Emerald Forest "a low energy scape in progress"

[faizal]

I am sorry but another question please ,....what kind & how much of lighting do you have over the tank & how high have you raised them?

I am just waiting for my sphagnum peat moss to come in. I am planning to start a small test tank to see if I could grow them without co2. My subs would be as I mentioned in another post,...ADA aqua soil amazonia (used priorly for around 3 months) + JBL Pro flora + Peat moss. Most of my stem plants rotted within 2 weeks of setting up my old non co2 tank but then I had only used seachem's flourite as the substrate then despite many advising me to try soil. I would like to see if the rotala rotundifolia could survive in this set up. The only species that did well for me were the various Crypts and anubias.

 

[Tim Harrison]

Hi was originally using 2 x 24 watt T5 one HO full spectrum and one grow light (in my previous tank), and this worked fine but fuzz algae and thread algae threatened to become a problem so I switched to 2 x 15 watt T8 one full spectrum and one grow light (which is what I am still using), so that is 1.5 watts per imp gallon.

The lighting unit is an Arcadia Classica and it is about 20cm above the tank. I have modified it slightly by fitting it with Interpet reflectors, this focuses more of the light in to the tank where it is needed and has therefore also helped reduce light spillage, if nothing else .

So far everything seems to be ok, no algae to mention and the plants seem to be doing ok. I do two 30% (or there abouts) water changes a week and after each add 1-2ml of TNC complete. However, from now on I will be using higher doses of TNC lite since my water is testing relatively high for nitrates and phosphate but relatively low for micronutrients. But I am still experimenting with this.

Both shrimp and fish are doing well too.

 

[Tim Harrison]

Had another rescape, brought more plants and swapped my glowlights for more cardinals. I am liking it a whole lot more and it didn't cost too much thanks to my LFS "trade in" generosity, but then they know I'll be back to spend more money soon.

.

Close up of my favourite detail. I think I'll let this one mature.

 

[Tim Harrison]

Re: Emerald Forest "a low energy scape in progress" Update..

Its been a while and so I thought I'd post a few images by way of an update.

The Anubias nana above are doing remarkably well, growth is quite fast for this species, they seem to be constantly putting out new leaves. And one of the clan decided to flower, I suspect it's fairly common but it made my day.

And then...
one of the Aponogeton spp (below) in amongst the vallis also decided to flower. It was sold to me as A. natans but I am not so sure any more, the floating leaves in the background belong to it also.

Can anyone offer a positive ID?

Overall, plant growth has been good and steady, particularly the vallis which has started to take over a little; the diet of soil and TNC seems to be working well.

Below, a shot from the opposite end of the tank with Hygrophila corymbosa (Siamensis 53B) - from tropica - in the foreground, right hand side of the picture. To be honest I've never really had overwhelming success with stem plants in my low energy set ups but this is thriving, I think it's because of the added ferts and also because it can tolerate a range of lighting intensities including low light.

I seem to have got the lighting about right, however I am getting some green spot algae, particularly on the Anubias, but it's only noticable up very close. Other than that there must be just enough algae to keep my ottos and Aminos happy; they seem to be doing very well too.

 

[darren636]

that looks like a great environment.

 

[Ady34]

Looks lovely, very natural.

 

[creg]

looks so bright and clean, like it alot. fts next time please?

 

[Tim Harrison]

looks so bright and clean, like it alot. fts next time please?

Thanks guys - a fts to come once it gets dark; I took several but even with the blinds shut there was still too much reflected glare.

 

[Antipofish]

Crikey, never mind the fish, I WOULD live in that ! It is looking great

 

[Alastair]

Is the sand your using just pool filter sand troi

 

[Tim Harrison]

Hi Alastair, yes it is, over 20mm - 30mm - moss peat/aquatic compost mix.

 

[Antipofish]

Re: Emerald Forest "a low energy scape in progress" Update..

Hi mate, with such lush growth as shown in your pics below, I would like to pick your brains about tank maintenance.

HOW on earth do you get in there and get out all the crud and dirt ? Ceg told me to grab the plants and shake them to release the film they create, but seriously, if you are as densely planted as yours, HOW do you actually do that ? I am hoping to have a similarly dense planting eventually and it scares the cr ap out of me.

Any info would be gratefully received
cheers
Chris

 

[Tim Harrison]

looks so bright and clean, like it alot. fts next time please?

New FTS (top) - for what it's worth - I'm not very good at this photography malarkey, I can't seem to get a well focused image, but then I only have a digital compact. Nevertheless, I thought I would post it next to a FTS I took 7 weeks ago (bottom) for comparison.

.

 

[Tim Harrison]

HOW on earth do you get in there and get out all the crud and dirt ? Ceg told me to grab the plants and shake them to release the film they create, but seriously, if you are as densely planted as yours, HOW do you actually do that ? I am hoping to have a similarly dense planting eventually and it scares the cr ap out of me.

Hi the tank is a low energy soil substrate set up - no CO2 injection. I don't really have any experience of plant coating film that some CO2 tanks apparently get, although I suspect that perhaps some films are not due to the plants creation but more to do with periphyton/biofilms populated with protozoans and bacteria thriving due to eutrophic dosing regimes.

All I do is gently waft the plants whilst syphoning off any sediment at the same time and sucking up any obvious detritus from the gravel at the front of the aquarium, that is every time I do a water change; pretty much the same as everyone else.

I call the method low energy but perhaps it is really not that low energy since I used ferts (TNC) about the equivalent of 1/10th - 1/5th full EI, reasonably good lighting (12 hr/day, 1.5 watts of T8 per imp gallon, with reflectors) and an Eheim Pro canister filter that turns over 750 litres/hr - the tanks capacity is 90 litres, and I change 30% - 50% of the water twice a week.

Hope that helps. My tutorial (the link below) has more detail.