Dylan Tham's Journal -120cm x39 x45 10mm Optiwhite

[DYLAN]

Hi all, I setting up my first tank this 2 days and below is the intended setup. Need advice in details to further improve this setup if possible. As im totally new and have never setup my own tank before all advice and help is greatly appreciated.

Tank Specs:
Dimension: 120cm (L) x 39cm (W) x 45cm (H)
Light: 54w T5HO x 4 (turn on 8 hours daily)
Substrate: Black quartz sand and JBJ Aqua Basic (Need advice on substrate additives if needed)
Filtration: Eheim Pro 2 2028 (sufficient?)
Co2: 1 bps via inline diffuser (On 1Hr before light)
Additives/Supplement: Need advice on this, currently on Seachem Prime for every WC.
Flora: Intend to heavily plant only Glosso
Fauna: Will be keeping >50 tetras and 5 SAE after Chinese new year as i am traveling meanwhile
Maintenance: Intend to go for 30% WC every 3 days for 1 month. Subsequently 30% per week (Advice needed)

[Alvin Koh]

Hi Dylan,

I am also starting out on a larger tank but have been experimenting with a nano tank to better grasp the routine.

The most common dosing regime would have to be EI (Estimative Index) and you may wish to go through it to better understand the tenets of the method.
Following that, is sourcing for the fertilizers (wet/dry) which may require a bit of legwork. Not all LFS stock planted equipment and some only carry certain brands partially.
It took a while before I found everything I needed - more so for Estimative Index as you will benefit from fertilizers that are commonly discussed and lists the nutrient contents (versus all-in-one solutions).

Your equipment list looks great. I can't however, comment on the substrate as I have not tried your combination.

Good luck and welcome to Aquatic Quotient.

[blue33]

For fertilizer, 60-70% what you need to dose is Potassium which is hard to get by from fish food/poo etc, other fert you dont need to dose so much except if you want to speed up plant growth rate, you dose Potassium Nitrate, too much and you'll invite trouble also. Beside ferts, you need good supply of CO2, i mean good distributing of CO2. Any imbalance you also invite algae to knock at your door.

New setup, everything can dose light except potassium.

[DYLAN]

Note all kind comments.. Will be getting ADA's Brighty K tomorrow as well as 15 tubs of Glosso for my tank. Will post some photos of my setup once tank arrive tomorrow.

[blue33]

Dry Potassium Sulphate can already, mix it with RO water. You can produce tons of ready made one. lol. Unless you overdose like >5-10x. I first time heard people use 15 tubs of glosso, 2 pot the most for me. Plant sparsely if you using glosso and not densely for glosso.

[neverwalkalone]

Dylan,

Forumer PROX has great glosso only tanks, posts here (5ft) and here (2.5ft). You may want to refer to his threads/get some pointers from him, even though your substrate is different. Ya, I hink 15 tubs is probably a tad too many for a 120cm. :-)
All the best!

[DYLAN]

Wahahaa I ordered those Glosso already. Yeah, I saw PROX's glosso iwagumi style. Very successful and love it. Tank just arrived will be doing leak test before planting. Do I just fill the tank up with water and leave over night to confirm everything is fine?

[David Moses Heng]

may i ask what is your budget?

if the budget is enough, you may want to consider using ADA substrate system for your substrate. All you need is one of the aqua soil series(according to your needs) and power sand special for a tank your size.

You may also want to drop me a pm for further discussion?

[DYLAN]

Thank Altum_lover76 for your reply, I do have a flexible budget but I have already bought 30kg of black quartz gravel. Could you advise if my current combination of JBJ Aquabasic plus and quarts gravel will work equally well as ADA's substrate system? No doubt we are comparing LV with Guess but I am really puzzled why does this ADA's substrate cost so much difference.

[Shadow]

Another Journal ... it has been quite last year. Hopefully this year will be more exiting

You might want to adjust your CO2 later on. 1bps is kind of too little for tank your size but again it depend on your light. Everything is depend on the light, more light means more CO2 and nutrient.

[David Moses Heng]

Thank Altum_lover76 for your reply, I do have a flexible budget but I have already bought 30kg of black quartz gravel. Could you advise if my current combination of JBJ Aquabasic plus and quarts gravel will work equally well as ADA's substrate system? No doubt we are comparing LV with Guess but I am really puzzled why does this ADA's substrate cost so much difference.

i realise that you do not have Pm yet. Email me at [email protected] and we carry on from there?

[DYLAN]

Yeah, in fact my supplier of plants advised me to be more observant and "flexible". All depends on the plant and light set up. Will do alot of trial and error once I start planting my tank on Saturday.

[Shadow]

My personal preference is ADA, especially if you are planting short root plant like glosso or HC. For base fert, you normally will have layer of sand/quartz to prevent the base fert for coming out. I'm not sure how thin can you do but this will prevent the root or take longer time for root to reach the base fert.

On the other hand with ADA soil the whole soil is nutrient rich, thus easier for the plant.

[DYLAN]

Noted the difference between the 2 system of substrates. Its my first tank and would like to see how it works out for me. Meanwhile, I will be keeping my current substrate system and see how well it works. I will take photos to document the rate of growth for future references.

Anybody knows where I can get a huge selection of rocks? Got the plants already but haven't found any rocks or DW that I like.

[zonkkie]

I thought Adrian (blue33) mentioned some time before that ADA soil if not planting stem plants might be too rich and have algae issues. Adrian - sorry if i am putting words in your mouth!

[Shadow]

It is true, if you just plant fern or nana then it is too rich but fortunately glosso is stem plant.

[blue33]

no problem. glosso not really a stem plant but they are nutrient sucker plant foreground/carpet plant, so a good soil is need for them, if you dose less potassium you will see them die off fast also.

I thought Adrian (blue33) mentioned some time before that ADA soil if not planting stem plants might be too rich and have algae issues. Adrian - sorry if i am putting words in your mouth!

[sfk7]

Hi dylan where did you get the tank?

[DYLAN]

Got the tank from my regular glass supplier. Dead cheap however, the ladyboss refused to fabricate the Rimless/braceless design. I would rate the silicon job 5/10. The tank is sturdy though.

[DYLAN]

Dear bros a long time since i last updated on the progress. My glosso is going really well and is starting to spread. However, my HG doesnt seem to be growing and is turning yellow.
Specs as follows: -
Daily additives - 1 cap Excel
CO2 @ 1bps
10 Hrs 4 x 54W T5 HO
WC every day 40%

I noticed that a brownish black algae is growing on certain parts of my black quartz gravel? How should I deal with this problem and if anybody can advice on the reason of this algae outbreak.