Something... Something... Shallow UG Tank!

[Geoffrey Rea]

Increasing evidence that we’re on to a winner:



Spent the last few months attempting to find a replicable and reliable feeding schedule, using off the shelf products, so others can try and succeed with UG.

This includes using RO water remineralised to a specific spec with commonly available salts and it only applies to a UG mono species tank.

However, for anyone who wants to also create a UG only tank it would be some standardisation to the process. The current regime is proving sustainable with uniform results:



Looking for three months of consistency under these conditions first, with monthly trimming and most importantly, healthy recovery post trim. Beyond that, a year onwards to see if the ‘boom and bust’ that many report can be overcome.

Eventually it would be nice to put this all together in an article for UKAPS if folks are interested.

 

[Tim Harrison]

Eventually it would be nice to put this all together in an article for UKAPS if folks are interested.

Definitely interested; a very good idea 👍

 

[Libba]

Nice work Geoffrey. This journal will make for an excellent resource.

 

[Geoffrey Rea]

Trucking along and recovering from heavy cut backs pretty decently:



Still got some brush algae on the right where Co2 mist hits the lava rock. It started when baby brine shrimp were being used to feed the UG and continues to be persistent. It clearly wasn’t a good food stuff, but tried it for a month to give it a fair run. Too much decay.

It’s probable the algae issue can be solved by tweaking Co2, keeping things tidy and adjusting the filter output moving forward. Just need to have a play. In the meantime, will continue with the off the shelf products for the full three months to see how they perform. So far growth has been looking good though.

 

[plantnoobdude]

ADA light (aquasky?) really does make the tank pop! great looking little tank!

 

[Geoffrey Rea]

Brush algae wouldn’t abandon it’s post. Not spreading but not leaving either.



Reluctantly used Glutaraldehyde on the two rocks on the right to evict the stuff. Not used it in this setup at all in it’s lifespan so unsure if there will be any consequences. Trying to protect the microfauna. Fair to say it’s done the job on the brush algae though:



Tank is due another trim and uncomfortable weakening the UG whilst there’s algae present in this volume. Just needs a toothbrush taking to it at next water change for full eviction:



Despite the rocks, UG is staying healthy though:

 

[Fiske]

Normally I find iwagumis as interesting as watching paint dry, but I'm loving this.

 

[Jayefc1]

Good work mate looks very healthy from the pics

Hope you and the family are all well

Cheers

 

[Geoffrey Rea]

Good work mate looks very healthy from the pics

Hope you and the family are all well

Cheers

Wahey, he returns! You’ve been missed bud 😉

All good here, hoping all’s well with you and yours too. You’ve been MIA for a while… had us worrying about you!

Normally I find iwagumis as interesting as watching paint dry, but I'm loving this.

Same here @Fiske but was just looking for something simple as a UG specimen tank. It’s as simple as it gets really. Looks best one week after a trim normally when it’s a bit straggly:



Some prefer the putting green look though.

 

[Fiske]

Same here @Fiske but was just looking for something simple as a UG specimen tank. It’s as simple as it gets really. Looks best one week after a trim normally when it’s a bit straggly:

View attachment 175505

I did consider something like that, an UG iwagumi as I like the plant, and have had some limited success with it.
In the end it boiled down to not enough room for unlimited tanks for any crazy idea... I still might do an emersed UG thingie someday.

This is probably better than what I would have ended up with anyway lol

 

[Geoffrey Rea]

Putting together an article soon @Fiske

Will outline the process that’s worked here with UG covering startup, input water, dosing and maintenance. Narrowed it down to off the shelf products too so should be foolproof.

Found this stuff to be your best bet:



Hopefully improve everyone’s lot with UG only tanks. Just waiting for further consistency with the current regime first then will put out the article. If it works for others… winner!

 

[Garuf]

This is the best I can manage. I’m so very envious. 😅

 

[Geoffrey Rea]

Bit mentioned before @Garuf :

“River Thodupuzha, where UG can be found in India, places it in water with <1KH and 0.9GH with TDS 31.3 in the wild.”

