Evaporation cover diffusing too much light?

[DaveyH]

Hi All – my first post though I have been hoovering up lots of useful information for months.

I’m back in the hobby after a few years break but still very much a beginner . I have an AquaNano 40 up and running with Java fern and Anubias (barteri and barteri nana). I’m very happy with the tank, but I’m not confident that I am getting lighting levels right.

It is my first experience of LED lighting and they seemed very bright for the type of setup that I am trying to achieve. To counter this I partially covered the bulbs on one side and lights are only on for 8 hours a day – at the moment that is 3 hours in the morning and then another 5 hours in the afternoon. The tank is tucked away and gets no direct natural light.

My question is about the condensation cover which gets covered in water droplets and seems to diffuse a large amount of light. I get quite a nice dappled affect on the plants, but I’m worried that they are not getting enough light now. The low nana barteri in particular are not doing very well. The java fern and larger anubias are doing well, but they are higher in the tank and get more light.

On advice of LFS I'm dosing 1ml of Excel Flourish every second day and JBL Ferropol once a week.

Any advice much appreciated.

Dave

 

[Bacms]

What exactly is happening with the plants? It is hard to diagnose just based on your words. Your lighting schedule is also not ideal, my guessing is that you are having lights on while you are at home, but as far as I can understand this is no good for the plants. But I am sure someone more experienced will chime in soon on that

 

[DaveyH]

Thanks for reply. I'll get some pics tonight. My smaller anubias are tied to small pebbles and bits of driftwood. I can see that they aren't sending out any new roots, while the larger ones seem to be doing this. Also leaves are going a bit yellow in places and I can't see the beginnings of any new growth. It has only been five weeks or so, so I am probably getting worried too soon, but the java fern seems to be doing very well.

I will definitely take advice on lighting schedule. I read somewhere that having a gap is good for plants and not so good for algae, but I don't know how true that is.

 

[ian_m]

I would be more worried about the plants getting nitrates and phosphates as Ferropol does not contain these, so straight off your plants are going to suffer (eventually), especially as you are dosing Excel and sounds like your light (especially LEDs) are quite bright.

This is a much much cheaper way (may 100 times cheaper ?) of fertilising your plants and is exactly the same except you are not buying expensive designer water. You can use your own expensive tap water instead.
http://www.aquariumplantfood.co.uk/fertilisers/dry-chemicals/starter-kits/ei-starter-kit.html

I read somewhere that having a gap is good for plants and not so good for algae, but I don't know how true that is.

A myth, as actually bad for plants. Plants and algae are the same'ish what's good for one is good for the other, the trick is to get it so that algae doesn't get started...controlling light, keeping tank clean etc etc.

Better is one long photoperiod, say starting at 4hours when tank is set up, extending (and brightening) over first couple of months as plants and tank settles down.

As for your evaporation covers, ignore them, plants are getting light so fine, just worry about controlling the light and fertilising the plants.

 

[DaveyH]

Thanks very much. Original question answered and more.

Here is a phone pic from a couple of weeks back - excuse quality. Smaller plants not looking as healthy now, but I will take advice on board and hope for the best.

Tank finished cycling and a couple of Endlers added this week.

 

[ajm83]

This is a much much cheaper way (may 100 times cheaper ?) of fertilising your plants and is exactly the same except you are not buying expensive designer water. You can use your own expensive tap water instead.
http://www.aquariumplantfood.co.uk/fertilisers/dry-chemicals/starter-kits/ei-starter-kit.html

Is it okay to make up the trace mix with tap even with hard/relatively high pH water?

I recall there is some issue there but can't for the life of me remember the details.

 

[Bacms]

as far as I can see you only have anubias and swords which are low light plants so I would actually try to reduce the light in there as well

 

[ian_m]

Is it okay to make up the trace mix with tap even with hard/relatively high pH water?

I personally haven't had any issues mixing with 22 Clark water. But if worried use cooled boiled water first. The trace usually contains ascorbic acid which will lower the pH anyway, keeping the traces chelated.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I would be more worried about the plants getting nitrates and phosphates as Ferropol does not contain these, so straight off your plants are going to suffer (eventually), especially as you are dosing Excel and sounds like your light (especially LEDs) are quite bright.

This is a much much cheaper way (may 100 times cheaper ?) of fertilising your plants and is exactly the same except you are not buying expensive designer water.

That is the one. Have a look at <"James' Planted Tank - All in One">, and our sponsors <"http://www.aquariumplantfood.co.uk/"> (other sponsors are available).

Because you have slow growing plants another option is the <"Duckweed index"> (& <"Ferts Advice...">).

s it okay to make up the trace mix with tap even with hard/relatively high pH water?

It depends a little bit on the chelator, but generally you are better off with either RO/DI or rain water. If you use EDTA as an iron source, then you will need RO or similar. You can just to acidify the micro-element/FeEDTA mix with a weak acid (ascorbic or citric etc). White (spirit) vinegar would do.

A final option is to use freshly boiled tap water, you would need to pour the water into a separate container when it is boiling. Because carbonates are only soluble in equilibrium with dissolved CO2, and gas solubility declines with increasing temperature, boiling water contains no CO2, and no dKH. Any addition of acid, however weak, will then reduce.

cheers Darrel

 

[alto]

Both Dennerle & Dupla (both of whom had many followers & some very successful planted tanks) promoted this interrupted photoperiod - depending on circumstance it works very well.
As I recall you want each photoperiod to be ~ 4 hours with a rest period of 4 hours or so; the 4 h light period was based upon plant studies & not just an arbitrary value; during the rest period, CO2 levels may rise with fish respiration, atmospheric exchange, reduced consumption by plants ...

Before adding CO2 I followed this methodology on some tanks & not on others (it's nice to see tanks in the morning & evening ), both tanks had steady growth (Sera floredepot base with fine gravel substrate), very little algae, lighting was T8's as included in the tank kits (Hagen Tropiquarium for those with long memories ) ... plants used were mainly in Tropica's "easy" range, with a few "medium", Tropica fertilizer dosed at water changes

I'd be surprised if the small amount of ascorbic acid included in the trace mix has much effect on the pH of hard, alkaline water ...

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I'd be surprised if the small amount of ascorbic acid included in the trace mix has much effect on the pH of hard, alkaline water ...

You are right it just keeps the iron & trace elements in solution in their separate stock bottles.

Once they are in the tank the ions will react with the various hydroxides, carbonates and phosphates (that are in solution) to form insoluble compounds. Because plants only need zinc ions (Zn++) etc in very small amounts, usually enough is available via reducing zones in the substrate etc.

It is a real problem keeping iron (Fe) in solution, which is why we always supply it in a chelated form. Other elements (principally copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and manganese (Mn) are sometimes used in chelated forms for <"hydroponics">.

If you have FeEDTA it won't chelate other ions, because Fe++(+) is the <"most strongly bound element">.

cheers Darrel