New lighting :)

[fishman888888]

Im going to add sand when i move in december

For now though, what do you guys think of my barebottom planted

 

[hroom88]

Cool. Tank specifications?

 

[fishman888888]

125 gallon community tank
72 x 21 x 18

11 bosemani rainbows
4 ctenopoma leopards
5 blue gouramis
2 farlowella acus

2 X aquaclear 110s
I clean 1 filter one week, and the other the next

2 X satellite led 4600 model with PAR rating of 28 @ 18" and 21 @ 24"
1 X coralife 36" t5ho 2 strip light fixture
Got my lights/co2 hooked up to 2 automatic timers - 7 hour run time/day
Pressurized co2 (10lb)
Flourish root tabs
Seachem phosphate (dosed twice/week after wcs)

7 anubias
9 java ferns
5 java moss rocks
2 red tiger lotus
2 amazon swords
3 vallisneria asiatica
2 bunches of bacopa...dont remember specific name
4 ludwigia repens
(Ill take some better pics with my iphone 5 when i get home - maybe someone can help with the plant ids incase ive been misinformed)

My guy doesnt have pps pro ferts...

Anyone have any other ferts they would suggest?

Im gonna have to tweak the co2/ferts the next little while to find a good balance

Anyone got suggestions/comments on how i can improve my tank from here?

 

[FishCr8zy]

Nice bare-bottom tank you have
Some recommendations I have would be to upgrade from HOB filters to a canister filter. It will provide more filtration and you will be able to clean it less. I would try to add the substrate soon because the plants will have something to grab onto. Leaving the plants in the pot for extended periods is not good. If you start getting algae, I would lessen the hours to 6 hours. You have to be careful of algae because the anubias leaves are very sensitive and can die easily if anything stays on them. I would not change the filter pads so often or else you are losing a lot of BB. Do you throw away the pads as well?
You can get the PPS-Pro Ferts here: PPS-Pro | Aquarium Fertilizer | Green Leaf Aquariums

 

[fishman888888]

I have 2 hydor cannister filters that im not big fans of, theyre a pain to clean, i just gravel vac the bb tank, and no i dont throw the filter pads out, just squeeze them out in old tank water, maybe once a month/filter would be better?

I dont want to add substrate.... ...not yet
Can i get bigger pots to compensate?
The root growth is visible and growing quickly for all my plants, the pots are clear so i can see everything developing

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

I think your tank would look so much better with a substrate. It would look more "natural." Why do you prefer bare bottom? Just curious.

+1 for PPS-Pro ferts from GLA.

 

[FishCr8zy]

Well some of the plants will not prefer to be kept in pots. Anubias and java ferns are rhizonmous plants and like being attach to a rock or driftwood so they can feed off the water column. The swords like digging into the substrate and feeding on nutrients there.
Cleaning the pads once a month or so is better.

 

[fishman888888]

All my anubias and java ferns are tied to driftwood...check the pic ...

And like my post said...putting substrate in later in december when i move to the apartment i bought which is currently under construction ...

Thanks though?

 

[fishman888888]

Would bigger pots with 6"+ depth be able to sustain them for 6 months?

 

[hroom88]

All my anubias and java ferns are tied to driftwood...check the pic ...

And like my post said...putting substrate in later in december when i move to the apartment i bought which is currently under construction ...

Thanks though?

Though not entirely advisable, I would understand the problem at hand. No point in setting up the tank with substrate and all, and then tearing the tank down a few months later when you move.
Also I would suggest a proper substrate than sand. Eco-complete or contro soil is good as also effective. So like is laterite(if you have access to that). That way, you get more options to add more demanding plants in future if you plan to do so.