# new setup, from #2 to... just plants



## parotet (9 Sep 2014)

Hi all

Two weeks ago I decided to rescape my 65 liters tank (Journal called #2), my first carbon enriched planted tank. It went from this:



To this:





Nothing brilliant in terms of aquascaping, but my aim during this last year has been to be able to achieve healthy growing and to understand some basic issues. As a newbie, the two big pieces of redmoor in tank #2 have been a pain to control flow and thus homogeneous CO2 distribution. In this new project I have decided to get rid of them: just plants, no excuses now for good flow and CO2 distribution... This time I really want to concentrate on plants growth, probably trying more difficult plants and other important aspects for future setups such as achieving bushy plants, learning about composition, colours, etc.

The tanks specs are exactly the same as in Journal #2:

Tank: optiwhite 60x30x35
DIY cabinet, lamp stand and suspension kit
Light: Odyssea T5 2x24w, one tube 6,500 and the other one 4,000K
Filter: Eheim 2215
No heater
CO2 cylinder: 8 kg
3-4 bps using online atomizer
Ferts: dry salts from TNC, liquid EI dosing
Substrate: Amazonia and plain river sand (substrate not removed from previous setup, in some places the sand is now covered by aquasoil).

The change from #2 to this new tank was done in several steps. Some plants were added to the background:





The foreground was kept like in the previous setup: a mixed carpet of Eleocharis acicularis and Staurogyne repens. The big change has been in the middle of the tank where lots of new plants were added:



Most of the plants are still adapting from emersed to submersed forms, but plants are doing really well during this last 10 days... growing really mad:



And most of the tank inhabitants are still exploring their new home 



I guess that in a few days I will make the first trimming and the tank will take quite a lot more to look beatuiful. But that's the new challenge, isn't it?

Cheers,
Jordi


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## Andy D (9 Sep 2014)

Nice!


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## ltsai (10 Sep 2014)

parotet said:


> CO2 cylinder: 8 kg



How big is that?


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## parotet (10 Sep 2014)

ltsai said:


> How big is that?


60 cm high and 20 cm diameter, it is a CO2 pub cylinder, it should fit in most of the standard cabinets. The advantage for small tanks like this one is that you can forget about refills for quite a lot of months...

Jordi


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## allan angus (10 Sep 2014)

nice


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## ltsai (10 Sep 2014)

Yeah that is a nice size. I'm just using a 1L tank...


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## Vivian Andrew (10 Sep 2014)

Nice tank Jordi, i too got 7kg cylinder it's been 6 months still running


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## Alexander Belchenko (10 Sep 2014)

Nice. I had similar adventure 2 years ago, when I threw away all my hardscape after my first or second failing attempt to make something like "aquascape". 
You can see my adventure there: https://www.flickr.com/photos/84590451@N04/sets/72157631732042705/

I'll be watching your one.


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## Greenfinger2 (10 Sep 2014)

Hi Parotet, Great looking Plants & healthy Looking forward to seeing the plants grow in now .The first photo before the rescape . Superb Scape


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## Alexander Belchenko (10 Sep 2014)

Did you make the spraybar yourself or buy it? I'd like to try a spraybar in my tank, I also has black bg but I wonder is it possible to get black spraybar...


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## parotet (10 Sep 2014)

Alexander Belchenko said:


> Did you make the spraybar yourself or buy it? I'd like to try a spraybar in my tank, I also has black bg but I wonder is it possible to get black spraybar...


It is a PVC DIY spraybar, for the moment the one that works best. I also have in mind to make a black one. I've seen clear acrylic, clear PVC, grey PVC but not sure if there is black PVC...

Jordi


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## parotet (11 Sep 2014)

Hi Alex

I came across some threads in American fish forums and learnt that people use frequently black paints for PVC tubing that is inside the tank. The most popular one is called Krylon Fusion that is said to be fish safe... Not sure what this product is (no idea about paints and chemical compositions, but I'm sure there are hundreds of similar products around us). It looks like a kind of coating paint... But no sure what happens to fish when the paint is degraded.
I asked yesterday in two specialized plastic shops and there is nothing in 12 mm diameter in black (well, of course there is but it is not sold by meters, you have to order large quantities). Black PVC pipes seems to be very common but in larger diameters. Once again it is not a common product.

My son has a toy broom which has a plastic handle that looks perfect 

Jordi


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## Alexander Belchenko (11 Sep 2014)

Thanks Jordi. I don't try to experiment with paint for now, but I found quite cheap manufactured black plastic spraybar from Aquael (can't find that product on their site though) and already ordered it. My DIY skill is below average, so I'll try to get that aquael thing soon and test it.


