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Zoddy

Zoddy

Seedling
Joined
8 Aug 2016
Messages
7
Location
UK
Morning!

I've been keeping fish for 7 years with middling success with plants due, primarily, to luck. I'd like to get back to the basics of what is truly needed for plant growth with the relatively simple plant species I would like to have.

This is the set up and nutrient addition I used to have

4ft 300L - 2ft tall tank
2x54w T5 unit.
Trace - 7.9g/1000ml solution, 2x150ml does per week
Potassium Sulphate - 32g/1000ml solution, 3x22ml does per week
(Why these additions? Because someone on a forum told me to about 4yrs ago)
The occasional addition of root tabs
No C02

And that gave me something that looked like this
IMG_7124.jpg

About a year ago my T5 unit packed up and I decided that I was not that bothered about plants so I attached some basic LED strips into the same unit instead. I kept the same nutrient additions but the vallis was not happy and died away. I was left with an Anubis and a few crypts.

I've now started adding EasyCarbo and added some new crypts. Growth has been non-existent and the plants are just about surviving (I've resorted to fake plants to fill in the tank)

20160807_200059.jpg

I've probably answered my own question, but I assume my poor lighting is the main cause for this.

What I would like is to fill in more of the space with crypts and have some taller plants in the background. If I were to invest in a new T5 rig, would that make all the difference? Is there a suitable LED alternative that doesn't cost the amounts I've seen from Fluval, etc?

Also, is what I am dosing currently even suitable? I've been doing it blindly for years without knowing really why.
 
I think that poor lighting is most likely the cause.
I'd go low-energy the proper way with a soil substrate😉 http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/the-soil-substrate-or-dirted-planted-tank-a-how-to-guide.18943/
I like your tank pre-light failure especially the vallis I think it's a much under utilised plant in the world of aquascsping.

As for affordable lighting units there a few around and more coming on to the market all the time...I'd suggest you look for something with a dimmer so you can control intensity.
There have been a few discussion on this forum about various options, try doing a search🙂
 
I think that poor lighting is most likely the cause.
I'd go low-energy the proper way with a soil substrate😉 http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/the-soil-substrate-or-
Click to expand...

that's the other thing I forgot to mention - substrate. It's inert clay capped with play sand. However it has been in there for 5 years so hopefully it's sucked up some nutrients over time!

'aquascaping' is a term that frightens me. I'm no Amano and have no ambitions to be. I would just like to have healthy, growing plants for a better tank aesthetic and for the benefit of the fish.

I'll have a search for LED topics.....
 
Try some fert tabs for the crypts and any other thats rooting in the substrate.. Crypts like iron, i experienced good results with crypts on inert substrate and adding laterite clay (balls). Laterite contains iron next to other trace elements. Regarding the LEDs, your tank looks relatively high for that kind of led, smd 5050 aint a very powerfull led and the marketing yell Superbright can be anything and is very relative.. Tho i had relative good results with smd 5050 above a shallow tank with maximum 25 cm water column bellow the lights. If it becomes deeper it reduces par values significantly.. Not obvious because 30 cm more water column doesn't seem much, but regarding light penetration it realy is a lot.

Next to that those IP68 water proof flex strips have a silicone coating, this becomes yellow over time and will reduce the light also rather a lot.. Me personaly i'm not in to large and height, so from experience i can not say what leds would do in your case. But rather search for vendors giving luminous specs with the leds they sell, superbright is nice but says nothing. I would concentrate on the smd 7020 or smd 8520 rigid strips without coating but a shell casing instead. These are much more powerfull, but also come in higher and lesser power. Still i can't say anything about their performace above larger tanks.. Those number 5050, 7020 and 8520 only point to chip size of the led, doesn't say anything about there power, see the specs or ask them if not given... It doesn't need to be IP68, same as a AC 220 volt T5 light fixture aint 100% water proof.. So why should a DC 12 volt led strip be waterproof? In either case your not planning to drop it in the water, do you? There are other ways to prevent condensation water reaching the power circuit.. 🙂
 
I have used fertilizer tabs under each of the crypts. Some have survived, some have faded away.

