# 50 cm Iwagumi



## Mark1 (Feb 5, 2008)

Hi

one day after realisation I´d like to show you two pic´s of my new Iwagumi Layout in a 50 cm tank.
Lighting: 70 Watt Metalhalide
Filtration: Fluval1 with CO2 Injection
Fertilization: Tropica MasterGrow, DIY CO2 (until I got my bootle refilled again)
Substrate: ADA AquaSoil Africana Powersand, 2 big pieces of Lava under it for statics. Sand from a local creek in foreground.
Plants: Utricularia graminifolia










I´m a bit new to Aquatic Layout and my english got a bit bad after years, hope for your acceptance .

For those who can´t see a picture either, here is another link:

http://www.flowgrow.de/album_showpage.php?full=true&pic_id=3528&user_id=420

http://www.flowgrow.de/album_showpage.php?full=true&pic_id=3529&user_id=420

Regards from Mark (Germany)


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

This looks like it will be nice once it fills in. I really like Utricularis graminifolia. I'm still not sure why more people aren't using it.


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## jazzlvr123 (Apr 29, 2007)

AaronT said:


> I'm still not sure why more people aren't using it.


Tom Barr often complains that UG is very messy, kinda like java moss or riccia, he said it took over his whole hard scape as well and the substrate until he got rid of it. I have never tried UG myself I'm just reciting toms dislikes about the plant


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## Mark1 (Feb 5, 2008)

Hi,

meanwhile the Utricularia has filled in a bit, due to the change to pressurized CO2 after a week.

But I fight a battle against some green hair algae which sits in every plant. It occured after I stopped the Daily Waterchange of 80%. I´ve reduced light intensity (hung it higher) and period to three hours and first time since I´m aquarist (27 years now) I use Protalon 707 from Esha to combat this beasts.
Ferilizing routine is 0,3 ml TMG and 0,3 ml PPSpro after 80% of Water change.

http://www.flowgrow.de/album_showpage.php?full=true&pic_id=3756&user_id=420

Hope I can show good pictures soon.

I really would like to learn how to set up tanks with lot light without having these hairalgae every time?

Regards,
Mark.


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## tirtha1979 (Sep 28, 2007)

Mark, the tank is looking nice. Will be a super setup when everything will fill in.

To get rid of Hair algae, push as much CO2 as you can.Cutting down the photo period or light intesity is not going to help much. In my last setup, when GHA took over my tank completely, I used overdose of Flourish Excel to kill them. And I would stop dosing for an week to see the result.

This is what I saw in my practical experience, Experts please correct me if am wrong.


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## Mark1 (Feb 5, 2008)

Hey Tirtha,

after I received my Fotometer I did some testing and found following:

Kalium 6 mg/l
Fe 0,1 mg/l
NO3 5 mg/l
PO4 0,05 mg/l

Some of the people say the GHAlgae comes from a too high amount of Kalium?

My plan is too switch over from TMG to Profito which is said to contain less Kalium.

Regards,
Mark.


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## tirtha1979 (Sep 28, 2007)

I don't think, Ca can cause GHA. Cause I was dosing Dry previously so there was no chance to overdose Ca. But I got hell lot of GHA. I just overdosed Excel for an week, all the algae gone off.


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## tirtha1979 (Sep 28, 2007)

Take a look at this link,
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...blems/3806-flourish-excel-got-rid-all-my.html

Might be helpfull.


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## JensR (Sep 21, 2006)

Mark, Kalium is potassium in English. And K is pretty much the only marco fert which isn't causing anything algae related if overdose. BTW, 6 mg is underdosing for K, if anything. I usually have more than 15 

Try using "Wasserstoff Peroxide" (H2O2) as temporary(!) and cheap weapon against hair algae. Try to spot treat. 2ml per Gallon (3.76 liter) Otherwise get the toothbrush out and manually remove it. When the tank has settle hair algae should stay away.

Don't get any chemicals. You never know what is does to your water chemistry.

Viel Glück und lass uns wissen wie es weiter geht! Was für MH Leuchte/Leuchtmittel hast du?? Schon mal die Omnilux 8000K benutzt?


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## Amsterdam (Sep 17, 2006)

Hi Mark,

This is realy interesting for me, i just planted Utricularia in a small tank, so i can compare the results.
Also i am happy to see u on this forum, i now you are verry actif on a German forum, but my German is much worse than my English.
So this is much easier to folow for me.

