Kauai - Iwagumi

[ian]

and the little one loves watching the shrimp!

 

[lljdma06]

you're right llj. It has really nothing to do with light as the same as Glosso, Carl. Again new thought to this is that plants grow high due to gaseous build up in the plant.

to quote Clive from the Barr report

Upward growth and increased inter-nodal distances occur in response to hormones in the plant. The particular hormone responsible for this behavior happens to be a gas called Ethylene. Poor flow to the substrate suppresses the ability of the plant to rid itself of the gas and results in a buildup of this gas. Just about all aquatic plants respond in a similar fashion, which is actually an ingenious adaptation to being flooded.

very interesting as it is commonly thought to be the light that causes this high growth of a small plant.

Yay, I'm finally right! until Andy arrives and shoots it down. Then I'll only be sort of right. I have seen my share of fast-flowing streams, uh, most hobbiests do not have these conditions in their planted tanks. Wonder how HC would fair in my tank now? It didn't do well in the beginning, but I didn't have the same flow I have now. Hmmm, might be time for an experiment... I may order a pot of HC.

Liz

 

[SuperColey1]

Yay, I'm finally right! until Andy arrives and shoots it down. Then I'll only be sort of right.

I've arrived and...........you're right, although Clive's statement above is only half the story. Clive (who wrote that post) and I have been suggesting its nothing to do with light for years hence the reason I dismiss the term 'highlight plant' and replace it with 'high CO2 plant'.

As per above (above my rank with biology. lol) it can be build up in the plant or can also be poor circulation (Co2 defficiency) or I suppose a combination of both. either way its insufficient flow to the substarte level.

On a 30ppm tank the substrate level can still be in the low single figures. If it gets too close to zero then the plant shoots up to get CO2 from a more abundant level. I think Clive's statement refers to both high growth AND increase distance between nodes. Not sure.

It'll be fine in your cube Ian. It was spreading pretty quick in mine once it bedded in (I put less than 1 pots worth in and pulled out loads of pots worth before smashing up that tank. lol. May take a little longer to 'secure' itself in your columbo though. Once it does it will spread quickly.

Hope you're not annoyed that I dismantled that tank and sold on the filter only weeks after you bought yours. lol.

I quite like it. Not sure about the lighting nor the black background in there but smooth rocks are cool. Remind me of that later in the year when you see what I use in my next scape

Like Ian says and Carlovel proves, it is much harder to get Glosso to carpet than HC. Easier to grow but harder to get it going horizontally. Plain substrates the easy one. lol


AC

 

[ian]

Cheers Andy, i have added some CRS. If they breed you can have some...

couldn't resist the tank shot,lol

 

[lljdma06]

Wow, I could never have a tank in the kitchen. Too much cooking going on in my kitchen. I am looking at those gas burners, though, and am jealous...

Oh, yeah, nice tank too.

 

[ian]

cheers llj! The tank gets covered when i'm in the kitchen. The HC is starting to cover quite nicely now, i shall try and get some pics up at the weekend.

 

[JenCliBee]

Coming along nicely now Ian.... still think separating the HC would have given you better results .... Love the pic of the CRS... cant wait to get my new tank started now ..

Look forward to the updated pic .

 

[ian]

thanks Jake!

heres a couple of pics, i have moved the main stone over towards the left by a few CM's

problems...I have diatoms which the shrimp aren't touching, and i can't trim the Riccia as there are shrimp-lets hiding in there!

PS. Glassware courtesy of Andy 'AC'.

 

[Biulu]

Do you mean that the stone is leaning more towards the left? I have the impression that the whole stone group has moved a little bit to the right... Anyway, I think it looks better as it looks less close to the glass.

 

[ian]

it was just the main stone that was moved. I'm thinking of going pressurised on this set up...Fluval have released a nano set for about £30. I'm not sure yet.

 

[SuperColey1]

those little pressurised set are a rip off Ian. I also would doubt their reliability. Better to just standard dose 0.2ml or 0.3ml easycarb.

Andy C <-lol

 

[ian]

Cheer Andy C! lol

I saw George using one on his nano tank and fancied the look of them, i can't use anything over 88g due to the lack of space behind the tank. I have seen a few on fleabay for £20. I am running yeast on it, but because the yeast is at the same height of the tank and not underneath, i seem to be getting a residual of yeast build up on top of the water. I am also dosing .3mls as a backup.

 

[SuperColey1]

Cheer Andy C! lol

I saw George using one on his nano tank and fancied the look of them, i can't use anything over 88g due to the lack of space behind the tank. I have seen a few on fleabay for £20. I am running yeast on it, but because the yeast is at the same height of the tank and not underneath, i seem to be getting a residual of yeast build up on top of the water. I am also dosing .3mls as a backup.

They look nice and they look cool. Its funny really because when Hydor started selling those green NRG ones with the 95g bottles all the planted folks were slating them for the cost of the little bottles and how long they last. Now they're all using them because they 'look nice' he, he.

No probs using them but not the fluval 20g ones. At least make sure they are the 95g/88g ones. They may (needs checking) use the really old fashioned soda syphone cylinders (not Sodastream) which you can buy from brewers shops (or wilkos where the berr kits are) They look about the same size but haven't had a close look.

I still doubt how reliable the regulator would be though. I personally would be sticking to the Easycarb at 0.3ml on small tank like this.



AC

 

[Katch]

There's an article on UKAPS somewhere about using welding gas cans - whole setup can't be more than about £40 all parts available online.

"Cheap pressurised CO2 system DIY guide"

 

[globali]

Very nice and the rocks
are very interesting.