# Stig of the Sump



## Kezzab (16 Jan 2017)

Have made a couple of posts on this under other topics, but thought I’d tidy it up and start a journal (please forgive the repetition).

The tank is a TMC 900 Signature (90x45x45) with sump. I’ve bought it second hand, it having previously been a reef tank. Total water volume will be around 230ltrs.

It’ll be run low tech with the aim to get somewhere close to the self-sustaining minimal input type thing (plus water changes!) with lots of random critters living in the tank – Asellus, worms, etc etc. It will be quite lightly stocked with something TBC depending on how the tank’s water conditions end up – possibly Scarlett Badis or Apistogramma of some sort.

The sump is a bit nerve wracking but I think will provide a lot of scope. Water will drain in through a filter sock then over a weir into the next chamber where there will be a mattenfilter with layers of foam descending from coarse to fine. That will feed the next chamber in which there will be a lot of Elodea and possibly if space allows some Riparian planting too, there’s also 2kg of alfagrog in this chamber. (The sump will be lit by on a reverse cycle to the display tank). Between the two main chambers there’s a big weir and there’ll be a rather Heath Robinson trickle filter. In the final chamber will be the return pump and floating plants, probably Salvinia. 

Total tank turnover I reckon will be quite low, maybe 3-5 times per hour. Temperature will be relatively low, 20c ish. My water is very soft. 

Lighting is up for debate. The tank came with a TMC Aquaray Ocean Blue tile, it has blue and white LEDS. I can switch off the blue but the white is fairly harsh. That may get swapped purely for aesthetics. I don’t intend to dose ferts unless needed.

Substrate will be two types of locally collected soil – a clay one and one from the local woods with a lot of organic material. It’ll be capped with local sand/gravel

As for plants, it’ll probably be quite crypty (soft water ones if I can work out which they are!), and other “easy” plants. Hardscape is local slate and a large willow root I found (which still needs soaked).

So far I’ve done a test run on filling the tank & sump (no disaster so far) and just about decided on the hardscape. A lot still to do.

Thanks


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## nduli (16 Jan 2017)

I have the same tank. also bought second hand as an ex marine tank, The sump gives massive over filtration. Mines low tech and doing well. 

Hardscape developing well.


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## Kezzab (16 Jan 2017)

Cool! Any issues with plants blocking the 
drain to the sump? I'm thinking about some kind of diy baffle...


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## Lindy (17 Jan 2017)

That is a lovely bit of wood!


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## Aqua360 (17 Jan 2017)

superb hardscape


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## Kezzab (17 Jan 2017)

Lindy said:


> That is a lovely bit of wood!


It is indeed, found it on a walk along the shore of Derwent Water in the Lakes.


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## AverageWhiteBloke (17 Jan 2017)

Kezzab said:


> It is indeed, found it on a walk along the shore of Derwent Water in the Lakes.



That's where my next hardscape is coming from  well there or there abouts. I'm also from round that way, for my next project I’m going for a wander round the lakes to see what I can pick up. meant to do it so many times but I'm just lazy and end up buying from shops. If you use Facebook and are interested I have a group on there for planted tanks in Cumbria to swap ideas and plants. Send me a PM and I'll send you an invite. Slow going at the mo, only found four people round our way 

Tank looks great btw, I will be looking forward to seeing it develop. That's a fine specimen of wood you found which has convinced me that's what I should be doing. Would have cost a few quid in a shop that! Water is really soft round our way with little hardness out of the tap, it's the cold Amazon  I haven't kept that many varieties of Crypt but the ones I have have been no problem at all. In fact some were a PITA. I totally stripped some wendt out of my shrimp tank leaving only what was left of the roots and they were back to full glory in no time. I also have Balansae in my current tank which is pushing the lid off. I found all my plants improved with about 10ppm of Magnesium sulphate after water change to make up for the lack of magnesium out the tap, I add 1 level teaspoon of epsom salts per 50ltrs . There's also quite high po4, my understanding is the water authority add it to buffer up the water.


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## Kezzab (17 Jan 2017)

AverageWhiteBloke said:


> Would have cost a few quid in a shop that!


That's what i told her, she rolled her eyes. Post floods there's actually a lot of stuff still lying about stuck in trees/bushes on the riverbanks. If i had the time i'd go on a wee mission.

