Thanks for the advice!!

This post has been edited by fall3n: Mar 5 2015, 04:05 PM

Thanks for the advice!!

no worries. but just to let you know the cherry shrimps comments are based on wat i read on the net. i kept mostly hardy fishes like angelfish and swordtails and probably some ghost shrimps.

happy aqua scaping.

Thanks, i may try to get a CFL light from my fren to test it out.

Bro, mind to share ur tank photo?
For Co2, currently running at 3bps.

Maybe I'll try to get a few rocks and try different method each just to experiment My oven hasnt been used for a while

Im wondering if using amazonia soil would offset the pH changes by the rocks.

By the way, would it be possible to plant a carpet plant without CO2? E.g. Marsilea, Micranthemum, Glosso.

This post has been edited by danny_sp15: Mar 6 2015, 12:03 AM

the other 2 plants i'm not so sure, but glosso, you need high lighting, as well as frequent water changing if you decide not to use co2. they will still grow upwards though.

danny, my tank also has amazonia inside mixed with normal soil. so far no change of ph levels. the problem with some rocks that reacts to water that it will slowly increase your ph. thats the reason why some ppl drop a few drops of bleach to see if it sizzles. if it reacts/sizzles, then it will change your water ph in the long run (maybe a few days depends on the amount of rocks).

i found out my lfs has those light yellow gravel which i cover on top of amazonia that changed my water ph. at first i thought it was the rocks that i brought back from seaside. after doing the bleach test only i found the culprit.

hmm, probably gonna try hairgrass. now just need to find a shop that sells cheap curved tanks. pet shop at malls really overpriced.

well that was unexpected. unfortunately i dont have bleach or vinegar with me right now but i bought the rocks from aquarium shop, should be safe i guess? tomorrow i ask my gf bring some vinegar or bleach for me

if you wanna do planted tank, it's best not to get curved tank, just get the flat one, it will look nicer, speaking from experience.

just get the bleach from 99 speed mart, RM2 something only. don't assume the rocks you buy from aquarium are all safe for use. just bleach them then wash with running water will do. however, ryu stone should be fine.

you're right. flat tanks look better. especially the ADA ones but gila pricey. gonna scout around, aiming for 40cm.

thinking of doing low-tech iwagumi with hairgrass / micranthemum monte carlo. due to no CO2, i guess the dry start method should be better. do i need root tabs or fertilizer for hairgrass / micranthemum?

if your amazonia is less than 6 months old, no ferts required. usually after 6 mths only it will used up most of it nutrients. this is based on my own findings when i first started.

this is general guideline, it will also depend on the plants and amount of soil you have put in.

Thanks for the tips will update u guys once the tank is in progress

Guys, plan to upgrade this on my 1.5 ft tank. Do this kind of lights works great with planted tank?
Now only using t5 15wx2 on my tank.



Metal halide lamp



This post has been edited by excape25: Mar 7 2015, 06:00 PM

isnt metal halide for a 1.5ft abit overmuch?
talk about algae growth booster + overheating syndrome

TBH, I'm also not sure though.

70w will be too much?

just get the new amazonia, you can but in loose pack. no need root tabs, but it's good to have. but i think you can make do without it.

definitely too much, later your plant also get melted.

Try Natural Aquarium in SS19 Subang Jaya for plants. They used to carry a very comprehensive stock of plants, but less so these days- it seems that aquascaping is not so popular anymore. There is still an extensive selection of slower growing ferns and moss in their overgrown tanks. This shop also carries a huge variety of rocks and driftwood. Be careful not to gauge your eyes out when sorting through them on the shelves.

Aquascape Paradise is a relatively new shop in Section 13, Shah Alam. They carry a lot of plants and almost no fishes. The major problem with this shop is that staff don't seem to know their own stock. Many plants have melted away in their tanks, and they have sold me wrong plants a few times because their labels don't match what's being displayed.

If you like to look at fishes, make a trip to Aquatics International in Kampung Subang, near the Subang Airport. Look it up on google maps.
It's partly an ornamental fish farm and partly a biggest fish shop in town.

For a slightly smaller 'biggest' fish shop, try Xian Leng / Xian Long in Section 23 Shah Alam. Don't use google maps for this one- it still points to their old location. This shop usually have some common aquatic plants in stock.

By the way, all these shops can be reached from cyberjaya via a highway towards shah alam and subang jaya (ELITE?). The furthest one is Aquatics International, but it's worth a special trip.

Have fun!

This post has been edited by choen: Mar 8 2015, 03:05 AM

usually its 55w for max or less, all about ure tank setup to be honest IMHO.
But with higher lighting, requires higher co2 output and adequate ferts plus acceptable cooling system.
If not, myriads of problems will arise(melting,bba,diatoms,gsa,fish discolouration due to heat, etc ,etc)

luqee : i like ur statement. algae booster... whahaha... exactly wat i'm going through now...

although i'm on 2 x 50w led spotlight la.. mostly anubias / java and amazon swords...