My 3ft Planted Tank

[felix_fx2]

Hi Kohanson,

Didn't realise i actually read your tank thread before.... (use handphone read fourm too much)...

You might want to on/off your fan when ambient temperature is high.
Google the UK plug version, price range around 40+ (not sure AUD or USD)

[kohanson]

Some updates on my tank..

Shifted the betta to a breeding tank on the top right as I just added in 50 Malayan shrimps and it is trying to nip at them.

Changed my lightings to Maxspect Razor LED 160w, 8000k. Plants started to pearl after switching on for 1 hour at 100%. Even the bucephalandra is pearling but not as much as the glosso.

Overall tank shot.
http://youtu.be/mLMMLwgIQH0

Bucephalandra pearling.
http://youtu.be/U_th3_UCDJs

By the way, the betta and T5 lights are on sale in the following threads.
http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...fin?highlight=

Aquazonic T5 2x39w
http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...set?highlight=

[kohanson]

Felix_fx2: ok bro. I am monitoring the temperature now as the LEDs are producing more heat than my previous light set. The lightset comes with 2 fans and will activate when the temperature is high.

[limz_777]

are the light able to reach the corners for the foreground plants ?

[kohanson]

Some updated photos of my tank.

Tank shot


Glosso carpeting


Java Moss pearling



Java Fern Plantlets pearling


Rummy Nose Tetra


Felix_FX2: Just saw your video. Didn't saw that on my Iphone until I iswitch on my pc That is a very nice product, but I will stick with my ikea timer haha.

limz_777: From the looks of it, the center portion has the most concentrated amount of light but the side I would say probably 80%. My rotalas are at the back on both sides of the tank and they are pearling. Therefore, I can conclude that the light reaches there

[felix_fx2]

yeah, nice product. but ikea one best value still, cause i am also using it.
Actually, it never came across my mind before until i saw a friend buy it. (Alas, china plug!)

[TS168]

Hey Anson, Nice Led light set. Can the led be replace if burnt out? Or have to replace whole set. Just curious to ask.

Nevertheless, i can see the light is bright and i am sure all plant will grow well soon and fill up the tank

The moss is what moss? Go for weeping or mini christmas moss might be more nicer.

[kohanson]

TS168: Hi bro, I asked the seller and he told me that I can replace one set of 13 LEDs which are soldered to a board if one goes down. He mentioned its about 50+.

Those are java moss. I bought them when I started the tank as I did not pump CO2 previously and only started pumping just the start of July. Yah I agree they are not as nice as other moss as they grow until a mess and too fast haha. I am trying out mini fissiden which I bought from james neo, our merchant and see how it grows.

[flick]

Nice lights!

I used to run 4 x 39W T5HO for 4 hours at a go, with an additional 3 x 39W T5HO for 2 of the 4 hours. There was nice pearling from the third hour.

I had fast growing Elatine Triandra (APP) that loved the high light, and carpeted very fast. But I couldn't control the green spot algae and black beard algae that started growing on my slow growing anubias nanas, in spite of my short 4-hour light duration.

Maybe I had too much nutrients in my water.

These days, I just use 3 x 39W T5HO for 4 hours at a go. No more nice pearling. But the green spot algae and black beard algae are gone too.

[milk_vanilla]

Flick, more lights intense level more nutrition required, more co2 required. And you narrow down the length between equilibrium area and algae territory

Sent from Tapatalk 4

[kohanson]

Flick: Now I start to have about 3 patches of black beard algae on my java fern. Will see if increasing the CO2 slightly will helps or not. I have adjusted the timing of the CO2, to pump in 30 mins before lights on to ensure the tank is filled with CO2, and switch off CO2 30 mins before lights off to ensure that most of the CO2 is used up after lights are off. Green spot algae all along I have, just need to clean them every 2 weeks. I also ordered TDS and PH pen (cheapo one) from ebay to play around with.

[flick]

Flick, more lights intense level more nutrition required, more co2 required. And you narrow down the length between equilibrium area and algae territory

Sent from Tapatalk 4

Thanks for the tip!

I think I never found the equilibrium for my full light level. Maybe I'll try again soon. I miss the pearling

[flick]

Flick: Now I start to have about 3 patches of black beard algae on my java fern. Will see if increasing the CO2 slightly will helps or not. I have adjusted the timing of the CO2, to pump in 30 mins before lights on to ensure the tank is filled with CO2, and switch off CO2 30 mins before lights off to ensure that most of the CO2 is used up after lights are off. Green spot algae all along I have, just need to clean them every 2 weeks. I also ordered TDS and PH pen (cheapo one) from ebay to play around with.

