100cm tank, 7 principles (Major rescaping on 1/Sep)

[cceyz]

I addictively read AQ threads when I was on an long term overseas trip from Apr-Sep this year. I learnt a damn lot from you guys and built up my confidence.

I eventually came back to town and pulled out all plants in my 6 months old tank (handed over to my wife, run into a miserable condition partly due to my lousy equipments).

I re-built the infrastructure and rescaped the tank with 20% of old tank plants and 80% brand new. I adopted and followed below principles (most of them from Mr. Tom Barr - PlantBrain in this forum):

1. Low light (2x30W/40Gallon = 1.5WPG)
2. EI Dosing
3. No Substrate fert (plain sand)
4. keep shrimps under high K and N ppm
5. Never measure and never care KH, let it be
6. Pay extra attention to CO2
7. Put effort to balance CO2/Light/Fert

In the past 40 days, after following above principles, I encountered little frustration with almost no algae problem (execpt for minor GSA on the glass) . The plants are doing well even under constantly high temperature (28-29 degrees). I didn't setup a fan because of the eye-sour.

Here are some photoes to share.

[Jervis]

All plants are looking green and healthy... well done! I'm quite surprise to find you not using any base fertilizer

[ranmasatome]

waaaa.. so green..

[cceyz]

I have got lots of help from AQ friendly forumers in making my decisions on equipment purchase and getting inspirations on scaping, plant to choose, various environmental conditions etc.

Special thanks goes to:

Jervis: I took all your advice except placing a fan. Takeing your advice rewarded me a stable CO2 system, trustworthy Drop Checker and a green/healthy foreground.

PLAnTaNoOb: I was a silent reader of your 2-ft journal. The hurdles you encountered and the way you overcomed them encouranged me a lot. I copied and slightly modified your dosing regime. Your unique scaping also inspired me.

PeterGwee: I was originally considering getting a 'expensive but life-time lasting' CO2 reg. your timely advice confirmed the gig they made in U.S. has different thread spec as ours in sg. After rounds of discussions with Sumo Regulator, I gave up the idea.

Jervis, I need to confess on 'No substrate fert' part. I took that as a principle.
However I did have layed a thin layer of QianHu base fert in Mar/2008. I have faith in the 'non-base-fert' theory but haven't had chance to practise yet.
But for the other 6 prinples, I deligently followed.

[cceyz]

Foreground plants competing for living space
Picture 013.jpg

A corner of the tank
Picture 016.jpg

SAE busy eating algae
Picture 024.jpg

Puffer fish lying on on grass bed after snail banquet
Picture 039.jpg

[weeyang19]

nice set up,.... the puffer fish so cute

[cceyz]

Once upon a time, there was a tank (01/Mar/200
Picture 001.jpg

A week passed, lots of plants killed (08/Mar/200
Picture 019.jpg

Looks like a bit stablized, but very plain (01/Apr/200
Picture 186.jpg

Dumped in some foregrounds to add depth before a LONG overseas trip (19/Apr/200
Picture 064.jpg

It went into a miserable state (no photo) after I came back.
Pull up sleeves, did rescape on 1/Sep (19/Oct/200
It evolved in a way different with I planned. Quite different indeed.
Picture 006.jpg

[FishFan]

Nice tank with lots of potential. How about increasing the plant mass?

[Jervis]

Interesting base fert selection. Keep up the good work.

[cceyz]

Nice tank with lots of potential. How about increasing the plant mass?

This is what I am planning/eager to achieve also.
However, it probablly will take longer than usual for this tank since it's growing under low light 1.5WPG (2x30W T8 tubes/100cmx40cmx40cm).

e.g.
1. Half of my gloss grew upward while the rest did craw in a very slow pace.
2. The Japan Hairgrass did sent out shooters but definately not 'going wild'.
3. The Echinodorus Angustifolius and Echinodorus tenellus did run fast and they now took over majority of the foreground


Personally I think the tank is still lack of depth. This is probablly because there is no middle ground plants. the combination of foreground and background made it a L shape from the side view.

Here are another two bird-eye photoes to give a better idea of the layering.

Comments are welcome on how to make it better.

[cceyz]

Interesting base fert selection. Keep up the good work.

I was a layman when I placed order at QianHu fish farm May/2007.
Well, now I have gained a bit knowledge but still am not far from a layman.

I can't blame the sales guy since that's his job to promte his company's product. All the stuff he sold me except the tank and filter are rubbish.

I scrapped all of them and replaced with recommendations from AQ forum except the sand and base fert.

I guess the base fert is probablly another reason which hold up my glosso's growth. But just to think on the bright side, it grows slowly but it did grow and some of them grow horizontally. It will take longer time (a few months?) and patience for mine to achieve what brothers here achieve in a few week's time.

Thanks for your encouragement again, bro.

[cceyz]

[blue33]

WOW... so green.

[Corleone]

try adding some red plants..it will give better contrast to the scape..=)

[cceyz]

try adding some red plants..it will give better contrast to the scape..=)

Thanks for your comment.
Please could you recommend some red plants under low light (1.5W/G)?
Actually the left most plant at the back when bought were half red-half green. In my low light tank, it turned absolutely green.....

[cceyz]

try adding some red plants..it will give better contrast to the scape..=)

This evening I went to Clementi Polyart and get a pot of Ludwigia perennis.

Will observe for some time, see if it stays red and post update

[cceyz]

With this, my tank concludes the year 2008 and cruises to mysterious 2009.

[craftsman]

Wow... Beautiful Bro! Keep it up!

[sesese]

wow.... so so green... NICE WORK!

[Morgan01]

how about adding some terrain? e..g sloping to front? Creates more depth to your scape.

you may also add more driftwood and enhance it with some moss?