Hi there
this is my first post - please be gentle if i ask some pretty basic/stupid questions!
I have had a low-tech planted set-up for a couple of years, and have finally taken the decision to add pressurised CO2. I took the decision to empty out the water from the original set-up, remove all previous plants, but keep the substrate (Columbo Flora Base planting substrate), and add some new substrate to enable me to do a slightly more interesting layout. The new set-up now has approximately 3/4 new water, and 1/4 of the previous water which i returned to the tank.
Firstly, would this be considered a new set-up, or is the fact that a proportion of the water, most of the substrate, plus the filter being "mature" mean that i can short-cut a lot of the guidance for new set-ups?
Secondly, and this is my main question, do people generally build up the light when adding pressurised CO2 for the first time, or should i start with the level of light that i think is the right long-term sustainable level? I seem to have read different ideas.
The technical details of my new set-up are as follows (please accept any terminology mistakes!):
Annoyingly, the Hemianthus Callitrichoides wasn't ready at the same time, so the online order for these will arrive next week. This was a bit frustrating as i received the rest of the order, and therefore needed to plant them before they died. I now have the challenge of someone planting the next plants while the tank is full of water!
So, apologies for the long message, but any help on whether i should reduce the lighting until the newly-planted plants adjust the the CO2 level would be great. I want to avoid the 8 hour lighting duration from creating a big algae problem.
Also, one more thing, the java ferna already looks quite brown (in just two days since gluing it to my bogwood). Is this a sign it is struggling already? I thought java fern was meant to be fairly easy and hardy?
Many thanks for your help
Peter
this is my first post - please be gentle if i ask some pretty basic/stupid questions!
I have had a low-tech planted set-up for a couple of years, and have finally taken the decision to add pressurised CO2. I took the decision to empty out the water from the original set-up, remove all previous plants, but keep the substrate (Columbo Flora Base planting substrate), and add some new substrate to enable me to do a slightly more interesting layout. The new set-up now has approximately 3/4 new water, and 1/4 of the previous water which i returned to the tank.
Firstly, would this be considered a new set-up, or is the fact that a proportion of the water, most of the substrate, plus the filter being "mature" mean that i can short-cut a lot of the guidance for new set-ups?
Secondly, and this is my main question, do people generally build up the light when adding pressurised CO2 for the first time, or should i start with the level of light that i think is the right long-term sustainable level? I seem to have read different ideas.
The technical details of my new set-up are as follows (please accept any terminology mistakes!):
- 200L (probably about 150L of water, with maximum water depth of approx 20 inches)
- pressurised CO2 (aiming for around 20-30ppm)
- 4 x 39W T5 lights. Currently timed for 8 hours (with 2 lights for the full 8 hours, and the other 2 for the middle 6 hours)
- External filter with 1200L p/h
- two additional (small) powerheads to try and improve circulation
Annoyingly, the Hemianthus Callitrichoides wasn't ready at the same time, so the online order for these will arrive next week. This was a bit frustrating as i received the rest of the order, and therefore needed to plant them before they died. I now have the challenge of someone planting the next plants while the tank is full of water!
So, apologies for the long message, but any help on whether i should reduce the lighting until the newly-planted plants adjust the the CO2 level would be great. I want to avoid the 8 hour lighting duration from creating a big algae problem.
Also, one more thing, the java ferna already looks quite brown (in just two days since gluing it to my bogwood). Is this a sign it is struggling already? I thought java fern was meant to be fairly easy and hardy?
Many thanks for your help
Peter