20 Gal experimental Walstad tank (Almost)

[jarrod0987]

Dropbox - File Deleted - Simplify your life

Dropbox - File Deleted - Simplify your life

Dropbox - File Deleted - Simplify your life
Approach
Walstad. Cheated with a little Flourish Comp and Potassium when I had no fish during the cycle. Leaves were yellowing.

Tank
20 Gal Long Profile

Light
Current U.S.A. LED Plus

Substrate
1 inch Miracle Grow Organic Choice Potting Soil.
1 inch Gravel to hold it down.

Aeration
1 power head

Filtration
currently none

Fish
3 Sunrise Guppies
3 Bristle Nose Plecco's
1 Dwarf Gourami
11 Neon Tetra's

Inverts
5 Cherry Shrimp
5 Trumpet Snails

Plants
About 18 plants
Various species including Amazon Swords, Anachris, and Baby Tears.


Water Parameters
8/29/15 1:00 PM
pH 7.63
GH 11
KH 8 dKH
Ca 100 ppm
CO2 5.63 ppm (Calculated from pH and KH)
Total Ammonia 0 ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 0 ppm
Phosphate 0.09 ppm (30 ppb phosphorus)
Iron 0 ppm

Notes:
Old green thread algae can be seen on tips of plants leaves. It is white and dead now. May remove for next photo.
Brown Diatom Algae still present from the typical new tank bloom. It would go away on it's own but Bristle Nose added yesterday have really cleaned most of it.
Still diatoms on some of the leaves. I have been trying to acquire OTO cats for this purpose but can't find any for weeks.

Enjoy I will post better less blurry pics when I figure out how to work this camera better and Algae is all gone.

Tank is 5 weeks old.

 

[Delapool]

Looks nice

Wondering what you have planned for the tank?

 

[jarrod0987]

Just to finish getting rid of the Brown Algae. Probably learn how to take nice pics of Aquariums and the live stock. Next project is a coral only Reef. Should be very low maintenance with no fish.

 

[Fresh2o]

Tank looks much bigger than a 20L. Ideal smaller size for a planted tank IMO because of footprint and depth.
Crypts (smaller species such as wendtii) would do well in this tank in case you are looking for additional plants. They have an extensive root system.
How long are the lights on each day?


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Autumnsky]

Like that first pic with the FTS!

 

[jarrod0987]

Tank looks much bigger than a 20L. Ideal smaller size for a planted tank IMO because of footprint and depth.
Crypts (smaller species such as wendtii) would do well in this tank in case you are looking for additional plants. They have an extensive root system.
How long are the lights on each day?


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

I use a 5 on 4 off 5 on 10 off cycle as suggested by D. Walstad.

 

[Autumnsky]

I love that time setting option, I am going to have to dig out my timer plug(s) now and try these light times on my tanks.

 

[jarrod0987]

I love that time setting option, I am going to have to dig out my timer plug(s) now and try these light times on my tanks.

She says in her book she saw a noticeable increase in plant growth. She does not know why for sure. She theories that with long light on times that CO2 may become depleted. Giving the plants a "Siesta" in the middle let's CO2 build up again. Sounds like it makes sense to me.

 

[Autumnsky]

I am an advocate for the Siesta on low light (or any) , tanks because if you only have one light, which is low, you can run the time for so many more hours without worrying about algae on low light and not as much with higher light. Interesting to learn about that possibility reason with running CO2. (Which I don't and haven't) But might like to in the future!

 

[jarrod0987]

I am an advocate for the Siesta on low light (or any) , tanks because if you only have one light, which is low, you can run the time for so many more hours without worrying about algae on low light and not as much with higher light. Interesting to learn about that possibility reason with running CO2. (Which I don't and haven't) But might like to in the future!

She doesn't run CO2 either. Neither do I. Her CO2 comes from the soil just like in natural bodies of water. So temporary depletion is defiantly a possibility when you only had a low amount to begin with.