6.6g New Dirty setup 56k Warning (No longer using dirt)

[Fortheloveofplants]

I like the black gravel. A matching black Background cover would look cool.

[rnaodm]

Originally Posted by Fortheloveofplants

I like the black gravel. A matching black Background cover would look cool.

Thanks ill do something for a background, most likely black.

[wkndracer]

liking the black sub!

[rnaodm]

Originally Posted by wkndracer

liking the black sub!

Thanks I picked up a fern and 3 small swords, looks much better. Still a little cloudy.

Unsure on what to do with the fern carpet. I might partly cover a small piece of cholla wood. Would look better then just the fern carpet.

[Ozydego]

carpet is going to be hard with a setup w/o co2. HC or glosso would have issues, glosso was the carpet in that previous pic...

[rnaodm]

Originally Posted by Ozydego

carpet is going to be hard with a setup w/o co2. HC or glosso would have issues, glosso was the carpet in that previous pic...

I plan on doing c02 just not exactly sure which setup yet

[rnaodm]

Hopefully hitting up a nice LFS tomorrow. One I've seen RCS at in the past. Still unsure on other fauna, including fish.

Camera is pretty limited on lighting settings so I cant really seem to shoot a perfect FTS.

also just noticed if you compare this pic with the one three days ago the plants are already noticeably larger, and the stemmed plants are already near the surface and growing roots half way up. Might have to trim already.

[Jedi_Pizza]

Good one changing the gravel. It looks loads better to me.

I agree about the black background too.

Subscribing as I have just started a small tank too and am interested to see how you progress.

Good luck with it all

[rnaodm]

The lighting is extremely inefficient. The bulb is already starting to dim and the plants are all reaching

[Hilde]

Originally Posted by rnaodm

I plan on doing c02 just not exactly sure which setup yet

Would be easier to make a carpet with dwarf sagittarius plants.

[rnaodm]

Originally Posted by Hilde

Would be easier to make a carpet with dwarf sagittarius plants.

Thanks Ill check that out atm Im a bit confused my light looks dim yet my plants are growing incredibly fast, a couple have grown three inches in five days.

Id say theyre just reaching but they look healthy.

[SaltyNC]

Originally Posted by rnaodm

Thanks Ill check that out atm Im a bit confused my light looks dim yet my plants are growing incredibly fast, a couple have grown three inches in five days.

Id say theyre just reaching but they look healthy.

Our tanks are very shallow, so even though the light is T8, it produces medium light near the bottom and high light near the top. The light is only a couple of inches away from the tops of your plants. I think that has something to do with it. Hoppy has a great chart on a sticky in the lighting forum.
Hoppy's Par Chart

Also, you mentioned the background. I found that I could slip the plastic backgrounds they sell at the LFS up under the plastic rim and then tuck it between the "glass" and the plastic base. It made it easy to hold it in place, and then I just taped it down in a few spots. I thought about trying the mineral oil trick to make it appear more black, but I think it looks OK for now.

[rnaodm]

Originally Posted by SaltyNC

Our tanks are very shallow, so even though the light is T8, it produces medium light near the bottom and high light near the top. The light is only a couple of inches away from the tops of your plants. I think that has something to do with it. Hoppy has a great chart on a sticky in the lighting forum.
Hoppy's Par Chart

Also, you mentioned the background. I found that I could slip the plastic backgrounds they sell at the LFS up under the plastic rim and then tuck it between the "glass" and the plastic base. It made it easy to hold it in place, and then I just taped it down in a few spots. I thought about trying the mineral oil trick to make it appear more black, but I think it looks OK for now.

Thanks I picked up black background looks better, but I just cant stand how dark the tank looks overall

I hit up petco, they didn't have any of the double socket strip lights so ill likely be ordering from bigals or amazon.

[SaltyNC]

I kept the stock light but did replace the bulb with a Hagen Life-Glo 6500K. I don't know that it makes that much difference, though. Maybe a little. My light falls off too much in the corners.

[rnaodm]

Originally Posted by SaltyNC

I kept the stock light but did replace the bulb with a Hagen Life-Glo 6500K. I don't know that it makes that much difference, though. Maybe a little. My light falls off too much in the corners.

Yea I have the same problems the sides look dark, making it impossible to take nice looking pictures, and the stem plants at the ends are starting to suffer a bit.

Also added black background