I have not been lucky enough to have any longevity in my planted tanks, either due to algae, or death!
I started this tank out with Fluval Stratum for substrate. I used what i think was labeled dragon rock for the rock pieces, and last but not least staurogyne repens for carpet. I am really hoping they are as easy care as i read they are. I started this tank a month and a half ago using the dry start method and seen some good growth. The are growing taller, but also filling in gaps nicely. My though process on this was let it grow tall and fill in, then trim and replant.
For equipment currently i am using a sun-sun 602 cannisterfilter with ceramic media, carbon, topped with a layer of filter floss. (If you see any holes in media game let me know). For lighting i am using a wave point 12w led fixture (is this high or low light for 5.5g tank?).
I currently just filled tank with water, and have no live stock in tank. I am thinking shrimp of some sort, maybe a few tiny fish that will school?
I do have plans for co2, but currently not running any. I also have flourish excell, but not sure how or what to dose this tank. Please provide input on regimine. Anyhow here are some pics....
That canopy is interesting. I like it. I would dose Excell, Flourish Comprehensive and Macros. Make a 250 ml NPK dosing solution made with dry macro ferts and water preserved with 5 ml Excell. Store dosing solution in refrigerator to further inhibit contamination. You can buy the macro fertilizer online with a mixing bottle that has the mixing recipe on the label. Maybe get some DIY CO2 going. Put in some root tabs if you haven't already. You may want to dose lean with an emphasis on root tabs while the tank gets going to reduce algae. Also adjust your lights if you need to.
Easy is relative as long as you meet the basic requirements. Light, flow, CO2 and nutrients. CO2 is not super necessary with S. repens, personally I wouldn't bother. It's better to start with CO2 from the get-go anyway.
Dosing Excel may help. just dose as recommended on the bottle. Also think about fertilising your tank (macros and micros) maybe low-tech EI because it's pretty easy to follow. You probably could dose like 1/4 of what it recommends and you should be fine, cus S. repens isn't shper demanding.
Just to let you know you may get a big melt off as the S. repens converts to its submerged form, don't worry about it, it'll come back.
I usually buy my ferts from Green Leaf Aquariums, though I'm sure a quick google search would give a number of options.
And you can definitely grow your S. repens without CO2. I'm doing that in my Mini L with just Excel, and it's been working out well. Light fertilization wouldn't be a bad idea, but with a relatively undemanding setup I'd take it nice and slow and ramp up or down if you start to see any problems until you have it nicely dialed in.
I think Aquariumfertilizer.com has the bottle with the recipe on it. I really like Greenleafaquariums.com too. They both probably include mixing recipes. This is a video about mixing macro and micro dosing solutions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwMIOh3CoNA
You should prepare the macro solution if you're going to dose dry because of the small size of your tank. There are planted tank people out there who shovel teaspoonfuls of dry ferts into their giant tanks. In your case though, you should dilute the fertilizers for more precision. You may end up only using ten drops more or less at a time I'm not sure.
There are also ready mixed fertilizers if you're not into mixing your own. I would use Flourish Comprehensive for your micros. The instructions say to keep it in the refrigerator after so long.
So i still have not figured out what im gonna do as far as dosing, hope i have a bit of time before i HAVE to.
I like the fact maintenance is sort of low (dont we all), so im not looking to rush into it until i better a better grasp. I have also been on the fence on whether or not i really want to bother with co2 just yet. From most of what i read s. repens does not really require it. I did have a small bout with some detritus and decided to try some otos to help it out. While at the fish store i noticed a bunch of good sized (bigger than normally there) cherry red shrimp. I couldnt resist buying 10! I also added in 3 from 40g tank i have going as well so a total of 13 now. Any how the shrimp and fish blasted through the detritus and got the leaves all cleaned up... Heres some shots!
i would put the $$ on co2. think of it as an investment. you can get cheapy set ups and save $50 or $100. Or you can put the extra money and have a stable set up. You can always resell it. It's not like the value on those things will drop like your iphone. worth the investments. I dont know how rich you are, but put weight on the CO2 set up. try not to go cheap on that. go cheap on the rocks and stuff. I find mine in parking lots.
Yeah to think it all started with two packs of pre-packaged s.repens from petsmart. Let them grow, trimmed, replanted, and flooded. Never experienced any melt, just some detritus!
I have everything for the fluval 88g co2 setup, and just need a regulator to go with my 10lb co2 tank. I am leaning that way, just don't wanna complicate the setup if you know what I mean. Thanks for viewing and the input.
Opare would you suggest co2 and ferts, I mean in all honesty I'm not really planning on changing up the carpet but rather leaving as is.
Do you think I can maintain the lush green look without? Growth is not a high area of concern as I'm almost 98% carpeted, and like the lower maintanence that slow growth would bring via trimming.
Five pregnant cherry red shrimp gave birth, and now tonight both guppies are giving birth!
Was not aware they were pregnant as there was already fry in the tank i bought them from, but low and behold i watched her pop out three babies so far. Now the second is showing to be bout ready. Not sure who or what the father was cause they were in a tank with long fin leopard dannios, unless one male went rouge and got removed.
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