My First Planted Tank (The End) Juwel Rio 125

[LondonDragon]

Re: My First Planted Tank - Juwel Rio 125

The 6 tubes was way too much for this tank, I have now reduced it to 4 and only keeping the lights on for 6.5 hours per day for a couple of weeks until things stablise again. Too much power and not enough CO2 without gassing the fish hehe

The glosso is now gone too, had enough of it so thinking of trying HC again, would look nice at the front of the tank with plenty of CO2 blowing into it via the Koralia.

Had to take a few plants off too due to them not being at their best, got some Blyxa but a lot of it is melting away, hopefully I will be able to save a few stems.

Here how the tank is looking now, I have been struggling for a while to keep this tank at any decent standard, since October last year that things gone terribly crazy in this tank. Maybe too many experiments lol

Thanks for looking 🙂

 

[Nelson]

Re: My First Planted Tank - Juwel Rio 125

still looks great paulo
neil

 

[LondonDragon]

Re: My First Planted Tank - Juwel Rio 125

still looks great paulo
neil

Thanks Neil, to me looks a mess haha time to start working on it again, what I need is to replace the substrate with something decent that actually helps plants grow hehe 😉

 

[Thomas McMillan]

Re: My First Planted Tank - Juwel Rio 125

This tank has lasted well past its sell by date (which is far from a bad thing), it's great! It has a great feel to it.

What plans have you got for the future for this tank?

and update your shrimp tank journal 😛

 

[Mark Evans]

Re: My First Planted Tank - Juwel Rio 125

it has a wonderful look to it paulo.

you need to get some nature soil mate. 😀

 

[LondonDragon]

Re: My First Planted Tank - Juwel Rio 125

This tank has lasted well past its sell by date (which is far from a bad thing), it's great! It has a great feel to it.
What plans have you got for the future for this tank?
and update your shrimp tank journal 😛

Thanks Thomas, I never plan anything when it comes to the tank, I just go with the flow and like long term changing scapes, not fussed about styles as such. I just want to grow plants and make the tank look half decent when it comes to scaping. hehe

I am actually charging my camera to take some shots of the shrimp tank, but not a lot has changed really and fighting a no win battle with cloudy water! 🙁

it has a wonderful look to it paulo.
you need to get some nature soil mate. 😀

I need to add some soil, what it will be only time will tell I am in no rush since this gravel has been in the tank for 7 years haha from cold water tank to tropical to planted always the same gravel lol Cheers Mark.

 

[fish.com1]

Re: My First Planted Tank - Juwel Rio 125

Got pfk today and saw your tank in it, looked great.

 

[Simon D]

Re: My First Planted Tank - Juwel Rio 125

The 6 tubes was way too much for this tank, I have now reduced it to 4 and only keeping the lights on for 6.5 hours per day for a couple of weeks until things stablise again. Too much power and not enough CO2 without gassing the fish hehe

I know what you mean there! I've got too much light (twin 55W power compacts over 60 ltrs), I can't reduce the light but have reduced the photoperiod to 6 hrs.

The glosso is now gone too

I'm struggling with mine in inert gravel, lots of growth but upwards and not out, tried trimming and replanting but no brilliant results. Be interesting to see how the HC does in comparison.

got some Blyxa but a lot of it is melting away, hopefully I will be able to save a few stems.

I had a lot of melt on mine but they seem to be coming back quite well (TDI's?) I seem to remember he posted somewhere that his water changes were not in line with EI dosing (once every 4-6 weeks?? Don't quote me).

My tank is experimental, just testing the water (pardon the expresion) to see what I can grow and what perameters they need. About all I've discovered is that I'm not very good at the moment but I've learnt loads. Can't wait for my new conservatory to built so as to give me some more room in the house for a 4 foot tank. (Yes, tank inside, not in conservatory!)

Overall, I can surmise that I'm in a similar position to you but lack a lot of the experience that you have.

 

[LondonDragon]

Re: My First Planted Tank - Juwel Rio 125

Got pfk today and saw your tank in it, looked great.

Just had a look in there and your right, didn't even know hehe second time featured in the mag 🙂

Overall, I can surmise that I'm in a similar position to you but lack a lot of the experience that you have.

Thanks for the feedback Simon, 55w is only too much if you can't get enough CO2 into the tank and ferts, if you can things will just grow much faster. I was having the same trouble with the glosso, but after a few weeks of trimming what was growing upwards it started spreading quick nice on the gravel. Problem was when I went away and reduced the lighting that on my return it was a mess and never fully recovered, and the heavy trim I gave it didn't help much either hehe

We all learn from trying things, I have done that myself and I am not expert, still figuring out the balance between all the parameters in the tank; CO2, Flow, filtration, ferts and light. Reason I have been trying a few things lately too 😉

Good luck with your new project 🙂

 

[TDI-line]

Re: My First Planted Tank - Juwel Rio 125

Hi Paulo,

your tank looks great, really natural.

