# Planted biorb



## Beero82 (12 Jan 2015)

hi

First time post.

I've had a few plants in my biorb but recently upgraded the scape adding some moss, valis and bolbotis. There's no substrate to speak of.
A how'd you think I should go about fertilising with no substrate.
B do you think the lighting off the standard biorb led is ok ?

Not sure how to add a photo??


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## kirk (12 Jan 2015)

Hi and welcome, looking forward to seeing the pics.  If you doing it by mobile phone use Tapatalk to upload pics. As far as computer is concearned I don't know how that's done.


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## Beero82 (12 Jan 2015)




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## Edvet (12 Jan 2015)

I think the angel would like to be in a bigger tank..


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## Beero82 (12 Jan 2015)

Yep he can move once he grows. Think he's fine for now.


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## kirk (12 Jan 2015)

Edvet said:


> I think the angel would like to be in a bigger tank..


   gawrr what a loverly warm welcome.  I agree not the biggest tank but I bet the store had it in a smaller tank. I'm not condoning putting a big fish in a little tank at all Edvet but Hi welcome to the forum would be nicer......to start with.


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## Beero82 (12 Jan 2015)

Thanks for the welcome kirk

Any help on the questions much appreciated.


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## kirk (12 Jan 2015)

Try estimated index (ei) method very popular on here and can save you a fair bit of money, that's if you don't mind pretending your a scientist and mixing you own ferts. Basically macro and micro.try one of the sponsors for a starter kit which is a goid to start kit. I'm no expert on this but it's clever stuff. Good thing is when you runout of a ingredient you can buy that one on the bay cheap ie a couple of kilo of Epson salts= nice relaxing bath too......that's where most of mine ends up. Just the Epson go in my bath just to be clear.


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## foxfish (12 Jan 2015)

Hi and welcome to the forum, I think that angle deserves a bigger tank!

Although this forum is primarily a planted tank forum there are also many folk who are equally interested to the welfare of fish... no offence meant but that is my opinion.
Anyway, I think the biorb is an interesting looking tank but if it was possible to use an external filter I think it would be much nicer looking.


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## kirk (12 Jan 2015)




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## kirk (12 Jan 2015)

^^ nicely put foxfish.   it is a nice angel too.


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## Beero82 (12 Jan 2015)

Thanks for replies all. 

Fish welfare is of course very important. 

Are you guys saying the angel is too big right now or you talking about once he's grow ? I was told he would be fine for now but would need moving once he grows. Definitely my favourite character so want to ensure he's happy


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## alto (12 Jan 2015)

The concern with tanks of this dimension (much taller than long) is that fish swim "long" - there is a study somewhere looking at physiology of fish kept in tall/narrow vs short/long configured tanks: most fish do "better" in longer tanks.

There is some old calculator somewhere that recommended fish be kept in minimum 10 - 20 times their total length, there are exceptions of course, some fish are mad swimmers, others are just drifters ... put 2 inch angels (juvenile, "nose to tail" total length) in a 24 inch long tank, then in a 48inch long tank, & you will observe different behaviors; they also like to be with conspecifics - again you'll observe different behaviors.

You have the angel now, keep on top of the water quality & it will do fine, watch for any fin deterioration, a healthy angel is bright & active (& will beg shamelessly for food).  

Your Biorb looks very nice! you've done a great job with a tank that is quite challenging. 

Someone commented that fish kept in shops are often kept in very much less than ideal conditions: shops hope to keep fish in for a few days to a couple weeks, it's about sales & offering broad fish etc selection to consumers, good shops work hard to maintain water quality & fish health & suitable co-housing of various species.


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## Beero82 (12 Jan 2015)

Yep I'm happy with water quality and the angel always seems in great health, looks well with blue stripes and is always hungry. He runs the tank.


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## mr. luke (12 Jan 2015)

Welcome to the forum 
Its been said already but the angle deffinately needs rehousing. You say 'when it gets bigger', id be questioning IF it could grow to its potential size in there. I agree he looks very healthy but the neons also look a pittle afraid of him.

EI or off the shelf macro and micro solutions should answer your fert query


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## nayr88 (12 Jan 2015)

Welcome on board buddy 

As mentioned before something known as 'ei dosing' is the way forward.
If your want to keep things simple, and tbh your plants are pretty hardy, you could simplify the whole method and get yourself to Pets at home and purchase some tropica liquid fertiliser....simply pump it into the tank once a day and your away. You don't NEED a fertiliser rich substrate as the plant will do just as good a job picking goodness(fertiliser haha) from the water as it would from the roots.

The lighting should be fine for the plants you have to....

The tanks is nice to mate, how you have worked it and your plant choice. Dont over complicate things and this'll be a brilliant little tank.


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## nayr88 (12 Jan 2015)

Some reading material for when you have some time 

Information on EI
http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/the-estimative-index.13/

Read up on lighting a planted aquarium

http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/lighting-in-the-planted-aquarium.2271/

Co2 in the aquarium - something I don't think you need in this set up....BUT I think there is something on 'liquid carbon' is not then look up the use of liquid carbon as an addition to your fertilisation regime.

http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/co2-in-the-planted-aquarium.2270/

And finally flow

We all aim for at least 10 times turn over of total water in the aquarium per hour, so having a 20l aquarium I would aim to use a 200lph(litres per hour) filter, now aswell as flow take into account how well you are using that flow! Hammering it into a corner is no good, you want a good even distribution of flow that covers the whole tank, this is why spray bar outlets on filters are proffered to jet type outlets...  Reason being the fertilisers and co2 carried by the water need to get around the tank and doing so with a spray bar will ensure every plant gets a bit of the pie


The tank you currently have is very limiting so most of this info will come I'm handy further down the line as you inevitably will buy another tank to scape up haha, we all started with just one! Haha


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