Revamped 4.5ft High Tech Planted

[elwaynetan]

Hey guys,

Wanted to share my recently revamped 4.5ft high tech planted tank.

Tank Dimensions: 4.5(L)x1.25(W)x1.3(H)
Volume of Water: 207.207L (54.74 US Gal)
Light: AquaZonic T5 12000K 4 tubes 80W
Substrate: Volcanic Rocks+Maifanite, ADA Amazonia, ADA Powder & decorative river sand
Additives: ADA Five Essential Additives (Bacter 100, Super Clear, Tourmaline BC, PENAC P&W)
Filter: Eheim Pro 3 Series coupled with two sub filters
Chiller: TECO T10 (22 - 24 degrees Celsius)
UV Sterilizer: AquaZonic 11W
CO2: Pressurized 10L (3bps), Standby 2L, inline atomizer
Wavemaker: SIEO 2000L/h

Plants (Easy - Medium)

Ludwigia Repens 'Rubins'
Echinodorus Bleheri
Echinodorus quadricostatus
Echinodorus 'reni'
Taxiphyllum sp. Spiky
Cryptocoryne becketii 'petchii' YLS
Microsorum pteropus 'narrow' YWS
Microsorum pteropus 'Windelov' YWS
Microsorum pteropus YLS
Microsorum pteropus YWS
Anubias barteri var. caladiifolia YWX

Livestocks (Awaiting collection)

CRS
Bee Shrimps
Amano
Otocinclus affinis

Other information

CO2 injection from 1500H - 2300H
Light switched on from 1600H - 0000H
Still calculating fertilizers dosage

Below are some photos i would like to share after the 12 hours cleaning up + setting up. Not very fast but satisfying!

The first photo shows Day 4 after setup. Second shows the anubias releasing oxygen. Failed to upload my HC pearling. But I will post them here at intervals!

Meanwhile, Enjoy!

PS: I welcome all inputs!

[thebaldingaquarist]

wow, nice tank!
I am sure it will be a very nice tank when the flora grows in!

the lights you are using is 80W X 4? hard to think that 80W is enough for 4.5ft tank.

Please update more pictures when the tank flora grows!

[Ingen]

Nice! It is there a reason why the back is sand and the front is soil? For growing HC?

[Phillipians]

I was also wondering. 80W for 4ft tank hardly makes for a high tech tank. Should be 80W x 4?
Also, high tech tanks normally have more stem plants. Yours is most likely medium-high tech... 3Bps is also low for 4ft tank. I am doing about 2-3bps for my 2x1.5x1.5 ft tank already.
I would think if you are having 80W x 4, you will need minimum of 6 - 10bps.

[Phillipians]

By the way,
The scape is simple and nice. Just that you might want to consider even more stem plants in the initial layout for battle against algae

[Urban Aquaria]

Nice setup... i like those tank dimensions, gives a nice "widescreen" view.

Even though the tank is 4.5 ft in length, the height and depth are comparatively short, and the overall tank volume of 207+ liters works out quite close to a standard spec 3ft x 1.5ft x 1.5ft tank (which is around 182+ liters), so i think the amount of light and Co2 are quite suitable (especially since the tank height is low and the lights are positioned in the hood, not suspended higher up).

With the moderate growth selection of plants in the tank... can see that this tank is setup for longer term steady growth rate and easier maintenance.

I guess this is a good example of a high-tech low maintenance tank.

[elwaynetan]

wow, nice tank!
I am sure it will be a very nice tank when the flora grows in!

the lights you are using is 80W X 4? hard to think that 80W is enough for 4.5ft tank.

Please update more pictures when the tank flora grows!

Hey bro,

Sure! Will update when over the days. Anyway, to Phillipians as well, I think I didn't write it clearly. For lights, I am doing 4x 80W. Divided by the litres of water I have, I am doing 1.5W/L. During my research, high light tanks require about 0.8W/L or higher.

