Planning for a nano iwagumi tank.

[jerra]

i know a iwagumi tank will be quite diffcult for a newbie but decided to give it a try. And i definitely need lots of advices from fellow bros here.

I will be planting HC and hairgrass in a 30cm cube tank with 18w PL light. Read that HC can be very hard to start up while others grow it very well. I read abt the dry start method. Wanted to use this method but was adviced that for a small tank i should plant densely submersed will be a better option. I really like how HC carpet the foreground.

As for C02, in the beginning i only intend to use excel since its a nano tank but after reading the experience of fellow bros here with excel n HC. Excel should not be a good option. So most prob will be using pressurized C02. Will 1bps be enough. Should i go lesser or more? I dont think i will be investing on a solenoid yet. So can it be on 24hrs with 1bps? i'm interested in those 1L alumminum cylinder but still considering the top up frequency and cost. For 1 1L cylinder running on 1bps, how long can it last?

Considering DIY CO2 too but tried it in the past but the mixture only last about a week at most and very inconsistant.

Any fellow bros here can guide me on the requirements of a 30cm cube with HC and hairgrass. Your help and advices will be very much appreciated! I'm reading up gathering as much info as i can now but for a newbie its quite hard to digest as there really alot to learn and understand.

[Fuzzy]

What are you using for the substrate and what kind of fauna (if any) will you be putting in this tank?

1bps should be more than enough, but it also depends on what method you use to diffuse the CO2. If you use a CO2 Reactor it will def be enough. With one of those normal glass diffusers even 2 or 3 bps may not put much dissolved CO2 into the water.

I have not had much luck with HC myself, but I think it because of insufficient lighting (36W Single PL over a 2ft tank.)

Hairgrass should be pretty easy if you plant it densely and let it take hold and spread out.

[Shadow]

For HC you will need rich substrate, go for ADA Amazonia either 1 or 2. Others probably suggest Gex

Forget about DIY cO2, go for pressurize. If I'm not mistaken, top up 1L to 4L is the same price. So more economical to get bigger tank. But then you probably have space constraint

You can dry start, not a problem regardless the tank size. I fail 2 times on dry method, plat melted within 1 week after submerge. Manage to success on the 3rd try and I believe the key is lots of light and CO2. I mean really-really a lots.

Plant the HC emerse, once it grow nicely fill in the water and start planting the hairgrass

Put lots-lots CO2 when first fill up the water. Too much CO2 will not harm plants and you do not have any fauna for the first few weeks anyway.

Try search on Aquascape section, I think torgue6 did with 30cm cube.

[jerra]

hi, thanks for the reply. i will be using ADA amzaonia for the tank. i'm not sure how a reactor looks like and how it works. Pior to that i dont even know what is a regulator, solenoid, check valve, bubble counter. haha

for dry start method, some points i learn and will take note is not to overflood the substrate or else HC will melt. air tight as possible to retain the moisture and when flooding inject higher amt of c02 for aleast afew days. am i right?

for fauna might be keeping Microrasbora sp Galaxy. intend to on c02 for 24hrs. will monitor then.

do u all think i should go for 24w instead of 18w? makes any diff?

[torque6]

same recommendation as shadow.
1) Excel wouldnt cut it, go for pressurised.
2) Planting emmerse HC takes 12-18 weeks, but gives solid foundation to the plants if you mimic a green house effect. At least some of Tom barr method do work in our context. Others have grown emmersed HC immediately in flooded tank, but i feel the failure rate is extremely high. Another option would be to buy submersed form off some of us here.

shadow,
Thanks for mentioning my tank, but Im one of the lucky few who have grown this plant successfully.

[jerra]

hi, i order a illummax 18w pl from mizu... still thinkin whether i should go for 24w instead. afraid that HC wont grow well under 18w. should i change it to 24w instead cause it have not been delivered yet or can i purchase those osram pl light and change it myself infuture if i want to change?

[Shadow]

you can't change your self because it is depend on the ballast.

I would say go for 24, if it is too strong you can use fish net around the light to reduce the brightness.

