45CM High Tech Planted

Discussion in 'Members Systems' started by Pistolshrimp, Oct 15, 2019.

  1. Pistolshrimp

    Pistolshrimp

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    Howsit Guys

    Wes here, Just wanted to share some pics of my 45cm system.

    It is roughly 3 months old now, and have been making some good progress.

    After mucking around with low tech low light, I was not satisfied with the results I got, and having previously kept a full on reef tank, and figured I could apply that knowledge to planted tanks.

    This is my first real scape, which I used more to get the chemistry and caring for the plants right, so it may not be perfect, I will be changing it later on.

    Tank: Standard 1.5ft

    Lighting: MarineSpace/Zetlight ZP60 LED

    Filtration: In tank Power filter

    CO2: 0.5kg Ista Cylinder, dual stage regulator with solenoid, in tank diffuser, verification done with drop checker.
    I wanted to use C02 vs KH method for verification but the ADA soil buffers the water down to 6.2 already and with the C02 on, it doesnt drop much further.
    I would need to add a little bit of aragonite to the filter to counter this, then I would be able to use a PH pen and cross reference on KH table

    Substrate: ADA amazonia light with underlayer of vermiculite

    Hardscape: Dragon rock, with a little spiderwood

    Plants:
    Monte Carlo as main carpet
    Cryptocoryne Wendtii
    Anunbias nana Petite
    Staurogyne Repens
    Flame moss
    Bacopa Moneiri
    Rotala Colorata

    Fish:
    10 x Ember Tetra
    1x Harlequin rasbora
    1x Otocinclus
    1x Hillstream loach

    Inverts:
    5 odd High grade red shrimp from Ammar
    5 or so high grade blue dream. blue jelly
    5x Amano Shrimp
    a couple of other odds and ends from breeding, chocolate brown, a pure black and a few others.
    2x Horned Nerites

    Lights and C02 controlled by 2 channel sonnoff controller.
    C02 turns on at 13:30 and lights on at 14:00
    C02 turns off at 20:00 and lights off at 20:30

    Planning a few changes to the scape, want to remove some of the stems plants and add more substrate at the back.

    Filtration will be changing soon as well, so nothing will be visible in the tank, canister filter is required lol, with an inline C02 diffuser

    Also will be adding glass lily pipe and glass inflow with surface skimmer.

    Dosing:

    Dosed using EI method:
    N - Seachem Nitrogen - 4ml/ Week
    P- Lenolax - 0.2 Ml/ Week
    K- Natures no salt KCL - 0.3g/week
    Seachem Trace ( As per bottle) 0.8ml/week
    Aquavitro Envy growth hormone ( As per bottle) 0.8ml/week
    Mg- Epsom salts - 1.2g/week
    Iron- Seachem Iron - 0.2ml/week
    Calcium - Plaster of paris 1/g/week

    Seachem stability 1/2 cap on sunday and half cap on wednesday

    All supplements except iron mixed into 500ml water divied into 100ml increments, dosing 100ml a day starting Monday Night
    Iron mixed alone into 500ml Bottle with 100ml everyday starting Monday morning

    Saturday and sunday no dosing, with 50% waterchange on Sunday.

    Seems to work for me, plants are extremely healthy and lots of trimming needs to get done.


    This is where it started, I had wanted to use my existing plants, but after I had drained the tank decided not to, so I filled it and scaped it without the plants and then added them as I went.

    System was started 17/07/2019 - Still using LED floodlight

    20190721_185218.jpg


    Looked terrible to say the least....

    But it started coming a long slowly

    20190805_171327.jpg 20190808_191801.jpg

    Then the flame moss and a few other things where added was added, This was invitro and I must say, invitro is simple amazing

    This was 11/08/2019 Things still looking a bit shabby, I was still trying to get the dosing right, before i started using EI.

    20190811_195814.jpg

    One month later, EI dosing for about a month, things are starting to take shape

    I changed out the lighting unit to the LED fixture and got a solenoid for the C02 to ensure consistancy.

    This is when things really got going, the algea I had started to recede and I removed some algea covered plants to get out as much as I could.

    The picture below was taken on 14/09/2017 almost one month ago...
    20190915_180725.jpg


    Picture below taken yesterday, added a few elements on the right about 2 weeks ago, monto carlo filling up nicely around with, with a little bit of flame moss taking hold

    This was taken after a heavy trimming, the bacopa was out of the tank.....I will maybe take one before a trim so you guys can see the weekly growth.

    The Staurogyne was added about 10 days ago, already established and growing nicely.

    There is a little algea here and there but nothing out of control, and nothing to bad, I actually dont mind it, as it keeps the loach, otto and the snails happy.

    Im quite certain that the bacopa is going to be out soon, with a higher slope being added, I just need to get more ADA, once that is done, I want some monte and staurogyne up top, with some bucephalandra on the rocks.

