My new Setup

[cbong]

Here's my 2.5 week old 4 x 2 x 2. Placed in between halls as partition. Used flourite and found it difficult to get clear water. How can I improve visibility?

Parameters:

Size: 4 x 2 x 2
Vol: 454 ltr or 120 gal
Light: 2 x 150W MH, 7 hours daily
Filter: Eheim 2026
CO2: Cylinder 6bps
Temp:26C with chiller
Gravel: Seachem Flourite, with peat moss & mulm
pH: 6.6pH
KH: 2KH

Your valuable comments appreciated

[PeterGwee]

Get more plants in especially for a new setup. Do not wait for things to grow in. You can phase out those cheap fast growing weeds later once the plants you had in mind grows in more.

Regards
Peter Gwee

[fleekk]

Here's my 2.5 week old 4 x 2 x 2. Placed in between halls as partition. Used flourite and found it difficult to get clear water. How can I improve visibility?

Parameters:

Size: 4 x 2 x 2
Vol: 454 ltr or 120 gal
Light: 2 x 150W MH, 7 hours daily
Filter: Eheim 2026
CO2: Cylinder 6bps
Temp:26C with chiller
Gravel: Seachem Flourite, with peat moss & mulm
pH: 6.6pH
KH: 2KH

Your valuable comments appreciated

Have you complete your water cycle yet? Partially could be due to the new set up in your filter as well. Btw, 2026 is not sufficient for a 4x2x2 tank.

What Bro Peter said is right abt introducing more plants in the initial set up.

[juggler]

Not sure if the flourite is causing the cloudy water. If you want quick results on clear water, can try those Crystal Clear products (eg. from OceanFree). Make sure to observe the fish as they can get affected by the product. I still have some spare if you want to try. See example.

Otherwise, let the filter slowly do its job.

[|squee|]

The pics are too small, go upload them at http://www.imageshack.us and come back and post

I love the mound at the left side, but I don't think the sword-like plant in the middle will be good. You should build a theme based on the plants in the left side.

[cbong]

]

[ranmasatome]

isnt' 2026 a little underpowered for a 4x2x2?

[Rupert]

The experienced formers told me cloudy water was a sign that the canister filter was not mature enough, cycling was incomplete and sure enough after what seem a very long time, 5 weeks, it resolved itself.

I noticed in your picture that you had both of your Lillie pipes together; I assume that this is just for presentation purposes? If not separate them, one at each end would probably improve water flow.

Depending on what sort of plants you add, the openness of the aquascape tends to go down, and therefore water flow. I have a 4[l] x 2.5[h] x 2[w], with an Eheim 2028 with chiller, external reactor. Water flow was barely ok, then when the plants began to grow up the water flow became insufficient. So I went and got another 2028. My other choice was getting a small powerhead.

I am not familiar wit the Eheim 2026, but consider getting another, having Two filters of the same kind gives you a backup and one set of spare consumables and a whole lot more configuration options.

[wong1979]

Looks good...perhaps you can shade your ferns on the left side with pennyworts on top initially....its too near the water surface and could possibly induce algae on it soon.

[cbong]

Here's an update on my tank. Comments pls, thanks

[Rugrat]

Hi, looks great. Especially the lighting and the plant layout. Noticed that plants requiring low light are planted on the left while light shines on the centre.

[|squee|]

Looking good. You're intending for the right side to get thicker?

[cbong]

Looking good. You're intending for the right side to get thicker?

trying not to as it is currently a divider to my living rooms and would like to keep a sloping effect from left (where the wall is) to right.

[D.O.M]

nice setup......

[juggler]

It's nice! Keep us updated on its progress.

In my experience, the Sagittaria (or Echinodorus?) on the right foreground may grow tall (as much as 1ft to 1.5ft) when it gets too crowded. And block the view of the plants in the background. Just keep in mind...

[cbong]

It's nice! Keep us updated on its progress.

In my experience, the Sagittaria (or Echinodorus?) on the right foreground may grow tall (as much as 1ft to 1.5ft) when it gets too crowded. And block the view of the plants in the background. Just keep in mind...

The Sagittaria is already giving some problem ... leaves are 6 inches now. Been trimming to keep it short. Any other ways to keen them short? Certainly not lack of light as I have 2 x 150W MH.

[PeterGwee]

Raise the MH to lower the intensity of the lights. That should slow growth down quite a bit.

Regards
Peter Gwee

[vinz]

Reducing the intensity slows the growth, but the leaves get even taller to get more light... he wants to keep them short.

cbong, you have to thin out the field of sags... that is remove some of the plants entirely. The more crowded they are, the taller they get. It's not an easy crowd to control... Remove the bigger plants... not as in taller, but bushier ones. Individual long sag leaves can be removed with a sharp tug. Then tend to have deep roots, which means the leaves of mature plants will give way before the plant is uprooted.