Sam's Now To Be High Light And Tech 20g

[Dave Spencer]

Another roller coaster Sam? Exciting stuff!

Looking forward to see a Dutch type from scratch. Show lldjma06 how it is done!

Dave.

 

[Themuleous]

Zig - yes, but I wouldn't think this is high light 2.5WPG on a 24USg, ok so prob mid to high. But Im not doing EI to many fish for that, just tropica trace once a week. Full light for 8hrs 20w for 1hr each side. Will reduce it more if the algae comes back.

Dave - she'll have to guts for that! but yeh will give it a try!

Sam

 

[lljdma06]

Another roller coaster Sam? Exciting stuff!

Looking forward to see a Dutch type from scratch. Show lldjma06 how it is done!

Dave.

Dave - she'll have to guts for that! but yeh will give it a try!

Sam

Poor little boys, thinking they are so terribly clever. Yeah, that tank looks super Dutch to me. Uh huh, right. Totally seeing it. Silly, silly boys.

Sam, I'm with Zig on this one, you're gonna need the CO2. This is another high-techer.

The plant in question looks to me like another Ludwigia species either Ludwigia inclinata or Ludwigia ovalis, but the picture isn't great.

 

[Themuleous]

I have CO2, will be sure to keep the CO2 at 30ppm my reasoning behind not thinking this is high light is that I used to run this tank with the same lighting before I went 'planted' with just a single (albeit big!) ech, a Madagascan lace plant which was never very happy and some swords, not nearly enough for a high light tank I wouldnt think. The hornwort wasn't in there from the begining either. I never had any algae problems when it was like this.

I also don't have the time or energy to do full EI. But you might be right, with the substrate there are probably lots of nutrients floating around the tank. Will see. If it looks like its getting out of hand, I'll remove one of the tube to give me 40w.

Sam

EDIT -

Yeah, that tank looks super Dutch to me.

what did I read recently about patience?

 

[nero]

Nice journal!
One point though, and im sure things will change as everything grows, but i think it may look better with the taller plants more towards the left corner of the tank. It looks a bit odd with the tallest plants in the middle.
Just a thought!

Thanks for keeping such a good thread going!

Nero

 

[Themuleous]

Cheers

I know what you mean about the height, but this is something of an experiment at the moment, and I was letting the plants grow a git before the first prune so should look better after Ive done that. But you're right, that's what I'm hoping to achieve long term with the tank. It's all just a bit disorderly at the moment! The plant in the left corner as actually probably as tall as the centre one its just its growing sideways instead of up! Just up luck!

Hopefully I'll be able to post more regular updates with this scape.

Sam

 

[SuperColey1]

Think I'll keep an eye on this thread Sam, similar size tank to me, and I'm just doing Plant Nutrition without EI at the mo. When the lights are sorted out in the next couple of weeks I'll have about 2.8WPG, so could see problems there.

I can't see any Bacopa Monnieri or Caroliana in your tank tho!!! Unless my IDs are wrong. From the plants I got (of which I think I have both) Monnieri is like Carolianas smaller brother I have them next to each other. The leaves on mine get really dirty, really easily, I think they are the Tetras toilet plant.

I like the look of your tank, though.

Looks like we're gonna be competing for who can produce the most algae here.

Andy

EDIT : Looking again at that plant, the lower leaves do look like Bacopas, Do Bacopas produce different leaves when under higher light?

 

[Themuleous]

Haha yes I think we will, knowing my luck with planted tanks Im sure Ill win!

Its funny you should say that about the Bacopas, it looked exactly like the pics when I got it, but since being in the tank its developed longer leaves. So either it produces these in certain conditions or its not actually Bacopas, I'm not sure. A lot of plants are very different when grow emergent to underwater so could well be the reason.

Sam

EDIT - thinking about the lighting a bit more, the Finches light article says that for a 24USg tank Amano would have 98w, loads more than I have? Its also a very deep tank comparatively speaking.

 

[SuperColey1]

Yeah mine is a deep. Are you sure yours is only a 20G? Mine is defo 29G and it is 30 x 14 x 18 (glass is 20 high but water is 18)

This is my Bacopa Caroliana, and monnieri, and they haven't changed in the 2 months since they went in!! (Apart from all the Tetras sh*t on their leaves)

Caroliana

Monnieri

The lower leaves on yours do look like these but the higher ones don't, mine are still under very low light though.

Will be interesting to see how yours grow.

 

[Castellop123]

any updates?

 

[Themuleous]

Not as yet, I'm still working on it, getting new plants almost every week and being low light its a slow process. But I can post the pic if you want?

This tank has turned into just an experimentation tank, plants Ive not used before, etc. Does mean it might not get how I want it for a while. Will let you know.

Thanks for asking

Sam

 

[Themuleous]

Well someone recently asked how this tank was coming alone. The answer is not very well, I have changed a lot of the plants recently which haven't taken off yet. I do however what to post a pic of my rotala, which is looking rather good I think, with a nice layered affect. Its sods law that when one things gets just the way you want it nothing else looks as good. I'm battling with BBA/staghorn and I have to remove many leaves each week to keep on top of it, but I'm hoping that my persistence pays off and the algae gives up and goes home. Furture plans probably include removing the crypts, which are doing ok but not great and will probably get swapped by the 'dwarf' sags anyway (dwarf my ass!, but they do add height to the tank which is good.) I have replaced the java fern with a ''Philippine'' variety. Other than that not much to report so heres the pics.

Sam

 

[wei0204]

The plants look very healthy...

 

[lljdma06]

I agree, the plants do look healthy. It'll get there. It takes a while to scape low-techs, things don't grow as fast. You have to be patient. What's the substrate in this tank again?

llj

 

[Themuleous]

Cheers Llj, its being patient and getting the right plant choice that's the key. But Im in no hurry, its interesting seeing how different plants work under lower light. The plants are ok health wise, the main green rotala is from plantsalive and I dont think its quite as good stock, but it seems to bounce back quite well after a prune so it cant be that bad. I'm hoping the moneywort takes off soon, the round leaf shape should look nice.

Substrate is a mix of eco-complete, laterite and black gravel. Dont ask how I managed that one!

Sam