When the parameters were shifted from 1KH and 5GH to the parameters above, the whole tank shifted up a gear. The amount of critters available in the tank for the UG to predate on also increased. Found targeting these extremely low numbers (<1KH and 0.9GH) to be beneficial for the system, not just the UG. There was more going on in water samples under the microscope, so it’s at least based on something empirical. There were also more of the usual little critters you see in your tank if you get up close to the glass.

Four salts; calcium chloride, calcium sulphate, magnesium sulphate and potassium carbonate. Not using any off the shelf remineralisation that adds sodium or anything else. RODI water, four salts. Simple and controlled input water. Want this UG to grow indefinitely, not be a flash in the pan, so makes sense to stick to the parameters measured at that location in India.

The feeding part is linked to these parameters. Abundance went up with the change. Who knows what actually matters to the UG out of all the organisms and algae that are fit in water that is <1KH and 0.9GH? Specific to UG though it’s enough in a closed system to feed the UG and allow its food source to replicate sustainably.

Will get to the inputs part once this has got to December, just want some confirmation I’m not leading folks on a wild goose chase first. These can be done with off the shelf products. But suffice to say it’s practically nothing, really nothing. It’s this bit that’s fascinating. The system is pretty much always providing for itself. You could go on a two week break, leave the setup and expect it to still be trucking. UG is a predator waiting for opportunity to knock. Think our want to ‘do’ something daily only gets in its way.

Wildcards:

• Use of substrates other than aquarium soil
• Mixed planting
• Livestock

Not worked on the above yet.

<1KH and 0.9GH @Garuf

 

[Jayefc1]

There all good matey thanks for asking
Just taken a while out been busy with work since everything reopened

 

[Libba]

I'm thinking about trying UG in my tank but I'm a bit worried about how it will do given that I dose Excel daily. It's not so much that I'm worried about the plant being damaged by the Excel, but I'm concerned that daily glute might be killing a lot of the microfauna and the UG won't have enough food. What do you think, Geoffrey?

 

[Geoffrey Rea]

I'm thinking about trying UG in my tank but I'm a bit worried about how it will do given that I dose Excel daily. It's not so much that I'm worried about the plant being damaged by the Excel, but I'm concerned that daily glute might be killing a lot of the microfauna and the UG won't have enough food. What do you think, Geoffrey?

Would just try it @Libba as the UG will have bladders in the substrate and if it’s a mature substrate, there will be life for it to hunt. Your water is probably a bigger determinant of success from the experience here; <1 to 1KH and <1 to 5GH is the range it has grown under in the UG tank.

 

[Libba]

Would just try it @Libba as the UG will have bladders in the substrate and if it’s a mature substrate, there will be life for it to hunt. Your water is probably a bigger determinant of success from the experience here; <1 to 1KH and <1 to 5GH is the range it has grown under in the UG tank.

Yeah its definitely mature substrate. I think I'll give it a go. Do you think its any chance in water that's <1KH but ~10GH?

 

[Geoffrey Rea]

Yeah its definitely mature substrate. I think I'll give it a go. Do you think its any chance in water that's <1KH but ~10GH?

Try it @Libba . Just plant it as deep as you can, it will find its way out. Others have stressed planting deep and it is solid advice for UG.

 

[Geoffrey Rea]

Not easily disproving the effectiveness of this method of growing UG. Few shots before another round of trimming:



Bladders hanging in the current:



Carpet is thick both above and below the substrate:



System runs clean:



Aqua Rebel lily outflow provides just the right amount of surface agitation without impacting the Co2 levels. Eheim Ecco is on full flow but the distribution around the tank is calm and even:



UG seems to bounce back from trimming over and over without any problems. It is also running squeaky clean. It has been a week since the last water change and as you can see in the pictures, it’s fine.

Will begin writing an article in earnest, with step by step guidance to replicate this UG setup. Think folks will be surprised how short and simple it is. But that’s good right?

 

[Wolf6]

The UC on top of the rock seems so much lighter, is that because of the bladders?