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typically 8-10 hours a day. A week still too early to tell, some of the plant probably still converting from emerse to submerse form.
Hi there,
Can I find out what is a good or recommended photo period for planted tanks. I am running 4-5WPG on my Mini M planted with some tennellus, parva, fissidens, nanas, and narrow leaf java ferns with Gex shrimp and plant soil.
Tank temperature is prob 24/25 degrees (office air conditioning)
The tank has been up for a week but the plants do not seem to exhibit any sign of growth. In fact, the tennellus seem to be melting.
Hope some experienced bros can help.
Cheers
Purin
typically 8-10 hours a day. A week still too early to tell, some of the plant probably still converting from emerse to submerse form.
My guess is you don't have CO2 for E.tennellus. But a week is hard to conclude anything.Originally Posted by Purin
1. Did you remember to cycle the tank?
2. Is the water now cloudy, green green, or brown brown?
3. Is Co2 introduced?
4. Any nutrient dosage?
GEX soil are usually quite stable. Growth rate need time.
Thanks for all your comments and advice. Here are some answers to your questions.
The tank was cycled for about a week. Water was from the office mineral water dispenser :P The water is very clear. Only cloudy for first few hours.
Co2 recently introduced at 1 bubble per 5 seconds
I did pour half a capful of ferka aquashade into the tank last week.
Will do pictures when I can.
Wow, good taste. Just Aquashade alone is able to prevent algae.
Could you touch a bit on your current lighting? Like how many watts how many tubes, what type of lights such as FL, PL, T5, MH, etc. You did not mention how long did you expose the plants to your lights. How about the size of your tank?
Did you arm yourself with Seachem Excel?
Lets see, I have a 2x 8 watt T5 lightset + a 18w PL lightset... tank size is 36 x 22 x 26 if I am not wrong. Its a Mizuworld Mini M.
The lighted is operated by an auto timer for about 8-10 hours a day (cant remember exactly)
current lifestock are 1 x oto, 5-6 large sakura shrimps, 11 celestial pearl danio or microrasbora galaxy and a pair of young wild apistogramma bitaes
I am injecting co2 at 1 bubble per 5 seconds, am quite worried that I will over gas the water since I wont be around over the weekend to look after things.
I going to assume its in cm. So you be getting something like 6.3, - 20% for soil and water clearance on top, roughly at 5.04 so round off its about 5wpg. If I take 15% also around 5.355 wpg. Lights is no issue. 8hrs will suffice or 9am to 5pm. That should stop the melting. In fact, if you turn one 8w off also no problem.
That leaves CO2. 1 bubble per 5 seconds.
1. How long is CO2? 24/7? 8hrs on timer?
2. Manual Regulator or Solenoid?
This part more delicate because you have shrimp population to take care. Rest of the fish would be able to take up to 3 bubbles per second. Lets see your input first.
sorry I dellete my prev reply because there are 2 different product name Aquashade, one is algae and plant killer and the other one is fertilizer. Initially I was though that you are talking about the algae and plant killer
One week is not enough to cycle tank and your bioload seem to be high, hopefully your fauna is ok
is your CO2 control by timer? bubble per second does not really mean anything. You need to know the rough ppm. you can use drop checker to measure it.
Shadow means use a calculator to calculate. ^^ 1 calculator coming right up with chart reference.
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_co2chart.htm
That calculator won't work since he using Gex. Well actually kH-pH table not really work. It can work only if you are 100% sure that the pH was contribute only by CO2. Which honestly not possible. Wood will reduce your pH, soil will reduce your pH, etc
Shadow, I can't comment on GEX since I have not tested it before. Drifty seldom reduce PH from experience. I am concern on the dissolve rate of the CO2 which can lower PH. Well dissolve CO2 using reactor is most effective in reducing PH. Air Stone, Woody and even via direct filter injection have almost no effect. The table do work when use on my 3ft but again it just a guide like wpg, you still have to do moderation along the way. It is not to say right or wrong but there is no perfect calculator since we lego our tank differently. No offense.
I am using 7 pieces of driftwoods on my current 2ft, the only thing that is moderating the water ph is my 3L ADA soil. Kept a close watch on ph effect for 2 months. And aquamedi ph minus if I choose to use it.
I am using some 2 kg of Gex. Not sure if it helps but I used cycled water from another tank which ran for 2 weeks to start this tank.
Rethinking the lighting, I think I have it on from 8am to 730pm which is 11.5 hours. Sorry for the earlier error.
The tank is filtered via a S size Gex hang on filter.
The CO2 is injected via a pressurized canister via a manual regulator. It will be switched on 24 hours. Co2 is diffused via a nano diffuser from mizu world.
I have several pieces of drift wood and 2 pieces of Kepatang leaf to lower the PH.
Heres a picture of the tank. Pity its a small picture.
http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...629#post518629
lets go back to the topic which is lighting. We can discuss the CO2 measurement on other thread.
Back to Purin question, your lighting 34W is ok but try reduce the ON hours to at most 10 hours. Plant will stop photosynthesis after 10 our of straight light. You might endup invite algae.
Last edited by Shadow; 20th Feb 2010 at 20:29.
Okay. I cant do anything about it now though since the tank is in the office. Hopefully I will not be greeted with Algae when I go back.
Will set it to switch on from about 8.30am to 6.30pm when I get back.
Purin, you could supplement your carbon compound but not too much, else it will have effect on the shrimp population. C354/C328 all 3 shops have Seachem Excel on sale.
You try Shadow suggestion first. Observe a few days.
My suggestion for you:
9am-5pm, turn off one of the 8w. Observe a few days.
Supplement 5-10ml of Excel.
If this works, you could supplement led lights with an extra timer for off 8hrs regiment for viewing pleasure.
If got camera phone. Take a few picture for both remedies suggested to you then do your comparison which one is more adaptive.
Last edited by Blue Whale; 20th Feb 2010 at 20:19.
by the way, did you dose liquid fert?
only Aquashade by Ferka but just a little bit
=) Shadow, I be less active on my postings. Working on my DIY CO2 project codename Trinity v1 (New Design, have not seen anyone do this so far). Later on, will be deploy onto my 2ft once I done reworking on it. Those questions I ask should be suffice to bring out the problem areas. You take over from here.
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