[mmfujiusn]

Hi all, Justin here with my first Journal on planted tank and my second try at aquascaping. I started this tank about a month ago, going for easy plants again and trying something a little different with my aquascaping. I'm waiting for Aquascapes to get some Blyxa so I can get a couple in there.

The biggest issue I have right now is my Lilaeopsis kind of "browning out" Am I frying it with too much light? Is there a better foreground plant I could use? Also, any 'scaping advice would be welcome as well!

Here's my current setup:
30 Gal

Lighting: 12 hrs/day Coralife T5 2x31w 30" 2x6700k
Current T5 2x24w 24" 1x10000k, 1x6700k

Filter: Eheim 2213 Canister

CO2: Ozoo CO2 regulator and Canister, right now goes on 2hr before
lights, off 1 hr before lights

Substrate: ADA Aquasoil

Fertilization: None yet

Plants:
Lilaeopsis brasiliensis, Cryptocoryne parva, Anubias barteri var. nana, Cabomba palaeformis, Cabomba caroliniana var. caroliniana, Echinodorus cordifolius (I think?), Java Fern

Inhabitants 3x Swordtails, 6x Otocinclus

Week 1: Initial Planting and added Swordtails and some ghost shrimp about 9 days later.

Week 3: First Trim and Re-arrange

Week 5: Added some Lilaeopsis and later the 6 Otos.

Week 6: Added Pressurized CO2

Closeup of a sword and a couple Otos

 

[shrimpNewbie]

this is very nice =] I love the layout, look forward to seeing more growth

 

[Sd760]

I like it!

 

[kcirtappatrick]

Hey Justin,
Nice to see another person from Hawaii on the forums. Great loooking tank! It might be that your FG plants aren't getting enough light (not too sure if your tank is deep or not) but that could be one reason. Not too sure though. Well, can't wait to see some updates.

 

[2in10]

Looks good, this will be neat to see fill out. You should get the ferts going sounds like a potassium deficiency.

You could definitely go back to one of those fixtures that will help out some. You will need CO2 injection for the plants to out compete algae with just 2 bulbs. You should look into the EI dosing method.

 

[mmfujiusn]

Wow! Thanks for the kind words everyone! I look forward to hearing feedback from you as I continue to develop my tank.

Hey Justin,

Nice to see another person from Hawaii on the forums. Great loooking tank! It might be that your FG plants aren't getting enough light (not too sure if your tank is deep or not) but that could be one reason. Not too sure though. Well, can't wait to see some updates.

Eh! Hawaii, right on! Where you stay? Haha! It may be the Microsword isn't getting enough light, I recently switched the light fixtures to put the 30" Coralife bulbs in the back, to help cover the Cabomba in the back right and just got in my 6700K Bulbs. It may help. The Current light in the front is brighter, but is 24". We'll see.

Looks good, this will be neat to see fill out. You should get the ferts going sounds like a potassium deficiency.



You could definitely go back to one of those fixtures that will help out some. You will need CO2 injection for the plants to out compete algae with just 2 bulbs. You should look into the EI dosing method.

Thanks, I'll look in to starting out with fertilizers. Jojo over at Aquascapes said the Aquasoil should be good for a few more months since I have mostly slow growing plants. I currently have 4 T5 bulbs running for a total of 110W or 3.7 WPG and just converted from DIY CO2 to pressurized CO2. Can I find stuff about the EI dosing method around the forums?

 

[2in10]

Thanks, I'll look in to starting out with fertilizers. Jojo over at Aquascapes said the Aquasoil should be good for a few more months since I have mostly slow growing plants. I currently have 4 T5 bulbs running for a total of 110W or 3.7 WPG and just converted from DIY CO2 to pressurized CO2. Can I find stuff about the EI dosing method around the forums?

Yes you can find it in the fertilizer forum in the sticky on dosing methods. You definitely only need 2 T5HO bulbs or you will have major algae issues unless you are pouring the CO2 very heavily and using a very large amount of ferts. There is a sticky in the lighting section that shows what lighting level you are at. WPG is for T12, T8 and T5NO bulbs.

