What do you think?

[hman2853]

I started this Eclipse almost a month ago (6/30). Livestock and Bio-Spira were added 7/10. I have 3 dwarf puffers, 2 of which are female. The substrate is Eco-Complete. I also have 2 amano shrimp, and an otocinclus. I have java moss attached to driftwood, and some hornwort on the right side and back. I have two micro swords, which are doing OK. Right now, I am stuck with the stock 13 watt, that figures out to a weak 1.083 wpg. I have a 28 watt retrofit coming that will fit under the hood, so I'll be in business when that comes in. DIY CO2 with check valve and needle valve works quite well. I'm 18, and this is my first tank; I am very excited with the look and feel of it. I am planning to put some riccia over the rocks in the foreground. Any suggestions concerning aquascaping ideas or anything else for the tank would be greatly appreciated, however critical they may be!
Front view:

Center focal point:

Right rear:

Another front view:

How many watts do micro swords take to thrive?
Thanks!
-John

this message was also posted at dwarfpuffers.com

 

[travis simonson]

Nice work John It's hard to believe this is your first planted tank. The hornwort looks very healthy. One watt per gallon is low for micro-sword (is it E. tenellus or Lilaeopsis?) so it will definitely benefit from the additional light.

Once you add the new light you may need to consider supplementing with fertilizers (I'm guessing you're not supplementing already, forgive me if you are). With 2+ wpg of light and CO2 you will be driving your plants fairly hard and they will burn through the nutrients in your water column quickly. There is a very informative sticky in this forum regarding dosing with fertilizers.

Keep us posted as you continue with your tank

 

[greenmaji]

According to plantgeek.net micro swords require high light.. 28 watts might not be enough light.. how many and how long are the bulbs in the stock hood? they could be overdriven, possibly.

 

[hman2853]

Travis- I ordered some Flourish and some Flourish tabs last week, they haven't come in yet. I have also looked at Greg Watson's website, although I don't really know what I need from there. I'll take a look at the sticky, and go from there. By the way, your Mbuna tank is incredible.

GM- the light in the hood has a mechanical ballast, if I recall correctly that means it can't be overdriven? I don't know though, anyways I will take the whole thing out to put the new one in.
Thanks for the help.
-John
By the way the little blurs at the top of the photos are bubbles being blown around by the powerhead.

 

[greenmaji]

Great job by the way hman2853...
yes, to overdrive you have to purchase a new electronic ballast and you dont overdrive with the current ballast even if it was electronic the idea is to get a ballast thats bigger then what is needed to run the current bulb(s).
How long is the bulb and how many are there?

 

[krap101]

hmm, are you sure thats java moss? because it looks different.

 

[hman2853]

GM-there is one light, and it is exactly 7 inches long. It has the markings 13 watt, 5000K.

Krap-It said java moss on the tank at the fish store. This is my first tank, much less java moss, so I can't tell you if it is or isn't. But it is growing well!

-John

 

[czcz]

Nice tank. I wish my moss and hornwort looked like yours.

How about a background? This would let you mount the power strip and hang drip loops without worrying about how it looks.

Do your puffers normally hang out in front of the powerhead? Do they seek shelter from the current? Thanks.

 

[malkore]

that doesn't look like hornwort to me. the leafs are too open and large. looks more like ambulia or possibly foxtail.

 

[greenmaji]

GM-there is one light, and it is exactly 7 inches long. It has the markings 13 watt, 5000K.

That sounds like a 2 pin CF bulb. Im curious why they only put a 7 inch bulb in that length of a tank? It would definitely take quite a bit of modification to get more light in it though. Sorry about the bad news.

 

[hman2853]

CZCZ- Thanks for the complements! I took your advice and got a black background, it looks great. I'll post a pic later tonight. The puffers are really active, and they occasionally swim in the powerhead's flow. Most of the time though, they are cruising around the glass, or swimming around the plants. When I walk up to the tank, they swim over to me.

Malklore- You're right, it is ambulia. I checked when I went to get the background.
Thanks.
-John

 

[hman2853]

Alright, here's the new background:

And here's my amano shrimp in the java moss:

I just ordered ferts from Greg Watson. This should get interesting.
-John