My Iwagumi-ish 2ft ( first proper planted )

[cheddar254]

Hey everyone,

the specs are -
Tank dimensions - 610 x 325 x 325 (mm)
Co2 - Sera Co2 start kit
Substrate - Mineralized soil, with added potassium, dolomite and clay ( high iron content )
Lighting - 4 * 24w T5( when dolphin gets in, for now its just 2 desk lamnps :p )
Filtration - Cascade 200 HOB
flora -an unidentified echinodorus in the middle, any help?, going to still add glossostigma and blyxa aubertii,dwarf hairgrass for the back ground ( eleocharis parvula or acicularis, cant tell )
Fauna - ( leopard danios temporary, cycling and 2 glass catfish )still thinking, i kinda want to try a female betta sorority, or 2 apistogrammas and a few shoaling fish? advise please :blink1:, 4 otos, more than a few {blacklisted item}
heres a pic of my newly setup tank-
http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv90/cheddar254/21072010309.jpg


If you want to see how the tank was set up, heres pics and everything here on another forum, sorry im too lazy to repost everything here:smile1::smile1:
{link removed}

please comment and advise :idea:

Rgds
Zander

[PeterWest]

Looking good cheddar

Quite a bit of lighting you have there. Enjoy pumping ferts into the tank, hehe.
I would IMO, go for the apistos and a few shoaling fish.

Regards
Peter

[cheddar254]

Looking good cheddar

Quite a bit of lighting you have there. Enjoy pumping ferts into the tank, hehe.
I would IMO, go for the apistos and a few shoaling fish.

Regards
Peter

hehe thanks :p apparantly the point of mineralized soil is that you dont have to pump ferts...but we'l see. and i do have co2 :noworry:

rgds
zander

[PeterWest]

no sure if i am wrong but I think you still have to put ferts in to the water column.
someone correct me if i'm wrong

also where did you get your gravel?

Regards

[Vis]

Hi Chedder

Looking nice dude.
Just 2 warnings before the mods jump on you.
1. Shrimp are illega and can not be mentioned
2. Can can not provide links to other aquarium forums.

Keep us updated though.

[cheddar254]

Hi Chedder

Looking nice dude.
Just 2 warnings before the mods jump on you.
1. Shrimp are illega and can not be mentioned
2. Can can not provide links to other aquarium forums.

Keep us updated though.
doesnt want to let me edit that post hmmm. thanks for the advice

rgds
Zander

[fly*]

{link removed}

Why was the link removed? we living in china or something?

[thysie]

sOME KIND OF HSIDLIHC PROVERB ?

[cheddar254]

Why was the link removed? we living in china or something?

it was a website.

[Vis]

Forum rules state that you can not post links to other Aquarium sites.

[cheddar254]

Update! :)

I've decided to scrap the whole iwagumi concept thing, too boring!

I took out the rocks, added some vallisneria and cardamine lyrata in the background.

Excuse the java fern on the washing pegs, trying to grow some for my larger tank!

AND the haigrass is starting to send out runners ! yey!

Added some dwarf rainbows, a beatiful white, baby blue and pinkish betta and Troyfish gave me his zebra danios, one big happy school xD

See attached pics -

[EyeCandysings]

You still plan on using 4x24W T5 over a 2ft tank? Way too much light, IMHO. What's the volume of the tank?

[cheddar254]

80 litres

[EyeCandysings]

So roughly 20g. With CO2 injection and ferts, you'll be able to grow everything you have well with just one 24W T5 tube. You won't need more than that.

[cheddar254]

Dolphin could'nt get the 2*24w fixture, so I had to order to 4*24w, I see how many I switch on, depends on growth :D

[EyeCandysings]

Be prepared to go pressurized and buy a nice supply of dry ferts to mix. You'll need them!

[cheddar254]

Im gonna buy profs ferts, and go DIY co2 with a glass diffuser :D

[PeterWest]

You have to be careful with that amount of light in conjunction with DIY CO2. DIY CO2 is unstable that with ferts and high light could cause big algae problems. I would highly recommend going pressurized CO2. There are a lot of ways to go about the pres Co2.

Regards
Peter

[cheddar254]

You have to be careful with that amount of light in conjunction with DIY CO2. DIY CO2 is unstable that with ferts and high light could cause big algae problems. I would highly recommend going pressurized CO2. There are a lot of ways to go about the pres Co2.

Regards
Peter

any ways that are cheap? I have no clue what anyone talks about when they're talking about pressurized c02, like needle valve, check valve, you might not happen to have a good non complicated link for me ? :D

[PeterWest]

Hi Cheddar. When talking about pressurized CO2 we generally talk about CO2 bottle, regulator, solenoid, needle valve, drop checker and then to diffuser( in that order ). Usually there would be a dedicated aquarium CO2 bottle but this can be substituted with a CO2 fire extinguisher which will work exactly the same as the bottle or a paintball bottle will work as well. Here is a thread Slojo started.


Now i can already see that everyone was thinking a Yeast Mix etc.
Actually you can DIY a Pressurised CO2 System.

Step 1. Go to a Paintball Gun Shop and buy yourself a CO2 Bottle as well as a fitting.
Bottle - R240 + R20 to fill.
Fitting - R100.00
Couplings - R100.00
Diffuser(DIY) Less than R100.00

Now next you need to source a valve.
Step 2. Go to an aircon or Fridge/Freezer repair shop or technician and beg:p for his empty bottles that they used to fill the aircons or fridges.(They throw those away,because it may not be refilled.)
Open the valve and let it stand outside overnight.
Unscrew the valve.

Step 3. Go to a Hydraulics company like Quick Hydraulics and take the connectors,valves and fittings as well as a piece of airhose with.
They will supply you with the correct couplings.

Step 4.Build your Diffuser as shown in the later posts with pics.

Step 5.Connect and test.


DONE!! Your very own pressurised DIY CO2 System for at least R2000.00 less than a new one and just as if not more effective.

The Diffuser is 100% effective as you will be able to see in the pics.


Also buying all the proper stuff on ebay (may it be here ) except the bottle is not that expensive.
Hope this Helps

[TroyFish]

Troyfish gave me his zebra danios, one big happy school xD


Glad to here they still happy:blink1: Did you perhaps see the one with the funny tail?

[cheddar254]

Glad to here they still happy:blink1: Did you perhaps see the one with the funny tail?

nope :blink1: only the cool hunch back one!:bigsmile:

[EyeCandysings]

What is the lighting level of the desk lamps? What kind of lighting are they?

[cheddar254]

my dad said they were spotlights, and 1 has a 100w bulb and the other 1 has a 60w bulb.

[Zoom]

I would agree with PeterWest. Don't waste your time with the DIY CO2. It's not consistent, a little on the unstable side, and creates unnecessary pH swings because it really cannot be controlled.

Plants will grow very well under sufficient light and fertz. When you increase the light beyond a certain point, you would need to add more fertz, and start dosing with CO2. If you don't, the algae will just bloom. Don't go mad with the lights just because you can. If you haven't got the pressurized CO2 and fertz to balance out the lighting... cut down on the lighting.

[cheddar254]

are there any DIY pressurized c02 methods? because it is really very expensive...

[TroyFish]

Try here
http://www.tropicalaquarium.co.za/showthread.php?t=2517

[cheddar254]

thanks! great article!