1ft Low Tech Planted Tank

[Urban Aquaria]

I noticed some "debri" accumulating on the substrate. I suspexct it's built up from the left over food that the shrimps don't eat. It doesnt seem to disintegrate nor harmful to mu shrimps.

My tank is too small to vacuum the substrate without causing major disturbance.

Any suggestions how to remove them? Loach?

If the shrimps don't eat those stuff, i doubt any fishes would touch it too. Your best option is to manually remove or vacuum it up with a pipette, just do it as part of regular tank maintenance, helps reduce the buildup of rotting organic matter in the tank.

[meepokman]

Updates on the tank.






(1) Red Rilis seems to be doing fine. Original adult population has dropped to 5 but there are at least 20 baby shrimps (as seen in photos)

(2) Monte Carlo not doing well in the tank. I presume it's due to the larger shrimp substrate preventing it from rooting properly. I also do not have CO2 except for daily Excel dosing.

(3) Added Bacopa "mini" as seen in the foreground. Growing slowly but seem healthy.

(4) p.s. the glass bio rings are added to seed bacteria growth for a new 2ft tank that's under going DSM at home. It happens to be a good playground for the baby shrimps.


Fertilizing Regime (dosage is approximate):
(1) 1ml Excel daily
(2) 1ml (each) Flourish Comprehensive, Potassium, Phosphorous & Nitrogen twice weekly


Few questions:
(1) When is the best time to dose Excel? 30 mins before lights on? Or the day before once the light goes off? (Lighting period 8am - 5pm).

(2) My Limnophila 'mini' is giving me mixed signals. Some plants are 'suffering' from many brown leaves. Yet some seems to be growing well. What do you think is the problem?

E.g Browning of leaves


Example of other plants

[ikcti]

Hi meepokman,

Can you share what filter do you use?

Thanks

[meepokman]

I'm having an Eden 501 filled with seachem matrix + wool filter + coarse sponge in it. It has been very effective. Water is vey clear.

[ikcti]

Ok thanks! Can it still be found in SG?

[meepokman]

Ok thanks! Can it still be found in SG?

Not sure. I couldn't find a brand new unit at LFS when I was setting this up last year. This unit was a 2nd hand unit I got from the Buy & Sell forum.

There seem to be similar units from Jebo.

Otherwise, can consider Shiruba X301 / X303.

[meepokman]

Updates on the tank.

Fertilizing Regime (dosage is approximate):
(1) 1ml Excel daily
(2) 1ml (each) Flourish Comprehensive, Potassium, Phosphorous & Nitrogen twice weekly


Few questions:
(1) When is the best time to dose Excel? 30 mins before lights on? Or the day before once the light goes off? (Lighting period 8am - 5pm).

(2) My Limnophila 'mini' is giving me mixed signals. Some plants are 'suffering' from many brown leaves. Yet some seems to be growing well. What do you think is the problem?

E.g Browning of leaves


Example of other plants

Anyone can help with the plants?

[Urban Aquaria]

Anyone can help with the plants?

Just trim away the brownish/melting parts of the leaves and stems (they will not recover anyways), eventually new healthy growth will replace them,

If you notice the new plant growth are stunted or yellowing with holes, then increase the fertilizer dosing and see if it helps to solve those nutrient deficiency issues.

As for Excel, its best to dose it just before or during the light photoperiod, so that the plants can use it immediately (no point dosing during lights off since the plants are not photosynthesizing).