180 lt - low budget

[r36613]

Originally Posted by nornicle

This is hands down the best tank ive seen in a while that hasnt cost $239,003,342 (and still had hair algae problems)...

can you give us a little more info on the lighting setup, photos of the tech behind this tank and also the substrate etc? would be keen to hear your 'low budget' technique, as I also did the same in a 260gallong but used flouros, which in hindsight was no good.

For me, the filter just using trash bin with overflow system using medium size pipe.
Using ex mineral bottle, I made 2 bottle of DIY CO2, DIY bubble counter and DIY reactor. Also I use 1 powerhead to pump water from filter back to tank.
The substrate using volcanic gravel normally for garden plant (only use size 2-3 mm) for about $3 per 20-25 kg.
For tank size 90x45x45 = 180 lt, I used 1 Metal Halide 70 watt (about $50) which I believe the lumens, kelvin and CRI is enough. The bad thing is the light focus the center of the tank.
The liquid fert, I'm using PMDD Macro (every 2 days) and local Wondergro Micro fert. Very cheap (about half price - see my tank for the quality) compared to branded fert in the market.
The base fert also I'm using laterit and Wondergro base fert.

Anything you want to know, feel free to post.

[r36613]

Just found this ricia in my tanks....

[Aquamadman]

Exactly what do you use in your PMDD Ratios and ingredients ?
İ cant seem to find it on the forum .

[r36613]

I'm using KNO3, KH2PO4, K2SO4 and MgSO4 for macro.. using chuck gadd calculator .. you can download it ....

[r36613]

My RCS

[medicineman]

A good shrimp!

If you intend to get more of those high quality cherry shrimp, collect all the good pure red ones in a smaller, shrimp only tank and continue the selection from there. Nowadays red cherry sellers are putting all sorts of junks by their display, the buyers are not being too fussy either to blame.

[Madfish]

I hope my tank will look like that one day.

[RoseHawke]

Originally Posted by danepatrick

so you only have 70 watts on a 180 gallon tank? am i reading correctly?

I'm not sure anyone addressed this. 180 liters . . . which equals 47.55 US gallons. For quickie conversions go to Google and type in something like - 180 liters to gallons - and it will give you the conversion without having to search for a conversion calculator. It works for almost any conversion.

[medicineman]

...And that would equal to 1.47 wpg to most of you folks countings and straight away people will give the verdict not enough light, not high light. But you better believe it that when using Metal Halide lamp, every of your counting standards must be changed, even on normal sized tank. 70 watt here in reality works like 150w or even more of normal fluoroscent lighting, even though the intensity is greatest by the center part.

He used to have 150w Metal Halide over the tank. The result was faster growth, but with much more unecessary problems such as much more algae, burnt plants, uncontrollable growth. I even find that 1.15 wpg of MH light on my 260g tank (size exception) is very strong!

[mistergreen]

aren't metal halide really hot?

[Curare]

could you please post a photograph of your lighting rig?

[r36613]

This pict from my old days ... same tanks, little bit different of plants.







Yes, metal halide is hotter.

One thing I like about metal halide is I can put highlight plant exactly below the MH and medium/lowlight plant on left/right side of the tanks. Something like that.