To,
Aq Plant Lover, well u might consider posing your question here instead of pm, since we could share the problems u are facing with other members and those who are facing similia problems...no need to be shy ...we all do have problems with out tanks...hehehe.

ok here the answer to your question:
the reason for your carpet plants and others growing upward is simple ...not enough lightings. this problem is call "Light chaser"...plants growing fast and upwars in its attempt to reach more light.
as u mention Long and skinny, this is an indication your 3 feet tank need more lighting. carpet plants are suppose to crawl along the foreground whats more u are using ADA soil...
3 tubes for a 3 footer is not enough. u didnt mention what type of lighting, lets presume u are using PLL...for a 3 footer ..u need the minimum of 4 36wats.
i dont understand what u mean by ..Half filling water.

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June thru August is gonna be a lean time for business, it happens every year without fail...with no money coming in and plenty of TIME to kill, guess i come back here to write some stuff....well...just to kill time ...till august...i hope.

it seems quite a number of "planters" had gone awol on this forum, heard they gone off somewhere else, well never mind that. the other time this guy said to me "algae is a big headache, what ever i do they keep coming back, so what medication do you recommend, please give me something good"

well i told him..."i have all sort from a rm5 one right up to the one that cost rm105,they all work...according to the label"

he said he wanted the rm105 one, as most believed whatever medications have to be good to be expensive in the first place.

a word of warning ...this product will kill Algae , thats for sure! but it will also kill most plants especially soft leaf types if its strict application method is not followed. it might do its work in getting rid of algae but like most algae remover...they are not a lasting long term solution since algae will keep coming back no matter what.

Getting rid of algae altogether is not going to be easy...i believe algae is one of the major issue that made many an aquatic planter to give up this hobby.
The one thing i would advise those who are badly infected by algae problem and who have tried whatever method thats been recommended and yet still lose out to algae....is to ....try to accept the fact that algae is here to stay....so it best to compremise and let algae grow in their own spot in your tank.
i for one never believe in using algae remover simply because its a short term solution. its best to just control them......but how?
we heard talks about increasing or decreasing lightings, or limit this or that fertilizers or use more water movements or whatever high tech water chemistry talk that made little sense to most common folks including me except i know its gonna cost more money to get it done
......but have you ever thought about putting algae in your tank to control algae?...i mean like an algae coated piece of rock or bogwood.

to look at this we need to check out the marine/salt water scene. folks here came up with a solution to counter brown, red and green algae on thier live rocks, they dont have ottos, sae or cae that thrives on algae to help them out and most live corals and ammones are sensitive to algae removing medications. as you could guess...its an uphill task.
their solution is easy yet effective....they put in a couple of algae coated live rock in their tanks. algae will grow wild on these rocks and yet they will stop algae from growing on the rest of the tank....simply because they will consume all the nutrients thats avaiable.

now back to the fresh water scene...i actually grow BB algae on a small piece of bogwood in one of my tanks and i never had any problems with them growing on my plants. i do encounter brown algae in my new tanks, but thats common and easy to get rid of...5 or 6 Chinese Algae Eaters( pink) would clean up the tank in less than 4 days. coming to that...once my 5 footer tiger lotus only tank was badly effected by brown algae....due to heavy feeding. half a dozen CAE would have solved that problem , but the thing is i have a pair of Blue Azul peacock bass in that tank and CAE is snack to them.
i have tried calsium threatment that includes switching off the lightings for 3 days( i still have the bags of clasium that Dom gave me). it works actually, a big improvement after the 4th day.....but then again heavy feeding brought brown algae back within a few days.....Pusing kepala lar.

okay...no more short term remedies...i put in a piece of brown algae coated rock ( quite a big piece actually) and add in 1kg of Rowan PO4 and SiO2 remover ( aaah..pretty expensive stuff to use and i added this just because the brown algae is at an advance stage and due to heavy feeding or else i would have skip using it).
it took more or less 6 weeks to see fair results...new algae free leafs replacing the old algae coated ones...patience is a virtue if you wanna let mother nature control the level of algae...and let them live side by side without bothering each other,
.....well unless you want a quick solution, you could try the rm105 algae remover.

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Algae also consider as aquatic plants. It is exist in all the water. Don't believe me? Try to get a pail of RO water and put it under hot sun for days. It will turn into green water.

