 78 #01-03
Singapore 150078

CNN Coverage on Aquascaping

2014-03-01T16:30:00.004+08:00

Hi all, below is the link to CNN coverage on aquascaping...haha finally our weird hobby of mine....

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/02/05/world/pimp-my-fish-tank/index.html?hpt=hp_c4

Btw i copied it below in case the write up is deleted de to whatever reason...haha..all credit goes to CNN...

(CNN) -- When it comes to pimping out a fish tank, a novice might purchase a bag of brightly colored gravel and a few plastic ornaments.

For Dan Crawford, a founding member of the UK Aquatic Plant Society (UKAPS), that simply will not do.

He and a growing number of "aquascapers" are creating underwater marvels that require knowledge of biology and design—not merely kitsch fish trinkets.

Using rocks, wood, fern-like plants, special lighting, and plenty of creativity, they are dreaming up seascapes that would leave Poseidon in awe.

It's relaxing, it's artistic, it's scientific and when done correctly it creates a piece of living art
Dan Crawford, founding member of the UK Aquatic Plant Society

"For me aquascaping ticks a lot of boxes," Crawford says. "It's relaxing, it's artistic, it's scientific and when done correctly it creates a piece of living art."

For competitive aquascapers, their art goes on show at international aquascaping contests like Russia'sInternational Planted Aquarium Design Contest and the International Aquascaping Contest put on by the Houston-based Aquatic Gardeners Association (AGA).

Competitive designs may invoke the Wild West and include submerged cacti, or recreate the taiga of Russia, the valleys of China, or even lost beaches.

Cheryl Rogers, the president of the AGA, says the desire to innovate leads to a familiar pattern among aqua gardeners.

"For purposes of competition, most aquascapers of winning caliber create a layout, grow it to peak in a few months, snap the photos for competition, then tear it down and create a new one," she says "This is what they do for fun."

Global interest

Interest in aquascaping is particularly strong in Asia.

Takashi Amano, the noted Japanese landscape photographer, helped popularize the hobby in Japan in the mid-1990s with his three-part book series Nature Aquarium World.

Westerners have been slower to latch onto the pursuit—and are often seen as slightly kooky when they do.

"It's a very specialized hobby and because of this it's rare that you'll bump into a fellow aquascaper in the local pub or coffee shop," says Crawford. "Generally we will convene at a chosen Aquatic Shop for a chin wag and a look around then move on to the pub to talk about the latest trends and 'scapers."

It takes from four months to a year for an aquascape to mature. The one pictured above includes 17 types of plants and two species of tropical fish.

COURTESY ALL4AQUARIUM.RU

But today the Internet is helping grow the activity. Web sites connect existing enthusiasts who exchange tips and tricks, and help newbies learn the basics of building their very own marine masterpiece.

Started eight years ago, the UKAPS web site now clocks more than six million page views per month and has 9,000 registered members.

In the online forum they discuss topics like the best water filtration systems, appropriate lighting, why their shop-bought plants are failing to flourish and how to add Java moss to an aquarium.

You can have a lovely planted tank in your living room that pleases you, even if it would never win a competition
Karen Randall, author and aquascaping competition judge

Sometimes it's a matter of life a death. As one user recently asked in the forum: "Does copper in fertilizer kill shrimp?

Suppliers are also waking up to the opportunities to cater to the aquascaping community.

Rogers of the AGA says these retailers are helping aquascapers source the plants and materials they need to make their gardens grow.

"Unless you have a local pet store in your area that specializes in our little corner of the hobby, it's difficult to find quality plants, or new plants, or rare plants," she says. "So we get our plants from other hobbyists and online retailers."

Master aquascaping requires a lot more than goldfish and plastic rocks.

Among other things, enthusiasts must stock their supply cabinets with algaecide products that help control green water and systems that supply plants with the carbon dioxide they need to stay alive.

Art in a box

Mastering the hobby takes time.

Karen Randall, an author who has judged several international aquascaping competitions, says that aquascapers approach their work like any other artist would. They have to think about the rule of thirds, areas of negative space, and how best to utilize colors, texture and form.

Rocks and wood formations create the "hardscape", which is used to support the plants in the aquarium. The hardscape also helps set parameters for the rest of the design.

"In the terrestrial garden, the gardener usually has to think more about the natural terrain he or she has to work with, along with large trees and buildings, and work those into the design," she says. "In aquatic gardening, the only thing we start with is four glass walls."

Judging art is always subjective. But competition organizers do their best to ensure fairness and impartiality.

It is hard to believe that this wild landscape is inside an aquarium made by a particularly skillful Russian aquascaper.

COURTESY ALL4AQUARIUM.RU

For the Planted Aquarium Design Contest 2013, organizers brought together an international jury of nine aquascapers and aquarium designers from countries including the Czech Republic, Poland, and Turkey.

Judges praise and criticize aquariums in equal measure.

Critiquing "Charm of light", a tank submitted by a Turkish aquascaper, one judge applauded its use of back lighting and left side reflection.

He still saw room for improvement: "White gravel and shape of small stones is inconsistent with bigger rocks and forest soil layer in nature. I would like to see some fishes or invertebrates in this tank."

Competitions promote interest in the hobby and give enthusiasts a platform to share their love of aquariums. But aquascapes don't have to impress a jury to create a sense of Zen.

"You can have a lovely planted tank in your living room that pleases you, even if it would never win a competition," Rogers says. "Most hobbyists are not competitors. They just like plants."

Importing Fish and Misc Stuff from Overseas?

2014-01-19T18:04:00.000+08:00

Hi, long time no post, i know some of you guys are itchy for oversea stuff which are a lot cheaper than those sold in LFS... well cheaper on paper yes, but take note on the below issues before you buy or bring anything from overseas

GST:-
LFS already priced in the GST, if you import stuff, you will "kena" 7% GST

Warranty:-
Some if not all the electronic/electrical stuff has warranty.. if you buy from overseas, you may kiss your warranty good bye

Delivery Issues and Risk:-

Buying some stuff from overseas online shops/ forums/web portal like taobao has its own risk. especially

DOA (death on arrival):- I have several friends having this problem and has a big headache to claim back the cost. Some sellers requires you to send the defective item back to them before they refund, some will accept refund with photos of the defective item, some don't even care what you get and just ignore your sms/whatsapp/calls/emails. check the fine prints and pay by paypal if possible

Delivery cost and Timing:- Delivery cost & timing varies, some may take 4 weeks depend on location, some may not arrive at all....hahaha. the more you pay, the faster it arrive of course. Some delivery agents will charge by weight, others by volume... the cost can be very high.. sometime its not worth it to ship it due to high shipping cost.

GST:- AGAIN you Need to pay GST for everything you import.by hook or by crook. my friend and i just ' kena' a big issue where the delivery agent under-declared the GSt and cause the shipment to be HOLD by 2 weeks. Luckily the incident is cleared after we shown proof to the officer in charge that we paid all the tax before hand and the agent actually lost one of the receipts which cause the commotion.

Insurance:- if you are shipping expensive and fragile item, i suggest you buy locally. lol well if you really want to buy the stuff from overseas, buying insurance is your only way to ensure the stuff will be replaced if they broke it during delviery or whatsoever reasons

Local Authority ;- there are a list of animals and items which cannot be imported or exported, check the local authority.

for Singapore AVA, below is the picture of a brochure which i gotten during my weekend bus trip back to sg...

