• 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

New set up Water RO or Tap? Start up photoperiod?

andyone

Member
Joined
29 Aug 2010
Messages
86
Hi all

Planning a new set up soon 100x50x50 ADA Amazonia soil, CO2 via in line Aquamedic diffuser, Ehiem professional 31200XET Thermo, circulation pump with Arcadia 4x39w T5's. So I guess from reading here High Tec and plan on trying EI fert dosing using a propitiatory dry mix for macro and micro.

Not my first but hopefully better than the last! Scape will be rock/wood with moss and a carpet plant(s) not decided yet too much choice on here!

A few questions if you don't mind.

Live in Wakefield so the water is quite soft and from tests low in phosphate I've have always maintained using straight tap water at 50% change/week. What do you think to starting up on tap water with Phosphate remover in filter or should I go RO I have a unit but the filters/membrane need changing plus I'm on a water meter and tight!

Also what water change regime would you suggest in the early days and photo period?

PS Keep the spray bar or replace with glass Lily on side "end to end" flow or "back to front" flow with circulation pump in same configuration?

Thanks

Andy
 
Be prepared for a big change potassium nitrate and potassium phosphate are your Macros and you might only need to use 2 of you 4 t5's initially
Perhaps a look in the tutorials section at 'lighting' & 'estimative index (EI)' would be of use
Water chemistry is a completely different ball game in a high tech planted tank.
 
Hi all


Also what water change regime would you suggest in the early days and photo period?

PS Keep the spray bar or replace with glass Lily on side "end to end" flow or "back to front" flow with circulation pump in same configuration?

Thanks

Andy

Keep the spray bar with it rippling but not breaking the surface.
If you can do it first week 7x50% WC, second week 4xWC, third week 3xWC four week 2xWC then at least 50% WC a week. Water changes are you friends.
Start EI dosing as soon as you've planted and filled up the tank.
1 or maximum 2 t5 tubes running 6 hours for the first month, then see increase every month by 1 hour till you have 8 hours.
Turn your CO2 on 2 hours before lights on ensuring you have a lime green drop checker at lights on, you can turn the CO2 off 1-2 hours before lights off.
 
Thanks all for the pointers appreciated I'll take this on board.

Started reading the Tutorials, your correct things are a bit different to when I started 10 years ago with a Dennerle based system:eek:.

I'll start a journal so you can see how things work out once I feel ready to make a proper start.

cheers
 
I go RO all the way. Always have. Where I live at the moment the tap water is pretty good. It enables my RO to be less than 5ppm usually at 1ppm. Then I add ferts and conditioners and have zero problems with fish or plants.
 
Back
Top