Different algae growing in different type of water parameter. Like BBA (Black Brush algae) due to high nitrite/nitrate which the bacteria can't have enough time to convert it into nitrate for plants to absorb or the plants dont have enough time to absord. Normally it is growing due to aged filter media. (Didn't wash for months) Or there are lot of melting plants/leaves. Overfeeding will cause the same problem too. Wash the filter, clear off the melting leaves and increase the CO2 and lighting. So that the photosynthesis will be higher and the nitrate will be absorbed faster. Another reason of increase CO2 is to lower down the PH. The algae won't grow fast. Normally algae growing fast above PH7.

Brown algae due to high nutrient. Over feeding and overdose of fertilizer or the release of base fertilizer will cause the problem. More water change and stop dosing the liquid fert will help. Algae eater will help to clear off the existing brown algae.

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www.my-mac.net brand new forum for aquascaping hobbyist.

as usual .......... talking about introducing algae to control algae....well, never mind that.

the other day i was at this FS.... just browsing..... with both hands in my pockets just to make sure the owner doesnt think im stealing anything.
i got attracted with the special offer on ADA product...ha...thought this was a control price item...well, accordding to the supplier....guess it aint anymore.

maybe this outlet is going bust...maybe....but then best sellers shouldnt be at a discount...or was it ...the item was overcharge in the first place and its time to lower the price to get more people to buy.

i have never used ADA product before....simply because i CANNOT afford it...i have no MONEY....lets be clear about that.( i was accused of being an ANTI ADA by some quarters for the wrong reasons....the last time i touch this subject)
i have been eyeing the malayan soil for a long time as i like to use this ADA product one day...when the price comes down to an afforable range...maybe now its the time...or should i wait a bit longer....
i was imagining how my plants would look like if grown in that soil...it must be fantastic...after all ADA soil had brought sucess to many who couldnt grow good stuff on plain river gravel.
And thats brings me back to the days...long before ADA came to town....sort like 15 or more years ago, i have seen folks planting diffcult and stuborn plants on plain river gravel...it was a trying time back then...we have no ADA advantage...but slow patience and several failed attempts finally brought sucess. i dont seems to see nowdays big fat stump Eusteralis Stellata ( they call it Pogostemon Stellata nowdays ...why?...cant seems to figure that out...but they are Eusteralis to me) grown in tanks despite having ADA advantge...maybe this diffcult plant is not popular anymore.

Moss /ferns are more popular nowdays...they make a tank looks natural...sort like the ease of achieving that....aaah wrong department ...folks call this aquascaping or something like that...i have no experience on this so better i dont touch this subject... but i KENOT help wondering why do folks actually wanna use ADA on ferns and moss....amazing

I was in vietnam last month...now ho chi minh city is a growing city...a very good place to make a few bucks, aquatic plants here is starting to catch up with more vietnamese getting into the action. of course no such thing as ADA being used here, chinese product is the main menu......but then you have to see to believe the plants they grow...simply marvelous and i have to take my hat off to them. on my way back is my usual stopover in bangkok and naturally the usual visit to buddies at chatuchak....i always envy the Thais for producing Red plants...how on earth do they look so red?...and on plain white river gravel.
i was given some Red Barclaya Longifolia and Pogostemon Helferi. as usual i distribute some to friends. now, ah choi at 88 got some red barclaya from me and he planted them in ADA soil...wow...super result compared to mine.
and that was the part that made me wanting to try ADA...they do bring results. when asked...could the result be achived without ADA....Susah...was his answer. well....i knew it could be done...the Thais have achieved that...its a matter of technics...which the Thais are not telling.

Coming back to the issue brought up at many tea tarik sessions...folks who started out with plain river gravel surely will benefit if switch to ADA soil....but could folks who started off with ADA soil could or couldnt have sucess with plain river gravel....ah a trying issue.

naaah...i guess i wait a litle longer to try out ADA soil...for the price to come down a bit more. just maybe..........the Thais could tell me what they did..i might skip ADA all together....ah another touchy issue......maybe the Thais have climate on their side ...maybe.

