| The aquarium's plant life is purchased as cuttings from adult plants, sections of runners or substrate rhizomes (undergravel root systems), seeds, or individual plants that have formed by division. One or more specimens are planted and hopefully take root and begin to flourish and multiply within several weeks to a month. As leaves and growth die back or otherwise become damaged it is pruned away to allow for new growth. Listed below are the plants currently growing in the aquarium. | |
| Marble Queen Radican | Spiralis |
| Amazon Sword Plant | Wisteria |
| Foxtail (Cutleaf Watermilfoil) | Red Tiger Lotus |
| Dwarf Subulata Sagittaria | Broad Leaf Ludwigia |
| Banana Plant | Moneywort |
| Red Wendth | Brazilian Micro Sword |
| Marimo Moss Ball | Duckweed |
Keeping a planted aquarium free of
algae is a delicate balance of water conditions, nutrients, light,
and the biological activities of the plants and aquatic life.
As time passes the plants grow which includes the dying of of older
leaves, the development of new growth, and finally the creation of
new plants through reproduction. The sea creatures taking up
residence in the aquarium change as well and may have offspring.
As the seasons pass the sunlight reaching the tank through the glass
sliding doors changes not to mention daily sunlight fluctuations due
to clouds. All of these variables can disrupt the balance
necessary to minimize algae growth. While feeding is a
variable, the amount of artificial light (and its spectrum), CO2
injected into the water, weekly water changes, and even chemical
supplements are the factors that can be modified to keep the tank's
overall chemistries in balance for minimum algae growth. As
the objective is to have a rich bed of plant life with minimal algae
growth, the tank's fish population is controlled to reduce
disruptions in the aquarium's various biological cycles. While
some algae growth is acceptable and can be easily removed,
uncontrolled algae blooms, green water, and similar conditions are
not only unsightly, but they can be life threading to the fish and
plant life of the aquarium.
I purchase varying quantities of sea life (including plants) for the aquarium from time to time. Life expectancies for tropical fish are from months to decades; it depends on the aquarium's conditions, the conditions in which the fish were born, raised, transported, etc. Once released into an aquarium with numerous rock crevices and plenty of plants to hide in and around, it can be difficult to keep an accurate count. The listing below indicates the various sea life species currently known to be in the aquarium through observation.
I purchase varying quantities of sea life (including plants) for the aquarium from time to time. Life expectancies for tropical fish are from months to decades; it depends on the aquarium's conditions, the conditions in which the fish were born, raised, transported, etc. Once released into an aquarium with numerous rock crevices and plenty of plants to hide in and around, it can be difficult to keep an accurate count. The listing below indicates the various sea life species currently known to be in the aquarium through observation.
| Cardinal Tetras | Oto Catfish |
| Black Zebra Tetras | Dalmatian Lyre-tail Mollies |
| Zebra Danio | Neon Tetras |
| Runnynose Tetra | |
The light over the tank is a 36-inch 4-tube Aquatic Life T5 HO aquarium fixture. It has timers that turn ON and off the two pairs of High Output T5 tubes. The "white" pair of tubes consists of a 10,000K and a 420/460 nm tube. The second pair, referred to as the "blue" pair of lamps has a 6,000K and a 650 nm tube paired together. The white set is on for 3-4 hours in the morning. Natural sunlight falls on the tank for 3-4 hours in the afternoon. The blue set then lights the tank for another 3-4 hours in the late afternoon and early evening. The aquarium's daily light cycle is completed with several "Moonlight" LEDs lighting during the evening hours until midnight. The tank is dark from midnight until the sun rises in the morning after which the white lights return.
The photograph above is of the tank with just the "blue" lamps illuminated which is the late afternoon and early evening lighting.
The long glass cylinder to the left of center in the photograph is the 100-watt heater. Under the substrate is a 50-watt heating cable that warms the substrate and causes water to circulate in the substrate to promote healthy plant growth. The undergravel heater has proven sufficient to maintain the aquarium's water temperature at 76 degrees Fahrenheit. Because the aquarium sits near a double pane sliding glass door, the are can get cool in the dead of winter if we have outdoor temperatures reaching near zero. The 100-watt heater serves as a backup to insure the tank's temperature never drops below 74 degrees Fahrenheit.
To the right of the 100-watt heater is a "CO2 Drop Checker". The upper glass sphere contains a CO2 indicator solution that is exposed to the water in the tank through an air interface. The lower sphere contains a reference solution. The CO2 that has been injected into the water by the CO2 system and reactor will outgass from the water. That causes the airspace between the tank water in the drop checker and the sphere of indicator solution to become saturated with CO2. The indicator solution will absorb CO2 and as it does it changes color depending on how much CO2 is absorbed. Comparing the color of the upper sphere of indicator solution with that of the lower sphere of reference solution tells if the tank's CO2 level is proper. If the indicator sphere is blue to the reference sphere (which is green) then insufficient CO2 is present in the water. If the indicator sphere is yellowish to the reference sphere then excessive CO2 is present in the water. When the color of the spheres match, the CO2 level is correct. With both spheres showing a green color for a period of time, the indication is that the tank has the recommended 30 ppm (parts per million) CO2 level and the water pH is around 6.6 to 6.8. Here is a photograph of a drop checker showing the colors.