Fake websites and cheaters:- there are a fair amount of cheat cases being reported, check the reputation/review of the seller in forums or the website before you make the decision to buy anything.

Wrong item delivered:- this is the classic case,mis-communication, misunderstanding... you know the routine lah... everybody got a bad hair day...haha you might get the wrong stuff and the seller might compensate you or ask you to resend the thing back...

Exchange rate:- Take note on the exchange rate before you buy, some shops offers different exchange rate compared to international rates....

Summary

Well, after so many considerations, do you still insist to buy from overseas? if yes, buy with the power of knowledge i shared and you will be ok... but take note, not all stuff are cheaper overseas and after the risk and misc cost and warranty issues added up, going to LFS to buy off-shelf might be a better choice

However, do support the LFS as without them, we can't even get the most basic stuff off-shelf. imagine ordering a pack of 3 dollar worth of filter wool which takes 4 weeks to deliver and additional 1 dollar delivery charges...lol

IAPLC 2013...MY WORLD RANKING is 1230 ( The Serene Mountains)

2013-11-11T21:43:00.000+08:00

SERENE MOUNTAINS Ranked 1230

Truthfully, I was a bit disappointed to know I ranked out of top 1k of IAPLC 2013, but after i saw the IAPLC video of the top rankers... well...how the hell should i be ranked in top 1k....lol. This is my first Iwagumi...I am lucky enough to call this successful?

So how does my tank looks like? beauty is in the eyes of the beholder... so i hope you guys like it too

This is my best masterpiece so far... in case you are wondering..its a iwagumi scape with a pond in the middle.....

Flora
Riccia ( i do not know where the hell they came from...)
HC
Mini Fissidens
Misc Algae ( on the rocks, yes those are algaes, who say algae is your enemy? nice?)
Flame Moss
Thai Java Moss
Weeping Moss

Fauna
Neon tetras
Cherry shrimps
Otos ( hidden from view of course)

Lights
4 x 24watt T5HO
subsequently EVO LED lights

CO2
1-2bps ( drop checker green)

Fertilizer regime
weekly double dosage of Seachem Flourish and sometimes Lushgro ( my lushgro is nearly finish)
Weekly dosage of seachem excel

Maintenance
Simple trimming of HC and Moss,clearing of gsa, waiting for algae ( green BBA) to grow is torturing but the effect is very good ( at least for me)

Special thanks to:-

Uncle Mazlan, Apek Felix, Qingwen Didi, for their valued opinions to make this scape successful

Not forgetting my Beau...tiful wife.. who is currently pregnant, the one who disturbs/nags/ complained /shout /throw things at me whenever i dip my hands into the tank/goes to LFS/ updating this blog..

How-to take aquascape photos

2013-10-27T15:36:00.001+08:00

Hi All,

I found an interesting video on how to take photograph of your aquarium/ fish from ADA...

Below is an interesting explanation of how-to take aquarium/fish pictures.... very in depth explaination

http://fish-etc.com/knowledge/how-to-photograph-your-fish-and-tank-part-1

10 things that non-fishkeepers just don’t get ( From PFK)

2013-09-21T17:54:00.001+08:00

I found this article from PFK very good for newbies just staring this hobby and those who don't even know this hobby

the link is

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=5957

The following is the extract from the link in case the website is shutdown for whatever reason:-

All credits belongs to PFK:- Really good magazine/ website to subscribe for updates

The best part is section 7 and 8...

Let’s all get comfy and have a nice old gripe, shall we? It’s been a while since I’ve had a half-decent ramble, so it’s long overdue, says Nathan Hill.

I’ve had a new housemate join me recently, the fourth member of our comedic urban commune where I’m the only fish-minded individual.

Now don’t get me wrong, my housemates love the many tanks I set up for the magazine. I mean, where do you think half of these step-by-steps are rigged up before they go into the mag? Rarely I can book time in the studio at planet Bauer, and even if I can I’m usually spending half of it getting into fistfights with the people on the motorbike titles, or mountaineering my way around a fashion shoot involving a plump man in waders. No, it’s mainly shot in my landlord’s lounge, with endless running back and forth with buckets, and much swearing as I spill plant substrate all over the freshly cleaned Furniture Village sofa, and explode my last pieces of expensive glassware into my eyes. It all happens, with alarming frequency.

So, this new housemate is harmless enough and all that, and he keeps his fingers out of my beer-fridge, but he personifies the general mindset of non-aquarists. He just doesn’t get it. Any of it. And I’m the one who ends up feeling like I’m doing something wrong, because I get so exhausted trying to explain the same things over, and over, and over, ad infinitum.

So it occurred to me to do a blog, mainly so I can redirect him to here whenever he asks me something asinine about my latest set up. But hey, I’m guessing we all have friends (or maybe I should class them as acquaintances: could someone who doesn’t keep fish really be your friend? Really?) who know two thirds of sod all about fishkeeping, and like me I daresay you spend way too much time having to explain the same things over again. Gets tedious, doesn’t it?

So here’s the plan. I’ll waffle about what it is they don’t get, and try to offer a little clarity to some of their points, and the next time it comes up you can sit them down at the computer, bring the page up and leave them to it while you crack on with some algae wiping. I guarantee you’ll have less cortisol in your blood this way, and they might not have to ask you so much in future.

1. Not all fish need a filter, right?

For the love of… Yes, yes fish need a filter. And not just the expensive fish. If you’ve got a fish in a tank, it needs a filter, whether it’s a 20p fairground goldfish or a ten grand Arowana.

And to pre-empt the argument that you recall from your childhood when your parents/distant relatives/dentist/whatever had a fish in a bowl without a filter and it was fine, I challenge you to go back and ask what happened to it.

If it was a goldfish, and you’re in your twenties or thirties now, then there’s little reason that this little dude shouldn’t still be alive today. Go ask. I bet you it died young, lasted a few years at best. Goldfish are meant to live a pretty long time, y’know? Not just a year or two…

So what does the filter do? In the simplest, most concise summary of aquarium filtration I’m ever going to write, the process is as simple as this: Fish make poisonous mess, bacteria eat mess, filter is where bacteria live. No filter, no bacteria, much mess, fish die.

And no, there’s no such thing as a fish that doesn’t make mess. If there was I’d sell billions of the damn things and we’d never have this problem ever again. Easy. I’d be a quadrillionaire on a yacht and everyone would be happy.

2. Fish do not grow to the size of the tank.

Okay, the illusion might make it appear that fish only grow to the size of the tank, but this is easily explained. You’re likely thinking of that poor goldfish from your childhood again, the one that isn’t alive now, and remembering that it never outgrew its tank. Ergo, you’ve probably jumped to the conclusion that it only grew to the size of the tank.

Well you’re wrong.

The chances are that fish died because it was getting too big for its tank, assuming it didn’t just die first because there was no filter, and its poor little body just ravaged itself to death by effectively dining on its own urine. Swimming in and drinking your own sewage has that effect. I’d say try it, but knowing my luck someone probably would, then I’d somehow get blamed when they died and I’d go to prison, and frankly I’m too pretty for prison. Don’t try it.

Anyway, if that fish had a bigger tank, it would still be alive now. Things don’t grow to the size of their environment (usually) unless they’re Bonzai trees. But Bonzai fish don’t exist. Sure, putting a fish in too small a tank will stump it, but that’s another symptom of living in your own effluvia.

