Bigians 220l Planted Tank, Journal Thingy...

[Themuleous]

I would reduce the lighting level and length until your CO2 arrives, as you dont want the algae to get to much of a hold until you've got it to the necessary 30ppm.

Sam

 

[BigIan]

Lighting is down to 1.25 ppm and 8 hrs a day...now

 

[Themuleous]

Cool

 

[George Farmer]

Planting and lighting before adding CO2!? A recipe for algae, especially with uber-nutrient-rich Aqua Soil.

 

[BigIan]

As i wanted to strip the tank down and clean it all and sort the lighting out so the wires arent tangled it had to be done on a weekend and i was thinking the co2 kit was supposed to be here on monday.....
oh well looks like i`ll have to break out some elbow grease and my ammano shrimp and otto`s will love the alge when they get in there

 

[BigIan]

And at last after many hours on the phone and chaing down citylink vans i`ve found my co2 kit. its all set up and working nicely, i`ve set it at 2 bps for the time being untill i can lay my hands on an electroic PH meter to test my water and be able to get a decent reading of my co2

Now i have to think about stocking.. i`m not sure what to go for, angels or something like congo tetras and some small rasboras

 

[BigIan]

This weekend we had a surprise....

No ammonia, so i transfered the fish from the holding tank into the main tank and every one seems to be doing well, tank inhabitants are 3 ottos, 12 ammano shrimp (can only ever see one at a time) 2 opaline goramis and 1 black angel.
I had a slight out break of green spot alge that i`m now hoping i have under control..
I still cant acurately gauge my Co2 as i`m still lacking a ph test that will go below 6 (i`m guessing that the alge out break was due to lack of co2 so i`ve upped the rate slightly,
The plants are pearling well and are growing at a huge rate. (cabomba has doubled in size in 3 days)

Once i get rid of the huge floating mats of hornwort and riccia in there i may post pics

 

[Themuleous]

Sounds like its coming along nicely

Sam

 

[BigIan]

Pics tomorrow....

been an eventful few weeks in the tank...
pruning the cabomba every couple of days. (can`t wait to find something to replace it with)
An infestation of green spot alge that won`t go away,
20 cardinal tetras have been added and look amazing in there
My amazon swrd must have grown to nearly 18 inches tall and the leaves are about 4 inches acroos and it looks amazing.
the red lilly i have in there has leaves the size of my hand, and they all rise up and fold in as its pearling.
The only things thats annoying me is the slow growth of my crypts as i have an empty spot in the back corner of my tank,

 

[BigIan]

Forgive the poo picture quality. but it seems to have added a nice effect in the last pic.

You can see what i mean about the4 dead spot in the back right hand side now.

Any constructive crisism greatly apreciated

 

[stang1]

I think your tank looks great BigIan. The plants look nice an matured and fill the tank out nicely.

 

[Fwapp]

Your tank looks lush mate everything I hope my tank will be.

Constructive criticism? From a chap like me, with the artistic ability of a broken fridge door, I'd say the tank is biased to the left too much. I think you need something on the right to cover over the filter intake(?)

Perhaps Vallis or something else tall, so the leaves trail back to the left., and something in the RH foreground.

Apart from that I'd be dead chuffed with it


Is the tank a Rena Aqualife? It appears Santa may have one for me! If it is, what do you think of it?

 

[andyt_uk]

looks awesome mate
looks like a forest compared to mine

 

[BigIan]

Thanks fWAPP, i have some crypt crispatula in the rear right hand side and they should hopefully grow up cover the intacke and the co2 reactor ect, and the foreground is awaiting the srrival of some HC, then i may toy with it either having some cmall crypts growing through it or small stnes coverd in riccia

 

[Fwapp]

Thanks fWAPP, i have some crypt crispatula in the rear right hand side and they should hopefully grow up cover the intacke and the co2 reactor ect, and the foreground is awaiting the srrival of some HC, then i may toy with it either having some cmall crypts growing through it or small stnes coverd in riccia

I have some crypt crispatula too, and as you say, it'll grow up and over giving you the effect I think I mean