# My First Aquarium 47.5 Gallon Planted/C02/3.3WPG T5HO



## arakhavan (Nov 15, 2010)

I Setup this tank 6 Weeks ago, and have reworked the inside twice. The Glosso is about one week old, took a whole evening to plant it all! im curious how it will grow in as I have never done this before. The CO2 was fun, I started with DIY and hated it, it would fizzle out after 2 or 3 days and i found my kitchen stinking of fermented yeast. So i quickly changed to the Pressurized System. I then went to India for 2 weeks, and it managed to empty completely in 2 days, so it went 1.5 weeks without C02, and i was worried i suffocated my roommate. I just added the second GLO fixture at the same time as the glosso, so i now have 2 power glo's and 2 life glo's.

Id appreciate any ideas, recommendations to take this to the next level. I have to resist emptying it and starting fresh now that i have learnt how everything works and how much fun planted aquariums are!!


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## jobber (May 14, 2010)

Nice new start for your first aquarium. The glosso is going to look so nice as a thick carpet. Look forward to seeing the tank evolve and grow.


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## Momobobo (Sep 28, 2010)

I agree, when the carpet fills in this tank will look spectacular! Only thing I would add is some fish (  ) and some more tall plants in the back ground behind the wood!


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## arakhavan (Nov 15, 2010)

haha, i have to take fish photos later this week. i turned my lights on to take photos when the fish were already sleeping on as I was inspired to post them/start a blog. But besides the tetras everything else was sleeping. I will post photos of them this weekend!!

Ive listed the fish i have in my signature. But I have been having quite the experience with the Odessa barbs, they have turned into a bit of a gang. I put two red crystal shrimp in a couple days ago to see how they would do, within 15 minutes all the barbs started attacking them, followed by the tetras. I will put that video up later..my room mate got it on his iphone! I guess i have to stick to larger shrimp or trade in the barbs.


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

looking great! your glosso is going to get very difficult to keep up with lights that intense and pressurized.

One thing i will add is if this is your first planted tank, you may need to be looking forward to an nice algae outbreak with lighting that high.

i posted this: http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/equipment-talk-section-14/par-real-way-measure-light-4471/
might help understand more of what is enough. one of the biggest issues with t5ho is not only that the kits now overpower the lighting, is that their reflectors differ so much that the light intensity from the same bulbs could vary drastically between fixtures. Within that page, theres a link to off site charts in regards to various t5ho fixture styles. it will let you know just what height you will need those lights at. For a beginner, i recommend the lower reaches of the medium threshold. If you are impatient though and want faster growth, then aim for the middle of mid light. Higher than that can cause algae issues since you will be bordering on a high tech tank lighting.

Watts per gallon is useless to show lighting, but i will break down my tanks lighting

my 29 gallon has 2x24W t5ho mounted 26 inches above the substrate (bottom of bulb to substrate). I grow glosso, crypts, java ferns, bolbitus and anubias. Algae = very little black brush algae, no Green spot
my 9.8 gallon tanks share 1x48W t5ho mounted roughly 24-25 inches above substrate. They grow a much larger variety of plants, including HC. Algae = very little black brush algae, green spot algae appears on some substrate rocks and the glass.

Although i mention the wattage, it doesn't matter, what matters is the bulb length vs the tank length, if they are equal, then the charts work great. Even works with bulbs slightly shorter (2ft fixtures on my 30" tank).

assuming the worst for the fixture reflector, you are looking at Above high lighting levels as it is, even one of the fixtures should have been plenty for glosso resting on the tank top


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

neven said:


> looking great! your glosso is going to get very difficult to keep up with lights that intense and pressurized.
> 
> One thing i will add is if this is your first planted tank, you may need to be looking forward to an nice algae outbreak with lighting that high.


That's not necessarily true. There are people with higher lighting levels than that. However, I totally agree with you. That much light is way too much work and not necessary. The whole idea of CO2 and EI is that the plants have everything they need and now should be able to grow better with LESS light. One bank of 2xT5HO will do. Or the OP can do is to turn on one back for 6 hours and the second bank for 6 hours with a 1 hour overlap in between. That will be much more manageable IMO.

One thing I would try is to move your CO2 diffuser to different places in the tank to achieve an optimal flow distribution as your growth starts to fill in. What's the substrate in there, Eco-complete?


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## Mo Amirian (Feb 14, 2012)

Looks fantastic


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## CRS Fan (Apr 21, 2010)

I wish my first planted tank looked that good. Very nice and clean. What are you using for CO2 dispersion? Are you running it through the canister or through a disc-type diffuser? I'm just curious.... !