Saying that, lots of things will stump if I keep them in cramped conditions. If I snatched a human baby and crammed it into a hamper, fed it and nurtured it, and then let it out after sixteen years, I doubt I’d have a perfectly formed pygmy. Rather, I’d probably have something closer to the Brundlefly, slithering across the floor on broken, twisted limbs, slathering from bent jaws and pleading with me to empty both barrels of a shotgun into its brain.

3. Why we would want to create a 'natural looking' tank?

Shiny things are pretty, I’m sure. Pink, garish things, like the jumper I’m wearing, are great for a while, but the novelty wears off. Our inner Magpie slowly grows up. For most of us, anyway.

We know that there’s a plastic universe of gimmickry out there. Scooby Doo figurines, fluorescent no fishing signs, and even lead-painted shipwrecks. Well, some people do like them, and that’s why there’s a market. But then some aquarists start to develop more of an affinity with their livestock.

It might come across as odd, but some of us feel the same way about a Guppy as we do a Gerbil, or a Budgie. We start to anthropomorphise with the fish, and start to wonder more about what would make THEM happy as the priority rather than making US happy.

I summed this view up with a statement in an old blog, but if you’re a non-fishkeeper, you’ll likely not have come across it. Basically, this fish was just chipping along one day, minding its own business and wondering whether it was going to bump into a nice waterflea to chow down on, when suddenly it got scooped up in a net, popped in a box, flown halfway around the world, and eventually, through a series of wholesaler and retailer tanks, ended up in your own aquarium.

Now you can call that luck of the draw if you like, but I prefer to take a different angle. That fish didn’t really want to be kept by you. It was happy enough just bumming about doing its own thing, but now it’s the one half of a contract of obligation that it can’t opt out of. If we’re going to put fish through the rigours of heisting them from their wild homes then I say the very least we can do is make things as cosy and as close to natural as possible for them.

Put yourself in their shoes for a moment. You get abducted by aliens and carried away to the 'Zoo at the edge of the Spiral Arm'. You get a choice of pens to live in. One is a kind of lovely replica of home. There’s a nice semi-detached house, an X-box and TV system with loads of games, plenty of fine world cuisine in it, and you never have to work a day in your life ever again.

The other pen is a mixture of bright green and pink bubble walls, with gigantic, howling, transparent worms, and a spinning multi-coloured disc that occasionally fires lasers into the ground and screams like a Stuka dive-bomber.

Which would you rather the aliens slipped you into?

4. If you’ve got a filter you still need to change water.

Yeah, apologies for this one, especially if you’re looking at getting into fish for the first time.

Okay, ever so quickly, remember that thing I mentioned earlier about poisonous mess, bacteria and filters? Well I’m going to add another bit to that. As the bacteria do their funky mess-munching thing they make a waste of their own — nitrate.

That nitrate’s some pretty nasty funk, especially when it builds up, but it’s not quite as nasty as the raw fish waste. When we waterchange, what we’re doing is taking out (in effect) the bacteria’s mess.

I already know what you’re thinking next, but lose that train of thought immediately. Even if you get a bigger filter you’ll need to change the water at the same rate. There’s no escaping it, I’m afraid.

In an aquarium it doesn’t matter how big a filter I have. The only thing that dictates how much nitrate I’m going to have is the amount of fish making poisonous waste. If I have ten fish and a small filter, I’ll end up with exactly the same amount of nitrate after a week as if I had ten fish and a massive, Titanic sized mega-giant of a filter.

In fairness, I’m oversimplifying, because there’s more to this tale. The other thing that happens is that stuff even depletes in a tank over time, and needs replacing. The only way to do that? Waterchanges. There’s other stuff to be removed that builds up too, but I think you’re getting the basics by now.

5. Fighting fish don’t fight everything in the world.

In fact, for the best part they’re utter wimps. Compared to many other fish out there they have all the fighting prowess of a sedated toddler.

Let’s put this to bed. The only thing that fighting fish want to fight is each other. Usually that just means other males. Think of a muscle-bound, vest wearing tan boy in a nightclub. The likeliest thing he’ll take offence to that night is another muscle-bound, vest wearing tan boy in that club. I don’t even appear on his aggression radar. It’s the same with fighters. Stick them with another male of their own kind, and they’ll kick seven bells out of each other. Though they do also rough up females most of the time too.

And while I have you, they don’t come from Japan. They’re called Siamese fighters. Not Japanese. Every time you say Japanese fighting fish, we aquarists have a little private laugh inside. Siamese. Learn it, because you lose so much credibility when you say Japanese.

6. Fishkeeping is not geeky. Maybe.

Well, maybe. But it depends what you mean by geeky. The danger here is the connotation of the word geeky into something negative. Plenty of people have been geeky about stuff. Einstein was pretty geeky about physics. Darwin was geeky about natural history. Steve Jobs was geeky about computers. They all did okay out of it.

Basically, if you’re a fishkeeper and people are looking down on you for it, that’s their problem, not yours. It seems that in this day and age, if you’re in any way immersed in a subject that interests you then some clown out there is going to brand you a geek for it. Meh, pick that name up, I say, and wear it as a badge of honour. I’d rather have something geeky in my life than be a judgemental, vacuous shell, eeking out my dull existence and waiting to die.

So maybe we are geeks, but we really don’t care because it’s nothing shameful.

7. You can’t race into it.

Geeks we might be, but one thing we aquarists have in droves is patience. Now, you might be taken by a fish tank you’ve seen, and you’re thinking about taking the plunge, and that’s just superb. But! But but but but but!

Your haste will be your biggest enemy if you let it get the better of you. Fish tanks take time to do what’s called maturing.

Let’s quickly backtrack to that earlier point I raised about the poisonous fish waste/bacteria/filter combination. There’s one more dimension that needs to be factored in, and that’s time. Those bacteria are fickle little rotters. Think of the famous scene in the ‘Field of Dreams’ about ‘Build it and he will come’.

That’s sort of what we’re doing with our bacteria. Until we have a good colony of bacteria, we still have nothing munching down on our poisonous fish wastes. And that’s a bad thing.

Now, from the point where you start, it might be several months until everything is finally settled down and you have all the fish you want. I’ll repeat that bit. It might be several months. Not days or even weeks, but months. In fact, your tank will probably be empty for the first few weeks that you own it, with nothing but water and ammonia rattling about inside.

If you’re the kind of person who can’t even wait a week for the next episode of a TV series, and instead find yourself trawling files-haring websites for grainy, pixelated pirate copies to fuel your viewing lust, then you might not be entirely cut out for fishkeeping.

8. Bottles don’t fix everything.

When it comes to fish, we should all go in understanding that there’s no miraculous elixir that sorts out every woe that could possibly befall your stock. And yet, non-fishkeepers seem to imagine that every issue can be solved by adding a few drops of something to the tank.

What this mysterious something is always seems elusive and beyond definition, but they recall a friend or acquaintance as having troubles 'which they had to add the stuff from the shop to fix it'.

No, there’s no easy approach to fixing all of your fishy troubles with some arcane, holistic fluid, because simply put it doesn’t exist.

This non-existent elixir comes in many forms, too, I note. There’s the elixir that gets rid of the green, the elixir that cures the spot-fungus-rot disease, and even the elixir that lets you put all the fish in at once.

I hate to break the bubble, but there you go. If you become a fishkeeper you probably will run into situations that require your divine aquarist intervention, but you’ll need to do more than just grab a couple of bottles of wonderjuice. You’ll need to get wet hands. Imagine that.

