# 55Gal Serenity Passion



## heineken357 (May 25, 2006)

Hello all Its been 2 years and I am getting back into planted tank. Here is my tank specs and plants that I just added today. Once things start to grow I can fix my landscape also if you have any pointers on where to put the plants it would be great. I am using dry fertilizers today was my first dose was KNO3 5grams, k2SO4 5grams, KH2pO4 .20grams not sure on the dosage I am using chucks planted Aquarium Calculator to figure out the dosage is that a good program to use to get a idea what to add? Anyway here are some pictures let me know what you think.
Tank specs
55gal 
2x65watt cf 10k and 6500k bulb running for 5hours 
filter Rena Xp3
maxi-jet600 power head 
10pound co2 system 2-3bps
6-7in Fluorite 
2 Big driftwoods
12 SAE I think 
2 Neon tetra
2 black tetra
6.8ph
kh 5
gh 18
temp 76
ammonia 0

Plants
Ludwigia inclinata var. verticillata Cuba 
Echinodorus Indian red
cabomba Furata
Rotala sp singapore
Rotala sp Colorata
Ludwigia sp Guinea
Ludwigia Glandulosa
Ammania Sp Bonsai
Blyxa Japonica
Limnophila Aromatica
rotala Wallichii
Bacopa Colorata

Front of the tank


----------



## hamsterman (Sep 19, 2006)

*Re: 55Gal Here we go again*

Nice! It'll look great once plants fill in...especially the blyxa.


----------



## gonathan85 (Sep 12, 2009)

*Re: 55Gal Here we go again*

I like the flowing characteristics of the dwood.

Nice setup.


----------



## heineken357 (May 25, 2006)

*Re: 55Gal Here we go again*

Thanks guys when does pearling happen its been 2 days and still don't see anything. There is good flow in the tank and surface is moving very slow not to much movement. Does it take some time for the plants to adjust to the tank before it will pearl?


----------



## Shad0w (Nov 13, 2006)

*Re: 55Gal Here we go again*

Normally, it take a while for plants to adjust. If nothing happen after a week, you can try increase the light wattage and CO2.


----------



## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

*Re: 55Gal Here we go again*

Looks like you off to a great re-start. Welcome back to the hobby.

Pearling happens after the water column is saturated with O2 and may take several hours before plants have produced that amount of O2. I have the same size tank and same wattage, and it was usually around 6 or so hrs before I saw good pearling when I had CO2. I assume you are using the powerhead to diffuse the CO2 into your tank evenly?

Anyhow, with a 5 hr photoperiod, you might not see pearling, but rest assured your plants are photosynthesizing. Personally, I think a 9 hr photoperiod would be more appropriate, but that is something you would want to experiment with and build upto SLOWLY (like +30 minutes each week) if you want to have that longer photoperiod.


----------



## heineken357 (May 25, 2006)

*Re: 55Gal Here we go again*



davemonkey said:


> . I assume you are using the powerhead to diffuse the CO2 into your tank evenly?
> Anyhow, with a 5 hr photoperiod, you might not see pearling, but rest assured your plants are photosynthesizing.


I am using a glass diffuser and my rena Xp3 to diffuse I guess its 100% dissolved I don't see any bubbles coming out of the spray bar. Right now I have no movement on the surface is that a good idea, all plants leaves are moving around. Should I continue with 5hours of light or bump it up to 6 or 7 someone told me I should only have 4-5 hours of light for the first month to avoid algae and what not.


----------



## flashbang009 (Aug 6, 2009)

*Re: 55Gal Here we go again*

Not having surface movement is a good idea. Stops the CO2 from diffusing into the air as easily. Also, like dave said, as long as you increase the photoperiod and ferts slowly, you shouldn't end up with algae problems.


----------



## heineken357 (May 25, 2006)

*Re: 55Gal Here we go again*

Here is a update from a week of growth also added a few cherry shrimp. As you can see there is some small amount of pearling just at the tops of the plants almost near the top of the water is this because I would need more watts to get pearling on hole plant and is it normal for the plants that have crack to have bubbles coming out of them? Also can you spot out the fake plants peco sold me they are on the left side of the tank lol.


----------



## El Exorcisto (Aug 10, 2006)

*Re: 55Gal Here we go again*

More light and CO2 will give you more pearling. The bubbles coming out of wounded plants are very normal. As for the plastic plants, dude, really? Get rid of them.


----------



## heineken357 (May 25, 2006)

*Re: 55Gal Here we go again*

Thanks El Exorcisto wasn't sure about the wounded plants. As for the fake plants they are just not aquarium plants some1 told me ill pull them out once I trim and replant.


----------



## heineken357 (May 25, 2006)

*Re: 55Gal Here we go again*

Well guys new update just got my new lights from Catalina Aquarium t5ho solar 4x54 called up and got them for $180 anyway. Got them 2 days ago and when i opened the box the right side where the switches were the plastic was cracked, Also the black mesh on the top of the light was all scrapped up and some1 tryed to cover it up with a black sharpie marker. And last but not least the plastic legs that they sent me looked like they were hit with a heat gun :/. Anyway called them up and on Monday they will send me out a new one. 







.

Ok getting back to the journal Installed new surface skimmer, added 216watt t5ho solar lights, 4 ottos, 11 cardinal tetra. With this much light how many hours should I be leaving them on for at full 216watts and also the light is setting right on the tank with no legs so is that even higher watts going into the tank? I am still dosing kno3 1.5tsp, k2s04 1.5 tsp, kh2p04 pinch ever other day and also adding trace 3x a week and Iron. I am having problems with the blyxa japonica its kind of brown and don't see any new growth








also have some white things growing on my java moss sorry really couldn't get a good picture of it








Can't wait for the plants to grow so I can move things around here is a full tank shot Please give me feedback .


----------



## heineken357 (May 25, 2006)

*Re: 55Gal Here we go again*

Some new updates All ottos died :/. Also forgot to add ferts and trace for 2 days and started to get spot or dust algae on the plants errr. Also what cause the plants to bend? here are some new pictures.








Plants that are bending?








Plants bending 2?








Still don't know what plant this is and is this a ground plant? All I know it grows fast and staying to the ground








Pearling 3 leaf plant sorry for the dust algae on glass Sunday is water change and glass clean


----------

