New planted tank

@ Vis,EI does not imply you need high light and Co2,all it is is a estimate of nutrient uptake and subsequent need for fertilizer.You can use the same method to fertilize a low tech moss tank,just decrease the amount of ferts.
R200 worth of dry salts can easily last me a year.That includes the micros.If I had to dose the same amounts using Seachem products,I will be out of money in no time.

 

Very interesting Rudi thanks. Will read up some more about it.
You only read about the EI system under a pic of some lush high tech tank that
is why I never bothered.
Might be a good time too as all the moss in my 3Ft suddenly came to a halt.

 

The more I think about it... I think this is possibly because of a certain shortage in the tank. You might be dosing as per the bottle instructions, but the moss has reached a stage where it is consuming everything of one element, and then there isn't any more to stimulate growth. Throwing in more ferts (the mixed one) will be pointless because now you will land up with a surplus of the other nutrients, (which could cause algae).

Is this the correct thinking along the lines of EI?

 

I think you are right.
Ok so I will go and read up what moss usses most and start with that.
Will go and read up on EI and sea if I can figure out what is needed.

Maybe move these to an EI thread as we are deralling Rudi's thread?

 

@ Zoom,you can start with the full EI dosage recommended and calculated with a fert calculator,then decrease the dosage the following week.If growth continues and there is no algae issues,decrease the dosage again,in this way the growth rate can be tweaked until you are comfortable.
If algae starts to be a problem,increase the dosage again until the algae is gone.
And when you think there could be a build up of nutrients,do a 50% water change and reset the tank.
@ Vis,go have a look at the Barr report,Tom Barr's site.In it there are multiple examples of hobbyists using EI in low tech setups.
There's no need to remove these threads.:bigsmile:

 

Update:Tank rescape

I haven't posted a update in a MILLION YEARS and the plants did what the do best.A overgrown tank is a mission to maintain,so a rescape was in order.

I pulled all the plants,caught all the fish and drained the tank.Added a bit of sand,sorted the plants and planted the tank.About 5 Hours worth of work.
Everything is not where they should be,but I'll move the plants as they settle in.
Comments and suggestions are welcome.
I'll take better photos when the water has cleared.
But for now,afew pics.

 

Wow... I'm assuming the last 2 pics were of it overgrown...?

Like the new scape too. What sand/substrate u using?

 

@Zoom,
Yebo,the pics uploaded in the wrong order and I couldn't change it.
Substrate is still pool filter sand.

 

That thing was really bos.

 

Sho!!! Awesome scape Rudi !!! I definitely gota come check it out for myself. After seeing Zooms tank with his Midnight Black gravel, i wanted black substrate. Now i see yours and i want pool filter sand! Arrgh....no hardfeelings Zoom.

But which would be better?
Just my Flourite Dark on its on in a planted tank?
OR
Flourite Dark Capped with Pool Filter Sand (Im scared the granules will fall between and expose the Flourite Dark...)

 

I know this isn't really the space to put this... (Sorry Rudi) but as far as I am aware, many people get away with not capping their flourite at all.

 

Cool Thanx

 

The water cleared up over night.
Better photos.

 

Once this grows out it'll be stunning again! Nice one Rudi.

 

I need a bit of advice and feedback before I can take this tank to the next stage.
The plants took a bit of a knock after the rescape but has bounced back as expected.
The pics show the right hand side of the tank and I need some advice on the plant placement or just feedback.At the moment the plants are roughly grouped and placed according colour,texture and leaf shape.The left side still needs to grow in a bit,it's mostly crypts,so we'll ignore them for now.
I had to trim the Stargrass back severely,a plant that is a victim of it's own success.That's the patch next to the wood,so imagine a green ball there as it would be when it's grown back.

 

I actually like it... only thing I would comment:

* The Red plant in the middle front, I would move it to the far right (up against the side glass).
* It all feels like everything is "falling" towards the left and forwards... is there a pump or something behind causing this? Maybe move everything more back and into the corner?
* A broad leaf something in between to break the "fuzzy"

But I love the vast colour you have in there.

 

@Rudi, this tank looks great! I love the colours!
I think you must move some of the plants to the right, bunch them together and push them to the back.
Then take the whole bunch out of the tank, and move them from Kuilsriver to Brackenfell.
My tanks will look a lot better with them! (or some cuttings!) LOL!

I know you can take a joke, my friend!

 

Looks pretty stunning to me, but come on Rudi, surely before pasting your latest pics you should have made the effort to find say a blue or indigo plant with square leaves and pink or yellow stripes, as already it would appear you have utilised every underwater plant colour known to man kind !

Your query is way out of my newbie realm, but it’s Freedom day, so please let me boost my Aquarist ego by having a go...

It would seem you are basically going for the “Dutch” style, which is great. While I’m a huge admirer of this artistic genre, perhaps you might try a mix of Dutch and ADA/Amano. A finger like fallen branch dappled with a little moss diagonally placed across say half the length of the tank and half way up, not on the substrate, will add focus and off-set the dazzling background of colours, might be all you simply need? I like the idea of plant symmetry or balance through out the overall length of a planted tank, again Amano style, made up with several feature plants and then others that are duplicated in different parts of the tank… el natural. I appreciate you will soon loose the very white looking substrate, as your tank matures and you perhaps go for a Glosso and HC carpet, Iwugami (sp) style, but in the meantime, budget permitting, a bag or two of Fluorite Dark would be lekker.

Anyway, I will leave this up to the real AquaScapists out there, but as long as you keep on trimming and visiting I’m happy !

Regards, the most pretentious of High tech newbies.

 

Yea, good one Gert, better still bring them to our get together next month !

 

might be that they are hiding - but I think it needs a school of something ... also the bare substrate looks like it is waiting to be planted - hairgrass lawn maybe ..?