9. Fish come from far away places.

I’ve slowly reached the conclusion that non-fishkeepers are all too frequently slaves to the supermarket mentality of everything. Drinks come out of a vending machine, meat comes from cellophane wrapped packets, and beans come from the Heinz bean swamp.

No, fish don’t magically appear in the store, nor are they the produce of a handful of aquarists in sheds, doling out an endless conveyance of staples. These tykes are from all around the world, from hot and exotic places where we don’t even go on holiday because we don’t want to be kidnapped or shot.

For a non-keeper, this might not count for much, but for we aquarists it all adds another dimension. We love things called biotopes, where we aim to get fish from certain places around the globe. We might have a thing for African cichlids from huge lakes in Malawi, or catfish from the heart of the Amazon. Remember what I said earlier about creating natural looking tanks? It’s all relative.

And it gets even better. Some of us even like to emulate the natural habitat right down to plant species and decoration. We only really stop just short of importing monkeys, macaws, horrendous man-eating parasites, or diseases like ebola. Though if it were available, some of us still might, for that real authentic effect.

So when you’re looking at what to you might appear a boring tank of muddy sand, with a few bunches of greenery bobbing about inside, and a handful of fish you can barely even make out, tucked away amongst the wood, just bear in mind that you might be getting treated to a snapshot of some distant, remote stream that you might never, ever hope to see in the flesh during your life.

10. Aquarists hate, and I mean really hate, crap jokes about fish.

Popping a funny line into the mix about chips and vinegar, or cat food, or even about getting out your fishing rod is not funny.

The deal is, we’ve heard them. Every single one. Each and every 'funny' one liner that you think you’re the first person to ever come out with has been said over and over to us, often by people we wish had known better. We are tired, and our patience has been worn down by such paltry gags.

So, by all means engage us with questions about our fish, our tanks, or our filter systems, assuming you’re generally interested. But if you’re going to belly-laugh hysterically at your own joke about getting some cocktail sauce to dip our shrimps into, then don’t be surprised for one instant if we one day snap, drag you out into the garden and spend the next ten minutes whipping you with a spade. Because one day it’s going to happen.

Lessons learned
Hopefully I’ve covered the key points here and now you can come back through to where the tank is and engage in a conversation that won’t make us become murderous nerds in seconds.

Oh, I’ve oversimplified my arguments to make things simple, but that was my whole angle. The important thing is that now at least you’re armed with the basic misconceptions, and hopefully you’ll never have to bore your aquarist friends with them ever again. At the same count, if you do ever decide that you want to get into fish, you might even have a bit of a head start on some of the pitfalls people slip into.

And hey, if you’re a dyed-in-the-wool, definitely never going to keep fish in your life type, then that’s also fine. At least you understand a little bit about us now. We’re all people with a hobby we adore, which happens to involve living organisms. Some people don’t see fish that way, but we do, and we get funny when people disregard our livestock like it was a CD collection, or cookware, or anything else inanimate.

Oh, and if my new housemate does ever get around to reading this, remember to empty the dishwasher every now and then, and keep your fingers out of my beer fridge. It’s booby-trapped.

Co2 Injection or DIY co2 or No Co2?? Excel only?

2013-08-28T21:11:00.000+08:00

Anyone who wanted to start a planted tank will read up about co2, does your tank really need co2 injection? can i do without it?

Co2 is required as the carbon element is required for plant growth. All Plants need carbon or co2 in some form, like it or not, they need co2 to breath.. however with careful selection of plants, you may skip it as low tech plants requires less co2 than high/mid tech plants.

So what are the difference?

With Co2 injection ( proper Co2 setup):-
Pro and Cons

Expensive but cheap in long run
the setup occupies a lot of space and a bit ugly if its not camouflaged..lol
can use with diffuser as its pressurized
your plants will grow fast,
your plants may start to pearl if the condition is right. ( http://theplantedtankblog.blogspot.sg/2013/07/pearling-effect-for-planted-tanks.html )
to maximise plant growth, you may add more fertiliser/light and
you may need to trim your plants more often
you may experience some algae growth due to imbalance of nutrient..it a demand and supply issue
if you stop co2 suddenly, you may experience sudden algae bloom as plants will be stunt and algae will take over
can use with solenoid and turn it ON and OFF... less hassle and saves co2

Using DIY Co2:- mostly will be using yeast + sugar water to get the Co2
Pro and Cons

Cheap but not efficient
Not exactly eye candy to look at if you display it
can't be used with certain co2 diffusser due to low pressure
You may have some fast co2 production initially and almost zero production around 2 weeks down the road, so you need to change the mixture every 2 weeks ( i tested it, not doing it anymore)
Unstable Co2 production, may lead to Black Brush Algae.. ugly
The mixture smells like alcohol...well, that is the by product anyway, so Muslim friends might not like it.
not for lazy people aka yours truly

Using Seachem Excel as carbon substitute
Pros and Cons

Expensive in long run
Half life is around 12hours, so it will be breakdown after 24 hours of exposing to light
its algaecide:- stops/kills algae... but may kill your fauna/flora if overdosed/unproper usage ( WARNING)
easy to dose
no hassle, won't occupy a lot of space.
good for low tech tanks, not for high tech plants unless you use it to control algae growth
good for lazy + poor people...aka people like yours truly

USING Co2 tablets

Cons

You are kena CONNED .. skip these tablets..waste of your time

the lfs or salesman can tell you all those grandmother story about how good it is.. well believe me dude.. you are better off with dosing Seachem excel..similar cost anyway

Conclusion

So does your aquarium needs co2 injection? it really depends on WHAT YOU WANT BRADER!!

Careful selection of plant, you may skip it,

if you are into a green lawn...you most probably need a proper setup as more lawn like plants need good nutrient,high light, good temperature ( 25-29dc),constant supply of co2 to grow nice...

Disclaimer:- some people might say "I kept XXX plant without CO2, and it grows nice + lawn nicely" well, i admit some people have green fingers, i can't say they are bluffing or they add some snake oil into the aquarium but you may not have green finger like them, so you are better off staying on the " traditional" way of planting.

How ADA Staff Maintain Their Big/Huge Tanks

2013-08-01T20:57:00.001+08:00

I found this interesting video from ADA on how they maintain their huge aquascape tanks...look out for 3min mark, there is a custom made scissors to cut glosso... epic

to newbies, big tanks may look cool... but will be backbreaking to maintain....so if you do not want to go through the process... start small...:)

New LFS in Woodlands Area " Polyart"

2013-07-31T20:09:00.003+08:00

Hoho, i found out there is a new LFS in woodlands area today... go there direct after work...

For those who are not familiar with woodlands area, it just a short walk from Marsiling MRT.. when i mean short walk, its only around 3-4 mins walk.

My review of the shop

Spacious, clean , sufficiently stocked with aquarium and fish stuff, around 6 big tanks and 2 racks dedicated to aquatic plants. easy access from Marsiling MRT. Stuffs are decently priced (some items slightly higher than y618, some items are same price though) ... location, it win a lot of LFS hands down

Map:-
http://www.streetdirectory.com/sg/hdb-woodlands/166-woodlands-street-13-730166/93_122483.html

Updates-

The shop apparently changed hands... currently renamed to Polyart.

Up Aqua Inline SUPER Diffuser

2013-07-27T23:40:00.001+08:00

Harlo, time for gadget review again

This time is UP Aqua Inline SUPER Diffuser

I bought this diffuser from online website and find it works well. There is totally no bubbles at all, all co2 should be dissolved properly...hehe not bad not bad..

