Laurie Chatterton
Seedling
- Joined
- 23 Nov 2010
- Messages
- 12
Hi all
Just strarted in this planted aquarium lark after a tank rebuild due to a complete strip down for a re-silicone job on a tank leak. The tank was originaly a fish only with mininal plants for 20 years with internal filters and a single T8 tube, this has now changed to a become a fully planted afair with the following equipment.
Tank 48"W x 15"D x 18"H
Lighting is two by 46" T5 HO tropical tubes from Iquatics, currently on from 1300H to 2300H
Co2 System 2kg Fire Extinguisher, coupled to an AE Design 250 Glass Diffuser via an AE Design Bubble Counter set at 1b/sec solenoid is switched on 1 hour before lights on and off 1 hour before lights off.
Fluval 305 external filter fitted with a diy spraybar (42" length of 20mm plastic conduit with 32 x 3mm holes), this gives surface agitation and flow from back to front along the full width of the tank.
Additional flow is added with a Hydor Nano 1600 (switched on and off with the Co2 System)
Heating is by a Fluval E series 300W Heater set at 25deg.
Fert Dosing is by EI
Substrate is gravel base with 1.5kg API First Layer Full Laterite topped with 45kg Argos playsand (washed)
The tank was running for two weeks with only the hardscape in to ensure all equipment functioning (bar the Co2) until plants arrived, they were delayed due to the current adverse weather.
This weekend added a 48" tropical plant set from Java-Plants, couple of questions arose when planting was completed.
Some of the background stem plant tops are in the flow of the spray bar and the more fleshy ones look to be melting in the flow, the spraybar is about 1" below the water level and angled about 15deg above horizontal to flow across the tank and agitate the surface as well as flow to the front of the tank.
The main question I have here is it best to keep the plant tops out of the flow and if so what is the best method of trimming, can the stem plants be trimmed at the top or do they need to be removed and trimmed at the bottom, some plants are rooted I asume they need topping.
A second point is regarding the Hydor Nano I have noticed when the Co2 Solenoid is switched off and the Nano stops reducing the circulation the Fluval heater shows the water temp rises to 26 deg for a short period, I take it there is no issue here just the response time of the heater to the reduced circulation.
I will be monitoring and checking plant growth and water quality over the coming weeks before adding fish and shrimps, I only have two of my previous fishes left from the original setup in a small tank a Clown Loach (50/60cm) and a rummy nosed tetra.
Any advise would be appreciated, I will sort some pictures out shortly.
Laurie.
Just strarted in this planted aquarium lark after a tank rebuild due to a complete strip down for a re-silicone job on a tank leak. The tank was originaly a fish only with mininal plants for 20 years with internal filters and a single T8 tube, this has now changed to a become a fully planted afair with the following equipment.
Tank 48"W x 15"D x 18"H
Lighting is two by 46" T5 HO tropical tubes from Iquatics, currently on from 1300H to 2300H
Co2 System 2kg Fire Extinguisher, coupled to an AE Design 250 Glass Diffuser via an AE Design Bubble Counter set at 1b/sec solenoid is switched on 1 hour before lights on and off 1 hour before lights off.
Fluval 305 external filter fitted with a diy spraybar (42" length of 20mm plastic conduit with 32 x 3mm holes), this gives surface agitation and flow from back to front along the full width of the tank.
Additional flow is added with a Hydor Nano 1600 (switched on and off with the Co2 System)
Heating is by a Fluval E series 300W Heater set at 25deg.
Fert Dosing is by EI
Substrate is gravel base with 1.5kg API First Layer Full Laterite topped with 45kg Argos playsand (washed)
The tank was running for two weeks with only the hardscape in to ensure all equipment functioning (bar the Co2) until plants arrived, they were delayed due to the current adverse weather.
This weekend added a 48" tropical plant set from Java-Plants, couple of questions arose when planting was completed.
Some of the background stem plant tops are in the flow of the spray bar and the more fleshy ones look to be melting in the flow, the spraybar is about 1" below the water level and angled about 15deg above horizontal to flow across the tank and agitate the surface as well as flow to the front of the tank.
The main question I have here is it best to keep the plant tops out of the flow and if so what is the best method of trimming, can the stem plants be trimmed at the top or do they need to be removed and trimmed at the bottom, some plants are rooted I asume they need topping.
A second point is regarding the Hydor Nano I have noticed when the Co2 Solenoid is switched off and the Nano stops reducing the circulation the Fluval heater shows the water temp rises to 26 deg for a short period, I take it there is no issue here just the response time of the heater to the reduced circulation.
I will be monitoring and checking plant growth and water quality over the coming weeks before adding fish and shrimps, I only have two of my previous fishes left from the original setup in a small tank a Clown Loach (50/60cm) and a rummy nosed tetra.
Any advise would be appreciated, I will sort some pictures out shortly.
Laurie.