 

[mmfujiusn]

Thanks again! Looks like I need to take one of the bulbs out of one of my fixtures. The Dosing thread also had a great .pdf table for dosing ferts and an easy way to measure CO2.

For anyone following my adventure from zero to hero, here's the links to the aformentioned threads:

Lighting:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/lighting/105774-par-vs-distance-t5-t12-pc.html

Dosing:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/fertilizers-water-parameters/21944-_dosing-regimes_.html

 

[mmfujiusn]

Update 15 Sep

Hey all, I know it's been about 10 days since my last update, but things have been super busy. My tank suffered as well. I missed a water change this weekend, so I had a pretty big hair algae bloom. The Otos are starting to get it back under control.

Couple big things, Took out the extra light two weekends ago, and added a bunch of fish today! 9 Harlequin Rasboras, 6 Kuhli Loaches, and some more shrimps. I don't know if it's because they're nervous, but the Rasboras are schooling with my Otos!

The Laeliopsis is starting to grow in, and the Crypts are getting really big! The Anubia is almost ready for the thread to come off as well. I still haven't found any Blyxa though...

Anyways, here's a few pics:

 

[Sd760]

The loache doesn't mess with shrimp?

 

[kcirtappatrick]

Hopefully the whole algae issue will fix itself eventually. Glad to hear your plants are doing well though. Hmm, I believe Aquascapes has or had blyxa..might wanna give them a call. I'm sure they could order some for you.

I'm from Mililani side. Haha. I'm pretty jealous to see your plants thriving. I'm still waiting for my filter to come in so I can start on my tank..

 

[mmfujiusn]

Hopefully the whole algae issue will fix itself eventually. Glad to hear your plants are doing well though. Hmm, I believe Aquascapes has or had blyxa..might wanna give them a call. I'm sure they could order some for you.

I'm from Mililani side. Haha. I'm pretty jealous to see your plants thriving. I'm still waiting for my filter to come in so I can start on my tank..

Yeah I think I've got the growth under control, cut the light down to the two bulbs in the Aqualife and upped the CO2. Now I just have to get all the old stuff that's in there out of there so the Otos can keep the new stuff under control.

What kind of filter are you getting? I think I'll go check out Aquascapes today to see if that Blyxa is in, thanks for the heads up!

The loache doesn't mess with shrimp?

I dunno, I don't really mind though, they're feeders I get from the LFS, so if they get eaten, they get eaten.

 

[kcirtappatrick]

What kind of filter are you getting?

I'm getting an Eheim 2213 for my 30c. Just came in the other day actually. Pretty excited.

 

[dlogfx]

looking good!

 

[Sd760]

I'm having a similar hair algae problem. Don't know why's goin on. Starting out by cutting the light down significantly. Please updat your battle

 

[mmfujiusn]

Hair Algae Battle update:
Cut the light down, but it's still growing everywhere. I think I'll try doing even more water changes. It might be a nutrient imbalance so I think I'll look into Starting ferts.

 

[mmfujiusn]

I'm having a similar hair algae problem. Don't know why's goin on. Starting out by cutting the light down significantly. Please updat your battle

The cutting down the light didn't work, now I have this nasty hair/stag/substrate nastiness going on. I put the other light back on, so I have 3 bulbs, and I also increased the CO2.

I've been reading around the forums, and it sounds like I have a nutrient imbalance. Although Jojo said I probably don't need to fert for a while, I think it's time to start.

Anyone... Help?

 

[kcirtappatrick]

Hm, you might want to try getting what you can out by doing a water change/lightly scrubbing with a toothbrush then maybe dose some excel or up the Co2 for a few days and see how that turns out.

 

[Sd760]

I had hair issues. I started doseing flourish I think it's flourish I'll check when I'm at the house. I cut down my light actually broke it up. And my aquarium is responding nicely. I don't have co2 tho

 

[mmfujiusn]

Thanks guys, I did up the CO2 today. I think I'll get a drop checker so I can accurately measure how much is going in. Would dosing flourish make a difference if I was already doing CO2? I like the toothbrush idea, I take it I can only do that on the broader leaved plants though.