Just note that more light mean algae will grow faster as well, slight mishap and you will have algae bloom

[torque6]

hi, i order a illummax 18w pl from mizu... still thinkin whether i should go for 24w instead. afraid that HC wont grow well under 18w. should i change it to 24w instead cause it have not been delivered yet or can i purchase those osram pl light and change it myself infuture if i want to change?

depends on the depth of the tank, im running 18w osram 4 pin. Havent had issues of HC growing, not sure can check my 1FT hc tank.

[jerra]

I just started my emmersed growth of HC and HG in my 1ft cube using 24w PL light with ADA amazonia II powder yesterday. sealed it up with clingwrap. kept the substrate moist but not wet. hope it will grow. keeping my fingers crossed.

still have not got my CO2 set yet. Will make a trip down to NA once i see HC and HG growing well.

i got wondergro macro and micro with me. will start fertilising once i flood the tank 2 months later. But any bros can advise me on the dosage? CO2 should be kept at 1bps but in the beginning during the transition will inject higher CO2, 24hrs for few days.

[Mizu World]

This should be interesting. Keep the setup somewhere cool. With our tropical temperature dipping slightly recently, this should be easier to achieve.

For the Wonder-Gro ferts, you can go with 1 squirt per every 2 days. Moniter and supplement as required.

[craftsman]

Just saw your thread. Show us some pics... Would be wonderful to follow your HC's growth from emmerse to submerse. I hope your HC will grow well!!!

[jerra]

I will post up the pics soon but pardon my noob attempt. haha It is my first try on iwagumi and HC. So i don't expect it to be successful but I'll keep trying and trying.

[craftsman]

Hey Jerra, noobs like us have beginners luck too! So far my HC is successful on first attempt. Just make sure you do all the research possible, and give your first shot the best possibility of success. Lights, CO2, soil and ferts are huge contributing variables for HC.

[jerra]

19/01/09

[neon]

I had taken the Tom Barr emerse method for my 1ft cube tank with HC. Boy, it really took a long time to fill up and root properly.

Suggestion :
a) put fertilizer and GenX soil (green package)
b) create a slope effect
c) put the tank on a hard plank and tilt the plank (with stuff underneath) so that the water level will be the same level as the soil.
d) lightly plant the HC in small clump and spread them
e) keep the soil wet and able to see water on some part
f) minimum 18W light with 8-10 hrs lighting hours
g) wait at least 2 months until the root is gripped firmly on the soil
h) flood the tank with water and CO2 . HC will bubble like crazy.

note : I did not cover the tank and don't have mosquito problem as the tank is in the office. You might have brown algae during the first few weeks after flooding with water, may want to keep your dosing in check and add Oto to clear the brown algae (it helps).

[jerra]

hi neon, thanks for ur advices. I will take note. the HC i got is planted on a piece of filter wool, not in a pot. I tried to pull out individual stems but find it quite hard. So ended up having big cluster.

I'm using ADA amazonia II without any base fert. I tilt the tank back for phototaking if not it will leanin to the back or else the foreground will be flooded. But i do read in the forum that having water spot will cause the HC to rot. Thats why some use tissue to dry those parts. I'm keeping it very moist but not wet enough to see water on some parts.

I'm using a 24w light on a 10 hours timer. I guess 2 months is really long but I will wait. haha

[jerra]

not sure where to ask abt this. i know k refers to the color temperature of light produce from the light bulb. i read that plant light should be 2800k to 10000k. sunlight is 5500k. but the light i'm using is 12000k. will there any problem?

[Shadow]

yeah, the plant will not get the light spectrum that it used for photosynthesis. Try get around 6000K to 8000K.

[jerra]

thanks shadow!

current im using 1 ft 24w odyssea light set. can i just change it with a DAZS - PL 24W White (7200K)?

[craftsman]

yeah, the plant will not get the light spectrum that it used for photosynthesis. Try get around 6000K to 8000K.

Hey Shadow, I have 2 PL bulbs now at 6500k, but I still find the light too yellow for my liking. The plants don't turn out nice in photographs. I enquired Chan at NA, and he said he has 10,000 tubes (but indicated that they probably work at 8500k). If I get the 10000k bulbs, would there be a significant hit to the plants? As in will the plants start yellowing and die off?