Hi all. This would be my first planted tank. I would surely appreciate if someone could nudge me in the right direction please.
Tank specifics: 24 inches(length) by 12 inches (depth) by 14 inches(height). About 16.8US Gallons.
Substrate: 70% Flourite mixed with 30% 2-3mm sized inert sand like gravel.
Hardscape: Rocks
Lighting: A pair of 8 watts T5s raised 4 inches above the water surface level. Total 16 watts over a 16.8 US gallon tank.
Filter: A 450 GPH rated China made cannister filter. I have also added an Eheim Power head to increase the flow along the rear side of the tank
CO2 supplemented. Method of diffusion= via a ceramic diffuser placed at the opposite side of the filter outflow just above the substrate level.
Tank temperature=32-33'C
o) I live on a tropical island. I cannot afford a chiller so I will be using 2 cooling fans to bring down the temp to atleast 30'C. (Hopefully)
I will also be running an airstone 24/7 in the tank in view of the poor gas concentration.
Planning on starting with 1bps with the bubble counter (In view of the high tank temperaure & the running airstone). Will start the CO2 injection 2 hrs prior to lights on so that there would be a fairly reasonable amount of co2 when the lights come on.
CO2 levels will be checked with a JBL CO2 drop checker with a 4dKH reference solution inside (Not tank water)
Plants:
a)Background: Limnophila sp "vietnam", Hygrophila difformis, Hygrophila polysperma var.
b)Mid ground : Blyxia japonica, Anubias petite nana.
c) Foreground : Mini US fissidens, Staurogyne
d) Focus plant : Red myriophyllum
MY WORRIES ARE :
1.) I switch on the airconditioning in my bedroom at night & this brings down the temp of my tank to about 27'C between 8:30pm till 7am everyday. Will this daily temp variation affect my plants & future fishes? That's a daily temp variation of 3'C !!!
2.) I plan to switch on the tank lights at night ( when the temp would be cooler & hence better CO2 holding capacity of the water). Photoperiod between 9pm to 3am . Is this okay?
3.) Are my light levels okay? i.e. 2 T5 tubes of 8 watts each raised 4 inches above the water surface. Are they too low?
Please advise. This is gonna be my first planted tank & I've put a lot of effort in reading your articles & forum discussions prior to the planning stage. Just wanna know if I've got all this figured out in the right direction under the circumstances.
Thank you.
P.S. I am saving up for a PAR meter (Apogee MQ 200) & chiller but that's not gonna happen any time soon.
Tank specifics: 24 inches(length) by 12 inches (depth) by 14 inches(height). About 16.8US Gallons.
Substrate: 70% Flourite mixed with 30% 2-3mm sized inert sand like gravel.
Hardscape: Rocks
Lighting: A pair of 8 watts T5s raised 4 inches above the water surface level. Total 16 watts over a 16.8 US gallon tank.
Filter: A 450 GPH rated China made cannister filter. I have also added an Eheim Power head to increase the flow along the rear side of the tank
CO2 supplemented. Method of diffusion= via a ceramic diffuser placed at the opposite side of the filter outflow just above the substrate level.
Tank temperature=32-33'C
o) I live on a tropical island. I cannot afford a chiller so I will be using 2 cooling fans to bring down the temp to atleast 30'C. (Hopefully)I will also be running an airstone 24/7 in the tank in view of the poor gas concentration.
Planning on starting with 1bps with the bubble counter (In view of the high tank temperaure & the running airstone). Will start the CO2 injection 2 hrs prior to lights on so that there would be a fairly reasonable amount of co2 when the lights come on.
CO2 levels will be checked with a JBL CO2 drop checker with a 4dKH reference solution inside (Not tank water)
Plants:
a)Background: Limnophila sp "vietnam", Hygrophila difformis, Hygrophila polysperma var.
b)Mid ground : Blyxia japonica, Anubias petite nana.
c) Foreground : Mini US fissidens, Staurogyne
d) Focus plant : Red myriophyllum
MY WORRIES ARE :
1.) I switch on the airconditioning in my bedroom at night & this brings down the temp of my tank to about 27'C between 8:30pm till 7am everyday. Will this daily temp variation affect my plants & future fishes? That's a daily temp variation of 3'C !!!
2.) I plan to switch on the tank lights at night ( when the temp would be cooler & hence better CO2 holding capacity of the water). Photoperiod between 9pm to 3am . Is this okay?
3.) Are my light levels okay? i.e. 2 T5 tubes of 8 watts each raised 4 inches above the water surface. Are they too low?
Please advise. This is gonna be my first planted tank & I've put a lot of effort in reading your articles & forum discussions prior to the planning stage. Just wanna know if I've got all this figured out in the right direction under the circumstances.
Thank you.
P.S. I am saving up for a PAR meter (Apogee MQ 200) & chiller but that's not gonna happen any time soon.