However, you should take note before you buy this diffuser,

You need a canister to use this
You need a proper co2 system with 35psi for it to work, anything lower it might not work at all
This item is not cheap, around 40-50 in shops, i manage to get lower from online shops though... if it does not work in your tank, it might be a waste of money.
the co2 inlet is quite brittle, might break off easily, my friend's diff actually broke off 1 week ago..too bad, but can be epoxy back of course.
there are various size available, OPEN your eyes big big and look at the top right hand side behind the packaging for pipe size

Pearling Effect For Planted Tanks

2013-07-27T23:27:00.002+08:00

Hi all, today i want to talk about pearling effect.

For planted tanks, pearling effect is like the "must have" effect..well for a newbie its very satisfying. However after a while, its quite normal-lah... There is no need to see pearling, as long plants and fish are healthy is good enough for me.

Some people complained " I spend tonnes of money and time but there is no pearling!!! Help!!" well no pearling is not end of the world, it just mean to O2 level is not high enough. You need the tank water to be saturated with CO2 + your plants are creating additional O2 to get the effect.

To achieve pearling, you need to fulfil the following:

1) Sufficient and high Levels of CO2(30ppm and above) you can use a drop checker to check, minimum green to yellow status should be good enough.

2) Sufficient Fertilizer, you have to dose regular fertilizer. I find plants will pearl readily if there is sufficient fertilizer

3) Lights: need to have high level lights if you really want to see good pearling( 3-4watts per gallon) and your tank should not be too tall or your lights will not be able to reach the bottom or low laying plants. I would suggest max 40cm tank with 6500k light tubes. See my following experiment: http://theplantedtankblog.blogspot.sg/2012/03/upgraded-to-4-x-t5ho-all-aquazonic.html

4) Types of plants: some plants pearls faster and better e.g HC and Riccia. I manage to get java moss and US fissiden to pearl too.

5) Surface agitation: keep to low, too much water flow will blow the tiny pearls around and you might not see them.

6) Temperature:keep to below 30deg celsius

Finally if all above does not work, OFF your filter!!! Power up co2 /lights and wait for 2-3 hours.... You should see some pearling.

Hope you enjoy the video...:)

Aquarama 2013

2013-06-01T23:29:00.002+08:00

Aquarama 2013

Enjoy the pictures below...

BB arowana

3 guys and a cabinet of toys

Assassin Snail Floating Upside Down

2013-03-27T21:06:00.001+08:00

My assassin snail floating upside down, haha..floating around and manage to catch the filter's outlflow wave... and there he goes....

Now we know how assassin snail travels fast ....lol

Essential Info about Test Kits for Planted tank/ Shrimp tank

2013-03-10T00:10:00.001+08:00

Harlo, long time no post... There are a lot of newbie in Aq asking questions about test kit, so i will try my best to answer them here...

Test Strip VS Test Reagent (liquid)

For me, i will prefer liquid type as they are more accurate. those all in test strips are a disaster to read and the colour will change as it evaporates... darn headache to read the colours and compare the result in time

Expiry Date
All stuff has expiry dates...open your MATA (eyes) BIG BIG to check the box for one, if there is none...don't BUY.

Brands to choose
Personally, i find API brands the cheapest but also hardest to read. the colour change is very minor. I am using SERA and PRODAC brand test kits. So far so good.

Types of Test kits that i think is a must have
Cycling of aquarium

Ammonia
Nitrite
Nitrate

These 3 test kits above is for checking whether your tank has sufficient Beneficial Bacteria (BB) for keeping the water parameters stable.

These test kits is generally to know the poisonous stuff in you tank is absorbed by plant or whether an emergency wc is required. After cycling, i only test for nitrate. Too much nitrate will cause algae bloom. Ammonia is to check during sudden death....well, i only test once a month... so i still have at least 75% of the test liquid.

More info
http://theplantedtankblog.blogspot.sg/2012/05/nitrogen-cycle-cycling-of-tank.html

General Well Being

Chlorine

This is to check the the amount of chlorine in the water. There were feedbacks in AQ members from certain part of sg ( new development) has unusual amount of chlorine in their tap water.. well i skipped this test kit as i think my area is still ok and my OF anti chlorine has not fail me so far.

Note: May need to check if there is unusual death after WC

Fishes and shrimps lived in certain habitat of water, hobbyist are trying to simulate the environment they stay in naturally, thus a PH test kit is required. However, fish are generally more tolerant as long conditions are not too extreme. e.g neon tetra like PH 6, but if you throw them into PH 9 waters... they will be sick/die in no time..

Shrimp Keeping

This is to test General Hardness of water. In lay-man term... all the elements of water. Calcium, magnesium, potassium etc are lump into a category GH.

Certain shrimps need certain GH to MOLT ( shed their outer skeleton and grow new shell).

if high water has high GH, the shell will harden too fast and shrimp will not be able to grow in time...will cause death

If the water has low GH, the shell will harden too slow and shrimp will die too...

For info on shrimps i have and the condition i keep them in
http://theplantedtankblog.blogspot.sg/2012/08/hardy-shrimpsto-share.html

Where to buy test kits?
Hospital? hardware shop?

lol... LFS of course...

which LFS?
Read this, you can find the answer below
http://theplantedtankblog.blogspot.sg/2013/01/starting-new-tank-happy-new-yeartank.html

What about other test kits i saw in LFS that are not stated here?
Well there are a lot of test kits in the world, but i don't think you will need them unless you are darn serious about the water parameter or you loves lab work...lol

INFO: some of the test kits are actually for reef keepers...well feel free to explore... i don't have the money to explore....lol

Fish Disease :- Itch aka White Spot

2013-02-18T17:12:00.002+08:00

White Spot aka Itch

This is a very very very common fish disease, it is so common that almost all fish keeper will encounter at least few times in their hobby...

What is White Spot?

Look at your fish carefully, do exhibit below behavior/ action?

Have small white coloured spots on their body:- see below pictures
stop swimming around
scratching themselves against hardscapes/decorations
loss of appetite
swimming slowly and panting

Below are my fishes which caught this disease

Is it dangerous?

To fish yes, they may die off if there is no treatment in time.

How did my fish caught this G*D D@mn disease?

It is said that all fishes have this disease dormant in their body. The parasites will attack if the fish are stressed out, not feeling well etc.

Please save my FISH!!!

Kneel down and BEG me, maybe then i will consider to help you...wahahaha...just joking, please do no kneel down in front of your computer.

The item you need are

1) blue methylene aka "Blue lotion'' selling in LFS, you can get those OF brands to "WTF expensive brands" for me OF ones works great. Dose accordingly and do wc every 3 days.

You must treat the whole tank and not just the single fish, if you see my picture carefully, the disease started from 1 female endler and spread to others... \

2) Salt, add small amount of salt will helps gill function ... i dose a small teaspoon for my small tank.... there is no specific amount, but i hope you understand you are not trying to make salted fish... small amount will do

3) 29-30 Deg Celsius water temperature, higher temperature actually shortens the lifespan of this parasite. SEA temperature are normally around this temperature, so no worries...:)

4) Aeration, this is very very important. some fish may suffocate due to infection to gills. Aerate your tank if you have not done so....

5) remove any activate carbon, activated carbon will absorb the medicine..render it useless

My fish recovered within 1 week of daily medication, WC every 3 days. Currently my endlers multiplied despite the previous ordeal..If i can cure it, so can you...

