# Update! w/Pics: 2.5gal Office Pico



## chicken (Aug 22, 2007)

I've only tried to grow HC in high light, so I don't know how well it would do with only 9 watts. I have a feeling that might not be enough light.

It grew beautifully for me in a 2.5g under 26 watts of PC lighting (catalina fixture), with Amazonia substrate, diy co2 (and Excel too for awhile, too), and light dosing 2x weekly with Seachem ferts.

Also, I think the tank might look better if that rock in the front were moved a bit to the right. Something about it being smack dab in the center doesn't look quite right to me.


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## tetrabettaguy97 (Oct 3, 2010)

Is it at all possible to grow HC in high light conditions using fertilizers, but no CO2?


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## GitMoe (Aug 30, 2010)

In low light with the right nutrients I grow HC but it strings out tall and won't carpet. I use it as a micro stem plant really....


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## chicken (Aug 22, 2007)

tetrabettaguy97 said:


> Is it at all possible to grow HC in high light conditions using fertilizers, but no CO2?


You would probably need to use Excel daily.


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## nimavafi (Jun 22, 2006)

@chicken I do plan on using Excel daily for CO2 supplement, but that usually means regular fertz. Also, i agree that the center rock is too 'center', but with my HC already rooting i find it hard to move. I think I might move it over to the left in the empty patch.


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## nimavafi (Jun 22, 2006)

Everything was looking good for my emersed HC setup until I came back from the thanksgiving holiday. I left the tank for 5 days unattended, which i didn't think was a big deal.

Well when i got back into the office I noticed that my HC was yellowing and portions seemed to be 'wilted' away with a very dark green (almost black). Looks like it could be fungus, but its not white and stringy like I've read about. Not sure what caused this as the substrate was still very wet, and the tank had been covered. Could it have been due to it being too cold?










Now the tank is filled so I can start dosing ferts, hoping this will improve the HC.


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## nimavafi (Jun 22, 2006)

*Update*

so its been almost a week since my last update and I am starting to run into some 'new tank' problems. My HC started yellowing last week and I decided to fill the tank so I could begin adding fertz. Since then I've added some more plants but still no fish:

Blyxa japonica
Dwarf chain sword (scientific name?)
Anubias nana

The tank now has cloudy water, but this could be due to a bacterial bloom, which I don't mind. But the substrate is covered in what looks like detrius, but I am not sure.

I've began dosing using the pfertz line (NPK and Micro), but its very hard to dose a 2.5 gal. I've been adding a 3-4 drops of NPK every other day, with M in between. Dosing a little less than a half cap full of Excel daily (too much?)

Since dosing, my blyxa has started to melt (could be due to acclimation), no changes in the dwarf chain sword. But HC is showing new growth. 

Could this be algae? (almost looks like cyano) 










Here is a FTS:










Anyone have experience with pfertz on a tank less than 5gal?


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## F22 (Sep 21, 2008)

this tank is gonna look tight when it fills in.


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## PinoyBoy (Mar 14, 2008)

nimavafi said:


> Dosing a little less than a half cap full of Excel daily (too much?)


Cap full of excel = 50 gallons
1m of excel = 10 gallons

I dose 0.25ml of excel on my 2.5G

I use a 1ml syringe to dose my ferts and excel.


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## nimavafi (Jun 22, 2006)

PinoyBoy said:


> I use a 1ml syringe to dose my ferts and excel.



What kind of fertz are you using? And what is your dosing regimen?


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## PinoyBoy (Mar 14, 2008)

I use rootmedic macro and micro, and seachem excel. I dose on monday and thursday for all 3. Water change on sunday.

0.25ml of excel
0.1ml of macro and micro, dosed 10 minutes apart from each other.

My plants are anubias and javafern. Abit overkill IMO for such a low tech tank. And I have rcs for my fauna. 13watt light, which is probably less since I haven't changed the bulb in almost a year.


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## nimavafi (Jun 22, 2006)

Looks like my algae has run its course (for now). Seems to be clearing up, and I've just added pressurized CO2.
Getting great new growth on the Blyxa japonica and the HC is starting to fill in.


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## liquidity (May 3, 2010)

Yep, CO2 will do it. Good job bringing the tank back!


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## nimavafi (Jun 22, 2006)

*Update*

UPDATE:

I ran out of CO2 and found out that the Fluval 88g kits have non-standard threading on the regulators so you have to use their cartridges(I have 2 88g Crossman cartridges if anyone is looking to trade or buy). Took about a week to get refills, and in that time I cut back on fertilizing and decreased the intensity of light. No serious algae outbreaks, but my HC did start to yellow pretty quickly. CO2 is back in action and I've added 4 Amanos. 

Ive also changed out my bubble counter and diffuser with Do!Aqua ones, in addition to moving my filter to one side for better flow across the whole tank. I am really considering an Eheim 2211 and an Archaea 27w, but that will have to wait until more $$ rolls in...

I feel a new scape in the coming months..any suggestions? Wood? more rocks? Seiyu stones? let me know










New friend


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## nimavafi (Jun 22, 2006)

Its been a while but I have been extremely busy with work the past few months, but here's a quick update with some pics:






































Side view










Link to a video of the CPDs (iphone cam)
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/G3odSsUtVS3dm5y_6GM6bT8Dnj_n3kECix2m8dojqwc?feat=directlink


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