Low maintain 5ft planted.

[ct13]

Dear all,

It has been quite sometime since I started to convert my Aro tank to planted. And has been struggling since then to keep plants with under sump tank, and Altum in planted tank.
I just trimmed quite a lot of plants last week, the back look bare now as lots of them die as not much lights shine through the lower back.

Tank Dimensions (LxWxH, specify units): 5ft(L) x 21/2ft(W) x 21/2ft(H)

Lighting Intensity(No of Watts) : 4 x 80W 10k Kelvin
Number and type of Lighting (FL/PL/MH) : T5
Age of light bulbs : 1 years
No. of hours your lights are on : 8hrs

CO2 Injection Rate (bps) : Using pH controller to maintain at 7.15pH
Type of CO2 (DIY/Cylinder) : Cylinder
Method of Injection (e.g. Diffusor/Reactor) : Reactor

Liquid fertilisers Used: Nil
Fertilization regime: 3 tablespoon of potassium Sulphate(When change water)

Other fertilisers (Product name. E.g. Root Monster) : Nil

Other additives (Product name. E.g. Seachem Prime) : Nil

Type of Filter: 41/2ft Under sump, Pump (EasyPump 280)
When was the filter last washed : Just washed 2 months ago
Filter media used : Bio home, bio home plus, bio stick type, Mr Aqua CR, Japanese matt, wool.
When was the media last changed : 2 years ago, wool changed 1 months ago.
What was changed : Nil

Age of setup (i.e. since initial setup or last major re-do ) : 1 year

Water change frequency : Once every 2 month, but top up water daily.
Amount changed : 30 – 40%

Water surface movement (None/gentle/turbulent) : Turbulent (Due to fan)
Circulation (None/gentle/turbulent) : Gentle

Tank Temperature : Average 29’C with 1 fan on 24/7.

Chemical Properties (Fill what you can)
-------------------------------------
KH (dKH): 3
GH (dGH): Never test
pH : 7.15
NH4 (ppm): Never test
NO2 (ppm): Never test
NO3 (ppm): Never test
PO4 (ppm): Never test
Fe (ppm): Never test

Bioload (Number and type of fish and plants)
Fish: AA, Discus, Tetra, Rummy nose....

Plant: Crypt wendtii green, Crypt wendtii topica, Crypt balansae, Crypt balansae brown, Gayi, Narrow leave fern, Subulata, Lotus...

Future plant: No plan yet.

Thanks for reading.
Ct

Sorry for the low resolution mobile phone picture.

[Crystal Red Shrimp]

very nice if i this tank was mine i am going to put crs inside,they will breed liek crazy due to so many places.

[rexy7005]

Nice....

Thinking of putting CRS into my planted tank as well.....just afraid that the Cardinals will eat the shrimplets

[ct13]

Haha, All my Yamato, Cherry, Sakura...all gone and never see them for long time liao. Think the AA of Discus........

CRS cannot survive in this tank due the the water temp. If not, this will be the haven for CRS!!! no more fishes!!!

[wynx]

very nice if i this tank was mine i am going to put crs inside,they will breed liek crazy due to so many places.

Haha...pal...the discus will make a meal out of your CRS. No kidding.

[Crystal Red Shrimp]

go buy chiller,give away ur fishes and bring in crs hehe

[ct13]

go buy chiller,give away ur fishes and bring in crs hehe

Has been thinking of it....but not an easy job to alter the pipes, place to place the chiller, cost of the chiller to chill the 5 footer....

[madnugget]

bro may i know wat is the clover like plant in the last pic?

[doppelbanddwarf]

The clover-like plant would be one of the Marsilea sp.

[agitato]

actually i would think this is a perfect aro planted tank if there was an aro in it...

i'm dreaming of setting up one hehe

[ct13]

bro may i know wat is the clover like plant in the last pic?

It is Marsilea hirsuta

[madnugget]

bro may i know where u bought it?

[ct13]

bro may i know where u bought it?

From Far East. Do see C328 having it once in a while.

[Jungle-mania]

What temperature are you maintaining in your tank? IMHO, you could keep cherries if you have 27 to 28 degrees.

[koolman]

Hi bro

You mention about low maintenance 5ft.. Care to share with us your damage?

Cheers
Koolman

[ct13]

What temperature are you maintaining in your tank? IMHO, you could keep cherries if you have 27 to 28 degrees.

The average temperature hover between 28'C to 30'C, can't have shrimps inside this tank as have Discus & AA. They will eat it up.

Hi bro

You mention about low maintenance 5ft.. Care to share with us your damage?

Cheers
Koolman

Low maintainance, but does not related to low cost. It all depend what brand you wish to have for your equipment.

Basically the tank is from previous Aro setup. What I bought additional are:

1. Substrate
2. Plants
3. DW
4. Aluminum CO2 tank
5. Solenoid & Regulator.
6. pH controller.

Hope this help.
Ct

[aquarius]

Wow your tank looks very nice! I'm very suprised that your plants are doing very well despite you not dosing weekly macro and micro ferts and pumping CO2 some more.

[ct13]

Wow your tank looks very nice! I'm very suprised that your plants are doing very well despite you not dosing weekly macro and micro ferts and pumping CO2 some more.

Haha, everything from far is nice.
I am facing problem with some plants, still trying to figure out what is missing.

[jt1]

May I know what do you feed your Discus with and how long have they been in your tank. Curious to know wether they feed well as I didnt do too well with Discus in a planted tank previously.

[aquarius]

Haha, everything from far is nice.
I am facing problem with some plants, still trying to figure out what is missing.

The plants in your tank looks quite well grown or lush from the front shot of the tank and from the closed-up pictures they look ok too. I'm suprised that they do so well because pumping CO2 without liquid ferts would appear like a receipe for disaster.

My low tech non CO2 tank has been around for 3mths plus but all the crypts and java ferns don't seem to be growing bushy despite weekly dosing of macro and micro ferts. Very frustrating!