Your Bucephalandra are slow growing too, right? There were awful black algae spots on the edges of my slow growers that time.

Maybe you should reduce light duration as well... instead of 7 hours straight. Pearling within 1 hour, that's very strong lighting. 7 x 39W T5HO took 3 hours to pearl for me, and I was already struggling to control the BBA that time. In the end, I gave up and reduced the intensity. Seachem Excel (daily 4ml dose) and a wavemaker helped me minimize my BBA problem.

I find it much easier to maintain my tank these days with lower light intensity and CO2. But pearling is nice

[Sunflower]

nice tank you have there. can advise how many watts for 4 a feet tank of high-light requirement plants using LEDs.I am still very new to LED , just trying to see if it justify getting one versus T5HO light. Many thanks in advance.

[kohanson]

Flick: Yup, the bucephalandra is slow and grows like anubias. I have reduced the lightings to 6 hours. I think something is wrong, I just remember when I bought the LEDs, I have already ran my 2x39w for about 3 hours and probably the plants are ready to pearl and started pearling after 1 hour of installation of the lights. I noticed today after 4 hours since 5pm, still no pearling. Could be due to my water level went slightly below the top of the lily pipe and there is exchange of gases at the water surface. Probably I will reduce the lamp hours if BBA continue to grow.

Sunflower: thanks! For the watts of LED, I am not really sure. I think what is important is that the bulb/LED should produce the correct wavelength required by chlorophyll A and chlorophyll B for photosynthesis. I am currently running 160w of LED as indicated on the box. For T5, the usual recommended watt/gallon is 3w per gallon.

[AQMS]

Flick: Yup, the bucephalandra is slow and grows like anubias. I have reduced the lightings to 6 hours. I think something is wrong, I just remember when I bought the LEDs, I have already ran my 2x39w for about 3 hours and probably the plants are ready to pearl and started pearling after 1 hour of installation of the lights. I noticed today after 4 hours since 5pm, still no pearling. Could be due to my water level went slightly below the top of the lily pipe and there is exchange of gases at the water surface. Probably I will reduce the lamp hours if BBA continue to grow.

Sunflower: thanks! For the watts of LED, I am not really sure. I think what is important is that the bulb/LED should produce the correct wavelength required by chlorophyll A and chlorophyll B for photosynthesis. I am currently running 160w of LED as indicated on the box. For T5, the usual recommended watt/gallon is 3w per gallon.

160w of led? I personally think it is an overkill.

[flick]

Flick: Yup, the bucephalandra is slow and grows like anubias. I have reduced the lightings to 6 hours. I think something is wrong, I just remember when I bought the LEDs, I have already ran my 2x39w for about 3 hours and probably the plants are ready to pearl and started pearling after 1 hour of installation of the lights. I noticed today after 4 hours since 5pm, still no pearling. Could be due to my water level went slightly below the top of the lily pipe and there is exchange of gases at the water surface. Probably I will reduce the lamp hours if BBA continue to grow.

Sounds like it's getting tricky, isn't it?

Maybe it's safer to work from shorter light intensity to higher light intensity. i.e. from 4 hours photo period, increase slowing to your desired level of 7 hours. For me, I split my photo period 4 hours each, with 4 hours break in between the two photo periods.

Not sure why it's not pearling (maybe try dosing Flourish on alternate days instead, since your light intensity has increased?). You'll probably have a better idea of what's in your tank when you get your TDS meter.

[flick]

"shorter light intensity to higher light intensity"

Oops, I mean to say shorter light duration to longer light duration.

Or you could try 6 hours at 50% intensity, slowly increase intensity until BBA appears?

[qngwn]

bba bba.. time to spot dose some excel

[kohanson]

Zerofighterx101: Initially, I was looking around for a 4x39w and BFG recommended me delightings which he mentioned was quite popular and I decided to purchase that. However, when I reached Razali's place, he told me he ran out of stock and he told me that the current 4x39w does not come with a tank stand and is meant for tanks with hood. He then recommended me the Maxspect 8000k which I quite like. I decided to get this due to its slim profile with a thickness of just 2.5cm. Initially, I am not sure how well can LEDs grow plants but I feel this light really does the job. My plants started pearling, and my buce, anubias, ferns, moss continue to grow, and sadly BBA which have never happen before!

flick, qngwn: yeah, I just reduced my lighting hours to 5 and increase CO2 to 2-3 bps. I will see how it goes. If it doesn't help, I might go and purchase a bottle of Excel. Today it pearls again, probably due to my lily pipe causing alot of air exchange on the surface yesterday. i have just topped up my tank water this noon.