Cheers,

Ben


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## Mark1 (Feb 5, 2008)

Hi Jens,

aus Rücksicht auf die nicht-deutschsprachigen und weil dies hier ein internationales Forum ist, weiter in English:

My English is a bit rusty, so excuse me for not using the right english determination. I will change water today and never ever use copper (Protalon) again, I got beat up in the German Forum .

Omnilux 8000 also available in 70 Watt?

Regards,
Mark.

Hi Amsterdam,

I didn´t know that someone follows my activities from out there,  big brother is watching you :heh:

Let´s compare what we find...

Regards,
Mark.


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## JensR (Sep 21, 2006)

Mark1 said:


> Omnilux 8000 also available in 70 Watt?




I thought so But I have never seen a spectrum from it. Would be interesting to see. I use a osram daylight and the color is freaky green. I guess I should sign up at flowgrow to get more input on 70W bulbs.

Just some thoughts on your layout and algae, UG will take a while to settle in but then it will take off like crazy. Up to that point you don't have a lot of ferts consumption which will give algae a overall advantage. Only thing you can do is keeping up with water changes and manually remove hair algae.


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## Mark1 (Feb 5, 2008)

Hi Jens,

I´ve just found 8000 Kelvin MH in 70 Watt:

http://www.ts-audio.de/pr_91013110.html

I ordered two pieces, this morning. Looking forward to it, because the OSRAM Daylight bulbs are not really nice to look at.

While removing the algae with tooth-brush, I always face the difficulty not to prune out the Utricularia.
I´ll just add 0,2 ml Profito to next Waterchange or would´nt you add anything at all?

Regards,
Mark.


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## JensR (Sep 21, 2006)

UG is a little tricky to establish. Give it some time. If you still battle algae make sure to stay on top of the water changes otherwise I wouldn't change the amount of your ferts. Always wait at least a week to see the results of your ferts routine changes. 

Profito isn't available over here. TMG or Seachem flourish is the preferred stuff in the USA. I've seen TMG dosed 3 times the recommended dosage for high light and co2 enriched tanks. Key is to have a stable environment, especially co2. diy co2 ain't really the way for that 

Are you using your rain water for this tank too? Are you adding any buffers to raise the hardness of your water? 

BTW, i collect the floating UG and place it in a little plastic container with aquasoil to grow emersed on the window sill. Every little piece will develop new leaves again. 

Please report back on the Omnilux as I will be over in Germany in a couple of week and may bring back those bulbs as well if the color is good.


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## Mark1 (Feb 5, 2008)

Latest work is I tried to pick up every little piece of GHA with an air tube while doing the water change, works better than the tooth brush. I dosed 0,2 ml Profito to the water.

Since end of february I use pressurized CO2 with this tiny little tank and let it inflow with ceramic duffusor under the filter. Today I will take water parameters.
For hardening i use 1 Liter tap water (KH 13) in 12 Liters rain water = KH 1.

At least I hung the MH as high as possible to get not too much Light intensity at this sensible stage of development.

Do you grow the U.g. emers or submerse on your window sill? Pic´s available?

Regards Mark.


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## Mark1 (Feb 5, 2008)

That´s what it looks like this morning:

http://www.flowgrow.de/album_showpage.php?full=true&pic_id=4129&user_id=420


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## Mark1 (Feb 5, 2008)

The Utricularia grew in a bit (it is slow, isn´t it?) and I could strike back against the hair algae, also I´ve changed from 5200 Kelvin to 8000 Kelvin MH.

http://www.flowgrow.de/album_showpage.php?full=true&pic_id=4425&user_id=420

Regards,
Mark.


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## Mark1 (Feb 5, 2008)

Time for a tiny update:

http://www.flowgrow.de/album_showpage.php?full=true&pic_id=4753&user_id=420


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## Mark1 (Feb 5, 2008)

And again, the U. is thriving wild...

http://www.flowgrow.de/album_showpage.php?full=true&pic_id=5082&user_id=420

The tank is difficult in maintenance because of the high amount of light for such a small tank, I´m looking forward to my new lighting fixture with "only" twice 24 Watt bulbs.

Regards,
Mark.


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