Tank looks bigger than actual size, nice one.
Keep us updated
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Its been a few weeks after my 32 litre Hemianthus Callitrichoides DSM tank was flooded and the plants are growing well.
The tank was cycled within a week as i used mature filter media from another established tank and the ADA aqua soil substrate had already released a majority of its ammonia and nutrients over the initial 6 week DSM period.
Limnobium Laevigatum (aka Amazon Frogbit) were added in from the start to help soak up the excess nitrates and nutrients.
I've also added in a nice tree-like twisty branch bogwood piece with Fissidens Fontanus attached (will have to wait for the moss to grow over the next few months). Hopefully it will eventually grow into a nice and lush fissidens moss tree.
Otocinclus Affinis and Neocaridina Heteropoda were added after the tank was fully cycled to help reduce algae and detritus. More fauna will be introduced progressively in stages.
This is a photo of the tank at 2 weeks post-flooding...
Here are the tank stats:
Tank Size: 45cm x 30cm x 24cm (High Clarity / Low Iron Glass)
Substrate: ADA Aqua Soil New Amazonia (Powder Type)
Filter System: Eheim 2224 + 13mm gUSH Lily Pipe Set
Filter Media: Seachem Matrix + Bio Sponges
Temperature: 27-28 °C
Lighting: Up Aqua Z-Series Pro LED Z-15 (45cm)
Light Duration: 6-8 hours
Co2: None
Fertilizer: None
Fan/Chiller: None
Water Change Regime: 20% Weekly
Water Parameters:
Tested using API Freshwater Master Test Kit
pH = 6.6
Ammonia = 0 ppm
Nitrite = 0 ppm
Nitrate = 0-5 ppm
Flora:
Hemianthus Callitrichoides
Fissidens Fontanus
Bogwood
Slate Rocks
Fauna:
Otocinclus Affinis
Neocaridina Heteropoda
Feed:
Hikari Shrimp Cuisine
Blanched Zucchini & Green Peas
Tank looks bigger than actual size, nice one.
Keep us updated
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wow you manage to grow HC without Co2 and very nice work you've done.
Really amazing that HC can be kept with no CO2 and fertilizer dosing and doing well after a few weeks. This is the first time I've heard of this. Please keep everyone updated on how the plants thrive. I'm sure everyone is as keen as me to learn of HC can be kept in a low- tech environment. Cheers.
Nice work! Any frontal shots of the tank?
... always look at the bright side of life
Nice one brudder.....
any more pics? Front side?
Thanks for all the nice comments!
More photos of the tank...
Top view.
Front view.
The tank looks abit bare at the moment, but it should fill out once i add more fauna and the flora have grown further.
Will update soon.
Nice work! Looking forward to your progress
Well, so far i've used the lights to grow plants like HC, Riccia, Fissidens etc in tanks up to 30cm depth for a few months now and they have all shown positive growth... so i guess that could be a benchmark reference for planted tank suitability.
The average water temperature in this tank is around 27-28°C (its in a room that isn't facing the sun directly so its relatively cool).
The tank dimensions are correct, it is 45cm x 30cm x 24cm... the tank you see on the far right is even smaller at 30cm x 24cm x 18cm, you can check out my overview on it in this link:
http://www.urbanaquaria.com/2013/01/...nano-tank.html
Btw, i've shifted my tanks around since... and adding more tanks.
I guess the relative scale of the carpet plants (HC are very tiny plants) and bogwood (its actually only 25cm in width) probably makes the tank look larger than it really is.
Last edited by Urban Aquaria; 18th Feb 2013 at 02:53.
I have always enjoyed looking at your master piece. I like the minimalistic or clean look you achieve. Everyone is interested in knowing your secret! Did you put excel? How much excel did you put and its relative frequency. If not how do you achieve no CO2?
Inspired by Amano Limited by Yusof Ishak
Thanks!
So far for this particular tank, i've not added any Excel into it yet... i've been trying out Diana Walstad's natural planted tank basic principles and techniques, and it seems to be working.
Most if the techniques i'm using are referenced from her book article: http://www.bookmasters.com/marktplc/00388Shrimp.pdf
Without any injected Co2 or Excel, i'm just working on the Co2 that is already naturally present in the tank environment itself, which regenerates at night or when the there is no light (plants convert oxygen to Co2 when its dark)... so i simply adjust the lighting duration to match the Co2 naturally available.
In the beginning after the tank was flooded post-DSM, i started with a shorter 6 hour lighting duration (this helped to prevent algae taking hold during the initial cycling period), then once the tank was cycled and all the parameters were stable, i split the lighting duration into 2 x 4 hours shifts with a 4 hour break in between for Co2 in the water to naturally replenish on its own before each shift.
In addition, i also focus on only using specific plants in the tank so that the HC gets enough Co2 and nutrients without being out-competed by other more demanding plants (ie. frogbits don't compete on Co2 as they take it directly from the air and can be added or removed easily to help regulate nutrient levels, while fissidens only require minimal Co2 and nutrients to grow).
This method basically makes more efficient use of natural resources which are always limited, just like in nature.
All these practices are not necessary for high tech tanks with Co2 injection, because the plants are being artificially force-fed with lots of Co2 so that resource is no longer limited, which allows plants to be pumped with much more lighting and fertilizers to grow at accelerated rates.
With the low tech method of no Co2 injection, the lighting and nutrient demands are naturally reduced, although plant growth is slower, the benefit is that everything is self-sustaining and very low maintenance... which is one of my objectives, as i travel overseas for work quite often and therefore prefer not to have tanks which require constant maintenance all the time.
Last edited by Urban Aquaria; 18th Feb 2013 at 04:19.
Thanks for introducing the good read. I should have know you earlier, since i started my tank quite close to yours, and i would have avoid buying my expensive CO2 set. Haha. Very in depth knowledge of aquatic plants and fish keeping.
Inspired by Amano Limited by Yusof Ishak
Yeah, using Co2 injection is definitely the much faster method, with the right lighting and ferts you'll get way quicker plant growth. Nowadays if budget is not an issue, its much easier to use technology to "turbo-boost" aquascapes.
The main issue with low-tech setups is slower plant growth, therefore just need to wait longer to see results (have to be very patient though).
I actually only started in planted tanks only a few months ago, initially also inspired by Amano's aquascapes and bought all the high tech equipment and gizmos to try out (my storeroom shelves are still full of equipment and bottles of fertilizers)... until i found Diana Walstad's book "Ecology of the Planted Aquarium" and then got interested in the natural planted aquarium principles and methods, so i ended up going in that direction instead.
Last edited by Urban Aquaria; 18th Feb 2013 at 15:58.
Nice! I'm envious that you could grow HC without co2 injection
Anyway, I've tried growing HC using ADA Amazonia. However my HC tends to "melt". I note that there are debates about whether HC is emersed/submersed, but mine doesn't seem to grow. Care to share any tips regarding this?
Thanks! :thumbup:
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Xtra boost your co2 during the transition, till the new growth leaves steady.
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Co2 injection is the general term for putting co2 into your tank.
It can be through various means like:
- pressurised co2
- DIY co2
- Excel
How you diffuse the co2 into your tank:
- external reactor
- internal reactor
- diffuser/ atomizer
If you are able to adjust the bps, I assume that you are using pressurised co2.
Different methods of diffusion co2 will mean different efficiencies of co2 dissolvation into the water.
BPS is just a rough estimation as method of diffusing the co2 into the water plays a part in the concentration of CO2 as well. Perhaps you can provide more details about your CO2 setup so that the other bros here are able to help you out.
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