15 replies to this topic

[Dave76]

Here are some pics of my newly planted 8x2x2

Thanks to all who donated some plants - ignore the pot on top of the log - the bugger decided to float & needed a bit of extra weight :roll:

I've got two 150 wt MH lights over the centre with the high light plants here, the left & right have low light plants. Full auto CO2 / PH control.

Fish still to come; school of lemon tetras, school of sterbai corys, bristlenose, ottos plus a dozen or so discus.

Have a nasty bout of hair algae around the high light areas, going to need to try & get nutrients in balance.

Opinions appreciated.

Whole tank shot


Going left to right

[Noddy65]

That looks fantastic...you may have some issues with the anubias if theyre planted in the substrate, they do better tied to the log.

Mike

[Dave76]

Hi Mike

They aren't actually planted - they are just weighted down to sit along the edge of the log - i'm not a huge fan of anubias tied to the wood.

I'm amazed how quickly everything is growing in there.....

[Scat]

Looks great dave what kind of fish are you going to put in there??

[Graeme]

Looks good Dave
hair algae is a right pain.
have you got any Sae,s you can put in there?


Graeme

[Dave76]

Hi Scat

Fishlist is in the first post

Graeme - I don't have any SAEs as yet - but I may add a couple if I can't get the hair algae under control....

Dave

[Brett]

Looking really good Dave, should grow in very nicely.

Love those pieces of wood, even with the pot hat, lol


Cheers
Brett

[Dave76]

Tank is going well with plants growing very quickly - I'll be doing weekly trims with leftover cuttings starting next next weekend I suspect if anybody wants some plants. I'm not up on all the plant names - can anyone help me out, or lend me a plant book with lots of pics ?

The val isn't too happy with the low light - probably too low, so am going to get a couple of flouros for that end, something a bit more subdued than MH.

In the tank atm is my 14 lemon tetras, 9 rosy barbs, a bristlenose plus 3 juvi discus guinea pigs I added yesterday before adding some show adults.

The brown hair algae is all gone now - good ol rosy barbs.

Now I have green hair algae forming which is a bugger to remove. The rosy barbs are slowing getting on top of it tho...



Whole tank


Left to right again

[Rudy]

Awesome looking tank!

Are you adding CO2 to the tank? What substrate are you using?

Rudy

[anchar]

That tree root looks fab in there Dave!. Gorgeous looking set-up.

Andrea

[Dave76]

Rudy : Tank has full tunze automated CO2 system. Substrate is three layers - laterite on the bottom, lilly potting mix and a layer of black tahitian moon on top.

Andrea : Yeah I'm really happy with the look - except for the 'pothat' - the darn thing STILL wants to float - I'm adding about 5 litres of water a day to offset evaporation / wood soaking !

Once I get the rest of the fish & plants sorted, hopefully this week, I'll be able to put the front back on the hood so you won't see it tho.

Dave

[duck]

I can't believe i missed this thread
Very nice,But i noticed you still have thread algea,You might to try adding a little more K and PO4 with in reason.

[Dave76]

Hi Duck

Yeah the green hair/thread/whatever it is called algae is kind of annoying.

I've been dosing a bit of KNO4 as amm/nitrite/nitrate are all at 0. It disappears as fast as I can add it at the moment due to really low fish load.

My phosphates are sitting at about 0.5 currently do you think I need higher than that ?

Dave

[duck]

Add more KNO3,And Test your test kit make sure it's working,In my tank's when the NO3 bottoms out i start to see BGA starting up.
You have increase the plant mass therefore increase your fert's.

Your PO4 can be bit higher try atleast 1ppm,

And get some extra K to add

Just don't over do it


Do you add anything else?

[Dave76]

I've tested the NO3 on two kits, plus at the LFS - all read zero

The PO4 was reading about 2, so I added some phosphate reducer to the sump to get it down a bit due to lack of other nutrients - geez it is fun trying to get everything in check

I've got some liquid K/Fe mix I add as directed on the bottle - can't remember the same of it - it came from a PCS raffle.

Only other thing I'm currently adding is the dry KNO3 - currently adding a heaped teaspoon every couple of days, was every day but cut back to every 2nd day coz I'm adding more fish, plus I'm running out of it - hence the post in the planted forum chasing more

I add 'a squirt' of DIY traces+Fe every other day as well. Not sure of concentrations tho.

Dave

[duck]

Sounds good.