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## parotet (12 Sep 2014)

Hi all

I have noticed these last two days something a bit weird... I purchased a Ammania bonsai from my LFS (Tropica 1-2-grow) and I planted it one week ago. The plant is doing very well, nice and healthy growing, but every morning I found 1 or 2 stems floating. It looks like the base of some stems are melting, even if the stem itself keeps growing anyway. I just replant them and they seem to do well for the moment.
Any suggestion? For the first time I did what was written in the pots and cut the gel piece in 6. I mean, I did not plant each stem, but groups of them.

Jordi


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## tim (12 Sep 2014)

Did you wash off all the gell, I've struggled to get invitro plants to adapt when I've not washed them as well as I could.


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## Alexander Belchenko (12 Sep 2014)

Jordi, I had similar experience with Ammania bonsai. I think in my case the pot has waited too long on a shelf in the shop, so the bottoms of all stems had died. So after 2 weeks of initial planting I uprooted all stems, cut the base and plant again only tops. After that everything was fine.
Also in my case I saw that stems started to grow new roots from the point just above the dead part of stem, see:
100_5444 by bialix1, on Flickr


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## parotet (12 Sep 2014)

Yep, both things mentioned are possible. On the one hand, I purchased this plant in early September so I guess that it was probably kept the whole summer in the shop, and here it is very hot. On the other hand, as mentioned, it is the first time I just cut the plant in 6 pieces as indicated, but this way it is more difficult to wash the gel, even if I did it I might left some.
Thanks guys, for the moment it seems that replanted stems are doing well.

Jordi


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## Alexander Belchenko (13 Sep 2014)

Hi Jordi, I've installed spraybar (black, by Aquael) in pet shop tank and very pleased by its effect. Thank you for that idea (in your thread). But now I should re-think CO2 injection method. Spraybar and glass diffusor are not very good working together (not enough flow from spraybar). I'm interested to know your CO2 injection method. Are you using in-line diffuser/reactor? If so, which model is it?


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## Deano3 (13 Sep 2014)

Your last tank was great looking forward to seeing this develop and nice idea about taking all hard scape out to just concentrate on the plants , I like the thought of that


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## parotet (14 Sep 2014)

Alexander Belchenko said:


> Hi Jordi, I've installed spraybar (black, by Aquael) in pet shop tank and very pleased by its effect. Thank you for that idea (in your thread). But now I should re-think CO2 injection method. Spraybar and glass diffusor are not very good working together (not enough flow from spraybar). I'm interested to know your CO2 injection method. Are you using in-line diffuser/reactor? If so, which model is it?


Hi Alexander

Was the spraybar drilled or did you have to drill it?
Yes, when I change from lily pipes to spraybar I had to change my co2 diffusion method and I purchased this inline reactor from CO2Art
http://www.co2art.co.uk/collections...-inline-atomizer-diffuser-system-12-16mm-hose
On the one hand I am very happy as the diffusion method is excellent and no co2 is wasted. The disadvantage in these diffusion methods is that the tank is misty lots of hour a day... But personally I don't mind. Another aspect which can be improved in this model is that the tube threads have nothing to do with for example the Eheim ones, any little side pressure, tube deformed for being old, etc. will result in leaks. Nothing really serious, not very frequent, but each time you clean the tubes and you set them up again you have to check very well that it is not happening. Nevertheless I haven't heard better reports from UP atomizer, also sold by CO2 Art, it seems that the plastic quality is not brilliant.
In general terms I would recommend an inline atomizer for its effectiveness.

Jordi


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## parotet (7 Oct 2014)

Quick and dirt update... one month and two severe prunings later:



The tank looks like in previous shots but plant groups are now quite dense. Healthy growing although it is going to be very difficult to manage the tank due to very different plant growth rates. It looks a bit messy and somehow confusing to the eye, but I guess it will need two or three trimmings more to achieve bushy and well defined plant groups.

Jordi


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## Greenfinger2 (7 Oct 2014)

Hi Parotet, Looking fab


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## parotet (22 Oct 2014)

One month and a half later:



Just put together different clips taken this week -sorry for the poor edition, well edition is maybe too much, just added the clip with crap editing software.
Tonight I will be changing the position of some plants

Jordi


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## parotet (16 Nov 2014)

Quick update





Jordi


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## Alexander Belchenko (16 Nov 2014)

Is it eheim output flow tube?


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## parotet (16 Nov 2014)

It is the Eheim outflow connected to a JBL spraybar. 

Jordi


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## The_Iceman (16 Nov 2014)

Looking fantabolous Jordi!

