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Thank you

Antony

Antony

Seedling
Joined
13 Oct 2017
Messages
13
Location
Rainham
I’ve been keeping fish for around forty years, and have always struggled to grow plants, then eighteen months ago I discovered this site, this is just a big thank you to everyone for they great advice that they have shared here, from flow and distribution, and being told that you can grow plant in any light, and substrate without spending a fortune. Here’s a picture of my lido 120 with original filter in use T5 lighting, and plain gravel.
c2c7f2cc06f22e1ea7ae012c57172405.jpg



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ian_m said:
Tell us more....tank size, filters, CO2 ?, ferts etc etc etc...
Click to expand...

Hi yes sorry should have given more detail, it’s a juwel tank with 120lts capacity.
It was set up before I discovered this site so it still has the bio flow internal filter it came with, I’ve had no problem with it, other than getting the 10x water turn over, it only delivers 600 lts per minute (manufactures claim!! ) so taking the advice from here I added two flow pumps, 1000 lts per minute each on the back wall pointing to the front and slightly up to break the surface.
I inject food grade Co2 via a 6.5 kg cylinder with a Co2art valve group, to a 50mm bazooka diffuser. As I didn’t like the mist in the tank I inserted the diffuser into the filter between the second a third sponge in the top section. The Co2 comes on two hours before lights on, and off one hour before lights off. The drop checker is a mid green at lights on and lime green at lights off.
The flow pumps are also hooked up to the same timer as the gas, giving the fish time off from the flow.
The lighting is the standard t5 daylight bulbs with reflectors, with an eight hour photo period, this could still be to long but as things are going well, I have left it alone.
I’m using Co2 supermarket all in one macro and micro ferts 20mm daily, 4mm of liquid carbon daily.
The substrate is plain black gravel, 2mm to 3mm diameter.


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Well you have just shown that with decent flow and CO2 injection it is possible to get good plant growth and algae free tank.

Might want to angle the flow pumps down a bit to reduce surface agitation to enable more CO2 to stay in the tank thus getting your drop checker darker green at lights on.

The Juwel T5 lights with reflectors are definitely in high light region, so watch the tank as you will only have a couple of days notice for things going wrong....(normally algae and plants melting).....
 
ian_m said:
Well you have just shown that with decent flow and CO2 injection it is possible to get good plant growth and algae free tank.

Might want to angle the flow pumps down a bit to reduce surface agitation to enable more CO2 to stay in the tank thus getting your drop checker darker green at lights on.

The Juwel T5 lights with reflectors are definitely in high light region, so watch the tank as you will only have a couple of days notice for things going wrong....(normally algae and plants melting).....
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice will angle flow pumps down a touch.

I agree about the lighting, but this has been running like this since the end of December, I still have some green spot algae on some of the leaves, and a dusting on the glass which is removed twice a week, but even this is gradually disappearing, but I am keeping a eye on it.


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Been thinking about the suggestion that my two T5 daylight bulbs with reflectors and running for 8 hours is too much light, although all appears to be ok, I do have some green spot algae on some of the leaves.
Would it be best to remove the reflectors and keep the photo period at 8 hours, or leave them on and reduce the photo period, and if so what would be safe increments to reduce it by.
Any suggestions gladly appreciated.


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Wow that is beautiful and congratulations. I'm currently starting out with my first planted tank (lido 120l). Are you using the filter/pump the tank came with.
 
If you're planing on a low-energy planted tank the inbuilt filter should be fine. If you want to inject CO2 you will probably need to either invest in an external canister filter and perhaps remove the inbuilt one, or think about adding a powerhead.
 
Hi Anthony, I kept the internal filter but to increase the flow round the tank I fitted two circulation pumps to the back wall on either side pointing to the front.
 
P.s you have made me think about my flow and rest periods... thanks

Might put my biggest filter on the back wall again to spread out distribution and look at getting some circulation pumps to be on with co2, great little idea.
 
I have no new pictures at the moment, at the beginning of the year we was looking to move and was going to move the tank to my daughters to make the move easier, to make it more simpler for them to look after I decided to cut the Co2 and cut the lighting period down.
Unfortunately the move never happened and the tank suffered. I’m in the process of building it back up and it is looking pretty good.
I’ve kept to the same processes I learnt on this site.
I’m still using the original internal filter and as mentioned the two circulation pumps to push the Co2 all around the tank, they are also connected to the Co2 timer this given the fish a rest period from the flow overnight.
 
Last edited:
Image above as tank is now beginning to recover following stopping Co2
Co2 been back on for around five weeks.
Considering breaking it down and starting again.
 
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