Best regards,

Stuart


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## trout (Mar 21, 2012)

very solid start! that is alot of glosso! that will look awesome when filled in, hope you got some nice trimming scissors 

one thing to i feel i should mention (your prob already aware though), is the fluval m heater being fully submerged as they have a high/low water marks and if I recall correctly the package said not to fully submerge them. might not be any issue but something to keep an eye on as those things aren't cheap.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

CRS Fan said:


> What are you using for CO2 dispersion? Are you running it through the canister or through a disc-type diffuser? I'm just curious.... !


The diffuser disc is just peeking out in the third pic...beside the heater, Stuart.


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## CRS Fan (Apr 21, 2010)

2wheelsx2 said:


> The diffuser disc is just peeking out in the third pic...beside the heater, Stuart.


Gary must be surfing BCA on his big screen TV again !

Just kidding.... Good eye!

Best regards,

Stuart


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

CRS Fan said:


> Gary must be surfing BCA on his big screen TV again !
> 
> Just kidding.... Good eye!


You're actually very close....I do graphics work on a high res 26" monitor.


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## arakhavan (Nov 15, 2010)

Its pretty hidden! Its a doaqua music note diffuser. So i guess the consensus is i have too much light! And i wanted to add more  is there any fixtures which will control all four T5s lights/dim them to program sunrise/sunset feel?


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## arakhavan (Nov 15, 2010)

Oh and for the heater. Aquariums West only uses these as they have found they work quite nicely underwater!!! So of it dies I am holding them responsible!


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## CRS Fan (Apr 21, 2010)

There's no need to add ANY more light. Also I suggest going with a shorter 6 - 8 hour photo-period with higher light set-ups.

Best regards,

Stuart


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

arakhavan said:


> Its pretty hidden! Its a doaqua music note diffuser. So i guess the consensus is i have too much light! And i wanted to add more  is there any fixtures which will control all four T5s lights/dim them to program sunrise/sunset feel?


I have 2 tanks running the Digital Aquatics Lite controller and am very happy with it. I know of 2 other members with these who love them. It'll also take the cheap temp controller out of the equation out of your heater. Just set it at 90 or so and then let the controller turn it on an off. You can even get a pH probe if you get the L3. Digital Aquatics Reefkeeper Lite Aquarium Controller (L1)


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## AquaSox (Jun 9, 2010)

Tank looks very nice. 

To lower lighting levels with existing fixtures you could suspend them 8-12 inches above the tank. There is a thread on plantedtank.net (with charts) that will help you get the right height, however, this can be done more accurately by using a PAR meter. I understand that not everyone, including myself, has access to a PAR meter hence the charts.


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## arakhavan (Nov 15, 2010)

Thanks for all the feedback and suggestions! So...two things. I wouldnt mind hanging my light bur id like it to be a sharp looking single fixture. And something where i could control each bulb individually. Asking too much perhaps...any suggestions? Also in regards to algae blooms i have been impressed with how little algae growth i have so far. What will change at this stage that will induce such chaos? I do 20% water change once a week at this point at which time i have a very minor growth on my tank which with a minor cleaning and water changes is fine for another week. 

Armand


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## arakhavan (Nov 15, 2010)

*Layout Change/some photos of the community*

Changed the layout to have more flow, and took out the huge rock.
















Some of the community:


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## arakhavan (Nov 15, 2010)

*New Lightfixture with MODS*

As recommended i hung my light fixture, and added a DIY visor so that it doesnt blind me while i'm watching tv, and stuck the moonlight LED light strip on the back. I am surprised at how nicely it tied the whole system together.


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## arakhavan (Nov 15, 2010)

*Flame Moss Tree made form Vancouver Island Arbutus*

So I made this tree out of a long fallen branch from an arbutus tree on my parents property in Victoria. I have access to more if anyone wants some. I will guinea pig in my own tank first. Now i just need a large amount of Flame Moss and i ll put it in. I also will be selling the large wood that is currently in my tank which has anubias attached to it. They both came from aquariums west.


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## trout (Mar 21, 2012)

your tank is looking great! good job on that arbutus tree, that looks to be perfect, nice and dry but not rotten. you gonna soak it or just toss it in?


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## arakhavan (Nov 15, 2010)

Thanks  i have soaked it for 1.5 days. Maybe ill give it one more bath. It is certainly not leaching though the bathtub water was clear after a full day of it being in there. I just will wait to find the right moss to grow from it and attach it before sticking it in


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## Chappy (Apr 21, 2010)

EGADS that's a beautiful little tank you've got there  Very nicely done.


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