Nice grow


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## REDSTEVEO (16 Nov 2014)

Hi Guys, great thread you have got going here and tanks are looking good. Have any of you got a link or a company name where you found the Aquael Black Spray bar, I'm fed up of my DIY one.

Cheers,

Steve.


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## Vivian Andrew (16 Nov 2014)

Nice and plants look very healthy, what is the background plant in the RHS, is it ludwigia var cuba?


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## parotet (16 Nov 2014)

Vivian Andrew said:


> Nice and plants look very healthy, what is the background plant in the RHS, is it ludwigia var cuba?


Sorry, RHS?


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## Vivian Andrew (16 Nov 2014)

Right hand side


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## parotet (16 Nov 2014)

From the foreground to the background: Eleocharis acicularis, Staurogyne repens, Cryptocoryne spp, Java fern Trident, Proserpinaca palustris, Rotala rotundifolia, Heteranthera zoosterifolia

Jordi


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## Alexander Belchenko (17 Nov 2014)

...


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## parotet (19 Nov 2014)

Hi all

I have decided to check the pH profile in this tank and for the first time I have measured my KH which is around 9



It's really amazing how the water column is degassed once you don't pump anymore!
Medium light, 3 bps, good surface rippling, inline atomizer and spraybar... the erst can be seen in the figure.

Jordi


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## parotet (23 Nov 2014)

Some pics...









Cheers,
Jordi


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## Vivian Andrew (23 Nov 2014)

wow nice photography jordi


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## GHNelson (23 Nov 2014)

Parotet nice tank!
I recognise that plant, 3rd picture down its up for sale 
Cheers
hoggie


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## parotet (23 Nov 2014)

hogan53 said:


> Parotet nice tank!
> I recognise that plant, 3rd picture down its up for sale
> Cheers
> hoggie


 not the best specimen... But the only picture that was more or less ok. Black marks are more conspicuous in other ones, really dark short lines.

Jordi


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## jose_j (27 Nov 2014)

Congratulations Jordi, your tank is great, it looks very healthy!!! Well done!!


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## parotet (28 Nov 2014)

Thank you Jose, the idea with this one was to focus on plants... I have no final layout in mind! No pressure in that sense. I'm just trying to achieve some goals which I consider are the first to be learnt to produce in the future a good layout. For example I'm trying different species (more and less demanding), I'm trying to have very dense and bushy growth, how to manage different species at the same time, different fertilization methods... Just learning the basics!

Jordi


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## parotet (19 Dec 2014)

Quick update before a light trimming this weekend



Two months ago (more or less) I changed some things in this tank: I'm now using very low EI fert dosing (something between EI standard/recommended dose and PPS-Pro. Basically what I have done is limiting growth rate by decreasing PO4). My Co2 (which I had not changed) seems to match now much better with the light/nutrients/growth level as I am achieving dense growth and I am noticing less BBA/staghorn on lower and old leaves (young growth has always been ok). The only disadvantage for the moment has been some BGA on the foreground probably related with a slight NO3 reduction (can be seen on the picture if you spot the sand): in other words, slower but steady growth.

Jordi


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## tim (19 Dec 2014)

Love this


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## pepedopolous (2 Jan 2015)

Looks great! Thanks for sharing this and your EI tweaks.

P


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## parotet (9 Feb 2015)

Quick and dirt update with the phone. No relevant changes except for the substitution of H. tripartita Japan for Monte Carlo in the center foreground two weeks ago. Nice colors being developed in some plants. 

FTS from one side





FTS from the other 




Left side




Right side




Plants close-ups









Now I'm trying to have nice plant shapes, something that is easy individually but that is much more difficult to achieve for the whole layout. 

Jordi


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## Vivian Andrew (10 Feb 2015)

Nice snaps and lovely tank


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## Greenfinger2 (10 Feb 2015)

Hi Jordi, Superb plants and health  Nice photos too


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## Bassljne (10 Feb 2015)

Plants look super healthy! Great pictures too.


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## parotet (10 Feb 2015)

Bassljne said:


> Plants look super healthy!


Well, actually some BBA here and there but something manageable 
The plants in the layout are not difficult at all but the aim is trying different species and know which ones will do well for future setups and for which ones I need to do it much better

Jordi


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## cozmoz (10 Feb 2015)

Lovely looking plants and tank. I personally feel it would benefit from some hardscaping. Hope your enjoying your aquarium.


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## parotet (12 Feb 2015)

Some pics from above...


Limnophila aromatica and Ludwigia repens 


Heteranthera zosterifolia


Hygrophila difformis 


Rotala macrandra 

Cheers,
Jordi


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## Alexander Belchenko (13 Feb 2015)

I'd say: not enough red. Probably you might want to re-examine your ferts.


