# [Wet Thumb Forum]-update on my low light tank



## budak (Mar 13, 2004)

my low light tank

This is the result after 4 months from this

Available Data:
3x1.5x1.5 ft, Eheim 2242, ADA Aquasoil Africana _ PowerSand, temp 26-27C, 2x3W PL tubes, fortnightly 30% water changes with addition of KNO3, K2PO4, KH2SO4, Tropica Mastergrow, Baking soda and Seachem Reef Calcium.

Plants: Crypts (balansae, wendtii, undulata, cordata, tonkinensis, parva), Java fern (normal and narrow leaf), various mosses, African Bolbitis, Blyxa aubertii, Blyxa japonica, Marsilea sp., various Anubias, floating hornwort.

Fishes: Sundadanio axelrodi, Microrasbora erythromicron, SAE, Florida Flag Fish, Chocolate gouramis, liquorice gouramis, exclamation-mark rasbora, pgymy croakiung gouramis, cherry barbs, checker barb.

Sorry the focus isn't great and the poor exposure!!! This tank is what I have currently, after deciding weekly pruning of E. stellata, Rotalas etc was getting to me. Thing is, with these lower light tanks, getting a balance between lighting, CO2 and fert is tougher.... the plants seem hungrier than stem plants, and i find the need to dose at least 2-3 times in between water changes. BBA also appeared in droves, until CO2 was raised to >30 mg/l for over a month.

I am still waiting for the balansae to grow in at the back, and for the marsilea/parva to slowly fill up the foreground. The java ferns are also growing more straggily than lushly. But it still beats the maintenance work needed for a high light, fast grower tank.


----------



## budak (Mar 13, 2004)

my low light tank

This is the result after 4 months from this

Available Data:
3x1.5x1.5 ft, Eheim 2242, ADA Aquasoil Africana _ PowerSand, temp 26-27C, 2x3W PL tubes, fortnightly 30% water changes with addition of KNO3, K2PO4, KH2SO4, Tropica Mastergrow, Baking soda and Seachem Reef Calcium.

Plants: Crypts (balansae, wendtii, undulata, cordata, tonkinensis, parva), Java fern (normal and narrow leaf), various mosses, African Bolbitis, Blyxa aubertii, Blyxa japonica, Marsilea sp., various Anubias, floating hornwort.

Fishes: Sundadanio axelrodi, Microrasbora erythromicron, SAE, Florida Flag Fish, Chocolate gouramis, liquorice gouramis, exclamation-mark rasbora, pgymy croakiung gouramis, cherry barbs, checker barb.

Sorry the focus isn't great and the poor exposure!!! This tank is what I have currently, after deciding weekly pruning of E. stellata, Rotalas etc was getting to me. Thing is, with these lower light tanks, getting a balance between lighting, CO2 and fert is tougher.... the plants seem hungrier than stem plants, and i find the need to dose at least 2-3 times in between water changes. BBA also appeared in droves, until CO2 was raised to >30 mg/l for over a month.

I am still waiting for the balansae to grow in at the back, and for the marsilea/parva to slowly fill up the foreground. The java ferns are also growing more straggily than lushly. But it still beats the maintenance work needed for a high light, fast grower tank.


----------



## imported_chinaboy1021 (Jun 2, 2003)

nice i love the jungle look. i love those asian aquariums that have no rim. but are big.


----------



## ckhv420 (Oct 3, 2003)

Hello budak,
The layout looks great. It is very difficult to balance the composition of a "wild" layout. But you have done a great job!

Cheers,
ckhv420


----------



## Phil Edwards (Jan 22, 2004)

Good to see you back Budak, that tank looks great! I really like the stuff you guys are doing in Singapore.

Best,
Phil


----------



## budak (Mar 13, 2004)

Thanks for your comments, folks. Many of the tanks here are inspiring to us as well.

For a tank with this lighting (1.5 WPG) and plant selection, I found that a lower NO3 dosage (5 mg/l rather than 10 mg/l seems to work better in keeping algae away). PO4 remains at 1-2 mg/l and K at 30-40 mg/l. I also started adding weekly (2 capsful) of Seachem Reef Calcium (as the tap water is virtually 0 KH) in an attempt to keep my balansaes (a fresh batch) from melting.... which seems to be working so far.

I am hoping to get the marsilea to cover the foreground like it does in Erik Leung's tank.... any ideas why it doesn't seem to be growing optimally??


----------



## Phil Edwards (Jan 22, 2004)

I've found Marsilea to be a slow growing plant. I don't think it's a matter of not having optimal conditions, your other plants prove otherwise.


----------



## PeterGwee (Mar 15, 2004)

Budak, for your info, ADA aquasoil tends to lower your KH and GH through its peat effect. Maybe its the lack of Ca/Mg that is slowing everything down.


----------