Close examination of the large version of the above photograph will reveal that a hair algae bloom that occurred several weeks ago now seems to be under control. 4-5 weeks ago a bloom of hair algae started growing on everything and quickly increased with strands 2-3 long gracefully waving in the water. Increased CO2 injection knocked it down along with decreased artificial lighting. When the CO2 reached a level were the fish were gulping air from the water's surface a 2nd canister filter (Marineland Magnum HOT Canister Filter) was added. The filter incorporates a high-capacity pump which increases the water movement to that of a small stream so that sediments don't lay on the bottom but are stirred up and can be removed by either of the aquarium's filters. The existing Eheim filter includes substrate materials to promote a healthy bacteria bed to remove toxins from the water (as well as feed the CO2 reactor and UV sterilizer light) while the Marineland filter performs water polishing (it has a micron filter inside). Water polishing at the micron level removes any algae spores and other fine organic matter that promote algae growth. Finally two tablespoons of Pura PhosLock Phosphate Remover in the filter insures a low phosphate level to retard algae growth. Hopefully with the reduction of hair algae in the tank it will be completely eliminated in another week or two signaling the biological, chemical, and other cycles of the plated aquarium are in balance.
Seen along the upper left side of the photograph is the sterilizer that has been added to the aquarium. The sterilizer was part of my original freshwater tank years ago and required a new UV-C lamp and seals to be functional again. Water from the CO2 reactor is now returned to the tank through the sterilizer. The sterilizer will limit the growth of algae in the water as well as eliminate microorganisms such as parasites and bacteria. As parasites are larger and thus more resistant to the sterilizer's UV-C lamp irradiation (253.7 nanometer light), the water flow through the sterilizer is about two aquarium changes (60 gallons) per hour.
One of the pleasures of the tank is to sit and watch the fish live out their lives. In mid afternoon the sun streams in the sliding door and sets the plants to really generating oxygen. The natural sunlight really highlights the colors of the scales of the various species of fish in the aquarium as well. During the day only two of the 39-watt lights are illuminated in the morning and afternoon with the sunlight being the only illumination in the early afternoon. On occasion, while eating dinner after dark I will switch on all four lamps in the fixture which brings the light intensity and color spectrum close to natural sunlight and the plants will start producing oxygen profusely. Two streams of bubbles are seen in the above photograph. The one-minute video clip below shows not only these streams but a fine one right of center along with a number of bubbles rising randomly from the tank's plants.
Pictured above are a pair of Red Crystal Shrimp on the top of the driftwood. Clinging to the side is a Chinese Zebra Shrimp looking down on a Red Cherry Shrimp. A Google search for "dwarf aquarium shrimp" will turn up more information on these fascinating invertebrates.
The fixture is programmed to activate one pair of lamps (10,000K & 420/460 nm) from 8AM until 1PM. From 3PM until 8:30PM the second pair of lamps (6,000K and 650 nm) are illuminated. The fixture being OFF between 1PM and 3PM coincides with the sun angle supplying indirect sunlight through the glass sliding door to the planted aquarium. The two hours of dark time mid-afternoon has the added benefit that the decrease in intense artificial lighting makes it more difficult for algae to grow. At 8:30PM the timers switch ON the moonlight LEDs to provide a natural moonlight condition for the fish and plants. At 2AM the moonlight "sets" and the tank is dark until 8AM.
Fish waste is ammonium (NH4) and ammonia (NH3) rich and after the fish are introduced to the tank, the levels start to rise. A Nitrosomonas bacteria must grow in the filtering system and the gravel substrate which feed on the ammonium and ammonia converting it to nitrite (NO2). While the ammonia products are harmful to the fish, the nitrites are even more toxic Nitrites in the tank give rise to Nitrobacter bacteria which convert the nitrites into nitrates (NO3) which are only harmful in very high concentrations. Once the Nitrobacter bacteria are present, the ammonium, ammonia, and nitrite levels soon fall to very low levels and the tank is considered "established".
Getting the nitrogen cycle started is a lot easier with a planted aquarium because plants love ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates -- its fertilizer! Plenty of fertilizer is one of the three things plants need to flourish; the others being CO2 and light. This is where the Carbon Cycle comes into play. Plants take CO2, water, and light and through photosynthesis convert it to glucose and oxygen. Add in the fertilizer from the Nitrogen Cycle and the planted aquarium becomes a nearly self-contained biological system.
