30 Gallons, 4 feet tank

[caspia]

No co2? That's really great! Maybe the soil or the low profile makes the carpeting easier. I have been trying to grow a carpet but always diifficult. Either they grow up or just dies off

[comet]

Thanks all for the postive comments

really nice scape! The water is crystal clear too. Where did you get the cherry shrimps?

I got my shrimps from c328. Just 10 of them. And it eventually ended to where I am now, around 50+ I guess. Never really count them. The breed rather easily.

Your tank is looking good! This shows that you don't need expensive gadgets like CO2 and high-lighting to have a great looking tank.

I would like to check with you on the following,
1)How often do you dose your excel a week
2)How much did you dose? And do you follow the recommended dosage on the instructions?
3)How often do you change water and how much each time?

I would like to check with you on the following,
1)How often do you dose your excel a week
I dose 2.4ml daily, using a MUJI white bottle (read from somewhere that Excel is sensitive to light). I squirt it 4 times each day.

2)How much did you dose? And do you follow the recommended dosage on the instructions? As above.

3)How often do you change water and how much each time?
I change weekly, removing dead leaves and scrub the tank surface. Got those dry water marks due to evaporation.

[comet]

Here's an update of the tank taken 3 weeks ago:



Still using excel as a primary source. The crypts are doing very well than other plants.

[aquarius]

WOW.... your tank looks even better now that the plants are well established!!

[ichise]

Here's an update of the tank taken 3 weeks ago:



Still using excel as a primary source. The crypts are doing very well than other plants.

Awesome tank ~ I'm also using excel only ...
Do you use any ferts other then excel ?

[comet]

WOW.... your tank looks even better now that the plants are well established!!

Thanks thanks. Yup love the outcome after4 months.

Awesome tank ~ I'm also using excel only ...
Do you use any ferts other then excel ?

Yup I do. Using other fertiliser from Seachem too. I dose Seachem flourish comprehension, Seachem Phosphorus and Seachem Potassium. Around 1.2ml of each every 3 days.

I believe however the rapid growth lies in the soil. I tried excel with gex soil before, the growth wasn't that fast and lush. This current setup is primary ADA amazonia new with a bag of gex soil green.

[ichise]

Thanks thanks. Yup love the outcome after4 months.



Yup I do. Using other fertiliser from Seachem too. I dose Seachem flourish comprehension, Seachem Phosphorus and Seachem Potassium. Around 1.2ml of each every 3 days.

I believe however the rapid growth lies in the soil. I tried excel with gex soil before, the growth wasn't that fast and lush. This current setup is primary ADA amazonia new with a bag of gex soil green.

Nice ~ will be looking forward to your next update

[gregyeoh]

Any updates? The pictures all missing

[comet]

Any updates? The pictures all missing

Oh thanks for highlighting it out. I didn't realize the image link is broken. It was link to my FB album.

Here's a shoot taken on 23 days after setup:


Taken on 115 days:


Taken on the 9 months:


Taken on 6/3/13, almost a year after setup:


Ignore the hortwort on the top right. Is use to absorb extra stuff once awhile. The crypts been the same since day 1. And they are enormous now. The centre-right crypt is now 30cm tall. The rest are as huge and healthy. Still dosing the same thing since day 1 and running on excel.

[aquarius]

What's your tank temp cos i understand that Jap Hairgrass needs lower temp?

[AQMS]

Excellent!!!
very nicely done!

[comet]

Excellent!!!
very nicely done!

Thanks thanks! I am in love with the crypts.

What's your tank temp cos i understand that Jap Hairgrass needs lower temp?

My temperature hover around 26-28. Depending on the environment. I am using fan to cool down the tank. I have try growing jap hair grass with gex soil and this tank uses ADA Amazonia. And it seems that soil affects the grown very much.

[jrt]

sry but i cant see the photos

[hiisoka]

beautiful crypts!

but overall look,
my favourite photo is the one taken on the 23rd day

[comet]

sry but i cant see the photos

Yup. Refer to post 49 for the images. Scroll up.

[comet]

beautiful crypts!

but overall look,
my favourite photo is the one taken on the 23rd day

I like the initial look as well. As time goes by the crypts begin to engulf the wood pieces, and losing the main frame of the composition. Anyway, I will be taking more photos once the tank hit 1 year.

[comet]

Here's the front tank shot after a year. Nothing much changed. Apart from having really really big crypts:




Harlequin Rasbora:




Rummy nose tetra (adopted from a brother here):




Crypts are spreading:

[cherabin]

I'm always keen to learn the fertilizing regime of low-tech Excel or non-Excel tanks. Dear brother comet, care to share your fertilizing routine? Many thanks

[blk115]

can i ask, u are using canister filter without CO2 and daily dosage of excel? how's ur light?

[comet]

I'm always keen to learn the fertilizing regime of low-tech Excel or non-Excel tanks. Dear brother comet, care to share your fertilizing routine? Many thanks

Hey sure. I dose excel daily. I put it in a those muji bottle that I can squint it everyday. Per day I dose 1ml to 10g. P, k, micro are dose on weekend during water change. Water change is done weekly at 25% water. Every Thursday I will dose more p, k and micro nutrients. I use to use seachem product to dose p and k. Recently I been using dry powder form and mix in water to dose easily. Cheaper in long run. Micro wise I use seachem flourish. 2ml per dose. Not a lot since is mainly shady plants. Yup I hope I answer your question.

Cheers,
Harry