Price

blue methylene: OF brand 1 dollar, WTF brand 20++ dollars

Salt: Ask your MUM

Heater: Not necessary but if you really want to buy, price is around 10-30 dollars for a small 100w aquarium heater

Aeration: Air pump, air tube with air stone: less than 10 bucks

Disclaimer: What works for me may not works for you. Some fish may be too sick to be cured. What we can do is at least provide some medication. Do clean up all the stuff that touches the infected aquarium... you do not want all your aquariums to be blue colour...lol

Wish you all the best!!!

NEWBIE? Starting a New Tank? Happy New Tank

2013-01-01T11:31:00.001+08:00

Happy new year, thinking of starting a planted tank? you need the following items

Budget & Cost
For a simple planted tank you may need around 2-300 for initial setup for a 2 feet tank

Aquarium:- SGD 30-60 for a 2 feet tank
Cabinet/rack:- SGD 40- 100++ from steel rack to simple cabinet ( chengal cabinet cost more of course)
Aquasoil:- SGD 35-45 for 9L of ADA Amazonia New
Lighting:- SGD 40- 200 from normal T5HO lights to LED lights
Filter:- SGD 3 to 200 from simple sponge filter to high end canister
Fan:- SGD 10 to 1000++ from cheapo fan to high end chiller
Fertilizer: - SGD 9-100++ from Seachem Flourish to high end ADA
Co2/Liquid Carbon :- SGD 9 to 100++ from Seachem Excel to a decent co2 tank setup
Top up CO2: - SGD 15- 20 bucks for 2kg version.
Plants:- SGD 1-100 from simple plants to expensive rare plants..haha my plants are never more than 5 dollars though
Fish:- SGD 60 cents - 10000 dollars?? It very much depend on what and how many fish you are getting, for me i like neon tetras which generally schools frequently,cheap and hardy
Time :- Looking for nice harscape may take you forever, lol. Setting up requires around 1 day. weekly/monthly maintenance of 1-2 hours

Tank
Get a decent sized tank, my preference is minimum 2 feet tank...hehe, nano tanks are great too if you have limited space, or just want a simple setup.

Substrate
Basically is aquasoil, my preference is ADA or Gex Soil. I find ADA soil very potent.with the competitive pricing, i will prefer ADA Amazonia New soil. How much of soil? for planting , i recommend around 2-4 inch of soil. so for 2 feet tank, you may need around 1 bag of 9L of soil, try to keep some for topping up and sculpting the scape later.

Any other cheaper alternatives?
Yes, of course... why depend on commercial aquasoil, who say you die die must use aquasoil?

Option 1
Sand only tank:-
this is workable for low tech tanks, plants like anubias, Java ferns, basically do not need to be rooted. Other easy plants like polysperma, some rotalas, vallisneria don't even need soil to begin with, i grow them successfully and propagate them in sand-only tank.

Option 2
Diana Walstad Style tank
Not Oppa Kang Nam Style, but its Diana Walstad Style. This style uses a very clever way by using normal potting soil as base layer, some sand/small gravel as toppings, clever selection of plants and plant densely... great for starters and lazy people like me...i got a small DWS tank..running hehe will show off when i am free

Lighting
For tanks larger than 2 feet, i will use the following rule of thumb ( T8 or T5HO, not for LED)
Low tech : 1-2 Watts per gallon of water
Mid tech : 3-4 watts per gallon of water
High tech: 4+ watts per gallon of water

try to have at least 7-8 hours of photo-period on daily basis, having a timer really helps a lot, i basically have everything on auto except topping up of water and clearing of green spot algae...lol

Do not have too much lights/photo-period if you do not have sufficient plants/co2, it will promote algae growth.

You may heard of light's colour temperature in a lot of forums,so what does it mean?? see below link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_temperature

so does it matters for scapers?? see my experiment below

http://theplantedtankblog.blogspot.sg/2012/03/upgraded-to-4-x-t5ho-all-aquazonic.html

Scapers normally uses T5HO ( T5 is the size of tube, HO is high output), some utilize LED, PL lights too, but i would still recommend T5HO 6500k/ 12000k T5HO works great for me.

Co2
if you are setting up a low tech tank, you can substitute with dosing Seachem Excel, its liquid carbon which will boost growth and act as algae killer at the same time

if budget allows, get a simple co2 setup with solenoid, you will love the plants growth and variety of plants you can keep. i find having a co2 tank is much cheaper than dosing Seachem Excel in long run.

So the basic set up is CO2 tank > check valve> bubble counter> check valve > diffuser.
Why so many check valve? check valve is to prevent water from entering the solenoid or co2 tank... logically, water will damage the solenoid and causes the co2 tank to rust and leak.

Get a co2 checker and adjust the BPS(bubbles per second as long the checker shows Green colour(sufficient). Blue (insufficient). Yellow( too much)

where to get a decent co2 tank? AQ marketplace of course is the best place, look out for NA(nature aquarium,a LFS) tank, these tanks can do 1 to 1 exchange at NA which is very convinient as you do not need to wait for the normal 3-7 days for pick up at normal LFS.

See links for CO2 if you do not know how a NA co2 tank looks like
http://theplantedtankblog.blogspot.sg/2012/03/my-simple-dw-scape-part-2-co2-tank.html

Fertilizer
My favorite is Seachem Flourish, Lushgro.... both of them works well but i find lushgro a bit too potent for low tech plants. i would suggest seachem flourish for low requirement plants.

Lushgro is good for those who like fast growth, high requirement plants..hehe you can check out the ingredient and you will noticed its far more concentrated...:)

Just dose as per manufacturer's recommendation and you may half the dosage if you have less/low tech plants

Plants
Ok, you have most of the stuffs ready? time to get plants, for easy to care plants, see this link
http://theplantedtankblog.blogspot.sg/2012/03/easy-to-care-plants.html

For Plant list aka Encyclopedia of Aquatic Plants, you can refer here
http://theplantedtankblog.blogspot.sg/2014/10/plant-list-from-aquatic-plant-central.html

After buying the plants, remember to quarantine the plant..see links for step by steps
http://theplantedtankblog.blogspot.sg/2012/11/how-to-quarantine-aquatic-plants.html

If you are a newbie, i think you are most likely to try out moss plant... hehe they are easy to grow and hardy... you can tie moss on a variety of surface like driftwood, mesh, some even tie onto coconut husk. Below is the link for an artical on how to tie moss.
http://theplantedtankblog.blogspot.sg/2012/04/how-to-tie-moss-on-stainless-steel-mesh.html

Cycling of tank

This is a crucial part prior introducing fauna and control algae, I already elaborated enough in another page, see the below links
http://theplantedtankblog.blogspot.sg/2012/05/nitrogen-cycle-cycling-of-tank.html

Hardscape
now you alread read about the basics, how to scape? i always like Drifwood scapes, Iwagumi scapes are nice but hard to maintain due to lack of fast growing plants to out-compete algae

For step by steps see below links

Red Earth

http://theplantedtankblog.blogspot.sg/2012/03/journey-of-red-earth-26092011.html

Simple DW Scape

http://theplantedtankblog.blogspot.sg/2012/03/simple-dw-scape-part-1.html
http://theplantedtankblog.blogspot.sg/2012/03/my-simple-dw-scape-part-2-co2-tank.html
http://theplantedtankblog.blogspot.sg/2012/03/my-simple-dw-scape-part-3-added-ceramic.html
http://theplantedtankblog.blogspot.sg/2012/03/my-simple-dw-scape-part-4.html
http://theplantedtankblog.blogspot.sg/2012/03/my-simple-dw-scape-part-5.html
http://theplantedtankblog.blogspot.sg/2012/11/iaplc-rank-1379.html

Mysterious Trail

http://theplantedtankblog.blogspot.sg/2012/05/rescape-of-red-earth-to-mysterious.html
http://theplantedtankblog.blogspot.sg/2012/06/rescape-of-red-earth-to-mysterious.html

Fauna

Ok, after all the ordeal of setting up and cycling of tank...whats next? adding fauna of course..

