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ADA 60-P planted tank 'Prairie' (month 5)

Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (week 1 photos)

Right question time.

I have the check valve seen earlier in this journal and just realised it isn't in my CO2 line.

My question is how do I know which way round it should go or can it go either way? Maybe a stupid question but I'd rather be sure!
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (week 1 photos)

pariahrob said:
Right question time.

I have the check valve seen earlier in this journal and just realised it isn't in my CO2 line.

My question is how do I know which way round it should go or can it go either way? Maybe a stupid question but I'd rather be sure!
Click to expand...

I can't tell from the pic, but you could try blowing through it. You will only be able to blow through one end, that'll let you know which way the gas will flow through it ( and hopefully the way the water won't )
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (week 1 photos)

Thats definitely Blyxa. I had a load in my tank and sold it off :( Lovely plant and wish I still had it. Sold about 30 plantlets for a tenner, which is annoying as I see that 5 go for £4 apparently. Aquadream (Georgie) had some for sale from his tank, but I was worried about the transport from the continent so I didn't buy it. Wish to heck I had cos it looked fantastically health. You got some nice plants there though. Can I ask what you paid for them ? I think I may have to get P@H to order some in for me, if their courier can manage not to lose the plants this week !
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (week 1 photos)

pariahrob said:
Apart from the straggly looking glosso (which I need to hack back) I paid a tenner for all the plants you see. There was another blyxa as well but it wasn't in a good way once I'd unwrapped it.
Click to expand...

Bargain ! :)
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (week 1 photos)

Been shopping again today. First up some nice and healthy looking Cuba

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Followed by some nice looking Pogostemon Helferi, which I've been hunting for. Turns out Dobbies had it in yesterday, so grabbed it.

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The pogo was pretty straight forward to break up and plant but I took a little more care with the HC, as my attempt to set up a carpet with gloss failed (mostly due to my inexperience and lack of CO2 I think. Split like so, big enough to plant easily and stay put but small enough to kick start a nice carpet. I could only find the two pots, so will have to order some more online.

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My plan is to have a nice carpeted central valley which will transition up the slopes and round the rocks into something more varied and with some height. I'm going for a balance of visual appeal and something that my fish can enjoy with some variation and places to hide and so on.

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My next task (other than to bin the nasty pipes and to clean up the background) is find a focus plant. The point between the two back most large stones is pulling the eye really well now and that space is crying out for something interesting. I have no idea what to put there and I'm open to suggestions but please post a photo, as I'm still learning the names of everything.

For now, here are a few photos of areas as they stand today:

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Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (week 1 photos)

I've got a drop checker reading a slightly below green at the moment, moving it round every few hours in case there are any dead flow spots.
That Stellata is very nice. That would give some nice height and colour to the back. Thanks!
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (week 1 photos)

DC now showing on the yellow side of green (thanks Mike) and a second day of near constant pearling. I also found a tiny snail that managed to appear from nowhere but can't see any others so hope he is alone.

Still no signs of any algae yet but having a good look every day. The new plants are all looking good and I spotted some of the older glosso which I thought was dead sprung some leaves and started pearling today. Nice surprise.

I have another question. I hadn't really paid too much attention to the temperature of my tank, as i'm still undecided on what fauna I will introduce. DOes this matter or am I better off by establishing that now? I'm using an inline Hydor filter to reduce gear in the tank and it is all installed and ready to go. Just unsure if I should start that off yet.

I used my test kit again to check everything (I know some people don't rate them but it helps me learn what things are and what the relationships are). I'm still showing high ammonia and nitrites. My guess is this is down to the amazonia and the fact that the filter is still establishing itself. I had added some API quick start, along with the ADA bacter which I thought would help bring the ammonia down. Any ideas?

