My 90g planted - DSLR

[Digital]

Just wanted to start a journal as far as the development of my 90g goes. This is considered a low light tank, seeing that there I'm running only about 180watts over a 90g (standard size)

Here's a video of the tank as it is now. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AC4Vfs4alAo

Lighting: Corelife 2x65 + Hagen Glo T5 HO 1x54 (I'm going for the amano lighting setup)
CO2: N/A
Ferts: Flourish, Flourish Potassium, Flourish Root tabs
Water Changes: 2x weekly
Filtration: AC110, Emp400 (temp until my Eheim 2217 gets here this week)
Temp: 78-80

FTS

INHABITANTS

Comments welcome.

 

[Gerryd]

Hi,

Very nice. Healthy looking fish! You know the congos are all males correct? I like the bloodfin tetras......

You may think 2 wpg is low light but I think it is higher than you think, especially since you are not using c02.

T5 are better/brighter than you think......Is the fixture mounted above the tank or resting on it?

How long are the lights on for? 8-9 hours is more than enough.

Do you plan on using c02 or not? That is a big decision that will have a ripple effect........

You also could use to add more plants.......What kind do you have now?

The more details you can provide, such as substrate, etc will get you better responses.....

I would read some of the threads on low light tanks, the EI method of dosing dry ferts (easier and cheaper than Seachem products), and c02.

 

[Digital]

Hi,

Very nice. Healthy looking fish! You know the congos are all males correct? I like the bloodfin tetras......

You may think 2 wpg is low light but I think it is higher than you think, especially since you are not using c02.

T5 are better/brighter than you think......Is the fixture mounted above the tank or resting on it?

How long are the lights on for? 8-9 hours is more than enough.

Do you plan on using c02 or not? That is a big decision that will have a ripple effect........

You also could use to add more plants.......

The more details you can provide, such as substrate, etc will get you better responses.....

I would read some of the threads on low light tanks, the EI method of dosing dry ferts (easier and cheaper than Seachem products), and c02.

Hi Gerryd,

Thank you for the compliments on the fish. Their well being is most important to me. With the lighting and co2, I'm a new guy. I heard that doing a 90g with pressurized co2 would be quite expensive and high maintenence, so I shyed away from that.

I do the lights for about 9 hours, 10 hours when I forget. I don't have them on timers.

I have more jungle val coming in this week, I hope it does well...

The substrate is black gravel right now, haven't even thought of changing it due to the $$$ it would cost to do so. My wife would think I'm crazy for changing out all the substrate, and spending all kinds of money to grow plants

I am interested in buying ferts though, I think that is one of the best things I could do next. CO2 would be something that I'd consider down the road a little bit, once I get more comfortable with the ins and outs of it by reading.

How much would a entire CO2 setup run for a 90g?

 

[Biollante]

Information Please

Hi,

Beautiful tank!

That is more light than you think.

What Gerry said.

Biollante

 

[Digital]

Hi,

Beautiful tank!

That is more light than you think.

What Gerry said.

Biollante

Hi Biollante,

Thank you for the compliment!

What more information must I provide?

 

[Gerryd]

Hi,

It is the LIGHT that will drive the maintenance in some respects.......Higher light will drive plants to grow faster. C02 is the MAIN plant nutrient and has a ripple effect on the intake OF OTHER NUTRIENTS. So, since you are NOT supplying c02, the other nutes will not be optimally assimilated, and poor growth and algae will result.

Your plants will basically starve.......

I know there are cost estimate threads around for c02 and what you need. If you buy used, or can build a regulator (see Leftc posts for this), you can get an auto c02 setup for

 

[Biollante]

Pots

Hi,

I was posting as you were replying to Gerry, so you kind of answered the main questions. It is a conversation.

I keep tanks with inert substrates and they are just fine, they simply require a little different strategy. Frankly, the black gravel is dramatic, a very good look. Rather than switch out substrates, think pots with enriched soil and Osmocote.

The lack of CO2 is going to be a challenge, though not insurmountable.

How are you set for water changes? I am guessing the tank is not drilled.

I think you are going to need to back off the light, removing bulbs, adding shade cloth or a screen. Perhaps floating plants, or Tiger Lotus, even aponogeton to get leaves on the surface to cut the light.

How is Miss Odessa these days?

Biollante

 

[Digital]

Hi,

It is the LIGHT that will drive the maintenance in some respects.......Higher light will drive plants to grow faster. C02 is the MAIN plant nutrient and has a ripple effect on the intake OF OTHER NUTRIENTS. So, since you are NOT supplying c02, the other nutes will not be optimally assimilated, and poor growth and algae will result.

Your plants will basically starve.......

I know there are cost estimate threads around for c02 and what you need. If you buy used, or can build a regulator (see Leftc posts for this), you can get an auto c02 setup for

 

[Digital]

Hi,

I was posting as you were replying to Gerry, so you kind of answered the main questions. It is a conversation.

I keep tanks with inert substrates and they are just fine, they simply require a little different strategy. Frankly, the black gravel is dramatic, a very good look. Rather than switch out substrates, think pots with enriched soil and Osmocote.

