Caliban's AquaOpti 85L

[Caliban07]

Would be interesting by depth as well. I think 3 or 4 ppm from memory as well but nothing really grew below say top foot of tank here really. Light intensity and duration didn’t seem to matter.

I think tall tanks are an issue for many reasons. Light penetration, flow distribution and surface area to volume ratio is poor. I would try to avoid deep tanks that have small surface areas.

 

[Delapool]

I think tall tanks are an issue for many reasons. Light penetration, flow distribution and surface area to volume ratio is poor. I would try to avoid deep tanks that have small surface areas.

I think that makes a lot of sense. 6 years ago or so when I got this one - planted tank equipment was practically nothing here. It was just assumed large tanks would be for cichlid tanks so could get any size tank (although 6ft tanks seem common here).

 

[Caliban07]

Apparently I’m going back to the 1920s.

No co2
No ferts
No water changes
No filter
No flow

It’s been working quite well.

 

[TMaier]

Old old school. Any new pics?

 

[Autumnsky]

Interesting.

 

[Caliban07]

Old old school. Any new

 

[Caliban07]

Old old school. Any new

Trying to upload a video but quality is poor

 

[Caliban07]

Some pics as of today

 

[Caliban07]

I think I could even push the lighting up some more.

 

[Caliban07]

Check this inspiring video out.

4 Months Update - Eggs Hatched, Baby, NO filter, NO CO2, NO Ferts 5 Gallon Nano Tank.

**Not my tank**

 

[TMaier]

Lovely little tank.

 

[Delapool]

No CO2 - eek! Looking great (but having trouble thinking of no CO2 lol).

 

[Caliban07]

Haha yeah. Inhabitants and microbes are generating some. Diurnal swings are more likely since no surface agitation so it will build up at night

 

[Caliban07]

Went out to harvest some rainwater from a bucket outside for top off and noticed hairgrass growing in it.



You just might be able to make it out. It’s been growing on freezing cold temps, blocked with ice and snow in the winter sunlight. Summer should be interesting. Substrate in the bucket is fertile but co2 and light for the most part have been low?

Funny what happens when you leave things be and forget about them.

 

[Autumnsky]

We have had a mild winter over all here and I have a great Val still going in 2 pots in the pond, I did put in a heater just to keep the ice to a minimum.

Will be interested to see how it matures and grows in! My best attempt of growing DBT was from a plastic storage tote/bin I had set up next to my pond. With no special light just some covered from a deck daylight and pond water added. And many flowers with no special care from the Elodea sitting in a bucket.

Maybe we try too hard!?

 

[Caliban07]

We have had a mild winter over all here and I have a great Val still going in 2 pots in the pond, I did put in a heater just to keep the ice to a minimum.

Will be interested to see how it matures and grows in! My best attempt of growing DBT was from a plastic storage tote/bin I had set up next to my pond. With no special light just some covered from a deck daylight and pond water added. And many flowers with no special care from the Elodea sitting in a bucket.

Maybe we try too hard!?

I think so. What else was in the plastic tote?

 

[Autumnsky]

Can't recall all the things,
a few varieties of Swords, 5 Amazon Swords, one Melon Sword, Ozelot Sword,
misc cuttings from the Aquatic Gardeners Association 2017 class I did not get into for Wabi Kusa making and I got to buy left over stuff to make my own at home.
Ludwigia repens and min butterfly, Hydrocotyle tripartita Japan, Bacopa, DHG mat and loose chunk and Lobelia, A. Coffeefolia & another either Frazeri or Heteroclita" potted, Dwarf baby tears potted.

I put the DBT in the front corner and it was huge. (Somehwere I had a pic, changed phones and don't have all those 3000 pics on my phone now.) Later the tote somehow got turned around and DBT was to the back of the tub, basically no light and died.

 

[Caliban07]

Wow so no substrate? What was it feeding off?

 

[Autumnsky]

Pwc water. Poured in until it over flowed out the top and safety air holes under the handles. I think it was Sterlite tote.

 

[Caliban07]

Pwc water. Poured in until it over flowed out the top and safety air holes under the handles. I think it was Sterlite tote.

So all grew well in just pwc? Did you add nutrients to the tank this pwc water was taken from?