• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

Dou's 90x36x30 (25G/90L)

Maybe try L uniflora for texture - it won't try & take over at least :)

A Lilaeopsis might also look good (I really liked the growth from this 1,2-Grow version)

I've seen S subulata used effectively as texture (perhaps in a Mark Evans journal??? - if my recall is accurate, he ended up trimming most at the substrate level, also scape was "done" in a few months, it might be more awkward in a longterm scape) ... anytime I've grown this it arbitrarily grows short or tall (as mentioned by Tropica :cool:)
 
Thanks guys... I was going to get it tomorrow and it looks like I dodged a headache haha. The funny thing is, I actually have some lilaeopsis and now that you mention it that just might work. It grows kind of tall (like 3-4 inches) so I would be trimming that quite a bit as well. I haven't tried many crypts but from the photos I've seen they are a little murky in colour which is not exactly what I'm looking for. And wow - l. uniflora looks great! My only concern at this point is that the green will be a bit too dark in comparison to the kei stone and other plants. It may work if I plant them in the corners of stones and/or underneath the stem plant I choose...
 
Last edited:
Photo update... planted. I think the biological filter just got going - noticing some algae now (probably due to higher nitrate levels). Plants are rotala rotundifolia/singapore, DHG Mini and Monte carlo. Just realized the photo colour is kinda skewed, I think it's cause the light setting I put it on has red LEDs on as well as the white ones. Edit// Fixed photo colour, was rushing earlier but took some time to correct the white balance.

431g94k.png
 

Attachments

  • 431g94k.png
    431g94k.png
    4.2 MB · Views: 158
  • 431g94k.png
    431g94k.png
    4.2 MB · Views: 167
  • 431g94k.png
    431g94k.png
    4.2 MB · Views: 164
  • 431g94k.png
    431g94k.png
    4.2 MB · Views: 156
Last edited:
Fixed photo above, had a really red tinge and was rushing when I originally posted. I am also starting to see diatoms - and I can't tell if the water is actually clear or darker like the photo above (perhaps reflection of the contents?). Regardless... I'll be doing a 25% WC tomorrow. It's only been about 9-10 days since flooding (and the filter is still cycling). Last time I checked ammonia was at 8ppm+ (with API test kit). Edit// Water was actually a tannin-y colour, ended up being bothered by it and did a 75% WC. It's much clearer now... actually now that I think about it, it looks like the same colour as my nitrate liquid fertilizer. Since I'm still cycling, I have a feeling it's probably due to the conversion of all the ammonia -> nitrite -> nitrate.
 
Last edited:
The yellow water is actually humic acid being released from the Amazonia due to high alkalinity levels. I was trying to do too much from the start with neutral regulator and this is the result haha. I did another 75% WC yesterday without adding more neutral regulator back in and will let the acid settle on its own now.

http://www.adana.co.jp/en/release/detail?id=80
 
Last edited:
Quick update on the tank - added some marsila hisuta as well. Monte carlo adapted and some died off - and trimmed and replanted a ton of rotala rotundifolia. I'm actually in the middle of creating a custom wood stand that spans half of my den-ish... so once that's complete I will be able to fit EVERYTHING and possibly more (which also explains my lack of photo updates too). Hopefully when I move the tank off the current Kallax, I don't knock or push anything over...

pVPjEBW.png
 
Just an update before I trimmed ALL of the rotala rotundifolia to get a better shape (and to see how it grows back). I got over 100 stems...

Notes: The Finnex 24/7+ can indeed grow a carpet - but the LED dispersion/cone isn't that great. My judgement comes from the fact that my rotala rotundifolia started skewing/growing towards the center. The monte carlo at the very front of the tank is also not carpeting as well as the center areas and areas closer to the light. My solution is to order another light so that I can have a better spread (in hindsight, this is probably why you would want a stronger light if going high-tech). Also noticed that a brown algae outbreak occurred when I added in too much equilibrium at one time - note to self - don't do that again. Another observation was that ramshorn snails do not like to be in acidic water - I had a huge die off which created a mini ammonia spike which also lead to algae growth. In terms of the aquascape - I am feeling the right side is a bit too open - I may try adding sagittaria subulata to take up space while leaving it a bit "open". I have yet to add marsilea quadrifolia which is also coming soon as well.

sioPpGB.png
 
Looks really great, envy to your clean stones.

It's.. not as clean as you think - my photo editing skills are pretty good haha. I'm still learning a lot right now - and there used to be a huge amount of GSA that's been steadily dying (you can see a lot of it on the right side). If you look closely on the right side, you'll see some brown algae as well. Everything takes time...
 
Update on the 90CM tank:
- Added an extra finnex 24/7+, immediately noticed the rotata growing evenly and colouring up
- Trying to devise some sort of hanging structure (so that I can suspend lights ~4 inches form the surface, which I predict to be the right balance for my plants to grow well/colour up while not having too much GSA), you can sort of see it in the beginning stages now
- Carpet slowly filling out the front - added some lilaeopsis maruitana as well in certain areas. Everything is bound for a good trimming soon.
- Still working on my photo taking skills... haha. Noticed that the colours from all my progress photos always change as I try to match what I actually see...

PtSlCT4.png
 
Thanks Cookie - one thing I am trying to balance out right now is GDA. Do you or anyone have any suggestions to combat it? It's not horrible and that bad, but it grows on the aquarium walls here and there (which I wipe down every WC) along with the stones. The ramshorn snails definitely love it but I would like to minimize it further... From what I read online - it's just a patience/time issue. I just don't like how the rocks get completely covered after 2 weeks or so.
 
Maybe try to dose less NO3, and maybe less light...What's your daily lightning Time?
 
Maybe try to dose less NO3, and maybe less light...What's your daily lightning Time?

It's 6.5 hours now I think... or maybe 7. I will check when I'm back in the den haha. I've adjusted intensity a bit so hopefully it helps...

And a 90CM Update: Plants growing in, trimmed rotala/trying to maintain it another way, added 30 ember tetras from April's and testing new dosing regime & lighting setting (as my skimmer is building up way too fast and onset of GDA/GSA), hung the light fixtures DIY style with metal strapping and rope =).

41YU1sY.png
 
Back
Top