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Big Red Rootscape 160 litre

Thanks for the positive comment Greenfinger.

Generally I am happy with it but a few things are in need of adjustment.

Made a mistake on position of the root on day 1 as I haven't left enough room behind it and the back wall of the tank. This means the background stem plant haven't really got enough room to really fill out and are proving to be a real pain to cut and replant. I would like to move it about 3 inches forward but this would cause major upheaval that I am not prepared to risk!

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Plant choice on background needs adjusting as the P. erectus is growing well but will unlikely grow tall enough to get much above the root!

Still, the current inhabitants of the tank seem happy enough …..

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Otto's have done a good job on algae and seem also to have cleared the hydra that had started to sprout up on the root. They seem to co-exist with the various shrimp types really well also.

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Hi Simon,

How have you found the Classica Light? I have one sat in a box ready to use on my incoming 240L. Am I right in saying I could adjust my light level overall to, for instance '4' and use the internal timer to run a single 8 hr phase at that level?
 
GDM said:
Hi Simon,

How have you found the Classica Light? I have one sat in a box ready to use on my incoming 240L. Am I right in saying I could adjust my light level overall to, for instance '4' and use the internal timer to run a single 8 hr phase at that level?
Click to expand...


I have played about with the light controller a bit myself and concluded that you can adjust the intensity of the light OR use the timer setting ….but not both! I can't understand why the thing is programmed this way. However, this has not proved to be a problem as I think my light needs to be set at 100% anyway to get the required growth characteristics. I have the 80cm version of the unit which has 5x 10w LEDs (10000K and 8500K) which do the plant growth bit … I assume the 3x banks of low wattage RGB LEDs are effectively for illumination only?

I currently have it set for 6.5 hours at full illumination on the main 10w LEDs (plus 30 mins ramp up/down time before and after this). I have the other 3 banks of low wattage RGB units set to come on either side of the main unit with 1x row running a few hours after the main lights have shut off. I have also played about with the height of the unit above the water level. My tank is 45cm deep and I currently have it set about 16cm above the water (I have 1.5mm thick glass covers also which I assume have some negative impact on PAR in tank).

I have only seen a couple of internet reviews of the units and both of these were very negative about the timer vs intensity setting issue. However, as i don't think you need to set it at less 100% for a 45cm deep planted tank then this really isn't an issue for me. I am pleased with all the other aspects of the units i.e.. growth performance, looks, ceiling suspension and fitting kit, colour rendition, ramp up/down facility ….. all in all very good value for something about half the price of other 'pro' units. If the intensity adjustment is an issue for you it is possible to buy a 5 channel programmable timer unit off the web for about 28 quid and you can sort this as well (as long as you have basic skills to wire this via a multi pin socket)

Only thing I may have done differently would have been to buy a 90cm unit for may tank instead of the 80 cm one … the longer one has an extra 10W LED cluster and an even number of 10000K and 8500K LEDs. Maybe this would have given me a little extra intensity in the extreme corners of the tank.
 
ADA said:
Looks great, some chubby little ottos there ;).
Click to expand...

Thanks for the comment … i am a few weeks ahead of you with planting vs you emerald isles scape - I look forward to seeing it fill out.

Not has Ottos before but i think they are great little creatures and seem very happy in their new environment (and pay for their keep at the same time with algae eating duty).
 
Simon Day said:
I have been thinking of how I can provide a little bit more cover for fish exposed to the strong LED lights (other than floating plants which will all get blown to the left hand end of the tank). The area of the tank with the sand path does not need much in the way of direct light so i was thinking about placing some translucent (green?) plastic onto the top of the glass covers in this area. I may cut it out into leaf like shapes to give a sort of dappled green shade effect? Has anyone tried anything similar to this with any success?

Perhaps I am over concerned with stressed fish than I need to be and should just put them in and see how well they cope with the bright light!!!
Click to expand...

Hi Simon, my understanding is that green light will have a negative affect on your plant growth, so I would advise against translucent green plastic. Green light is least effective to plants as most plants reflect green light and absorb very little. It is this reflected light that makes them appear green.
 
Simon Day said:
I have played about with the light controller a bit myself and concluded that you can adjust the intensity of the light OR use the timer setting ….but not both! I can't understand why the thing is programmed this way. However, this has not proved to be a problem as I think my light needs to be set at 100% anyway to get the required growth characteristics. I have the 80cm version of the unit which has 5x 10w LEDs (10000K and 8500K) which do the plant growth bit … I assume the 3x banks of low wattage RGB LEDs are effectively for illumination only?