The guy in my LFS has told me that I should start introducing livestock over the next couple of weeks but I would rather not if this is going to cause any harm. Is he looking for a quick few sales or what?
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (week 1 photos)

pariahrob said:
DC now showing on the yellow side of green (thanks Mike) and a second day of near constant pearling. I also found a tiny snail that managed to appear from nowhere but can't see any others so hope he is alone.

Still no signs of any algae yet but having a good look every day. The new plants are all looking good and I spotted some of the older glosso which I thought was dead sprung some leaves and started pearling today. Nice surprise.

I have another question. I hadn't really paid too much attention to the temperature of my tank, as i'm still undecided on what fauna I will introduce. DOes this matter or am I better off by establishing that now? I'm using an inline Hydor filter to reduce gear in the tank and it is all installed and ready to go. Just unsure if I should start that off yet.

I used my test kit again to check everything (I know some people don't rate them but it helps me learn what things are and what the relationships are). I'm still showing high ammonia and nitrites. My guess is this is down to the amazonia and the fact that the filter is still establishing itself. I had added some API quick start, along with the ADA bacter which I thought would help bring the ammonia down. Any ideas?

The guy in my LFS has told me that I should start introducing livestock over the next couple of weeks but I would rather not if this is going to cause any harm. Is he looking for a quick few sales or what?
Click to expand...

Hi so now things seem to be looking good, can you tell us what your tank stats are now ?? CO2 time, light time, light intensity, ferts regime and any liquid carbon ? Cheers.
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (week 1 photos)

Ok, so this is an ADA 60-P which I think is 70L?

CO2 on at 8:00am
Lights on at 11:00am

CO2 off at 7:00pm
Lights off at 8:00pm

I'm adding ADA green bright step 1 every morning. I had been doing a 30% water change each day but I've been told to stop that now and do a 50% weekly change instead. (This was by the same guy at my LFS).

Levels as of today are:

PH is 7 and has been since the start.
NO3 is at 5ppm
NH3 is now at 3ppm was 4 a week ago.
NO2 is 0.25

My CO2 is now at just under 2bpm but not sure that is so relevant, as surely that is dependant on pressure in canister, diameter of tubing and other things. I've been using that more as a baseline to control what my drop checker is showing.
I've placed the diffuser so it outputs right into the flow of my spray bar and then gets pushed round the tank.

I realise I'm only in to week two here and is very early days but prevention has to be better than cure, so I'm trying to learn all I can and keep things on an even keel.
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (week 1 photos)

Learning early and hitting the ground running is good :thumbup: I think you mean bps not bpm lol. But you are right, its meaningless. 2bps in 70L compared to 2bps in 300L is a big difference ;) Your lighting seems to be on a LONG time mate.
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (week 1 photos)

Your lighting period is 9 hours mate. That is A LOT OF LIGHT ! Mine was 7 hours and I have just reduced it back to 6. Light is the driving force of plant growth, BUT the more light they get the more CO2 and ferts they need. You are trying to get the CO2 levels optimal at the moment but I personally think your light period is too long. You do have HC and from most of what I have read on here it appreciates good high lighting but that means intensity not duration. If it was mine I would be looking to get the CO2 rate such that the DC was green to lime green by lights on and then have it go off an hour before lights out, which I would have as a 6, max 7 hour period. My tank is a larger volume so I have two options, either increase the length of time the CO2 is on for before lights on (we are aiming to have a good usable level of CO2 saturation for when the lights come on and start stimulating plant growth as you know) OR increase the injection rate. Today, for the first time, I achieved that lime green but by the end of the photoperiod the fish were looking a bit peed off. Not gasping or stressed but a bit moochy. I therefore think that its better to have it on a bit longer to start with at a lower rate, and maybe go off two hours before instead of one. That way the plants get what they want but I will reach a balance of CO2 saturation and happy fish.

Hope that helps. But don't change it on my word. I am just repeating what people have told me. Lights on too long causes problems. Get the balance right on a shorter lighting period, then if you want to up the lights you can up the CO2 and ferts accordingly :)
 
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