Advice needed for Ambient lit set up

[gregorsamsa]

I will be doing the following, 2x1x1 by the window, direct sunlight 1-6 pm. Substrate consists of coc0peat (cold storage) topped up by black gravel.

plants will consist of glossostigma Valis americana, Some green stemmed plant, H. Difformis, Cambomba to soak up excess as well as a red tiger lotus.

i have read the "soil as gravel, mr low maintenance".

based on recent experiments with 1fters, the glosso and tiger lotus in seperate tanks did very well. the glosso even formed a lawn. However my odd stalk of Macandra and Ammania gracilis turned greened. I believed that there was not enough nutrients to cope with the excessive direct sunlight, yet when i used tetra pride Red, as expcted not only did the plants not recover, algae bloomed.

My question is, should i continue with red stems? and if i do, how to prevent leaching problems?and what other plants can i try ? i have tried crypt. "Mi oya
[ and it rotted (due to high temp i feel) and recovered when it was placed into another setup.

lastly, do you folks recommend the place the plant into an ice cream tub method so i can isolate the portions that have base ferts?

[David]

Its good to have sunlight to power your tank......but I dont think direct sunlight is a good idea......

[schema]

Won't temp be a problem?

[David]

Indirect sunlight is fine.....but direct is going to be a problem

[gregorsamsa]

will be going to set it up as i have bought the cocopeat. will experiment the following, Glosso APP in one feet, indirect sunlight. Lotus valis H.difformis and all nutirent suckers in more direct sunlight.

will keep updated

[juggler]

I know of a friend who did a setup like you in his 4ft tank at his balcony. Soil substrate. No filter. No lights except full sun for about 4-6 hours a day. No fertilisation except by fish food. There were floating Salvinia totally covering the tank. Surprising - no algae in his tank at all.

Ask Budak - he was there too.

Perhaps you should cut down on the fertilisation. have more floating plants to help remove excess nutrients and possibly shielding it from heating up too quickly. But for a small tank like yours, I am not sure how the temperature will be like. You have good ventilation over there. Hope that will cool the tank.

Try and let us know. Cheers!

[gregorsamsa]

its in the midst of construction. will have to find the frog bits. tentatively using floating h difformis to soak nutrients. i'm considering getting some A. Gracilis 3-4 stalks see how they grow. my current 1 pathethis stalk's internodal distance is very close (because of high light?) so when i get a bouquet, i will give it Root monster.

Going down near NA to get valis cos they wilted when i left them in the Air.

will post pics on the DaY1 cos my bro just borrowed a Digi Cam.

cheers

[bclee]

I think you should avoid stem plants. You would not want to disturb the substrate on a low-maintenance tank.

A guide (IMO) for low-maintenance tank:
1. Choose plants that do not need frequent trimming and uprooting. You do not want to disturb the substrate.

2. Infrequent water change.

3. No or very little fertilisation. Most nutrients supplied through fish feeding.

4. No CO2.

BC

[gregorsamsa]

Dear BC,

i have yet to select the plants. so far i have for certain a red tiger lotus, glosso, odd stalks of valis. i have 2 unidentified stemmed plants and 1 stalk of r macandra and ammania gracilis.

im currently using it as a psuedo open top/ nursery. for the stemmed plants, im going to let it grow such that it may/will turn emmersed (same for the macandra and A gracilis) so there's no worries on trimmings.

i am currently waiting for my H. difformis to grow before planting as they are currently still freshly cut from the main plant.

water change is zilch so far because of no fertilisation other than cocopeat. there is DIY co2. just read from a thread in APC suggesting if it is open top, need some form of CO2 cos its much harder to conserve.

plant growth: 2 leaves of the lily are bolting towarsd the surface. the A Gracilis and macandra arent doing well. though the use of Root monsters, i have prevented them from tuning green, but there edges are wilting, i believeis NO defficiency. ultimately, im just waiting for the lily to hopefully flower.

other than that, just waiting for plants to come by.

cheers

cheers