Angus
Member
Well this is my first Ukaps journal, and i have to say i am very excited, ive had a few attempts at planted tanks before, but never really had enough money to go all out and do it properly so they weren't a great success, i had a 4foot iwagumi before that i never posted pictures of, and it went well for about a 2 months, then i lapsed in my maintenance and things went to pot, i ran it as fish and substrate only for a year, then took it down, before that i had a 3 footer, that was pretty low tech, grew lots of hygros, dwarf sag, lotus bulbs, and vallis.
i recently got given this 18Lx12Wx15H from a family friend, i chucked most of the equipment i got given with it as it was pretty dodgy.
the substrate i have in there is eco-complete, and ive got some rocks i collected on the banks of the thames (im pretty sure its granite) but thats all going to change, im debating whether to get the oliver knott soil or the ada amazonia, im just worried about clouding, and long term lifespan, as i would like to be able to use the substrate for a long time, being able to rescape as neccesary, any reviews or advice would be really helpful, and im also going to change the rocks, probably to either seiryu stone or dragon stone, depends what the lfs has in at the time.
the light is a 36w power compact t5, i think the tank works out at about 11gal so thats around 3/4 wpg, which is a bit high, but im going to blast the tank with co2 at setup as there will be no fish for the first month or so, ive also got some easycarbo incase i do get algae issues, im going to be running a 6500k bulb in the light.
Co2 is via a 2kg FE with an UP regulator, going to be diffusing via an UP atomizer inline diffuser,
filter is the old JBL model cristal profi 500, rated 1200 lph, heating is via a 200w hydor inline, filter media is bio ball bags in bottom, 1 tray of ceramic rings, 1 tray of coarse sponges, and the top tray is a mix of coarse and super fine sponges, going to be using floss on the top when i want to take pictures too.
water will enter the tank through spraybar, ive got to mod a sponge onto the end of the filter inlet as im going to be stocking with shrimp.
im going to be dosing full EI via pre mixed home-made solutions, KNo3 KH2PO4 and AE Trace. 5ml of macro 3 days a week and 2.5ml of micros 3 days a week, alternate days.
water changes will be 50% everyday for the first 2 weeks, then 50% every other day for 2 weeks, then 50% twice weekly for the rest of the tanks life. filling via a hose, no heated water, just dechlor.
as far as planting goes i am going to be planting HC at the very front of the tank, blended to eleocharis parvula in the middle, some pogostemon helferi inbetween the hardscape, and micranthemum micranthemoides at the rear, i might change the MM for some rotala wallichea to add a hint of red and orange though. substrate will be planted with 80/90% coverage, using 20 pots, i dont want to have the same plant biomass issues i did in the 4 foot.
like i said all the hardscape is going to be rearranged with new rock and aquasoil, let me know what you think and if you have any advice or constructive critiscism then please share it, heres a few pics to get all your tastebuds going,
Cheers, Gus.
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
i recently got given this 18Lx12Wx15H from a family friend, i chucked most of the equipment i got given with it as it was pretty dodgy.
the substrate i have in there is eco-complete, and ive got some rocks i collected on the banks of the thames (im pretty sure its granite) but thats all going to change, im debating whether to get the oliver knott soil or the ada amazonia, im just worried about clouding, and long term lifespan, as i would like to be able to use the substrate for a long time, being able to rescape as neccesary, any reviews or advice would be really helpful, and im also going to change the rocks, probably to either seiryu stone or dragon stone, depends what the lfs has in at the time.
the light is a 36w power compact t5, i think the tank works out at about 11gal so thats around 3/4 wpg, which is a bit high, but im going to blast the tank with co2 at setup as there will be no fish for the first month or so, ive also got some easycarbo incase i do get algae issues, im going to be running a 6500k bulb in the light.
Co2 is via a 2kg FE with an UP regulator, going to be diffusing via an UP atomizer inline diffuser,
filter is the old JBL model cristal profi 500, rated 1200 lph, heating is via a 200w hydor inline, filter media is bio ball bags in bottom, 1 tray of ceramic rings, 1 tray of coarse sponges, and the top tray is a mix of coarse and super fine sponges, going to be using floss on the top when i want to take pictures too.
water will enter the tank through spraybar, ive got to mod a sponge onto the end of the filter inlet as im going to be stocking with shrimp.
im going to be dosing full EI via pre mixed home-made solutions, KNo3 KH2PO4 and AE Trace. 5ml of macro 3 days a week and 2.5ml of micros 3 days a week, alternate days.
water changes will be 50% everyday for the first 2 weeks, then 50% every other day for 2 weeks, then 50% twice weekly for the rest of the tanks life. filling via a hose, no heated water, just dechlor.
as far as planting goes i am going to be planting HC at the very front of the tank, blended to eleocharis parvula in the middle, some pogostemon helferi inbetween the hardscape, and micranthemum micranthemoides at the rear, i might change the MM for some rotala wallichea to add a hint of red and orange though. substrate will be planted with 80/90% coverage, using 20 pots, i dont want to have the same plant biomass issues i did in the 4 foot.
like i said all the hardscape is going to be rearranged with new rock and aquasoil, let me know what you think and if you have any advice or constructive critiscism then please share it, heres a few pics to get all your tastebuds going,
Cheers, Gus.
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
