elwaine
Aquarium Advice Activist
- Joined
- Nov 11, 2008
- Messages
- 174
OK... so what's a cz Experimental Top-down Aqua-garden? Well, the idea for an experimental plant-only nano thing was czcz's, not mine. And it's "Top-down" because I used an opaque 2 or maybe it's 2.5 gallon plastic container - so you can see clearly into the tank from the top, looking down...
but not very clearly from the front.
Plants: Dwarf hairgrass, Lobelia cardinalis small form, HC (which appears very pale at present, and in need of TLC right now), and micro chain swords (Lilaeopsis - the New Zealand variety).
There is an AquaClear 30 (on low flow setting) that circulates the water. So there is good circulation.
There is 1.5 inches of small, plain old black pebbles as substrate... no fancy Aquasoil or magic substrate. Whatever these plants get by way of nutrition will come from me (I feel so powerfull) and not from a secrete concoction from ADA, mother nature, or any other aquarist.
There is a small, simple fluorescent "Ott Light" which provides most of the illumination. Above that there is a small single strip T5 flourescent light (not an aquarium grade fixture... just a cheap under the shelf strip lamp). I don't have a light meter and don't know how to accurately estimate the illumination falling in on this tank, but it is definitely a low light tank. (The Current 18 Watt Power Compact fixture that I am using for my 3 gallon Picotope aquarium is, subjectively, twice as bright.) I'm going to use a 10 hour photoperiod
I'm not injecting CO2, but I am dosing Excel daily (when I'm home, that is) as well as the usual and customary batch of ferts every other day (N, P, K, Fe - and whatever trace minerals that come free in my tap water). I'm planning on 50% PWC once or twice a week (haven't decided just how tied down I want to be to this experimental aquarium).
I've recently become very interested in Aquarium lighting. It is a topic fraught with misconceptions. If you want a good read on this topic, you'll find it here: ADA lighting at Aqua Forest and nice low PAr values-who knew? - Aquarium Plants - Barr Report
So, for experiment # 1, I'm trying to grow dwarf hairgrass (Eleocharis acicularis) under low light and no CO2 injection. Can it be done? Well, so far, it looks great (after only 2 hours). Stay tuned for updates.
but not very clearly from the front.
Plants: Dwarf hairgrass, Lobelia cardinalis small form, HC (which appears very pale at present, and in need of TLC right now), and micro chain swords (Lilaeopsis - the New Zealand variety).
There is an AquaClear 30 (on low flow setting) that circulates the water. So there is good circulation.
There is 1.5 inches of small, plain old black pebbles as substrate... no fancy Aquasoil or magic substrate. Whatever these plants get by way of nutrition will come from me (I feel so powerfull) and not from a secrete concoction from ADA, mother nature, or any other aquarist.
There is a small, simple fluorescent "Ott Light" which provides most of the illumination. Above that there is a small single strip T5 flourescent light (not an aquarium grade fixture... just a cheap under the shelf strip lamp). I don't have a light meter and don't know how to accurately estimate the illumination falling in on this tank, but it is definitely a low light tank. (The Current 18 Watt Power Compact fixture that I am using for my 3 gallon Picotope aquarium is, subjectively, twice as bright.) I'm going to use a 10 hour photoperiod
I'm not injecting CO2, but I am dosing Excel daily (when I'm home, that is) as well as the usual and customary batch of ferts every other day (N, P, K, Fe - and whatever trace minerals that come free in my tap water). I'm planning on 50% PWC once or twice a week (haven't decided just how tied down I want to be to this experimental aquarium).
I've recently become very interested in Aquarium lighting. It is a topic fraught with misconceptions. If you want a good read on this topic, you'll find it here: ADA lighting at Aqua Forest and nice low PAr values-who knew? - Aquarium Plants - Barr Report
So, for experiment # 1, I'm trying to grow dwarf hairgrass (Eleocharis acicularis) under low light and no CO2 injection. Can it be done? Well, so far, it looks great (after only 2 hours). Stay tuned for updates.
