Low Light and CO2 tank

[maverick]

Hi guys,

Intending to set up a tank with fast flowing water with very minimal substrate, maybe just a thin layer. It will be having lots of driftwood though... List of low lightplants that I will add will be nanas, cryptos, anubias, moss, green algae.... all these sort to make it look like the wild amazon... any ideas and big wild plants I can get?? Ozelot?

Wondering what do you guys mean by low light? Mine will be a 3x1.5x1.5ft tank. What is the minimum amount of lights for the low light plants to survive? Will not be providing CO2 as it will not dissolve fully due to high agitation of the water....

[Simon]

hi maverick, if u intend to have nanas, fern, moss then a thin layer of grave/base fert is sufficient, but u listed cryptos and echinodorus, which require a thicker substrate... u can refer to the FAQ section for the thickness required.

lowlight is term together with the used of low maintenance, low light plants (cryptos, nanas, ferns, echinodorus..etc) u shld be looking at a region of 2-2.5watts per gal, can be lower though... yr 3x1.5x1.5 shld give u ard 51.66USG, if u use 4x36watts PL.. it will roughly give u ard 2.8WPG(watts per gal) alittle too high for lowlight plants imo. but rest assured that I'm using 4x36watts for my 4x1.5x1.5 which gives slightly above 2WPG and I'm growing a few high plants myself.. firstly, becoz PL is a point/focus light and secondly becoz of the height of the tank.

y dun u consider using DIY co2 instead, will really help if u inject some form of CO2, I supposed u wanna do as little maintenance possible?

[vinz]

Hmmm... recent discussions on APD indicate that even plants grow better with CO2 in a low light tank. Perhaps a simple DIY would suffice in your case. The low injection rate will allow you to leave it in 24hr/day and not stress out your fishes.

Actually, CO2 will dissolve better with agitation... that's the principle behind CO2 reactors. It's surface agitation that causes increased loss of CO2... so if you keep the water outlets in the lower parts of the tank, it shouldn't be a big problem.

Due to the fast currents, your plants will have a harder time grabbing nutrients out of the water. You'll need a think rich substrate to support plants like echinodoruses and cryptos.

Low light would be about 2W/G. Minimum... probably 1.5W/G.

[maverick]

The thing is that i am thinking of doing something with a high substrate in the back with a minimal substrate in the front. May put in 2 powerheads as well for this... Will be something like this http://www.loaches.com/river_tank.shtml

Hehe... There will be quite a bit of surface agitation to create the effect. I do have a CO2 set but will not be using it for this project. The lighting I would be thinking would be around 1.5W/Gallon. Think this will work??

[Simon]

imo, 3ft for those kinda setup is too short, firstly.. the powerhead will prolly creating a tidal wave, u oso may consider those powerhead with rotating noozle used in marine tanks...

[maverick]

you may be right, What I will probably do is use a single powerhead and rainbars to spread out the tidal waves.... hahaha

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On 11/27/2002 5:10:39 PM

imo, 3ft for those kinda setup is too short, firstly.. the powerhead will prolly creating a tidal wave, u oso may consider those powerhead with rotating noozle used in marine tanks...
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[lorba]

Hi, i am using the rainbar. But the filter is large and the flow is really powerful, my background plants are discoing even the rainbar faces the backwall downward.

Other than buying the EHEIM valve kinda of thing, my friend suggested using a peumatic siliencer. Another comment on this or better idea? I hope to do away with the rainbar, look rather unsightly.

thanks