# Seeking advice on tank setup.



## DavidT (Dec 23, 2004)

I have started stocking with plants and am looking for any comments / advice you can give.

My setup:

Tank: 29 UK gallon Juwel tank approx 18" tall.
Substrate: River sand and fine gravel mixed approx 70% sand 30% gravel.
Light: 1x 18w Arcadia Freshwater, 1x 18w Arcadia Original Tropical tubes both with reflectors on 10hrs per day.
PH: 7.6
GH: 10dGH
KH: 8dKH

Plants:
Amazon Sword (parviflorus)
Cryptocoryne sp. (undulatus, walkeri, costata)
Hygrophilia polysperma
Althernanthera reinekii 
Anubias nana
Anubias congensis
Pygmy swords (e. quadricostatus?) 
Java moss

Fish:
Apistogramma cacauoides
Dicrosus filamentosus
Bechfordi Pencilfish
Rummy- nose tetras
Corydoras agasizzi
Otocinclus

I have been using API root tabs and Interpet Flora Boost for fertilisation but have just started to use Seachem Flourish and Flourish Tabs. I don't have CO2 injection but I have bought Seachem Excel as I believe it has some properties that would enhance plant growth when not using CO2. 

The plants appear to be doing ok so far, the Althernanthera has only been added to the tank this week and has closed up already, is this due to insufficient lighting?

Thanks

David


----------



## Sir_BlackhOle (Jan 25, 2004)

I dont have any experience with one watt/gallon tanks, but I know that it can work. I have seen some nice tanks on this board. It looks like you made a good choice with your plants, as most of them are slow growers and easliy maintained. You are on the right track. You may be able to get by using mainly fish food for your fertilizer, and Excel is always good too. With such low lighting the tank will be slow to react, which will give you time to fix any mistakes you may make. Keep us updated with your progress!


----------



## Raul-7 (Feb 4, 2004)

You're on the right for a low maintenance tank, but unfortunately your lighting is too low for the Althernanthera. You can either upgrade by adding two more bulbs, or use Crypt wendtii 'Red' instead. But since you want low maintenance, stick with the Crypts! :wink:


----------



## dennis (Mar 1, 2004)

David,

Welcome and happy holidays It does sound like you are off to a good start with your setup. I find that with stem plants in very low light tanks so will do fine and some won't, also they do seem to take quite a while to adapt to their slow conditions. I have a 10 gallon with 1x18 watt an dstem plants like Rotala indica and Bacopa carolinia took a month to settle in and grow good, all the whil elooking like crap until they did. I wound though that using Excel and actually dosing some NPK and traces really made everything look better and the Stem plants are really starting to grow likestem plants, even witht hteir low light levels.

The only thing that might be an issue with your setup is lighting. The 29 is pretty tall so I wonder about light reaching the bottom for the chain swords and the stem plants you have. Your tank is 20 or 24 inches long, correct? If you find that the light is insufficient you might try switching to a 36 watt PC bulb and make or purchase a good reflector. This should get more light to the bottom without giving you to much. HTH


----------



## DavidT (Dec 23, 2004)

Thanks for the responses. I thought the reinekii might need more light but I will persevere and see what happens.

I have just measured my tank, it is 32" long x 16" wide and the distance from substrate to lights is 16" (not 18" as I first thought). Its 130 litres.

I am dosing with 3ml of Flourish 3 times a week and 3ml of Excel twice a week. Does this sound about right or am I overdoing it, I have only just started this dosing level.

Thanks again and Merry Christmas.

David


----------



## DavidT (Dec 23, 2004)

Here is a pic of my tank.

I have:

Amazon Sword (e. parviflorus) 
Cryptocoryne sp. (undulatus, walkeri, costata?) 
Hygrophilia polysperma 
Althernanthera reinekii 
Anubias nana 
Anubias congensis 
Pygmy swords (e. quadricostatus?) 
Java moss 

The tank water has a brown tint to it due to the bogwood, hopefully this will soon go with water changes. I still have only 1 WPG but will be upgrading to 2 WPG shortly.

Any comments welcomed.

David


----------



## DavidT (Dec 23, 2004)

An update on my tank.

I have added another 18watt tube so I now have 54 watts in total which is about 1.6 WPG.

I have also removed the Amazon Sword as it was rapidly outgrowing the tank and shadowing the other plants. The a. reinekki is still not doing very well so I am going to move it from the end of the tank to the middle directly under the 3 tubes. The e. quadricostatus is also struggling, I have lost 2 of the 5 that I bought already.

The crypts are growing very well as are the anubias, especially the a. congensis, and the h. polysperma.

I am considering a further light upgrade to T5 fluorescents, 3 x 24 watts will give me 2 WPG but also a more intense light, so I believe. The only thing stopping me is the cost. I am not yet convinced that the £150 that it will cost for the extra 16 watts is worth it.

David


----------



## Sir_BlackhOle (Jan 25, 2004)

Thanks for the update! Let us know what happens


----------

