The picture features a tank that is around 3 months old (as of April 2023), with no change in substrate. This tank showcases the use of APT START to stabilise the tank and nourish growth in new setups.

PLANTS:

1- Rotala 'blood red SG', 2- Ludwigia sp. Red, 3- myriophyllum mattogrossense ' Golden' 4- Ludwigia arcuata, 5- Syngonanthus 'belem', 6- samolus parviflorus 'red', 7- Lobelia cardinalis, 8- Xyris

HARDWARE:

TANK SIZE: 60x36x36cm / 70L

CO2 DIFFUSER: Inline atomizer

LIGHT: LEDs tested to be suitable based on the basis of light strength (PAR) and spectrum: ADA Solar RGB / Chihiros VIVID 2 / Twinstar S Series / Week Aqua A430. Important: Quality, safety, reliability and ease-of-use varies considerably across the above brands. We have the privilege of using / testing many 3rd party brands but this does not constitute an endorsement of any particular brand. 

FILTER: The tank uses an Oase Biomaster 350 (1000L/hr rated filter with actual average water flow rate of ~300L/Hr)- 6X tank volume. 

SOFTWARE:

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 is 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: 25ppm
KH: 0.5
pH: 5.7
GH: 2
TDS: 110
Temp: 23.6 Celsius

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

SYSTEM:

The A200 System

The 2Hr Aquarist A200 is a tank setup and lifecycle management that integrates hardware, software, water parameters and plant husbandry to enable thriving, enduring aquascapes. 

FAQ

I'm a beginner- is this A200 for me?

While it is easy to set up the system according to the hardware and software specifications, it is another matter to (a) achieve the desired state (b) keep it that way in an enjoyable way. The A200 uses ~200 umols of PAR at substrate- this is akin to driving a very fast car. 

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: Another view of the tank at the end of its first month in Feb '23.