[The Trigger]

Started a new 20 long on 1/17/14.

Lighting: Aquaticlife dual 24w T5HO with one Geisemann Aquaflora and one Geisemann Midday. 30" Finnex Planted+ LED. 10hrs a day

Substrate: 100% Eco-Complete

Fertilization: dry ferts. N-P-K mon, weds, fri. Csm+b tues, thurs, sat. Sunday is 50% water change

CO2: pressurized at 2bps through a GLA atomic diffuser

Hardscape: a few lava rocks I had laying around and a few small pieces of manzanita.

Other Equipment: 100w Cobalt Aquatics Neo-Therm heater. Hydor nano powerhead. Eheim 2215 for filtration.

Plants: Downoi, Hydrocotyle sp. Japan, HC, Eleocharis Parvula(DHG), Fissidens Fontanus, Starogoyne Repens, Anubias Nana petite

Inhabitants: PFR cherry shrimp, 4 Otto cats and a small school of cardinal tetras

Other notes - going for more of an Iwagumi scape here. Going to add some Hygro Pinnatifida in the back and maybe another stem plant. Still unsure on the stocking. The mini cycle is pretty much done with. Only lasted a few days. Was thinking of going with some cardinal tetras and some cherry shrimp. I like the look of schooling fish in iwagumi scapes. Any suggestions on fish or stem plants?

Will update as the plants fill in!

 

[The Trigger]

Another shot

 

[The Trigger]

Sorry for the crappy shots btw. Most are gonna be from my iPhone for the time being

 

[The Trigger]

A week in and the HC has immediately recovered from some transitional melt. The stuff I have was grown emersed and is beginning to spread and display serious pearling.

 

[The Trigger]

Big bubbles

 

[synaethetic]

Looks great man. With that much light you should have some awesome plant growth to look forward too.

 

[The Trigger]

Looks great man. With that much light you should have some awesome plant growth to look forward too.

Thanks! Yeah hoping everything fills in nicely

 

[pirayaman]

Yeah light light light you'll have a better carpet than me soon enougg ahahah

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

 

[The Trigger]

Yeah light light light you'll have a better carpet than me soon enougg ahahah

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

Haha well we will see man. Looks promising so far

 

[horsedude]

Looks good, how long does it take to get a thick carpet with that lighting?

 

[The Trigger]

Looks good, how long does it take to get a thick carpet with that lighting?

Prob a couple months. I won't trim it at all until it has completely filled in. That will give it a nice low look and promote smaller leaves

 

[The Trigger]

Hard at work

 

[horsedude]

Prob a couple months. I won't trim it at all until it has completely filled in. That will give it a nice low look and promote smaller leaves

Reasonably long time then. How long would it take for a carpet of dwarf hair grass to take with 1 watt a gallon and no fets and co2?

 

[pirayaman]

Looking healthy bro

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

 

[The Trigger]

Reasonably long time then. How long would it take for a carpet of dwarf hair grass to take with 1 watt a gallon and no fets and co2?

Well wpg rule is outdated because of all the advances in lighting. HOT5s, LEDs etc. Most people use PAR now. But to answer your question, a long time. It carpets very slowly and sparsely in those conditions. At least from my past expirience.

 

[The Trigger]

Looking healthy bro

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

Thanks buddy. I'm so anxious for it to grow in.

 

[PJM]

20 Long

Should fill out nice. My HC started some runners so it should really take off now. My next tank plans will be a 20 long too. Keep it updated!

 

[The Trigger]

Should fill out nice. My HC started some runners so it should really take off now. My next tank plans will be a 20 long too. Keep it updated!

Yupp. It's really taking off now. It's pearling more and more every day

 

[The Trigger]

Quick update. Decided to replace my coralife fixture just because I dislike the color it gives off and replacement bulbs are expensive. So I ordered a 30" Finnex planted+. Heard good things so I'm excited to see how it looks. I saw the PAR data Finnex released on it. They used a 24" fixture for the test. At 12" it was showing 61 PAR. With the 30" I ordered, I'm gonna take a stab and say I'm going to be in the low 70's range. The light will sit lower than the coralife fixture and put it at around 11" off of the substrate. I'll post before and after pics for those interested in the Finnex fixtures.

 

[harilp]

What water did you use Ro or tap water??

Sent from my Blackberry Playbook using Tapatalk2