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Takee Too (115L)

Mr.Manjushri

Member
Joined
5 May 2013
Messages
43
Location
Hofstädten, Bayern, Germany
Hi there,

First of all, I would just like to share how much I love this forum! Seriously, it is such a precious resource, and I am greatly indebted to all of you who make it what it is.

I've had this aquarium for about two years now, but just recently decided it was time to start a new canvas. So I pulled everything out, cleaned every corner, replaced the substrate and even partially renewed the filter media. That was about three weeks ago. Now that things have settled and I'm not constantly fiddling or adjusting anymore I thought I'd take the time to start a journal. So here goes...

The Details

Tank: 80 x 35 x 45 - 115 litres
Lighting: 2x T5 HO - 6 hrs
Filtration: Eheim 2178 with only half media & streamON+ 2000 for extra flow
CO2: pressurised, feeding into an empty AquaMedic 1000 reactor. CO2 on 3.5hrs before lights-on, off 1hr before lights-off.
Substrate: ADA Powersand special, Amasonia soil & powder.
Ferts: EI

Plants

Alternanthera reineckii 'ruby red'
Blyxa japonica
Bolbitis heudelotii
Cryptocoryne beckettii
Cyrptocoryne lucens
Cryptocoryne wendtii
Glossostigma elatinoides
Limnophila sessiliflora
Microsorum pteropus
Pogostemon erectus
Pogostemon helferi
Vallisneria spiralis

Fish/ Shrimp

20 Amanos
10 Otocinclus hoppei
10 Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi

So far I'm reasonably happy with the way things are running, however I'm still looking for a more harmonious overall picture, so definitely open to suggestions. One thing is for sure, the Limnophila has to be replaced by some other stem plant. On the right I'm thinking about just swapping it for more Pogostemon erectus, on the left I'm not sure yet...

Some diatoms are present, and there is a little BBA on the crypts (which I reused/ reintroduced from the last scape) and the Bolbitis. Small amount of hair algae as well, but it's not growing much if at all (This appeared after leaving the fish feeding to my father in law while we were away for a week).

The only plant which has experienced any melt is the Pogostemon helferi. However new leaves are coming strong so I guess I just have to wait until it acclimatises itself.

Hardscape:
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3 Weeks:
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Algae:
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Diatoms:
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Melt:
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Last edited:
Is there a picture attached in the first post? Because I can't see it.
 
Nice! How about you move Blyxa to back and have something like rotala wallichii infront of it? Maybe some anubias nana on the base of wood. That would work well as the nice midground plant and will contrast well with your light green foreground.
 
Thanks guys, you're too kind!

Noman, believe it or not there already are a few Blyxa behind the wood. The one at the front is quite dominant though so I might do as you suggest and move it back further. Not so sure about the Rotala wallichii in the foreground though. Admit it would contrast well with the light greens, but at the same time I think it would blur into the Alternanthera as it grows.

Definitely want to add more onto the wood, but all in good time. Want the Glosso to take over first, and to find one or more replacements for the Limnophila.
Thanks for the suggestions! Will make an update when things have grown in a bit more.
 
If not wallichii than maybe nanjeshan can do the trick. Though I would move Alternanthera on back of nanjashen. How about bit of P.Helferi around the wood corners for midground accent? Oh and Some Java fern thread leaf to blend in the bolbitis.
 
Algae, mostly Staghorn, affecting weakest leaves. Plants (all except Pogostemon helferi) are growing OK, but something is clearly out of balance. CO2 is as high as it can get without affecting fish negatively. Flow is good (too good I think, the Glosso is having a hard time getting roots to hold). EI dosing by the book. Lights on 6.5hrs (2xT5 24W, one with reflector, which I will probably remove tomorrow). Filter is cleaned every 2-3 weeks. 50-60% water change weekly. Might start doing 2 x weekly. Am I missing something?

