My Planted Journal

[CAC]

Wow, it looks awesome!!!
What you planning on keeping in there, cos youve got a big space to use...
What lights are they? T5 or MH i presume...

Mikey

 

[lljdma06]

Tank is looking very good, Joel. It's just huge! Mine are tiny next to yours.

llj

 

[RadaR]

Wow, thats some nice development there Joel.

 

[Themuleous]

Thats some great growth, looking great

Sam

 

[julia298]

That tanks looking fab, Joel.

Oh I wish I had space for a really big tank. or two.

 

[George Farmer]

Great growth Joel and nice photography. What camera is that?

Also, what lighting have you got? Looks like 3 x 150w MH and T8? For £300 that's a bargain.

 

[mikster]

Superb tank mate, looking very lush.

 

[-=Joel=-]

Thank you for all the kind comments people. It makes it worth while when you hear things like this Lol B)

Great growth Joel and nice photography. What camera is that?

Also, what lighting have you got? Looks like 3 x 150w MH and T8? For �300 that's a bargain.

George - My camera is a DSLR Konica Minolta Dynax 5D very nice for the money and with the anit shake feature it works a treat Also had alot of practice using it Lol. Using the standard kit lense that cam with it however Im hopefully going to invest in a nice macro lens for my birthday / Christmas

The lights are 3 x 150w Halides and 4 x 54W T5s

They are ment for a marine tank but I have changed the blue T5s for these. Which makes a massive difference. Have to be honest and say £300 was a steal. I was lucky and was in the right place at the right time Lol. The person normally sells then for around £400 I think.

Joel

 

[George Farmer]

That's some lighting you have. Keep on top of your CO2 and ferts whatever you do!

What photoperiod are you running, do you stagger the MH and T5?

 

[-=Joel=-]

Im dosing ferts daily but not sure if its enough.

10ppm of Nitrate and Your dose for ferts ?

My Co2 is at a steady 30ppm.

I have the lights on for 10 hours and both lights come on together. However it takes about 5mins for the halides to warm up & get upto full power.

Joel

 

[Puffer punk]

your tank is looking quite good look even better in a week :

 

[-=Joel=-]

Thank you.

I have to do my weekly water change tomorrow and will have to also do alot of chopping as nearly everything has reached the top of the tank which is 20inches high !!!

Not 100% sure what im doing but I sure the plants will recover Lol.

Joel

 

[George Farmer]

Joel - Have you considered running a midday lighting burst using the MH for say 4-6 hours in the middle of your 10 hour photoperiod i.e. 4 x T5 on for the whole 10 hours, with the MH on in the middle?

This technique is popular for minimising potential algae. It will also lower your electric bill and is kinder to the environment.....

 

[-=Joel=-]

I havent though about doing that however I then get into the problem of the colour of light.

My T5s are orange and when they are just on the tank looks abit iffy and it cant be good for the plants Lol.

If I where to buy some bluer T5s then I get the problem of when the halides come on the tank looks blue again.

Yes I do have abit of algae nothing major. Mainly on the front glass and on a few of the plants.However since the addition of the ansistrus the algae is slowly dissapearing.I have a breeding group of 7 in there.

Do you have any suggestions regarding the lighting situation colour wise mate ?

Joel

 

[George Farmer]

Do you have any suggestions regarding the lighting situation colour wise mate ?

Cheap, good T5s - http/www.thelightbulbshop.co.uk/product/...High+Output.htm

Look for the Colour temp 865 = Daylight / 6500K