When I first set this 210 up, I had some Java fern tied to a few pieces of wood in a 45 gallon that was maybe two years old and starting to get BBA really bad. I cleaned it up best I could and moved it into the 210 and it really took off. I had a nice driftwood grotto all across the midline of the 210 with big broad-leaf Java fern reaching up everywhere.
What's in here now is remnant from the algae wars. Black rust with corrosive holes came first, and that was devastating. I tried to salvage leaves from this, but a lot was lost in this war since I felt I had to be ruthless. Just recently, I have seen some hair and crusty dark algaes try to set in on the big, older leaves, as they seem never to have really recovered and were not vital. I have been reluctantly pruning out these old rusty leaves, as well as the small tatty stuff with the BBA tufts.
Only now, with some new changes in the lights, filters, and another 'scape redo, do I see some newer leaves getting crisp and free of algal infestation, and many of these leaves are starting to show the glassy tips. I will try to get some pics this week after I do some maintenance. I just pulled up a big stand of chain sword and have some clearing up to do.
