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Kim's tank stats:
"It has glosso and I loaded it up with 35-40 stems of Ludwigia today (Dec 31, 2008 ).
75 gallons
4 x 65w CF 6700k
Ecocomplete
substrate heat
CO2"
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Kim,
The light over that tank is A LOT. So you must use it very carefully so to not cause any problems.
Three things you MUST get right from the get go - the light, CO2, and consistent water changes:
Light:
The best approach that has been proven over the last few years is to run the tank with low light most of the day. And have a "peak" light period somewhere in the middle of the day. It's simple, here's an example:
8AM-12AM - 2 bulbs on
12AM-3PM - 4 bulbs on <-- This is the "peak"
3PM-8PM - 2 bulbs on
The "peak" could be only 1 hour for starters. You are basically trying to see how much light is too much. 1 hour is a good start. The plants will not die. Algae will have a very hard time.
The lower light periods (before and after the "peak") are basically for viewing purposes only. You can adjust them to your daily schedule. Simply put have the lights on when you are home.
CO2:
The CO2 must not fluctuate. Set the bubble rate and let it run 24/7.
Make sure you have enough CO2. Disolving the CO2 well AND not loosing it because of too much surface agitations are the main things to set right.
***Disolving the CO2:
Best internal reactor here:
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/showthread.php?t=44053
***Surface agitation:
The surface of the water must agitate a little bit. Even the slightest surface agitation makes CO2 fizz out of the tank, BUT it provides an essential gas exchange. So agitation in moderation is what you aim for.
Water changes:
Always change the same amount of water. The same day (same hour, same second, same millisecond...). And always use a good dechlorinator (Prime is the best choice).
Also make sure you do not disturb the tank with water changes that are too big. 10 - 15 gallons once a week in a 75 gallon tank should be enough.
That's it for now. The only thing I'm worried about is that so called "substrate" you have in the tank. But many people have used it successfully so I'm not going to say anything about replacing it with AquaSoil, the only planted tank substrate one should have.
--Nikolay
Kim's tank stats:
"It has glosso and I loaded it up with 35-40 stems of Ludwigia today (Dec 31, 2008 ).
75 gallons
4 x 65w CF 6700k
Ecocomplete
substrate heat
CO2"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kim,
The light over that tank is A LOT. So you must use it very carefully so to not cause any problems.
Three things you MUST get right from the get go - the light, CO2, and consistent water changes:
Light:
The best approach that has been proven over the last few years is to run the tank with low light most of the day. And have a "peak" light period somewhere in the middle of the day. It's simple, here's an example:
8AM-12AM - 2 bulbs on
12AM-3PM - 4 bulbs on <-- This is the "peak"
3PM-8PM - 2 bulbs on
The "peak" could be only 1 hour for starters. You are basically trying to see how much light is too much. 1 hour is a good start. The plants will not die. Algae will have a very hard time.
The lower light periods (before and after the "peak") are basically for viewing purposes only. You can adjust them to your daily schedule. Simply put have the lights on when you are home.
CO2:
The CO2 must not fluctuate. Set the bubble rate and let it run 24/7.
Make sure you have enough CO2. Disolving the CO2 well AND not loosing it because of too much surface agitations are the main things to set right.
***Disolving the CO2:
Best internal reactor here:
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/showthread.php?t=44053
***Surface agitation:
The surface of the water must agitate a little bit. Even the slightest surface agitation makes CO2 fizz out of the tank, BUT it provides an essential gas exchange. So agitation in moderation is what you aim for.
Water changes:
Always change the same amount of water. The same day (same hour, same second, same millisecond...). And always use a good dechlorinator (Prime is the best choice).
Also make sure you do not disturb the tank with water changes that are too big. 10 - 15 gallons once a week in a 75 gallon tank should be enough.
That's it for now. The only thing I'm worried about is that so called "substrate" you have in the tank. But many people have used it successfully so I'm not going to say anything about replacing it with AquaSoil, the only planted tank substrate one should have.
--Nikolay