[elwaynetan]

Nice! It is there a reason why the back is sand and the front is soil? For growing HC?

Hey Ingen,

You are right! I reckoned HC secures itself better in the finer grained soil. Underneath the decorative sand behind, I laid a layer of Amazonia as well!

[elwaynetan]

Nice setup... i like those tank dimensions, gives a nice "widescreen" view.

Even though the tank is 4.5 ft in length, the height and depth are comparatively short, and the overall tank volume of 207+ liters works out quite close to a standard spec 3ft x 1.5ft x 1.5ft tank (which is around 182+ liters), so i think the amount of light and Co2 are quite suitable (especially since the tank height is low and the lights are positioned in the hood, not suspended higher up).

With the moderate growth selection of plants in the tank... can see that this tank is setup for longer term steady growth rate and easier maintenance.

I guess this is a good example of a high-tech low maintenance tank.

Hey Urban Aquaria,

You got my mind! This is really meant to be a high tech low maintenance tank. You see the list of plants I have in the tank. Only a couple can regard themselves as a fast growing species. 3bps at the moment is enough because I'm into the first week. The plants are going through a transition period now. And as usual, the crypts are starting to melt. But it's ok! They will make a comeback. The CO2 injection might increased as the time goes by till a more stable level. At the moment, I'm just letting the plants acclimatize.

[elwaynetan]

By the way,
The scape is simple and nice. Just that you might want to consider even more stem plants in the initial layout for battle against algae

Hey Phillipians,

Worth considering. But given the fact that now I have limited spaces, I think the most I will acquire some floating rosettes so that purpose. I'm monitoring the stats as of now.

[AQMS]

Unique dimension for a 4ft tank. Nice set up.
IMHO you should have a couple of stem plants like hygrophila angustifolia as an example.

[elwaynetan]

Unique dimension for a 4ft tank. Nice set up.
IMHO you should have a couple of stem plants like hygrophila angustifolia as an example.

I might have to regroup my existing plants to make more space. Haha! I had to squeeze in the last few plants nearing the end of the setup. Whew!

[elwaynetan]

image.jpg

The HC pearling I wanted to share! Day 4!

I was observing them this morning and saw some spreading occurring. I'm hoping for the best!

[thebaldingaquarist]

image.jpg

The HC pearling I wanted to share! Day 4!

I was observing them this morning and saw some spreading occurring. I'm hoping for the best!

marvelous patch of green!

[Phillipians]

Interesting term I learnt today - High Tech low maintenance ")

Never realised that it could be possible. However, after scouring through the different plants and looking the layout, you are indeed right.

Cheers and 80W x 4 is more than sufficient.

[elwaynetan]

marvelous patch of green!

Patches of green you mean bro? Haha! I'm praying for the best! Hopefully a BIG patch of green sometime later!

[elwaynetan]

Interesting term I learnt today - High Tech low maintenance ")

Never realised that it could be possible. However, after scouring through the different plants and looking the layout, you are indeed right.

Cheers and 80W x 4 is more than sufficient.

Haha! High Tech because of the different equipment setup. Low maintenance because of the plants chosen.

But I am still not letting my guard down on those annoying green slimes. I had enough of them. But most of the time, it was because of my laziness!

Actually I find the lights a little too high. Haha! But I am compensating with the CO2 injection. Like you guys always said, maintain balance!

[thebaldingaquarist]

Patches of green you mean bro? Haha! I'm praying for the best! Hopefully a BIG patch of green sometime later!

yea, very soon it will be BIG patch of green!

[elwaynetan]

yea, very soon it will be BIG patch of green!

Honestly, I've tried HC for like thrice. Both submersed and emersed. All of them decided to meltdown. That is why the photo shows only a small part. With all the research I've down thus far, I am hoping to see some results. If this time round is successful, I will expand it further along the foreground. Step by step.

[Numbskull]

i like this tank setup. Once the plants rooted and spread out, it will be an amazing sight.