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this one is what ah?....

the candy looking thing is the fertilizer i use to grow big fat stums....until now whenever i was asked how i got my stellata or armmania to grow thick and fat....i always pointed to the fertilizers i didnt use...ha....biasa lar brader.
well...guess i seen the light and cant bring all my secrets to the grave.
i was introduced to this fertilizer back in 92 by friend in bangkok, he used it for his water lily and the fact is this is a water lily fertilizer, they are cheap, easy to use.
back then they are hard to get in malaysia, but nowdays they could be found in plant nusery around subang and sg buluh area....rm10 for a pack about 30pcs ( about the same price as in bangkok) cheap eh?...i thought that was cheap until i was in Penang last year...3 packs for rm10...
the word is there is a P.R.of China copy of this fertilizer....but both produce the same result...so needless to say the folks in subang and sg buluh nusery aint gonna see anymore money from me.

this fertilizer has one sole purpose...to boost the size of the stem, sometimes to to an inch diameter.they do not promote anything else. if you have problem with skinny looking plants...give this fertilizer a try. plant it about 3 inch deep beside your plant once a month. they contain clay substance so skip the application of ball literate.
Warning:....this fertilizer is not for those who love to shiff their plants around, once this fertilizer escapes from the gravel and into your water...then you are in trouble.

as i said before this fertilizer does nothing but promote stem growth, so the other additional fertilizer i use is the Capsule type. application of it would make the plant looks bright pink to orange. i could never find the one that makes the plant red...believe me ...i have tried very hard to get my thai friends for tips.....mai me, mai me, luk pee( dont have ,dont have, big brother).
meaning i have to rely on liquid ferrous/iron fertilizers ..which i hate very much.
this capsule type is not avaiable here, but if you have the chance to visit chatuchak try and grab some of this colour enchanting fertilizer...rm10 for 20pcs. appication is same as the candy type...except its once every 3 months. make sure dont plant it too near to the plant ...this is a real power stuff.

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Everyone Has a Photographic Memory..........some just dont have film!

Wah... taikor.. lu buat apa? Tulis journal ar? Lu sekalang manyak free, mari PJ minom lar.. Where got fair.. I always have to travel to Cheras? Cepat mali wei, ikan sulah sampai.

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PJ i dare not go hor...there taikor many many. u new boy ah...bulan 5,6 and 7 is goyang kaki month...u dun noe meh. no money go joli ma come here write journal lar...free wat.
eh, taikor at least you come cheras time, always go back with money + teh + nasi lemak+ chicken drum stick hor . wait lar i go your shop, that day fish sampai 8pm lar, so by the time collect and go your shop must be 11pm liao hor. next week should be afternoon flight, so after collect fish go your place lar..
btw ...try to find big fenes for me lar...kecil kecil 1 bery sian ler ...after kana female again.

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Ludwigia glandulosa.....how many of you says this is an easy plant to keep?...and hands up for those who says this plant is a nightmare.
well, as for me, i would be bunching up with the boys whos having nightmares.

whenever i plant them i will not take it for granted they will suceed like i do for most of the other plant species. sometimes they do grow nicely but most of the time they will rot and die within 2 weeks.

lets talk about the tank equipments i have . first of all i have very basic equipments, very slow moving cannister pump, DIY co2, DIY lightings, no chillers, and no ADA. hardly an impressive collection of equipments but considering the fact i do not have money to spend...im doing quite well with this moldly equipments...hey, i got reciepts to show they are NOT stolen goods.
next, lets look at the kinda of Ludwigia Glandulosa avaiable here in malaysia. naturally there are 2 types....submersed and emersed.
Submersed type are quite expensive, growing them would mean having the hard work cut out for you...thats the way i see it.
the emersed type is cheap and readily avaiable most of the time....sometimes!
to grow the emersed type and suceed in getting them to turn submersed is a real challege...if you have ADA ..then you are at an advantage.


TO BE CONTINUE.............999 lar

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Shake leg month aar?
I come Cheras oso sked the taikor there beat me up mah... Can say your name ar?

Btw, no big fish lar..must keep for breeder stocks lar.

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Be responsible for your actions.... what goes around comes around....

yar lar ...after august go toilet also no time hor.....up to CNY.
better not say my name lar...or else they beat u up more hor...say u dun noe me ..then they wont beat u lar.

ok lar no big fis, but try not to give me females again ......

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Everyone Has a Photographic Memory..........some just dont have film!