A100 Lobelia '21

The picture features a tank that is around 15 months old (as of early Mar 2023), with no change in substrate. This tank showcases the use of APT Jazz to continually rejuvenate substrate over long periods.

Tank at its peak growth height before trimming is done.

Plants:

The 5 main types of plants used here are all stem plants. Head here to read our comprehensive guide on how to trim and maintain stem plants long term.

Ludwigia arcuata - Orange/reddish stem plant that branches readily under higher light and CO2 levels. This stem plant can be trimmed aggressively to force it to be a shorter, denser bush. This plant becomes significantly redder under Nitrate limitation. Head here to see our full plant profile on it.

Rotala 'blood red SG' - This reddish stem plant grows quickly and gains height easily. It branches readily into dense bushes over repeated trimming cycles. It does best in the background due to its high growth speed.

Myriophyllum mattogrossense 'Golden' - This delicate stem plant has an attractive pale green color tone that contrasts well with the other green plants in the tank. It takes trimming well and will readily send out side shoots when growth parameters are good. It is vulnerable to diatoms if the tank is unstable.

Hygrophila araguaia - This creeping stem plant can become unkempt if left to its own devices. Frequent trimming and shaping is required to keep it in shape.

Lobelia cardinalis 'mini' - This green stem plant forms dense bushes under high light and frequent trimming. Head here to read about the plant.

Eleocharis parvula 'dwarf hair grass' - Ubiquitous ground carpet in the aquarium world. Carpet should be periodically thinned out to prevent over-crowding. 

Hardware:

TANK SIZE: 60x30x30cm / 50L

CO2 DIFFUSER: Inline atomizer

LIGHT: 100PAR LED (Twinstar S / ADA RGB / Chihiros WGRBII / LEDstar / Week Aqua)

FILTER: The tank uses an Oase Biomaster 350 

Software:

Standard Aquasoil with APT Start

APT Jazz: 18 caps every 2 months

APT 3: 1.5ml daily

What is APT Start?

APT Start provides substrate enrichment with beneficial bacteria. This product his now available.

What is standard aquasoil?

This include most brands of aquasoil (compressed soil granules). Brands that we typically use include ADA, Dennerle, Tropica, Platinum etc. This is distinct from inert substrates (sand, rocks) and branded enriched inert substrates. For a detailed article on substrate types, read here.

Parameters:

CO2: 20ppm
KH: 0.5
pH: 5.7 When CO2 is at peak saturation
GH: 3
TDS: 90
Temp: 24 Celsius

The measurements shown are average readings. It is possible for some parameters to deviate from the above and still be OK. 

System:

The A100 System

The 2Hr Aquarist A100 is a tank setup and lifecycle management that integrates hardware, software, water parameters and plant husbandry to enable thriving, enduring aquascapes. An online course on this system (and others) will be available soon. 

FAQ

I'm a beginner- is this A100 for me?

The 100 Lobelia uses easy plants and moderate lighting (~100 umols of PAR at substrate). With a selection of hardy stem plants, this setup is relatively easy to maintain.

I'm interested to find out more / learn!

We are in the process of developing online courses for different tank systems. Look out for them. In the meantime, feel free to explore the wealth of resources already available on this site. 

Above: The A100 'Lobelia' above in Nov'22, with a slightly different set of plants. The aquasoil has not been changed since setup, but repeatedly rejuvenated with APT Jazz every ~ 3 months.