I currently have it set for 6.5 hours at full illumination on the main 10w LEDs (plus 30 mins ramp up/down time before and after this). I have the other 3 banks of low wattage RGB units set to come on either side of the main unit with 1x row running a few hours after the main lights have shut off. I have also played about with the height of the unit above the water level. My tank is 45cm deep and I currently have it set about 16cm above the water (I have 1.5mm thick glass covers also which I assume have some negative impact on PAR in tank).

I have only seen a couple of internet reviews of the units and both of these were very negative about the timer vs intensity setting issue. However, as i don't think you need to set it at less 100% for a 45cm deep planted tank then this really isn't an issue for me. I am pleased with all the other aspects of the units i.e.. growth performance, looks, ceiling suspension and fitting kit, colour rendition, ramp up/down facility ….. all in all very good value for something about half the price of other 'pro' units. If the intensity adjustment is an issue for you it is possible to buy a 5 channel programmable timer unit off the web for about 28 quid and you can sort this as well (as long as you have basic skills to wire this via a multi pin socket)

Only thing I may have done differently would have been to buy a 90cm unit for may tank instead of the 80 cm one … the longer one has an extra 10W LED cluster and an even number of 10000K and 8500K LEDs. Maybe this would have given me a little extra intensity in the extreme corners of the tank.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the review Simon, I too have only ever seen the very dismissive reviews. At full chat the light is very bright but I like your idea of using the RGB's during the evening so the light level is a little more tolerable. Do you have a photograph of the setup with RGB only light levels?

Otherwise the fitting is very good value, I have planned to use 90cm over a 120cm. You mention you felt you were lacking lighting in the extremities, the photographs of the tank don't appear to show dark corners to me!

Thanks again.
 
Great looking tank BTW! Those Otto's are super cutey's
 
Simon Day said:
Thanks for the comment … i am a few weeks ahead of you with planting vs you emerald isles scape - I look forward to seeing it fill out.

Not has Ottos before but i think they are great little creatures and seem very happy in their new environment (and pay for their keep at the same time with algae eating duty).
Click to expand...

Yeah me too, prob is everything is slow growing in mine bug hopefully will be ready for IAPLC.
 
GDM said:
Thanks for the review Simon, I too have only ever seen the very dismissive reviews. At full chat the light is very bright but I like your idea of using the RGB's during the evening so the light level is a little more tolerable. Do you have a photograph of the setup with RGB only light levels?

Otherwise the fitting is very good value, I have planned to use 90cm over a 120cm. You mention you felt you were lacking lighting in the extremities, the photographs of the tank don't appear to show dark corners to me!

Thanks again.
Click to expand...

I will try to get a photo of the tank with just RGB on ….. The red in these makes the CRS stand out really well also and and creatures seem more active that in the 'midday sun' effect of the main LEDs.
 
I did first big trim of Monte Carlo yesterday plus some re-arranging of RHS corner of the scape. Hacked off approx 4 inches of root (underwater hacksaw job!) at the back RHS also to give more room for relocated Pogo Erectus …aim is to grow a big cushion of this to balance the scape up a bit. Space where the Pogo Erectus was behind the root now taken up with newly planted Rotala ….this should grow high enough to be seen above the root and hopefully be nice and red for some contrast.
 
Day 55 - updated photos

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Still no fish as yet …. looking at adding them this weekend.

Down to 2 choices at moment …….. either 30 ember tetras or 30 mosquito rasboras. May add some galaxy rasboras to mooch around the lower reaches of the tank as well.
 
So far generally trouble free but have noticed a bit of a problem. See picture below …..

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I have cut out a small section of sturygene repens that seems to have gone all holey! Problem was restricted to a couple of plants only that were located directly under the CO2 diffuser. Rest of the same plant around the tank looks to be OK to me. At first i was thinking if was some sort of snail/bug etc but on close examination no evidence of anything like this on the plants. Suspect it could be a nutrient related issue? Anyone got any ideas.

Ferts etc for past few months are as follows:

Tank - approx 160l …50% water change weekly
Water - medium soft (66mg/l CaCO3 according to water board)
PH - between 6.0 and 6.2 if I let it gas out for 24 hours before testing ….<6.0 if I don't
CO2 - drop checker just green by lights on
Daily Ferts : 6ml Tropica Premium liquid fert + 5ml ADA Green Brighty special lights
 
Thanks for the suggestion Ed …problem will be trying to get a bit more circulation in this area given tank layout etc.
 
My 'fish tank' (as so described by my kids/wife/friends etc) now actually has some fish in it!

Called into the Abyss at Stockport this evening as I was passing on my way back to North Wales ….picked up 30 Ember Tetras that are now happily relocated into the scape. Really pleased with them so far … they seem to stick to top half of the tank and are schooling nicely. I backed off the light & flow this evening while they settle in to the tank….It will be interesting to see how they get on tomorrow with full light + CO2 + full bore flow.
 
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