Lighting and CO2 for 2ft Planted tank

[DEA]

i setup my tank yesterday
water is clear today
shouldn't be a problem
please don't get all worked up when the water refuses to clear and use all sorts of chemicals
just take it easy

[setiardi]

My DIY C02 2.5ft for your reference.

Start out with eheim filter and dennerle C02 reactor.

Later when water become clear use smaller filter from ALLLIFE and change to the UP reactor coz the reactor more efficient dissolving the C02 and furthermore very little C02 is lost.

The C02 bought the DIY dennerle type but later did the yeast+sugar using the bottle.

After 1 month with the setup.Anyway lights is 2x 18w FL at 10hrs and water change 25% every week with only a puffer fish to eliminate snail, 2x yellow SAE for algae, 1 Yamato shrimp also for algae and 1 female betta for bioload.
Later if already confident can try more advance setup with pressurize CO2+solenoid+timer for CO2, external filter, surface skimmer and more light wattage for difficult plants like rotala macrandra.

My 2ft setup below is abt 2wks.The rotala macrandra is the red plant.

Hope the pics helps.

[CK Yeo]

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On 2/23/2002 9:58:47 PM
Wah...setup my tank today...
Planted tank IS hard man...
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not true. it can be as technical or as simple as you want it to be... you just have to find the method that works for you. What works for other may not work for you.

oh one thing I missed out earlier regrading your lighting. You can grow low light plants in higher light, but you usually can't do the reverse. i tis ok to keep low light plants under 36W of lights... but remember that they will not grow as fast... so you potentially have a nutrient problem. I agree with the idea of using some fast growing plants so maintain balance. Your limitation here is CO2.

[DEA]

a problem i find with slow growing plants under strong lights is algae

[stanley]

Ben,

You can go to http://www.aquahobby.com/garden.html
to id the plants and also read the user comments on the plants..

I'm currently having a 2ft planted tank with 36W of light with an Ehiem 2222 canister filter and a DIY CO2 with a UP401 CO2 reactor...

Cannot see a reason to spend $$$ to get a CO2 cylinder when the DIY method of producing the CO2 is practically zero cost and combined with a CO2 reactor, the dissolved rate is very high.. ( don't bother using an airstone, the dissolved rate is low and cannot adjust the CO2 level )

To achieved high CO2 level in the water, you need to bring your Kh up using baking soda ( you can buy this together when buying the yeast for your DIY CO2, they are usually located at the same section... )

Hope this helps... good luck..

[CK Yeo]

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On 2/24/2002 4:42:21 AM
Cannot see a reason to spend $$$ to get a CO2 cylinder when the DIY method
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yah. i used to think like that until I got fed-up with the inconsistent production of CO2. also too lazy to change the CO2 later a few months of changing. then no CO2, plants growth slow down, algae start to grow everywhere...

[DEA]

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On 2/24/2002 10:25:47 AM

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On 2/24/2002 4:42:21 AM
Cannot see a reason to spend $$$ to get a CO2 cylinder when the DIY method
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yah. i used to think like that until I got fed-up with the inconsistent production of CO2. also too lazy to change the CO2 later a few months of changing. then no CO2, plants growth slow down, algae start to grow everywhere...
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it's just troublesome to have to do the yeast mix
also, using the diy co2 with diffusors is difficult

[bentan]

Thanks for all ur help. It just keeps rollin' in.

It is really heart-warming to see such support.

Definitely one of the best hobby forums I've seen.

Keep rockin'

Regards!

Ps. my tank i clearing slowly..