Being a planted aquarium, dissolving CO2 into the water is part of the overall system design along with a light fixture that simulates natural sunlight. By adding CO2 to the water it allows for an abundant mat of plants to eventually occupy the tank without growing plumes of algae due to an abundance of light. When the tank is operating in a balanced mode, the fish are healthy and their secretions are generating the required fertilizers for the plants. The high-intensity lighting and increased CO2 levels in the water allow photosynthesis to occur and quickly generate plant growth.
When the system is functioning properly one of the results is the plants producing oxygen along with abundant new growth. Pictured above is the runner from the Marble Queen Radican streaming fine bubbles of oxygen. The runner is seen in at the top center of the photo below and with full intensity lighting photosynthesis is abundant and oxygen is not only streaming from the Marble Queen Radican but oxygen bubbles can also be seen on a Spiralis leaf at the center right.
bubbling a fine stream of oxygen on September 20, 2011.
A Planted Aquarium relies on CO2 injection to supply nutrients to the plants for them to grow better. The light over the tank is a 36-inch 4-tube Aquatic Life T5 HO aquarium fixture. It has timers that turn on one pair of lamps (10,000K & 420/460 nm) in the morning, a second pair of lamps (6,000K and 650 nm) in the afternoon, with a set on moonlight LEDs lighting at night all to simulate natural sunlight for the plants to grow.
As seen in the photograph, a limited number and variety of plants occupy the planted aquarium. The Nitrogen and Carbon Cycles must be established and establishing them slowly, over a couple weeks, is the best method. The fish will quickly start the Nitrogen cycle and with about ten hours of illumination per day (and the natural sunlight that enters from the left) and an initial low rate of CO2 injection in the water, the aquarium will establish itself over several weeks. Once established a more diverse assortment of plants may be added.
The red cylinder is a 10 pound bottle of CO2. Off the top is a soda system pressure regulator, solenoid valve, and needle valve. At the far right is the Eheim Classic 2213 filter with the substrate heater temperature controller on the top. Between the two is my homemade CO2 reactor for dissolving the CO2 gas into the aquarium water. The reactor is fed about a bubble a second of CO2. Water leaving the filter is circulated through the reactor to pick up the CO2. The reactor is full of 1/4" and 5/16" plastic balls to act as a diffuser for the CO2 bubbles so that the CO2 bubbles are in contact with the water allowing for full absorption. A timer only activates CO2 flow when the tank lighting is on.
As I wanted the lightfixture suspended above the tank I purchased to 5/8" steel rods and bent them in to resemble a walking cane so that the light fixture's suspension wires could be attached. The rods were mounted to the back of the oak stand and covered with black plastic wire loom. With the tank stand in its final location a check of levelness was done before the driftwood was placed in the tank along with some red rocks from the terrarium.
Planted aquariums seem to function with less problems if the substrate is heated similar to the way the Earth holds its heat year round. The water in the substrate warms, rises out of the substrate and as a result cooler water with nutrients is drawn into the substrate for the plant roots to feed on. A 50-watt Hydor Hydrocable was laid on the bottom of the tank. The Hydrocable is controlled by a Hydor Hydroset Electronic Thermostat which switches the cable on and off to maintain a uniform tank temperature of around 77-degrees Fahrenheit. CaribSea Floramax Planted Aquarium Substrate was washed to remove any dusting and sediment before being added to the tank (36 pounds of black) to cover the Hydrocable and the slate bases of the driftwood. Finally some small red stones from the terrarium were added to provide additional aquascape.
The tank was then slowly filled with about 30 gallons of water that had been treated to remove chlorine and other chemicals that are added my municipal water companies. When filled the tank's water was almost a milky white from the sediment and such from the substrate. The Eheim 2213 filter was assembled using simple foam filtering disks and a load of crushed carbon chips, primed, and allowed to run. To supplement the 50-watt Hydrocable substrate heater, a 100-watt aquarium heater from my past aquarium was added to the tank to insure that the aquarium's temperature doesn't drop below 75-degrees Fahrenheit in the winter months as the planted aquarium is adjacent to a sliding glass door for natural sunlight. The water started to clear and 24 hours later the above photograph shows the results. The tank was allowed to sit for another four days before the first plants and fish were introduced on September 15, 2011. With the addition of the fish and plants the Eheim 2213 filter was changed over to recommended biological filtering mediums.
A good friend in Norman, Oklahoma was telling me of his two planted aquariums, sharing photos of his handiwork, and answering my many questions. I got hooked and started investigating what resources are available in Delaware (turns out not much for Planted Aquariums) and how I might be able to create something with my aquarium (if it still held water after being dry for nearly two decades). After a lot of coaching, I decided to plunge in and moved the aquarium from the basement to the kitchen where I would enjoy it a lot more. I then began the process of setting up a Planted Aquarium. Special lighting, the CO2 injection system, the plant substrate, and all the rest that goes into any aquarium all got expensive quickly going over my budget by a factor of two. Thus far I'm most happy with the results and have gotten hours of enjoyment watching things grow. The money spent hopefully will be enjoyed for months and years to come.