new here and have some questions

[clarem]

I am new to this site - just found it under a search for information on plants! and it looks like your all a mine of information which is brilliant for me as I am stuggling at the moment lol!

I have a vision 180 and have replaced the standard lights for one arcadia and one interpet tube. However this still only gives me 50w of light. I have fine gravel at the bottom of the tank and have been trying to grow plants that can grow in poor light. I wish now that I had done a little more research as I would have put soil under the gravel before I started and had a custom made tank made - ho hum!

I have read on another post the idea of freezing soil in ice cubes then planting this around the plants then when the ice melts the soil is still in position - what do you think?

I would love a planted tank but seem to struggle - I am also battling with hair algae and brush algae - any tips

many many thanks for the help

clare

 

[George Farmer]

Hi Clare - Welcome to the Forum.

You've come to the right place for friendly advice.

With 50W (just over 1WPG - do you have reflectors?) you are limited to a few species that will only grow slowly. It is this slow growth, combined with other factors that will have no doubt resulted in your algae.

It is possbily to run a low-tech tank without algae but IMO it is a lot easier to run a set-up with higher lighting, CO2, nutrients and therefore high plant growth. Algae's worst enemy is fast growing plants.

The frozen soil trick sounds good, ideal for a low-tech planted tank which I assume is what you are aiming for. Have you done a search for "low tech planted" on Google? This is a good place to start. A lot of the knowledge on here is more bias towards high-tech i.e. lots of light, CO2 and frequent nutrient dosing. Please correct me if I'm wrong though (calling all low-tech followers.)

An excellent bood on low-tech is Diana Walstad's Ecology of the Planted Aquarium. Very scientific but interesting.

If you want to go higher-tech then adding more light and CO2 is easier and cheaper than you may realise.

 

[clarem]

Hi Clare - Welcome to the Forum.

You've come to the right place for friendly advice.

With 50W (just over 1WPG - do you have reflectors?) you are limited to a few species that will only grow slowly. It is this slow growth, combined with other factors that will have no doubt resulted in your algae.

It is possbily to run a low-tech tank without algae but IMO it is a lot easier to run a set-up with higher lighting, CO2, nutrients and therefore high plant growth. Algae's worst enemy is fast growing plants.

The frozen soil trick sounds good, ideal for a low-tech planted tank which I assume is what you are aiming for. Have you done a search for "low tech planted" on Google? This is a good place to start. A lot of the knowledge on here is more bias towards high-tech i.e. lots of light, CO2 and frequent nutrient dosing. Please correct me if I'm wrong though (calling all low-tech followers.)

An excellent bood on low-tech is Diana Walstad's Ecology of the Planted Aquarium. Very scientific but interesting.

If you want to go higher-tech then adding more light and CO2 is easier and cheaper than you may realise.

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I do have reflectors not sure though how much light they add - my real problem is that the vision 180 tank lid will not easily allow the addition of more tubes and my hubby refuses to do any DIY on the lid -so am stuck really - what soil is best? Cactus soil? do I need to soak it first do you think? how much am I trying to put in?? thanks again clare

 

[George Farmer]

Sorry, no idea on the soil.

I've heard loam is good although I have no idea of the best way to add it post gravel installation.