    I want to add another element of driftwood coming up from the centre of the moss then also remove the vallis.

    20191014_165812.jpg

    Here are some other random pictures mind the quality....

    The ember tetras when I first got them, they are now a nice deep orange.

    20190924_191941.jpg 20191010_073905.jpg 20190929_173159.jpg 20191010_184226.jpg

    Thanks for taking the time to read :)
     
    Trompie 04, BradK, A new day and 5 others like this.
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  3. Reedfish

    Reedfish Moderator

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    @Pistolshrimp

    This tank has progressed fantastically well.
    Excellent :cool:
     
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  4. Saibot

    Saibot

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    Wow, awesome.
     
  5. OP
    Pistolshrimp

    Pistolshrimp

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    Thanks guys :)

    I sometimes forget that it is only 3 months old, it still has further stabilizing to do with further growing in.

    Im sure in another 3 months its going to look completely different.
     
  6. MariaS

    MariaS Retired Moderator

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    @Pistolshrimp ,
    That tank looks stunning, well done.
    Unreal that it's only 3 months!
     
  7. Cale24

    Cale24

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    Beautiful tank! Love how that moss has grown.
    Look forward to seeing it all develop.
     
  8. TheGrissom

    TheGrissom

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    A very beautiful tank.
     
  9. A new day

    A new day Moderator

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    Stunning! Especially impressive carpet :thumbup:
    Yes I would agree you could do with some height/interest on the right hand side (to hide the heater a bit perhaps).
    The loach is awesome.
    Nice one!
     
  10. OP
    Pistolshrimp

    Pistolshrimp

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    Quick update.

    So i always wanted to have the drop-off look with a high slope from one side.

    Decided to bite the bullet, get some more dragon rock and another bag of amazonia light.

    Drained the tank down and changed the one side of the scape.

    Removed alot of the stem plants, and started to spread the monte carlo on the top of the cliff, in between the rocks.

    it has been one week now, and the plants have settled in and are growing at a nice rate, I am sure in about 2 months it would be grown in fully.

    I know the equipment is a bit of an eyesore, but i have some plans for the tank in a few months, so things will change then.20191031_074822.jpg

    20191028_075050.jpg 20191030_153148.jpg 20191031_074544.jpg
     
    mattie, T. Guppy, MariaS and 2 others like this.
  11. Cale24

    Cale24

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    Looks even nicer, well done. Those chrome heaters actually look pretty cool, all looks pretty neat in there.
    Is it a 45cm or 60cm tank? I see the Zetlight is listed at 60 but tank at 1.5ft? Water volume?
     
    Pistolshrimp likes this.
  12. A new day

    A new day Moderator

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    Pistolshrimp likes this.
  13. OP
    Pistolshrimp

    Pistolshrimp

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    Thanks alot dude :)

    So its weird, the 60 is actually 45cm long and ...Technically I needed to get the 45 which is 30cm long....

    The sizing is actually a reference for the size of the tank its meant to go on, I think.
     
    Cale24 likes this.
  14. OP
    Pistolshrimp

    Pistolshrimp

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    I dont know why certain pictures get blurry when uploaded, apologies for that
     
  15. Pezulu

    Pezulu

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    That tank looks stunning.
    It is a wonder what careful planning and the right tank maintenance can do.
    Add the dosing of ferts and CO2, and you definitely have a winner.
    I am looking forward to the progress.
     
  16. MariaS

    MariaS Retired Moderator

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  17. OP
    Pistolshrimp

    Pistolshrimp

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    Thank you so much guys.

    I will definitely update as it goes along :)
     
    A new day likes this.
  18. T. Guppy

    T. Guppy

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    Looks awesome! That background makes the plants stand out nicely too!
     
  19. David Kusner

    David Kusner

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    Looks super awesome, that grass grew back super quick in 1 week!

    Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk
     
  20. OP
    Pistolshrimp

    Pistolshrimp

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    Thanks guys.

    heres a quick update,

    the plants are starting to settle in and take off now.

    I did a major trimming of the carpet, and realised that it needs constant trimming to stay fresh and light green.

    The S-repens is catching on, as well as the montercarlo in between the rocks.

    I removed maybe about 2 handfulls of Monte carlo

    this is what it looked like lol

    20191103_101733.jpg 20191103_101740.jpg

    This is the tank 2 weeks the major trim:

    20191112_155328.jpg


    Some of the shrimplets actually make it....theres quite a few, blue as well. along with some interesting offshoots, like black and chocolate etc.


    20191112_155634.jpg 20191112_155656.jpg 20191112_155716.jpg
     
  21. T. Guppy

    T. Guppy

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    Looks real good!
     
    Pistolshrimp likes this.

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