150L Low Tech Planted Tank

Hi, I have been keeping tropical fish for a very long time then went over to marines. Lately I have decided to put up a planted tank as well. I want to keep it low tech and as simple as possible. Tank has been running for about two months now.
Specs:
91x51x32.5 cm Tank (10mm glass)
4x20W 6500K Energy saver Lights (running 8 hours per day, 4 on-2 off-4 on)
1x18W 580nm T8 Light (not on at the moment)
1x200W Heater
1x150W Heater
HOB Filter with bio-balls (plan to replace with Fluval ceramics and some Activated Carbon)
Internal Filter with bio-balls
Inert Substrate
Livestock:
Few plants (not clued up with the names yet)
Tetras
Danios
Rams
Various algae eaters

Any advice welcome, I have got a few questions.
Should I dose anything for plants and what is most basic to start with.
What is most important at the moment, carbon or trace element sources.
Is my lighting too much or sufficient.
Is my filtration sufficient.

Will upload pics soon.

 

Any advice on my questions?

 

Here's a good article on setting up a low tech planted tank.. How to Setup a Low-tech Planted Tank: A Guide for Planted Aquariums | Welcome to Sudeep Mandals spot on the net

your lights are ok. Maybe extend the period between the 2 on cycles to 4 or more hours. The rest cycle in photosynthesis also takes time to start producing CO2, and I suspect you may be starting up again before you achieve the benefits of the rest cycle.
What algae eaters do you have?

 

You don't need the activated carbon. It just absorbs elements that your plants want. Bio balls are ok, but they take up a lot of space. A cup full of Seachem matrix can do what a bucket of bioballs can.

 

Yes I agree there are better biological filtration than the bio balls, will soon replace them with something else, the ceramics should already do a better job I believe. Thanks for the advice on the longer off cycle will give that a try.

For algae eaters I have one plec and two Siamese why?

 

A normal Pleco grows really big and will chow your plants. Siamese algae eaters are brilliant at their job

 

Yes when he grows too big will sell him back to lfs, its not a normal plec, almost looks like a golden nugget but seems to change colors from time to time as well, sometimes he is darker and sometimes lighter. You can see him on my second tank pic on the round pebble.

 

You should maybe look into the option of having some small shrimp if you can find any and also some more algae eaters. Like the display of your tank its already very neat and tidy. As for answering your questions, I'm fairly new to this myself so not really going to answer anything or comment. I have a 60l tank for now to practice and learn for now before I scale up to a bigger tank.

Good luck. :thrasher:

 

Wanted to add some red shrimp but apparently the Rams are going to chow them. Will keep the plec for now and add 2 more Siamese algae eaters if necessary.

 

Anyone know where I can get some potassium phosphate and potassium nitrate? Want to try dosing that with seachem equilibrium.

 

Phosphate, you can use Lenolax. Nitrate, use saltpeter. Use a fertilizer calculator to dose the correct amount. Large water changes of 50% per week are required if you go the EI route. It's only for heavily planted tanks though, or you'll end up with the algae disaster that I had when I first tried it

 

Will I be able to find both of these at a local pharmacy, why would I need to do such a large water change, can't I just start off with very small dosages and see how it goes from there, as described in the article posted earlier I must rather not do any water changes.

 

The plant under the thermometer is non -aquatic

 

You can start dosing Seachem flourish and excel as recomended on the bottle, but you will have to remove your carbon in your filter.
Also your gravel is to coarse, try get something smaller, like pool filter sand, as your plants roots wont hold in, onto such big gravel

Most of your plants seems to be non aquatic and you need to remove them cause when they start to decay and rot, you will have issues in your tank

Forget about phosphates and nitrates if you dont inject co2 yet as this will cause algae and problem.

Try and get easy growing plants, like java fern, anubias and mosses, all tied to wood or some rocks with cotton, but you will have to dose ferts, go for flourish as it contains all the micro elements and then excel for a co2 source.
Your fish will provide enough nitrates and phosphates for the plants in a low tech setup

 

The plant on te left looks as a non-aquatic one. Be carefull adding nitrates because they will be there automatically as end of the nitrogyn cycle !!! I agree with Morris
I wouldn't use too much ferts cause lightingrate isn't that high and you're not adding carbon.

Pic of my low tech tank (all mine are) after waterchange and maintenance yesterday. No carbon, no nitrates / phosfates, only Easylife Profito

 

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Most of your plants in the tank in not aquatic.

The plant of the left is the "corn" plant or something like that, the dark green grass looking plant is Mondo Grass.

These two are commonly sold in petshops, (where did you get them from?), and will start rotting in a couple of weeks.

If I was you, take out those plants and either go check out some plants from betterweather, or browse the internet first before you buy and waste your money.

 

That's strange got them all from petshops, so its the one in the left corner and are you talking about the green grassy plants in the middle at the back, how are the small grass in the front? Thanks for all the help thus far guys. So would the general commendation be to just dose Seachem Flourish and Excel and nothing else?

Will get some Java fern, Anubias and Moss thanks

My substrate is quite deep so plants stay in nicely, if it becomes a big problem I will get something with a smaller grain size.

 

I would also appreciate it if someone can ID the 5 different plant types I have in at the moment. Want to start learning the names and characteristics.

 

If you post a closer pic of the pleco I'll tell you of its a nugget or not. Most likely not unless you spent a couple 100 on him. I could make him out for sure in your pic. Is he on the left of the round rock?