The lack of CO2 is going to be a challenge, though not insurmountable.

How are you set for water changes? I am guessing the tank is not drilled.

I think you are going to need to back off the light, removing bulbs, adding shade cloth or a screen. Perhaps floating plants, or Tiger Lotus, even aponogeton to get leaves on the surface to cut the light.

How is Miss Odessa these days?

Biollante

Oh ok, just making sure you didn't need to know something different.

Enriched soil and osmocote, never even thought or heard of that!

I do 40% two times a week. I do it to promote growth in my angels and congos mainly. I'm pretty sure plants don't care much about new water... I've heard of planted tanks only getting topped off and not thoroughly changed in months.

Nope the tank isn't drilled.

MissOdessa is in California, she's well, just had a baby. I guess you seen my videos LOL.

 

[Digital]

I have 5 more jungle val coming in on friday.

 

[witkizz]

more plants would be more nice tank...add some plants....

 

[Digital]

Here's an update on my 90g.

My new additions as of the 17th of May are 4 roseline sharks. Got them for 17 each, price WAS 25$ each but I got them down to 17 each. Not bad for them around these parts. Really beautiful fish, and they school nicely.

 

[Digital]

A few more pics...

 

[Gerryd]

Hi,

I like the new additions... are you planning on more fish? Some that you have will get much bigger such as the roselines and the angels...

You may want to try the swords and jungle val towards the back of the tank... this will provide more depth and allow the fish to stay in front of the plants for your viewing. they can still hide in them...

Also maybe the one sword in front of the rocks/filter intake can be placed behind the rocks (move them forward) so it doesn't block the intake but hides it... May give a nice contrast to the rocks so they can be seen and shadowed by the sword as it gets larger.

Nice job and healthy looking fish!

PS. You still need more plants IMO...lol

 

[Digital]

Hi,

I like the new additions... are you planning on more fish? Some that you have will get much bigger such as the roselines and the angels...

You may want to try the swords and jungle val towards the back of the tank... this will provide more depth and allow the fish to stay in front of the plants for your viewing. they can still hide in them...

Also maybe the one sword in front of the rocks/filter intake can be placed behind the rocks (move them forward) so it doesn't block the intake but hides it... May give a nice contrast to the rocks so they can be seen and shadowed by the sword as it gets larger.

Nice job and healthy looking fish!

PS. You still need more plants IMO...lol

No, not planning to add anymore. My stock is now 3 adult angels, 4 roselines, 9 congos, 12 bloodfins, 3 flying foxes, 2 black phantom tetras. I think I'm pretty well stocked.

I was going to wait to move the plants until they start to grow in more, with no co2, and just dosing flourish I'm trying to not have the plants melt from moving them. Also my other issue is with the filter intake tubes... How should I go about putting jungle val or swords in the bg area without it blocking the filter intakes?

It sounds like I'd need to do almost a total rescape. hehe

If I get the answers to my questions I could just do that... Oh and I do need more plants you are right!

 

[Digital]

Rescaped

UPDATE: 05-24-10

Bought $25 worth of plants today from my LFS. Wanted to get some stem plants, had a lot of root feeders before. Rescaped a good amount of it only leaving a couple things in place. Water is cloudy cause I moved a lot of the substrate around while moving plants...

Comments welcome...

 

[dutchy]

Hi,

It's starting to look better. Anyway I would try to fill in the corners with some plants, that will give a more dense look to it and conceil some of the hardware at the same time. Maybe some little pieces of moss on the driftwood or a Hydrocotyle leucocephala around one of the branches?

Good luck,
Dutchy.

 

[Digital]

Thanks Dutchy. I will take those things into consideration when I buy some more plants. I know I still need more. I was thinking about maybe java fern tied to the branches.. I will look up the hydrocotyle leucoephala since I am not familiar with this plant. As long as it's STARTING to look better I am happy with this!

 

[Digital]

Clearer pictures, water cleared up since yesterday...

 

[Gerryd]

Okay,

A few random thoughts...

You may want to start an album for all your pics.. waiting for this thread to load is starting to become a pain You can create an album under your user name...

I love the fish pics as they all seem very healthy.. I like the rose lines...very nice..you need to get a few more black phantoms as they are schoolers...females have a red anal fin if I remember correctly...they will do better as a group of 5-6 than as just two of them....

I think you may have caught 'collectoritis' with the many species of plants you have lol I had it bad for awhile and I recognize the symptoms..

Try and stick with fewer species at first as you gain experience and also if they will adapt to your water chemistry, etc.

You may want to move the swords to the back as they will get tall and wide and will shade everything else in short order..

When planting stems, you want to plant each stem INDIVIDUALLY instead of cramming 5-6 in the same hole. While it looks nicer now, it will make it hard for current/light/etc to get in there. Plus the plants need room to spread and grow.. It may look thin at first, but as time goes on it should fill in giving you a visual clue to how things are.. If it stays bare for several weeks, then why such slow growth?