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## KarthikC (13 Feb 2015)

Clear and neat tank, lovely plant growth.   Can't stop looking at the pics, specially the ones captured from the top.. 

Cheers,

Karthik


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## parotet (13 Feb 2015)

KarthikC said:


> Clear and neat tank, lovely plant growth.   Can't stop looking at the pics, specially the ones captured from the top..
> Cheers,
> Karthik


Thanks Karthik, perseverance is the key… 




Alexander Belchenko said:


> I'd say: not enough red. Probably you might want to re-examine your ferts.


Thanks Alexander for your comment, TBH I’m quite proud of my colours… it’s a kind of second step achieved. The first one was having healthy growth all over the tank, the second was enhancing colours and the third one is bushiness (on my way…). Once I will be able to do all this, I will be prepared for aquascaping.

Rotala macrandra is the one that should be much redder (although see picture in post 44, sometimes it depends on the stems or pictures), but it’s the most demanding plant I can grow and additionally in my hard water (KH10ish, GH26ish, tap water parameters change during the year) it is clearly on its limit. For the rest I have noticed that changing the ferts did nothing special (N shortage, Fe excess, etc.) and plants improved their colours by themselves once I fine-tuned the conditions of the setup (flow, CO2, light), once they were left in these conditions for some time (stability) and once they grew old (some stems are in this tank now for nearly 6 months). Of course, bombarding them with photons works, but if I do not want to have BBA I have to keep my 2x24w T5HO at least 20 cm over this 64 liters tank. 

Jordi


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## Alexander Belchenko (13 Feb 2015)

I agree, your tap water is not ice. So, probably that explains.


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## Greenfinger2 (13 Feb 2015)

Hi Jordi, Fab photos


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## banthaman.jm (18 Mar 2015)

Really great tank and journal.

Jim


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## Sacha (18 Mar 2015)

Beautiful tank. This is how I envision mine will look, one day...


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## Jose (18 Mar 2015)

Lovely Tank Parotet. You must obviously be doing many things right. I do have a recommendation though. From your ph profile I did see a couple of interesting things which might explain your slight algae issues. The main one is the co2 fluctuation towards the end of the photo period. Your pH goes from 6.5 to 6.7 in an hour while lights are still on. CO2 fluctuations during the photoperiod are known to cause algae. This is easy to solve. The other thing I saw is the pH at the starting of the photoperiod. Its 6.6 which is not bad at all, but if you want it perfect it should be at 6.5 (1 unit pH drop independent of your KH), so you could start injecting co2 maybe an hour earlier. 

Really nice tank anyhow.


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## parotet (18 Mar 2015)

Hi all

Thanks for the comments... I will post a FTS when I will be back home. The tank looks very well now with a Monte Carlo carpet spreading wild. Algae are under control as I have increased the bubble rate to 3 bps (which I assume is also improving my pH profile). I'm also thinning twice a week the plants to keep flow properly 

Jordi


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## Greenfinger2 (18 Mar 2015)

Hi Jordi, Looking forward to the photos


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## parotet (22 Mar 2015)

That's what I found after some days out of home... I will see if I shape a little bit the layout or if I let it go wild.



Jordi


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## Greenfinger2 (22 Mar 2015)

Hi Parotet, Wonderful   I vote let it go wild


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## parotet (22 Mar 2015)

Two more pics...





Jordi


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## parotet (26 Mar 2015)

View from the coach this afternoon (the big tank and the small moss vivarium setups)...



But I cannot sit still and just watch 











Jordi


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## Greenfinger2 (27 Mar 2015)

Hi Parotet, Wonderful


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## parotet (7 May 2015)

Hi all

Just wanted to share the last shots of this tank before I tear it down... As mentioned in previous threads the aim of this tank was learning to grow different kinds of plants, managing flow and CO2, trimming properly, etc. That is, learning the basics of planted tanks. I have already in mind new ideas for the next one and it will be just the oposite: some hardscape and very few species. Let's say something closer to the concept of aquascape.

The tank is now 2 years old (just in the middle of this period there was a layout change) and it needed a deep cleaning session, but these are and will be busy months for me at work, so I will dismantle it instead of keep on neglecting it. Until this summer I will focus on my nano tank and I will play with my driftwood in the empty tank. Somehow it is also exciting... it's going to be the first time I have a dry tank for more than 24 hours to prepare a layout!







(not the best pictures... plants are not trimmed, some plants have been sold and I had to change one of the bulbs for one of this horrible purple ones...)

Jordi


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## Sacha (7 May 2015)

Don't tear it down, give it to me!


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## parotet (7 May 2015)

Sacha said:


> Don't tear it down, give it to me!


Royal Mail?


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