The Blyxa will probably pick up in about 3-4 weeks, i replanted my tank, splitting into single stems, and it does look a sorry state, for now. 😀

 

[Ejack]

Re: My First Planted Tank - Juwel Rio 125

Hi Paulo

Tank is looking great 🙂

Can't wait to see how it will look once the HC has been put down.

BTW loved watching your shrimp tank vids, they look all crazy flying around the water 😀 and hurry up with the shrimp tank update pics 🙂 oh and grats on getting into PFK.

 

[LondonDragon]

Re: My First Planted Tank - Juwel Rio 125

Hi Paulo,
your tank looks great, really natural.
The Blyxa will probably pick up in about 3-4 weeks, i replanted my tank, splitting into single stems, and it does look a sorry state, for now. 😀

Thanks Dan, and also for the tips on the Blyxa, it seems to be melting at the base which is a little worrying, just have to want and see how much of it its left after 3 weeks 😉

Hi Paulo
Tank is looking great 🙂
Can't wait to see how it will look once the HC has been put down.
BTW loved watching your shrimp tank vids, they look all crazy flying around the water 😀 and hurry up with the shrimp tank update pics 🙂 oh and grats on getting into PFK.

Thanks Jack, have tried HC twice in the past and didn't have much luck with it, but the first couple of time I didn't have pressurised CO2 so just have to wait and see again. Too some shots of the shrimp tank but it looks a mess!! lol maybe after a water change this afternoon. Wasn't expecting the PFK feature was a nice suprise 🙂 cheers

 

[keymaker]

Re: My First Planted Tank - Juwel Rio 125

50% weekly water change

I do water changes on Saturdays and on that day I don't dose anything.

Hi Paulo, there's something I wanted to ask you for a long time now... What is the thinking behind the rest day after the water change? What do you need to put on rest in your tank? 🙂

My reasoning goes like this: if you put the rest day after the water change (if you do it in the morning) you might have deficiency issues, as levels might drop below the EI minimum. I specifically remember Clive saying "I dose like crazy right after the water change". 🙂

If you do the water change at night (or just before lights off), then forget my question. 😉

 

[LondonDragon]

Re: My First Planted Tank - Juwel Rio 125

Hi Paulo, there's something I wanted to ask you for a long time now... What is the thinking behind the rest day after the water change? What do you need to put on rest in your tank? 🙂

My reasoning goes like this: if you put the rest day after the water change (if you do it in the morning) you might have deficiency issues, as levels might drop below the EI minimum. I specifically remember Clive saying "I dose like crazy right after the water change". 🙂

If you do the water change at night (or just before lights off), then forget my question. 😉

Hi mate, since then I have now started dosing right after water changes, since I am using the auto dosing pump now, after a water change I turn it on for 2 minutes (80ml), plus it comes on once more for 1 minute (40ml) during the day.

 

[keymaker]

Re: My First Planted Tank - Juwel Rio 125

Thanks Mate, that explains it all. That's what I thought. 🙂

 

[LondonDragon]

Re: My First Planted Tank - Juwel Rio 125

Haven't updated this journal in a while, here is how the tank is looking at the moment.
I have some HC and hair grass coming this week to finish the carpet at the front, lets hope I can keep it alive this time.

Thanks for looking 🙂 comments always appreciated

 

[John Starkey]

Re: My First Planted Tank - Juwel Rio 125

Hi paulo,for a test tank it looks nice and healthy,I see you still have the rainbow fish.
Regards john

 

[Diogo Matias]

Re: My First Planted Tank - Juwel Rio 125

The tank becomes easier for keep with all these anubias and ferns but it still looking great!
What's the carpet plant in front left?

Abraço

 

[LondonDragon]

Re: My First Planted Tank - Juwel Rio 125

Hi paulo,for a test tank it looks nice and healthy,I see you still have the rainbow fish.
Regards john

Thanks John, its an on going test now for a while, I will wait until the winter time to dedicate more time to the tanks, when its cold outside and its a good idea to keep indoors hehe 😉
No one wants the rainbows so keeping them for the time being, but they will have to go as I need a team of cleaner shrimp in this tank soon 😉

The tank becomes easier for keep with all these anubias and ferns but it still looking great!
What's the carpet plant in front left?
Abraço

Obrigado Diogo, I am moving towards a less demanding tank and easier on the maintnance 😉
The carpet plant is Staurogyne sp.
Abraço

 

[LondonDragon]

Re: My First Planted Tank - Juwel Rio 125

Here we go, an update about this tank, finished planting the HC in the tank, I have some of it melting away, but that seems to have stopped and its pearling away everyday when I get home. I was not happy with the EI solution, it was getting my tank a little cloudy and was seeing some algae, so for a test I have been using TPN+ for the last couple of weeks.
Water has remained crystal clear all week and plants have developed much better colours too and the algae is gone.
Going to carry on using TPN+ for a few more weeks and then go back to EI and see the differences, might have to increase the EI solution, maybe it was not strong enough.

Photos right after planting:


Thanks for looking.