My First Planted

[LondonDragon]

Many thanks everyone

Beautiful tank. As previously asked please give more particulars on your lighting, substrata, co2, and any other supliments you may use. I would love to achieve that kind of success with my plants.

Its all in the post but you if don't want to go through 30 pages to find out here it is:

Tank: Rio 125L, 81x36x50cm

Filtration: ehiem 2224 external with ehiem filter media pack, Juwel Internal filter with normal sponge media, 400lph powerhead for circulation, Koralia Nano 900lph, Koralia 1 1500lph.

Lighting: 6x24w T5 (2x6500k, 2x8000k, 2xPlantGrow), the 4x24w are on for 10 hours a day, and the 2x24w come on for 4 hours for a high period half way the 10 hours.

CO2: Pressurised CO2 system, using a 2kg bottle, using a selonoid valve to shut off when not needed, it comes on 2 hours before lights on and goes off 3 hours before lights out. Using an Hydor diffusor, which is a small powerhead with an inline for the CO2.

Plant Substrate/Gravel: Just normal pea size gravel with no additives.

Water chemistry: Do not perform any water tests, only use a Drop Checker to monitor CO2 levels in the tank, that is enough as most water testers are inacurate anyway.

Maintenance: 50% water change weekly as the gravel is cleaned.

Fish:

2 Bosemani Rainbow
3 Ottos
10 Harlequin Rasbora
1 Clown Pleco
couple Amano Shrimp
some Red Cherry Shrimp

Plants:

Bacopa monnieri
Anubias barteri var. nana
Blyxa Japonica
Vesicularia ferriei (Weeping Moss)
Glossostigma elatinoides
Cryptocoryne undulata
Taxiphyllum sp. (Spiky Moss)
Cryptocoryne parva
Staurogyne sp.

Décor: 3 pieces of Mini Landscape Rock and 1 piece Redmoor Wood

 

[LondonDragon]

As for my fertilization dosing here is my setup:

I purchased an Aqua Medic SP3000 dosing pump with the intention of automating my dosing regine, I kept forgeting to dose before leaving to work some days and sometimes I didn't have a clue what I dosed the day before, if it was macro or micro so decided to go this way and using JamesC All-in-One Solution.

Link to James website where you can find more information: http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/allinone.htm

My calculations for EI are made using NutriCalc (This was suggested to me by Matt Holbrook-Bull of UKAPS and works a treat for me).

Windows users can download it here: http://www.cherniaksoftware.com/homepage/Data/NutriCalc.exe

For my aquarium which is 125 liters the following values were achieved:

KNO3 = 1.77 grams 3x a week
K2S04 = 0.8 grams 3x a week
KH2PO4 = 0.5 grams 3x a week
MgSO4 = 4.6 grams 3x a week
Trace from AE = 0.5 3x a week

You will also need E300 Ascorbic Acid and E202 Potassium Sorbat.


After various tests I found out that my SP3000 actually doses 40ml per minute and not the 50ml stated on the manual, I tested this various times over a few days to make sure I always got the same values.

So I am using a 1.5liter bottle, so I will be mixing my powders into 1.4 liters of water which will give me 35 daily doses.


Here my calculations with the help of JamesC:

1,400ml and dose 40ml per time. So that's 1,400/40 = 35 doses.

KNO3 = (1.77x35x3)/7 = 26.6g
K2S04 = (0.8x35x3)/7 = 12g
KH2PO4 = (0.5x35x3)/7 = 7.5g
MgSO4 = (4.6x35x3)/7 = 69g
Trace from AE = (0.5x35x3)/7 = 7.5g

Ascorbic 0.5x3 = 1.5g (0.5g per 500ml recommended)
Sorbate 0.2x3 = 0.6g (0.2g per 500ml recommended)

In my final solution I added an extra 20% on top of the total amounts given on the calculations above, I always prefer to over dose than to under dose.

Below the diagram of my setup:

My CO2 comes on 2 hours before lights on and dosing is done using a digital timer (on for 1 minute) 15 minutes before lights on. I mix the solution using the airpump for 2 minutes before dosing.

I cover the dosing bottle with a blanket to prevent it getting any light into the bottle.

NOTE: Since the first batch I have removed the air pump for testing and it works fine without the air pump also, so that is an optional extra.

Hope this helps and good luck

 

[LondonDragon]

Haven't updated this journal in a while, here is how the tank was looking before I planted the HC, and moving towards lower maintnance plants in half the tank.

After finishing planting the HC in the tank, I have some of it melting away, but that seems to have stopped and its pearling away everyday when I get home. I was not happy with the EI solution, it was getting my tank a little cloudy and was seeing some algae, so for a test I have been using TPN+ for the last couple of weeks.
Water has remained crystal clear all week and plants have developed much better colours too and the algae is gone.
Going to carry on using TPN+ for a few more weeks and then go back to EI and see the differences, might have to increase the EI solution, maybe it was not strong enough.

Photos right after planting:

Thanks for looking. Comments always appreciated.

 

[Que]

The thing I like so much with your style is the depth and dimension you give. Your your sense of placement of materials and plants is enjoyable to see.

Q

 

[LondonDragon]

The thing I like so much with your style is the depth and dimension you give. Your your sense of placement of materials and plants is enjoyable to see.
Q

Many thanks, glad you enjoy my setup but I think its very poor at present. Needs a lot of work now and a few months to get it up to scratch again!

 

[aald75]

i'd like to grow baby's tears as a foreground plant and have been having a hard time determining which plant i can use and where to get it. the 'cuba' picture looks similar, is this it? or what plant is it and how easy is it to care for? thanks

 

[LondonDragon]

This tank is still going, here some of the latest photos:

Thanks for looking

 

[texasguy]

That tank is, as always, insanely incredibly amazing! Wish I could get my tank to look even close to such an amazing tank.

 

[LondonDragon]

That tank is, as always, insanely incredibly amazing! Wish I could get my tank to look even close to such an amazing tank.

Many thanks Texas, you too can get it looking like that, just have to get your head around EI, then ensure decent lighting, good circulation and plenty of CO2 and you get excellent results also

 

[Chrisinator]

Awesome!