If my lights are the limiting factor then is there really nothing I can do in terms of C02/fert additions to have decent plant growth/health or is there a way to grow some low light plants with low power LEDs?

Basically I'm looking for someone to tell me either I should give up on plants or invest in new lighting....
 
Zoddy said:
Basically I'm looking for someone to tell me either I should give up on plants or invest in new lighting....
Click to expand...

I can do that 😀

either move tank so that you have filtered daylight - this can be surprisingly successful - or invest in some lighting designed to grow plants
Those LED strips you have look to be the sort that add visual light

With a 24in deep/tall tank you will need high intensity LED (look for 1watt LED's at a minimum) or T5 IF you want lots of options on plant types/scapes

Arcadia provides some nice information on their LED series

Check the classifieds section here for any possible light solutions

You may also need to look at your current fish & consider whether they'll create plant havoc (physical damage, also consumption of plant matter) - with larger fish, established plants may do fine, but starting out plants may suffer
 
alto said:
I can do that 😀

either move tank so that you have filtered daylight - this can be surprisingly successful - or invest in some lighting designed to grow plants
Those LED strips you have look to be the sort that add visual light

With a 24in deep/tall tank you will need high intensity LED (look for 1watt LED's at a minimum) or T5 IF you want lots of options on plant types/scapes

Arcadia provides some nice information on their LED series

Check the classifieds section here for any possible light solutions

You may also need to look at your current fish & consider whether they'll create plant havoc (physical damage, also consumption of plant matter) - with larger fish, established plants may do fine, but starting out plants may suffer
Click to expand...
Sorry alto for hijacking but does filtered daylight mean a place where tank received more ambient light?
 
yes

I've one tank (Kessil A160, maybe 5X canister flow rate, low - moderate CO2, Tropica fert etc) that receives a fair bit of sunlight - filtered by blinds & windows but enough for plants to respond & grow - this tank doesn't have any notable algae issues ... watching this tank encouraged my decision to set up some nano window tanks (I've always been tempted to sneak extra tanks into that useless space 😉) - East facing window with horizontal blinds & so I far rarely forget to set the blinds for the morning light, I used Tropica Growth Substrate (water is extremely soft) & Tropica Powder soil, no CO2, internal filter, no fertilizer
 
alto said:
I can do that 😀

either move tank so that you have filtered daylight - this can be surprisingly successful - or invest in some lighting designed to grow plants
Those LED strips you have look to be the sort that add visual light

With a 24in deep/tall tank you will need high intensity LED (look for 1watt LED's at a minimum) or T5 IF you want lots of options on plant types/scapes

/QUOTE]
Click to expand...

thanks for the reply. Moving the tank is not an option - I don't have a location near a window for it and the last time I moved it I almost died of exhaustion 🙂

I'll have a look for some high intensity LEDs. However, do you know if these can be purchased in strips? Ideally I'd like to fit them into the existing T5 light unit, purely for aesthetic reasons. If I need to buy a whole new, solid unit then plants may not be for me...
 
You need new lights. The 2 foot depth is very tricky to penetrate for led strips. t5ho like you had will work fine. Quite a few led options as well.
 
If it were just crypt's,val's,and anubia and low maint,a shop light with a couple 32 watt T8's would suffice and is fairly cheap option.
I believe two 54 watt T5's would be a bit much light even on tall tank without CO2 injection.
Root tab's and replacement every three or four month's, and feeding the fish well, could supply enough nutrient's under the afore mentioned dual T8's IMHO
Watersprite is a fairly fast grower even under moderate light but I note the severum in the photo, and those I have kept showed a fondness for that particular plant and prtty much nibbled on it all the time.
 
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