AQUASCAPING BLUES

[zanguli-ya-zamba]

Hi Members,

hope that you are all doing good, and that the Christmas time was nice ?

I don't know if some of you have noticed my absence of the community ?

As my title says, I went through an aquascaping blues and it has happen for a long time !
My last post or visit on the forum was around the 12th of November, at that time I was struggling with diatomic algae and with very poor growth. One night I couldn't sleep my head was going in all directions, and than I start asking my self : "why I was enjoying so much aquascaping before ? ". I remember my self pruning my Rotalas every 10 days and same for other plants. I was really enjoying these time !! I think that that was what I enjoy in this hobby !! "Why everything was growing so fast and nice ? " this is because at that time I had 3x54 wt at 10 cm of the water surface for 70 G. Yes I know this is strong light. For sure monitoring the tank was not the same, because everything was going faster, fir sure I was dealing with some algae. But I was enjoying and that is the key for me.

As my deception was strong and plants were not looking very great, I decided to do a test to see if my new lights is maybe too low.
To perform the test I decided to take out on parameter of the three (light, CO2, Ferts). I choose ferts as it have different algae related to ferts shortage, and no water change.
At that time my light was hanging at 40 cm from the water surface and 4x36 w PC light, I have even decided to increase lightening for the test and lower the light I went from 40 cm to 29 cm.
So I left the tank living it's life, and it takes very long time to see algae signs. After 1 month and 3 weeks first sign appear, starting to have BGA but in very small quantity and developing it self very very slowly.
Now we are reaching 2 month a 2 weeks and the only fert related algae that I have is BGA and in very small quantity. No sign of GSA or others.
My conclusion after this "test" is that if my lights were at a "good" level I would see algae before the first month of test, like 2 or 3 weeks after the start of the test, and also I would have GSA but no sign of it.
I wanted to have your opinion, do you think that this test can tell me that my light is insufficient ?

I am really tired of not seeing my plants growing, and not enjoying the hobby !
Now that I have pass through this blues I want to rescape my NA 90 cm and enjoying like before.
so I will do it this week end or next week. What I will do is not being shy on the light this time, I will lower it to 20 cm from the water surface and see how it is going on. Do you think I should lower even more It is 4x36 w PC with medium reflector (surface is very shiny but it is a flat reflector).

Thanks for reading this long post, and I hope you will give me some motivation because I lost it and I have a full set of Natural Aquario sleeping in my living room .

Cheers guys
Zanguli

 

[Ady34]

Hi Zanguli,
sorry to hear of your aquascaping blues mate
Its easy to become disheartened, especially when trying to do everything right. Im not sure about the test, but would always advocate a light/c02 and fert balance is the only way to a healthy high tech tank. Many people run high lighting with stunning and rapid results, but this must always be accompanied with religious and meticulous maintenance and having c02 and flow absolutely spot on. If the plants arnt holding their own on low lighting then distribution and c02 still need work, ferts seem more straightforward with ei, but can need slight adjustment as you know, but again likely only in the most demanding of situations.
My current 250l tank now has low lighting, 78w t5 with reflectors, 14" above the water surface, it used to be the same as yours 4 x 36w pc NA lighting and it was much more difficult to manage even raised as high as the light arm would allow!
I took the decision to reduce intensity and although my growth has been slow, it is now satisfactory and reasonably healthy without constantly fighting algae/melt. Some plants have almost not grown at all. Take my staurogyne repens for example, i bought a pot to try again as ive always failed in the past, this time it hasnt melted, remains healthy looking and clear of algae but in all honesty has grown about 1" in 4 months
To get that plant to grow faster id likely need more light, but then i also know that with more light i have failed in the past, so it would then be my c02 and distribution that needed addressing.
Stem plants and carpet plants people want rapid results, and to do this generally need higher lighting levels, but also they need the extra attention to c02 and maintenance. It is difficult to accept sometimes when it seems to come so easily to others, but even when we think we have everything right, if we are struggling with poor plant health or algae then something is not right. I think you should try and raise your lighting higher still, or even knock off 2 of the bulbs if you have that option on your unit. Sure enough if you increased your intensity your plants would try to grow faster, but if your c02 is not up to scratch then they will only fail faster, the struggles you are already having/had with diatoms etc only emphasise this. It is hard to get right, i never have with higher lighting and it makes me more in awe of those that succeed with beautiful crazy fast growing tanks. I know now that i need to improve on my c02 distribution if i want to emulate this, but hey, theres nothing wrong with slow and steady

Keep your chin up mate, every tank is different but the same basics apply and plants all grow by the same process.

Cheerio,
Ady.

 

[Alastair]

Good to see you back mate I did notice you not on recently.
As Ady says chin up mate and look forward to you coming back stronger and more eager

 

[kirk]

No didn't notice you wernt here I'm too wrapped up in my own self importance joking aside nice to see you posting and I've enjoyed the read. as you say slow and steady. So I'm not the only one who lies awake scaping in the mind. Stops me thinking about the bills .

 

[zanguli-ya-zamba]

Hi guys
Thanks for your reply and the motivation.
In fact I can see that after all this time out of the community, I can tell that I have missed it so much haha. It is great to be back and read again what is going on.
So I have selected some wood yesterday and put them in water for one or two week after that I will give them a nice clean. I already have rocks and substrate. For the plant I don't really now what I will put.
I am on it !! For the scape I don't have a clue. Maybe a central island could be nice. Well we will see what I will do.

I will start directly with 4 bulbs on at 25 cm of the water surface. I will be on maintenance and water change. Co2 will be push at max and when every thing will be settle I will reduce it slowly and introduce fish.
I hope I will find inspiration and will have good results.

I'll be back

 

[zanguli-ya-zamba]

Ady I would like to put some bolbitis in this scape and like I am living in his natural environment, I want to put some wild source. I need a small advice please. Should I go for small ones when I collect them ? Or should I go strait to big ones ? I have noticed that bigger one are not always in good shape, and all the time I have take some the bigger leave turn brown and it is sprouting new smaller leaves.
I don't know if I made clear lol. A friend of mine have found a plant that doesn't have any roots (like riccia) he have it floating in his tank since 4 months and every month he have to trim it and throws more than 50% of the plant because it is growing to fast. Maybe I could give a shot on it and tie it like riccia. I will take a pic of that plant because I can't describe it lol.

Regards

 

[Ady34]

Hi,
either pick the smaller ones or chop all of the leaves from the rhizome on the larger specimens, especially if they are emersed, it will then sprout new submerse growth.
Im sure Mr. Amano uses just the rhizomes when creating scapes
Give the riccia type plant a try, by nature riccia is a floater too
Cheerio,
Ady.