Fish

Simple and hardy and community fish like Neon Tetras, danios are great for planted tanks as they do not disturb plants

platy and guppy are good addition to the tank but they poo a lot and will breed like rabbits, it think they breed better than rabbits( i kept rabbits before)

they to google a bit before you buy any fauna, lives are precious... check for fin nipping, aggressive behavior. Don't waste your time asking LFS shop keepers, they know nuts about fish as most of them are just cashiers.

Some fishes like pleco and gold fish are not recommended as they will mess up the scape. but the choice is yours

Nerite snail

This guys are a beauty but will lay eggs now and then... but they love to eat Green Spot Algae... hehe

Shrimps

All shrimps eat algae, its just eat More or Eat Less..Easy to care shrimps are as per below links
http://theplantedtankblog.blogspot.sg/2012/08/hardy-shrimpsto-share.html

All shrimps requires some care like weekly/monthly WC, monitoring of water quality to reduce the fertilizer/elements we dosed into the tank. they are generally more troublesome to care for than fish, but its a joy to keep.

NOTE: I focus more on aquascaping instead of shrimping, a lot of people especially newbies wanted best of both world. To be frank, it is almost impossible, we fertilize the aquarium a lot and thus the parameter will/may not be suitable for expensive and fragile shrimps. You may get away with hardy shrimps like malayan/cherry/ yamato but try other shrimps at your own risk, my advice:- select one you prefer most of have 2 tanks:- 1 for aquascape and 1 for shrimps....hehehe

Algae

for planted tank, its inevitable to get some algae now and then, so to counter them, i would suggest you to get some algae crew and simple fishes

if you encounter ANY, DO NOT PANIC!! its normal!! haha did you see crystal clear natural pond before? hardly leh.... for counter measures, see below link:-

http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/algae.htm

Temperature

This is a tricky issue faced by SEA hobbyist, our weather hovers around 28-34 degrees Celsius most of the day, except of rainy seasons which weather may drop to around 25-27 DC.

To maintain a tank, the best temperature is around 25 DC, but most of us poor hobbyist can't afford/maintain a chiller, so the mighty fan comes into action, which at least can lower ambient temperature to around 2-3 dc. This will cause water evaporate to wit more water top up but its still cheaper alternative than maintaining a chiller... but seriously, chiller is good equipment to have...anyone selling cheap? let me know..lol

my favourite fan is kotobuki fan, see the review below
http://theplantedtankblog.blogspot.sg/2012/03/kotobuki-aquarium-fan.html
update: very hard to find this brand of fan nowadays, top-aqua fan works well for me too

Filtration
For aquarium, filtration is essential to remove excess poo/ build BB. I am using atman DF series canister..see below link
http://theplantedtankblog.blogspot.sg/2012/03/atman-df700.html

To calculate the flowrate required for your aquarium:-
calculate your tank volume , then times 6 or 8= flowrate of the canister you should buy

e.g
aquarium is 100 litres, you should get flow rate of 600litres- 800litres flowrate per hour.

By the way, there is nothing wrong with normal sponge filter, Overhead filter(OHF), Hang on Filter(HOF), Matten filter.... it's up to your budget, space available and maintenance regime you would like to have

Canister
Benefits
less washing
large space for BB
generally silent

disadvantages
expensive
occupy space
a lot of pipes
need to locate the canister lower than aquarium, some smaller versions do not have this problem

HOF( Hang-On Filter)
Benefits
Less space required
easy to clean, access filtration media/wool
cheap

Disadvantages
less biomedia space
water splashing noise
need to keep to certain water level to work

OHF (OverHead Filter)

Benefits
easy to clean, access filtration media/wool
cheap

Disadvantages
less biomedia space
water splashing noise
pump may contribute to higher water temperature

Sponge filter/matten filter

Benefits
easy to clean, access filtration media/wool
cheap
extra aeration

Disadvantages
less biomedia space
looks ugly, but can be hidden from view

so the choice is yours to make, nothing is best, nothing is lousy, its up to your budget

NOTE: Most filters are rate/test their flowrate when it runs empty (max efficiency), so after we stuff it with media and wool, the flowrate will suffer by around 30-50%(depend on brand + price). thus i normally suggest at least 6-10 times of the aquarium capacity. So after all the media + poo, you still get decent flowrate

Aeration
Do you need aeration in a planted tank? the answer is yes. Plants takes in CO2 during photo-period, and takes in O2 during resting period. So during night, it will compete O2 with fauna.

so, i am injecting co2 into the aquarium, do i still need aeration, the answer is yes, try to get a solenoid valve and use it with a timer, this is to inject co2 during photo period only

I would suggest hobbyist to set everything on timer,
O2 during non-photo period but OFF 1 hour before lighting period
CO2 to kick in 1 hour earlier before lights is switch ON, so there is readily available co2 in the water

Biomedia

Ok, you all read about Beneficial Bacteria in my Nitrogen Cycle page... so does different brand of biomedia matters?? i can say Yes and No...

Yes, some brands advertises they have huge amount of area of BB to grow some just say they are good..but how good is good??

Biohome: 300g = 2190 sq ft
Seachem Matrix: 1ltr = 700 sq m
ANS
Mr Aqua
Ocean Free sintered glass CR
Plastic Bioballs (try to avoid them as biomedia if possible, i use them as mechanical filter only)

Rule of Thumb 1kg per 100 litres of water...well most of use use more than that...

From my point of view, if you are just normal hobbyist, keeping simple tank with simple scape as me, you just need normal CR regardless of brand, of course, i recommend at least to buy ANS brand sintered glass CR as they are affordable and works fine... in all of my 3 tanks

Itchy Hand Syndrome

This is the main cause of failure in planted tank, people like me likes to mess around with tank e.g, shift hardscape, buy new stuff etc, add new hardscape, plants....sigh

Try not to mess anything up, Do not touch the tank except for usual maintenance. Let nature takes its course.... there is no need for intervention unless there is some sudden death or unusual parasites.

