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Old 07-03-2011, 11:01 PM   #71
alvloh
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Go for it! I wish I was in the same situation as you, having a spare tank.


Thanks af2373 I guess it's from reading all the emersed setups in other forums that I've come to accept the waiting time. I am also quite indecisive , so the waiting gives me time to make other adjustments (kiasi). Hehehe.
Thinking of using the spare to try something new, maybe plants or the crabs...but my CO might kill me...She had already allowed me 2x 3ft n 1 planted 6ft......
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Old 07-03-2011, 11:06 PM   #72
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actually, frankly speaking, i dont see the need for DSM.. yes, flooding on first day will result in algae infestation. but thats only the first few weeks.. after that its fine.. like my tank, only first 2 - 3 weeks im fighting algae.. now i see almost no algae at all (except for GSA on tank wall)... But still, when its HC and UG u are growing, probably DSM is better.
EvoZ, actually, what I am seeking is the fastest growth possible with DSM and also hoping to well-formed UG carpet - they look amazing in emerged form with deeper green leaves. This is what keeps me going to be honest. Looking back, I started with a really sparse quantity of plants. I should have started with much more to shave a few weeks off.
I do forsee algae issues when flooding a DSM tank due to the leeching of the soil - without the plant mass to soak up all the ammonia? In any case, wish me luck again when that happens!

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This is the most absurd yet interesting planted set-up i've ever come across. Absurd because i never knew planting a tank took this much time and effort. Interesting because this is absolutely beautiful! I take my hat off to your diligence and patience to the cause.
Haha, I take that unbashfully as a compliment. Planted tanks definitely require more planning than fish-only tanks and I think most of the journals I've come across all take quite a bit of deliberation and searching for suitable aquascaping materials like rocks and wood.

Last edited by Alvin Koh; 07-03-2011 at 11:07 PM.
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Old 08-03-2011, 12:06 AM   #73
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Originally Posted by Alvin Koh View Post
EvoZ, actually, what I am seeking is the fastest growth possible with DSM and also hoping to well-formed UG carpet - they look amazing in emerged form with deeper green leaves. This is what keeps me going to be honest. Looking back, I started with a really sparse quantity of plants. I should have started with much more to shave a few weeks off.
I do forsee algae issues when flooding a DSM tank due to the leeching of the soil - without the plant mass to soak up all the ammonia? In any case, wish me luck again when that happens!


Haha, I take that unbashfully as a compliment. Planted tanks definitely require more planning than fish-only tanks and I think most of the journals I've come across all take quite a bit of deliberation and searching for suitable aquascaping materials like rocks and wood.
Yes, i forgot about the growth.. growth in DSM method is indeed much faster.. but i cant tahan seeing tanks without fish.. hahaha
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Old 21-03-2011, 12:46 AM   #74
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Week 8 (18-20 March 2011)

The progress from the DSM was somewhat beginning to stagnate in some areas. The HC was growing very fast and it's almost a full carpet in the background but the spread of UG and Lilaeopsis brasiliensis was much slower in the back where the soil is much dryer. Increasing the humidity did not show significant differences in growth rates in the dryer areas in the past 2 weeks; whereas the lower portions of UG can be seen to be growing faster where it's wetter. I finally decided to flood the tank on the 18th (2 months old).

--------------------------

The Flooding

As I have a very fine mist spray head, I filled up the tank without covering the plants with any protective layer. I drained the tank once at the halfway mark to remove excess nutrients and re-filled it again. It took about 1 hour to fill it up the entire tank - midway through I sprayed full blast at a submerged takeaway plastic to avoid any disturbance to the soil.


Goodbye DSM - Week 2 versus week 8








1 hour after flooding - Water had a light-brown tinge. I took out all my glassware and setup the necessary plumbing and installed the Up Aqua inline atomizer and cut all the necessary hoses to size.




3rd Day - I have been doing 50% water changes daily and the water clarity is about 90-95% now with a slight haze possibly due to bacteria bloom. There is mild presense of ammonia despite the filter running off a pail for 4 months now (wow, it's been that long??).

Lighting: 39w x 2 for about 8 hours daily
CO2 injection: 3bps during day (aeration with airstone at night to promote cycling)






Hemianthus callitrichoides 'cuba'




Chiller - set at 26.5 DegC



-------------------------

What's next?

I find the way the UG contrasts in color with the background plants to be distracting as the UG is lighter in color. I will need to find a way to smooth the transition. I may also add some Blyxa Japonica behind the feature rock in time to come.

I'm definitely looking forward to adding fishes to the tank and I have more or less shortlisted the fishes but will have to wait for the ammonia levels to subside.
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Old 21-03-2011, 12:54 AM   #75
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finally flooded! you got to be realllllly patience with UG i guess, recently read about a guy's DSM tank which lasted quite a few months before he get a nice carpet, and after flooding, most of them melted away.. he waited another few months to get another nice carpet..
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Old 21-03-2011, 01:18 AM   #76
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Yay! Another great update! Very nice to see the development going well dude. I'll like to copy your idea if i can
What kinda fauna will you be including? I'm guessing Cardinals and SAEs?
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Old 21-03-2011, 01:54 AM   #77
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Originally Posted by EvolutionZ View Post
finally flooded! you got to be realllllly patience with UG i guess, recently read about a guy's DSM tank which lasted quite a few months before he get a nice carpet, and after flooding, most of them melted away.. he waited another few months to get another nice carpet..
EvoZ, wow, I'd go crazy if that happened to me.

I notice something rather interesting about UG. It doesn't mind being mostly submerged in a DSM setup and seems to prefer it - and spreads wider (instead of clumping together in a tight bunch).

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Originally Posted by benlauhh View Post
Yay! Another great update! Very nice to see the development going well dude. I'll like to copy your idea if i can
What kinda fauna will you be including? I'm guessing Cardinals and SAEs?
benlauhh, thanks for the compliment. I don't think there's anything original enough in my tank to 'copy' though - unless you are intending to find a massive rock.

As for fauna, I am leaning towards 1-2 types of schooling fishes in addition to Otos, snails and Amano shrimps.

1) 10pcs - X-ray Tetras - if identified correctly? (pic below)
2) 30pcs - Ember Tetras

I'm not sure if there are issues with this combination as yet. Will need to find out more.


Last edited by Alvin Koh; 22-03-2011 at 09:31 AM. Reason: typo
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Old 24-03-2011, 02:16 AM   #78
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In my opinion, this is the best documented and prettiest journal in planted-Arofanatics. Looking forward to seeing more updates.
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Old 24-03-2011, 09:37 AM   #79
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agree with JIG! beautiful tank it will be when it matures.. Oh btw bro, my UG all over taken by my E.tenellus and glosso till they totally disappeared!
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Old 24-03-2011, 11:23 AM   #80
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In my opinion, this is the best documented and prettiest journal in planted-Arofanatics. Looking forward to seeing more updates.
Thank you so much for the compliment JadeIceGreen - your tanks were inspirations to me when I first started researching & I'm flattered you feel this way.

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agree with JIG! beautiful tank it will be when it matures.. Oh btw bro, my UG all over taken by my E.tenellus and glosso till they totally disappeared!
EvoZ, ah, but the glosso looks really good in your tank and your tank being a 4 footer, matches well with the size of the leaves - in the longer term, I think it's for the better!

Needless to say, UG's the most demanding amongst my plants. Everyday when I see a floating strands, I harvest them for emerse culture and if the strands are large enough, I plunge them deep into the substrate. Still keeping fingers crossed that they will show growth these upcoming weeks.
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