Plant problems / recommendations

[cliveP]

I have a 120 ltr tank (jewel rekord 120) that has a mixed community fish and
gravel base.

The main problem with the tank is that it is low light (i.e one tube -
Arcadia Freshwater). Fertiliser is added, and a yeast C02 is used.

I have planted previous a mixed plant pack (requesting more low light plant)
but over time a number of these plant have died off. I have added a second
pack, which again over time a number of plants have died off. This has now
got to the stage where I have no plants left except for Java Fern which is
truly flourishing to the stage where either I will have to take off the
babies and replant, or take large amount out of the tank. The fern is
growing directly in the gravel and has large root systems when removed.

Is there any specific reason why Java Ferns does so well and everything else
dies off slowly? is there something I should be doing (I cant add more light
due to the design of the tank)

Even the basic pond weed
http://www.microrepairs.glowinternet.net/40774152/4100.htm has died off?

I would like to add some other plants to the tank (preferably something tall
at the back). can anyone suggest something that is likely to do well in the
current conditions?

[Tom]

"cliveP" > wrote in message
.uk...
>I have a 120 ltr tank (jewel rekord 120) that has a mixed community fish
>and gravel base.
>
> The main problem with the tank is that it is low light (i.e one tube -
> Arcadia Freshwater). Fertiliser is added, and a yeast C02 is used.
>
> I have planted previous a mixed plant pack (requesting more low light
> plant) but over time a number of these plant have died off. I have added a
> second pack, which again over time a number of plants have died off. This
> has now got to the stage where I have no plants left except for Java Fern
> which is truly flourishing to the stage where either I will have to take
> off the babies and replant, or take large amount out of the tank. The fern
> is growing directly in the gravel and has large root systems when removed.
>
> Is there any specific reason why Java Ferns does so well and everything
> else dies off slowly? is there something I should be doing (I cant add
> more light due to the design of the tank)
>
> Even the basic pond weed
> http://www.microrepairs.glowinternet.net/40774152/4100.htm has died off?
>
> I would like to add some other plants to the tank (preferably something
> tall at the back). can anyone suggest something that is likely to do well
> in the current conditions?


Sounds like you do not have enough light.

You do not say how many watts you are putting in the tank at present.

If you have a standard florescent bulb, and cannot modify the hood, then
overdriving the bulb is the only practical option. It just takes a minor
wiring job and no modifications to the top or hood are necessary.

Search on ODNO (Overdriven Normal Output) and 'florescent in Google and a
ton of info will come up.

Tom

[cliveP]

> Sounds like you do not have enough light.

> You do not say how many watts you are putting in the tank at present.

i suspect you are right. I looked into adding lite for some time but never
found a way to do it. IIRC the current tube is a 25w, which results in a
light output of about 0.95w/gallon rather than the more usual minimum of
2watts.

> If you have a standard florescent bulb, and cannot modify the hood, then
> overdriving the bulb is the only practical option. It just takes a minor
> wiring job and no modifications to the top or hood are necessary. Search
> on ODNO (Overdriven Normal Output) and 'florescent in Google and a ton of
> info will come up.

I have just done a google as I had never heard of this option before. If
overdrive is used does a standard or aquarium tube need to be used?

As I understand it a 2x overdriven tube will output 1.7 times light. So the
0.95w/gallon would come up to a more respectable 1.6w/gallon

[Tom]

"cliveP" > wrote in message
.uk...
>> Sounds like you do not have enough light.
>
>> You do not say how many watts you are putting in the tank at present.
>
> i suspect you are right. I looked into adding lite for some time but never
> found a way to do it. IIRC the current tube is a 25w, which results in a
> light output of about 0.95w/gallon rather than the more usual minimum of
> 2watts.
>
>> If you have a standard florescent bulb, and cannot modify the hood, then
>> overdriving the bulb is the only practical option. It just takes a minor
>> wiring job and no modifications to the top or hood are necessary. Search
>> on ODNO (Overdriven Normal Output) and 'florescent in Google and a ton
>> of info will come up.
>
> I have just done a google as I had never heard of this option before. If
> overdrive is used does a standard or aquarium tube need to be used?

You can overdrive any flourescent bulb including blacklight bulbs. :)


> As I understand it a 2x overdriven tube will output 1.7 times light. So
> the 0.95w/gallon would come up to a more respectable 1.6w/gallon

Yes, in that ballpark at least... it varies from bulb to bulb and also with
the electronic ballast chosen, but that is a good rule of thumb. If you go
to a 4x overdrive, you will get a bit over 2x the light.

Tom

[Dick]

On Wed, 29 Sep 2004 22:53:18 GMT, "cliveP" >
wrote:

>I have a 120 ltr tank (jewel rekord 120) that has a mixed community fish and
>gravel base.
>
>The main problem with the tank is that it is low light (i.e one tube -
>Arcadia Freshwater). Fertiliser is added, and a yeast C02 is used.
>
>I have planted previous a mixed plant pack (requesting more low light plant)
>but over time a number of these plant have died off. I have added a second
>pack, which again over time a number of plants have died off. This has now
>got to the stage where I have no plants left except for Java Fern which is
>truly flourishing to the stage where either I will have to take off the
>babies and replant, or take large amount out of the tank. The fern is
>growing directly in the gravel and has large root systems when removed.
>
>Is there any specific reason why Java Ferns does so well and everything else
>dies off slowly? is there something I should be doing (I cant add more light
>due to the design of the tank)
>
>Even the basic pond weed
>http://www.microrepairs.glowinternet.net/40774152/4100.htm has died off?
>
>I would like to add some other plants to the tank (preferably something tall
>at the back). can anyone suggest something that is likely to do well in the
>current conditions?

I would restate your problem. You have the wrong plants. There are
many plants that do well with low light. I have 5 tanks with low
light levels and all have healthy plants. I don't use fertiliser or
CO2. Just the natural fish waste.

Do a web search for aquarium low light plants. I just did a Google
and got 82,500 hits. Ask your LFS for suggestions from what they have
in stock.

Others will suggest increasing your lighting. This leads to many more
plant choices. I found plenty of low light plants and I am well
satisfied.

[cliveP]

> Others will suggest increasing your lighting. This leads to many more
> plant choices. I found plenty of low light plants and I am well
> satisfied.

Have always know I had low light. All the plant collections before were
required to suit low light, and over time the have done less and less well
(except the java which is rampant!). Changing the tube to a "plant & fish"
version helped a bit, as did co2

I reckon that the solution is to add more light. Not sure yet if to
overdrive, change tube (I can go from a 25w T8 to a 39w T5) or add two
tubes. i am sure another post will follow soon.