Wrong information given by shop/ forum member

Some shops are employing aunties and uncles/ foreign workers to man their shop, so it is hard to get good advise from them. worse still they just sell you stuff/fish without knowing what are they selling, just promoting....and get profit

Secondly, there are also a lot of greenhorn newbie in AQ trying to act smart or accumulate post ( to sell stuff after clocking certain amount of post). They just anyhow comment whatever they Googled...that is almost unavoidable but to guys like you who are reading this... note how many post the person who advise you in FORUM ... do not believe those newbies who advises, most of them time, they are just as blur as you....its like buying stuff in ebay, check seller's reputation first.

no offense to anyone reading this if you are one of them...wahahaha

Local Fish Shop (LFS) in Singapore to recommend

Woodlands/Yishun/Khatib area

Nanyang Seaview (my favorite 1 stop shop), Shifted to North side in 2018
Address 8 Chencharu Link, Singapore 769197
https://www.google.com/maps?q=nanyang+seaview&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b-ab&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjz--rT0NXcAhWJWX0KHckjDasQ_AUICigB

Blk 618 That Aquarium, ( can find most of the stuff)
http://www.streetdirectory.com/asiatravel/singaporemap/business/144115/314610/

Blk 934 Polyart , (Formerly known as Aquastar)
http://www.streetdirectory.com/asiatravel/singaporemap/business/124908/88764/

Polyart ( formerly known as Green Emerald)
Near Marsiling Mrt
http://theplantedtankblog.blogspot.sg/2013/07/new-lfs-in-woodlands-area-green-emerald.html
Map: http://www.streetdirectory.com/sg/hdb-woodlands/166-woodlands-street-13-730166/93_122483.html

East area
Blk 328 Clementi Florist & aquarium ( don't let the name fool you, its a very decent shop with tonnes of patron)
http://www.streetdirectory.com/asiatravel/singaporemap/business/19814/9885/

Blk 328 Polyart (24 hours)
http://www.streetdirectory.com/asiatravel/singaporemap/business/141124/311619/

Aquatic Avenue
Near Redhill Mrt ( better go after 2pm)
http://theplantedtankblog.blogspot.sg/2014/09/aquatic-avenue-redhill.html
https://www.google.com.sg/maps/place/Aquatic+Avenue/@1.288478,103.818285,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x31da1bd4dbc99bf9:0xb657d3add18e514d

Tiong Bahru Area
East Ocean Aquatic Trading
https://www.google.com.sg/maps/place/East+Ocean+Aquatic+Trading+Centre/@1.288591,103.828147,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x31da197898f88f57:0x9009b14ca207761d

Tai Seng Area
Green Chapter( Boutique shop, expensive but high quality)
565 MacPherson Road #01-00 Singapore 368234

Toa Payoh Area
Nature Aquarium ( Nice shop which you can but most of the items for aquascaping)
http://www.streetdirectory.com/asiatravel/singaporemap/business/69930/79376/

Choa Chu Kang Area
Qian HU ( Big Corporation with a lot of stuff and fish, major distributor for Eheim stuff, pricing a bit expensive but you can find a lot of stuff here)
http://www.streetdirectory.com/asia_travel/travel/travel_id_7080/travel_site_121766/

Ang Mo Kio/ Hougang Area/ Serangoon
JZX Trading ( small shop with a lot of rare small fish like cory and pleco, may not have a lot of planted tank stuff but exotic fishes are plenty)
http://www.streetdirectory.com/asiatravel/singaporemap/business/179372/370408/

NKS
Near Kovan Mrt ( small shop, has a lot of predator and monster fish, small amount of plants for sale)
http://www.streetdirectory.com/sg/hdb-hougang/211-hougang-street-21-530211/3522_84326.html

Petmart ( behind serangoon CC,small shop but has a lot of stuff and fishes, that area is like a pet street, some shops selling aqutic plants, fishes etc items..too many to name here... you should go there walk-walk if you have the chance)
http://www.streetdirectory.com/asiatravel/singaporemap/business/77979/48434/

Pasir Ris Area
Too many to state here see the links below for review
http://theplantedtankblog.blogspot.sg/2012/04/pasir-ris-fish-farms-trip.html

Aquarium Iwarna/ capricon ( farm style)
a lot of stuff ... aquatic plants, fish, marine fish...
http://www.streetdirectory.com/asia_travel/travel/travel_id_8737/travel_site_82360/

Mainland Tropical Fish Farm ( walk in qian hu style)
http://www.streetdirectory.com/asia_travel/travel/travel_id_5330/travel_site_82901/

Conclusion

I hope i did not missed out anything crucial in this blog...lol remind me if i left out anything...hahaha

This hobby is about recreating outdoors in miniature size indoors, we are practically responsible for the health of fauna. Please try to be considerate about fauna's lives, all lives are precious... we are basically god for them...

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder,all scapes are unique and there is NO SAME scape in the world, so your scape is YOURS, no one can steal it.

I hope you like my setups and blog entries..SO, what are you doing staring at the screen?? get your A$$ off the chair and start planting.... ENJOY!! your new tank and HAPPY NEW YEAR 2013!!

If you have any question, i don't mind if you email me or post in the comments. I am available in AQ/ Facebook too...

How to Quarantine Aquatic Plants

2012-11-14T21:46:00.002+08:00

So you finally bought home a nice aquatic plants... so do you put them directly into your tank?

My advice is DO NOT PLANT directly!! the reasons are fairly simple

LFS/Farm tanks/ponds are filthy may have pests like snail or even parasites
The plant you bought may being laced with pesticide , which is poisonous to shrimps and invertebrates

So how do you actually clean them? there are several ways

1) Repeated rinse with tap water, soak in tap water for several hours; for me, i soak for 1-2 days .I will put it back into the plastic bag ( after cleaning) put in some water and let it float in the tank ( with light, it won't die so easily). During the soaking, you can monitor whether is there any hitchhiker floating/crawling around the bag.

2) Soak with anti snail/ diluted salt solution. The soaking is not 100% effective as i still can see some hitchhikers now and then. Note: must rinse the plant and soak it with tap water at least 2-3 times before introducing plants.

3) Soak with diluted bleach( warning, try this at your own risk) some people diluted bleach (1:10) and soak the plants in it for 1 minute. Then, rinse with anti chlorine treated water until there is no more chlorine smell. FYI: I did try this for algae infested plants and this does not work well with some plants as the plants withers away after few days. It works with some hardy plants like ferns...but i do not recommend it if you do not know what you are doing, just to share how it works.

4) It is best if you have a quarantine tank with lights, some fish and few cheapo shrimps to spare. This is to check whether there is any residue pesticide after your "proper" cleaning

The reason i wrote this because my friend (bluebubbles) and i accidentally bought some pesticide laced plants and caused few casualty despite we soak and quarantine it for several hours.

After this incident, i always clean, soak, quarantine, try out with cheapo shrimp before introducing the plant into my shrimp tank... hope you guys learn from our experience...:)

FAQs

Q: My cheap plants are like 1 dollar per bunch, so tedious to quarantine and clean them?
A: There are no right or wrong answer, some people just plant them and no problem at all but better play safe if you have sensitive critters

Q: My plants are cultures plants 10+ bucks, do i need to clean them?
A: My answer is yes, you still need to clean off the gels on their root. I find them rich in nutrient and causes some fungus growth

Q:my plants are expensive, i worry i might kill it
A: i do agree there is a chance for you to mess up and kill the plants. well at least flush it with de-chlorinated water and quarantine them if you have doubts

Q; my plants are emerge plants from farm, do i need to quarantine them?
A: yes, emerge plants may have pesticide too

Q;do you have expensive plants? how you manage to buy them
A; i buy from hobbyist, LFS, farms....you want to know how i buy them? pay money or exchange with my existing plants lah... hahaha

Q; I got no money, can you give me some plants?
A; i admit this hobby is not rewarding, i can't give you money or plant but i can show you how to earn some passive income, check out the below links.

Patric Chan's website
George Brandon's website

its better for me to teach you how to fish rather than pass you the fish directly.

IAPLC Rank #1379...lucky i am not last....:)

2012-11-06T23:15:00.002+08:00

The result for IAPLC is OUT!!!!
http://en.iaplc.com/results12/results12.html

i am ranked 1379..... not too shabby..at least not last...wahahaha

So now my headache is next rescape.....hmmm what should i do next... any suggestions??