rockscape, advice needed

[Wingless]

hi to all bros here. i have return to this hobby after stopping for about 6 months. I have started a rock scape tank but after laying out the rock it just doesn't seems right. Would like to get some ideas from you guys

Here comes the pictures:

ADA base powder and power sand added, filter both side and front to put powder soil to "look neater"..


Comparison between normal ADA soil and ADA powder soil


Layout



Would like to plant HC again after failing twice, hope powder soil increase the chance of successing. Need some advise for other plant as well.

Thanks in advanced!
MingXiang

[Wingless]

Bought 2 pot of HC and 1 pot of Monte Carlo from fishy business..

Planted HC around and Monte Carlo between rocks.

[wongce]

All the best bro.....

[Wingless]

All the best bro.....

Thanks bro wongce

[rc311]

Hi bro Wingless, IMHO I would suggest you planting them in smaller portions (like a 5cent coins or smaller) with ~1cm apart from each. This is allow them to spread faster. I used to plant like your and it take very long to reach each other.

[Wingless]

Hi bro rc311, thanks for the suggestion.. thought of buying more too but on budget.. will be getting more of the cheaper HC as this first batch was to "test" whether it can survive anot..

[rc311]

Bro, no need to buy more.
Have you flooded the tank? if not so, you can resize your 50cent portion to 5 cents... That would give you a better spread and better 5cents also grow better than your 50cents ...

[Wingless]

Here's some update from beginning:

Tank: 60x30x36 low iron tank (bought from sun pets)
Flter: Eheim 2213 with double tap (reuse)
Light: Green Element Evo 24" 48W (reuse)
Lighting period: 9 hours, 7am - 1pm, 4pm - 8pm daily
CO2: NA 3litre CO2 with OceanFree Dual Gauge Regulator. 8am - 7pm daily (reuse)
Soil: ADA Amazonia Soil, Powder soil + ADA 5 base powder
Fertilizer: ADA step 1 and bright K (3 squeeze -1ml per squeeze per 20litre of water)
Plant: 4 pot of HC and 1pot of Monte Carlo (1-2 grow, bought from fishy business)
Fishes: planning to keep galaxy rasboras, oto, yamato shrimp and cherry shrimp. Waiting for tank to fully cycle before putting in lifestock.

Day 1 (10 May 2014): As shown from post#2, planted some HC and monte carlo using DSM method

Day 7 (17 May 2014): Bought 2 extra pot of HC to cover more area, fill in water and turn on Co2

Day 8 (18 May 2014): Did 30% water change, dose 3 squeeze of bright k and step 1.

[rc311]

Bro, we are having the same faunas. My tank is ready and I am hunting for some nice galaxy rasboras. So far I have spotted GC, Y618 and one of the PP farm have them ...

[Wingless]

Nice! I think i saw some at sun pets as well but some is black and some of them is slightly "orange-ish"..i lives at sembawang so i will most likely visiting sun pets/ y618 before checking out other location.. thanks for sharing =)

[rc311]

Was there last week. Sun Pet sold out..

[Wingless]

Was there last week. Sun Pet sold out..

I see.. Just to check, do i have to do 30% water change daily or i can do it every 7 days? I have read some do daily some do otherwise so i am a bit confused.


Anyway some update of my tank status.
Day 9 (19 May 2014): Dose Brighty K and Step 1 (3 pump each) at 5+am before i left for work. Did a small change for my lighting/ co2 regime as i bought timer for co2 solenoid yesterday after work at Polyart. Lighting period now is 0500-0600 (for me to see my tank before i go for work ), 0800-1200 and 1400-1900 and co2 is 0430-1800.

Some HC melted but i do see a bit of new green leaf growing and i hopes more to come

That's all i have for now, cannot wait to see my HC starts to thrive and carpet!

[milk_vanilla]

Alternate days or daily water change on your first week should be best, during light on


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[Wingless]

Alternate days or daily water change on your first week should be best, during light on


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Thanks bro for guidance. Does it matter if i do water change during start/ end of lighting period? If changing water at the start of lighting period is much preferred, i will have to wake up even earlier then. haha

[milk_vanilla]

There's no rules written on the book for this

Honestly I don't really bothered about when would be the best time, i just have it changed whenever i'm vacant, during the light period


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[Wingless]

There's no rules written on the book for this

Honestly I don't really bothered about when would be the best time, i just have it changed whenever i'm vacant, during the light period


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Noted, thanks for sharing!

[rc311]

Bro, I got my galaxy.. 6 from fishy... Now their galaxy tank is almost empty. Another one with lot of is the PP farm, the one next to mega petmart. I got another 16 from there. They are now swimming happy in my tank.

[rc311]

Lighting period now is 0500-0600 (for me to see my tank before i go for work ), 0800-1200 and 1400-1900 and co2 is 0430-1800.

Bro, I would recommend you to also turn on CO2 for 0800-1200 for photosynthesis too. Say 0700-1100. The initial output of co2 would take awhile so 1hour would be good.

[Wingless]

Lighting period now is 0500-0600 (for me to see my tank before i go for work ), 0800-1200 and 1400-1900 and co2 is 0430-1800.

Bro, I would recommend you to also turn on CO2 for 0800-1200 for photosynthesis too. Say 0700-1100. The initial output of co2 would take awhile so 1hour would be good.

Hi Bro,

My lighting and Co2 as of now is:
Lighting: 0500-0600, 0800-1200 and 1400-1900 (0500-0600 is for me to see the plant and dosing of fertilizer, as well as to brighten my day )
Co2: 0430-1800 (will readjust as i have set the timer in a rush), revised to 0700-1100 and 1300-1800 maybe?

[milk_vanilla]

Highly recommended to have optimum diluted co2 intact when light on. However how fast to reach the optimum level is different from tank another tank. Therefore usually scaper are recommended to start from 1 hr before light on, and can be adjusted according to future demand


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