Apologise for the poor quality pictures:

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You algae is all due to far too much light for this stage in your tanks life. Reduce to say a max 4 hours on time, remove the reflectors, see if you can use the reflectors to block the light even more. Your plants are dying due to too much light before they have adapted to high tech life and leaching organics into the water feeding the algae.

Run lower light for a month or two, till things settle down and slowly start increasing light levels and on time.

To get rid of existing algae, remove as much as possible by hand, trim affected plants and try say a 3-4 day 100% blackout. Cover tank in blankets to block all light. No peeking, no fish feeding. Maybe CO2 off ? Once uncovered large water change and start running again with much much lower light.
 
You algae is all due to far too much light for this stage in your tanks life. Reduce to say a max 4 hours on time, remove the reflectors, see if you can use the reflectors to block the light even more. Your plants are dying due to too much light before they have adapted to high tech life and leaching organics into the water feeding the algae.

Run lower light for a month or two, till things settle down and slowly start increasing light levels and on time.

To get rid of existing algae, remove as much as possible by hand, trim affected plants and try say a 3-4 day 100% blackout. Cover tank in blankets to block all light. No peeking, no fish feeding. Maybe CO2 off ? Once uncovered large water change and start running again with much much lower light.
Thanks Ian. I have already removed the reflectors, because I agree that the light intensity is simply too high. Had thought that if nutrients were all available the plants would handle it, since a lot of them came from my last tank so didn't need to acclimatise to being submersed. However all plants, both old and new seem to be suffering from the same symptoms.
The tank has been running since June 1, and I was under the impression 6 hrs was already a relatively short photoperiod! Increased to 6.5 not long ago but will reduce again as you suggest. But down to 4hrs, not sure?!
I have managed to eliminate 90% of algae infected leaves, and will tackle the last 10% (among the Glossostigma) in the next day or two, so won't do a complete blackout at this stage. Save that for if things get really bad!
Any chance the symptoms show plants are suffering/ algae benefiting from unstable CO2 levels? I'm aiming for a pH drop of at least 1 but can't test for this because I can't measure that low (less than 6). Start at 6.4. Got CO2 coming on very early to be on the safe side, and injection rate is as high as fish will allow. Wondering though if the injection rate is too high and the CO2 concentration continues to climb throughout the photoperiod if that has a negative effect?
Hoping to buy a hanna pH meter soon...
Cheers

Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk
 
But down to 4hrs, not sure?!
4 hours is a good start, may be less. I noticed when starting my tank off, that each I changed the brightness or length of time for even as small as 1/2 an hour increase I got slight BBA and green algae on the plants. Patience and patience and more patience is the name of the game. Took months to get to 7hours with T8 tubes with reflectors and no algae. Now got T5 tubes and after carefully moving from T8 to T5 (with associated algae) I am back algae free again.

You must measure pH with a pen, a test kit is a no go with tank water. Best way to measure is a green drop checker and if you require gadgets and numbers a pH pen.
.
If you think plants are suffering lack of CO2, place your drop checker next to or in the plants. I did with the lower reaches of plants getting BBA and found drop checker stayed blue :eek: A power head (on a timer) fixed that.

PS Nice tank.
 
Have reduced photoperiod as you suggest. Curious to see how things respond over the next week or two.

I have a dropchecker placed near the bottom of the tank, and it always changes to lime green, almost yellow so I don't think the plants are suffering from lack of CO2, but possibly unstable CO2 levels. Must get a pH pen!

Cheers
 
Must get a pH pen!
Hi best of luck for your tank!

About the pH pen: I read that for a drop checker you need to have it close to substrate/suffering plants to get a reading of co2 in that vicinity. A pH pen is however submersible up to a certain level otherwise it will flood with water and be damaged... So, how is the pH pen usable in this analogy?

Thanks!
 
I guess one would continue to use a low placed drop checker to monitor levels near the substrate, and the pen to measure the pH drop which occurs between co2 on and lights on.

Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk
 
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