New set-up with 180 g No/Lo CO2 Tank

[gpdiver]

I am moving and want to take advantage to set-up my 180g (6'x2'x2') tank as a lower maintenance planted tank. My goal is to have a healthy planted tank, but lower growth so I can get trimming/water changes down to 1/month. I am thinking of 2 96w power compact lights. Is this enough light? Also, what would be the best substrate. I live in Houston and can probably get ADA substrate if that is better than Fluorite if they let me pick it up at the store. I have ecocomplete, but am not 100% satisfied in my last set-up (plants did not root as well as fluorite, some issues with sour substrate (black roots that did not go away with cleaning)).

Also, what would be the target EI dosing? I am not adverse to adding low amounts of CO2 as I have all the equipment, but I want to keep plant growth limited to the schedule above.

 

[Tom Barr]

Re: New set-up with 180 g No/Lo CO2 Tank

Well, you might be able to run things pretty well with the tank if you use high CO2, and low light.

You can easily reduce trimming down to monthly with a simple change in plant species and adding the appropriate hardscape.

Use rock and wood borders, ferns, moss, Crypts in long rows, Crypts like C balansae or spiralis as a long grassy background etc. Hair grass makes a nice easy to care for foreground. Even HC makes a relatively easy to care for foreground and is not that light hungery, the ADA soil will make growing this plant a breeze.

The advice for the plant species with exception to the foreground plants is pretty much the same.

You can opt out of a foreground plant althoghter and go with a nice white sand border along the front.
Behind this add dark rock and wood border, add Anubias/Java fern into the rock work, add Crypts behind this so they sort of will grow over the rocks and shade the fern/Anubias. Then you have some nice taller wood/rocks etc and some taller plants in the back areas.

You can go non CO2 also, then you will be looking at water changes once every 3-6months and trimming about 1-2 months.

I'd go the low light, high CO2 method.
Easy to care for and nice moderate growth.

Bend the reflectors outward so the light is better spread.

I really feel strongly about using several lower intensity bubles vs 2 very high out put bulbs, this helps because the blubs will spread the light out better, and the algae often grows where the high intensity sections are or gets induced there and then can spread easily.

But a tank this size is hard to light with other bulb set ups without a large change/cost etc.

I'd certainly consider a nice foreground of sand, small cobble etc, skree, etc.

Regards,
Tom Barr



Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[gpdiver]

Re: New set-up with 180 g No/Lo CO2 Tank

Tom,

Thanks for the suggestions. Woud you go with ADA soil over flourite? What Ei fert level would you suggest for this type of tank. Thanks for the quick response.

 

[Tom Barr]

Re: New set-up with 180 g No/Lo CO2 Tank

I'd go about 2x a week dosing instead of 3-4x.

Go with the ADA soil.

Regards,
Tom Barr