Interesting about the Magnesium, might look into that. But for this tank my aim is minimum faffing about fiddling with water chemistry


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## AverageWhiteBloke (17 Jan 2017)

"That's what i told her, she rolled her eyes."  
I can imagine. My worry would be picking up something that leeched something nasty into the water. 
I understand on keeping things simple. If certain crypts require some level of hardness Epsom salts is something you could add. My tap water comes out with a TDS of 19ppm and is immeasurable with a liquid test kit. Hopefully the no ferts goes well for you. It's something I've never tried before.


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## nduli (18 Jan 2017)

Kezzab said:


> Cool! Any issues with plants blocking the
> drain to the sump? I'm thinking about some kind of diy baffle...



Don't have plants near sump drain. But have made a diy cover after finding 15 ember tetras in the sump. I'll try and get a picture but essentially I cut up an old sieve and wrapped the mesh over the drain. Works a treat.


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## Kezzab (18 Jan 2017)

Ha, I've cut up a milk carton... Very temporary solution!


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## nduli (20 Jan 2017)

Mine looks like this






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## Kezzab (20 Jan 2017)

In the spirit of transparency and openness, here's mine. I've sold the design to ADA.


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## AverageWhiteBloke (20 Jan 2017)

Kezzab said:


> In the spirit of transparency and openness, here's mine. I've sold the design to ADA.
> View attachment 102309



In the spirit of prestige pricing ADA will then sell that to us for £200


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## Kezzab (20 Jan 2017)

I'll do you one for £150?


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## AverageWhiteBloke (20 Jan 2017)

Bargain, I'll take two. Dragons den will definitely be interested.


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## nduli (21 Jan 2017)

Ha ha excellent.. Very Heath Robinson, does the job though right?


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## Kezzab (22 Jan 2017)

Time is limited with two small kids, in a snatched couple of hours while they got taken to the cinema i managed to get the soil, gravel and hard scape in. Always annoying when you can't quite match how you had it before. Anyway, it is what it is, too much mess to change it much now.

 The upside of using soil is its free, the downside is dragging buckets of mud into your house. The gravel is all from the shore at ullswater, managed to get different 'grades', from sand through to chunky pebble gravel. You cant tell from the pics buts its a nice mix of blue, pink and other colours. I've flooded it but its a bit murky at the mo so I'll wait before posting.

Planting is next stage, but i need some planning and a free afternoon as it will involve breaking down another tank. Could be a while...


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## Kezzab (27 Jan 2017)

Nearly a week later and the water's cleared up, its still got a light tannin tinge but i quite like that. Growing some superb fungus which is nice.
I'm trying to judge whether the TMC Aquaray marine tile, running just on 4 the white leds and 1 blue, is producing sufficient light even for low tech. It's hard to tell by eye alone. I'm trying to keep costs under control, so not rushing for something new. Would welcome thoughts.

At some point I'm going to have to plant it up, but quite liking hardscape only just now. Also the wood is still a bit boyaunt so its not sitting quite right, it will end up giving more diagonal.


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## nduli (29 Jan 2017)

Looking good. Can you get and rocks under the branches that stick out from right to left do it looks like the root is growing over them?


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## Kezzab (29 Jan 2017)

I know what you mean, but the wood is still buoyant at the moment (not sure you can see the string tying it to the rocks) so it wont sit quite where I want it. Once its waterlogged I'll tilt it so it runs more diagonal from bottom left to top right, it's quite horizontal just now. But actually in the flesh I rather like it like this!

It may be sacrilege, but seriously tempted not to plant it...


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## Kezzab (2 Feb 2017)

For those of you who like this sort of thing...


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## Chris Jackson (3 Feb 2017)

Sumptuous!


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## Kezzab (3 Feb 2017)

Wacka wacka wacka!


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## Kezzab (4 Feb 2017)

First stage of planting complete, transferred the plants from 60cm tank I'm decommissioning. Everything looks a little battered after being torn up and replanted.

Took 4 hours! 

Some new plants were meant to arrive by today. But clearly 24 hour delivery isnt what I thought... Annoyed as I'll have to drain the tank again to plant, but couldn't wait, not often I get 4 hrs to myself.

Will do a full plant list later.
Scuse phone pics.


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## steevwatson (6 Feb 2017)

I've just bought the exact same tank and plan to do more or less the same as you. I've never used a sump before can you give me some more info on how you have yours set up?

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## Kezzab (6 Feb 2017)

Aye of course. The pipe drains into the return chamber, there's no filter sock. In that chamber there are some off cuts of course filter foam just floating about and some bits of alfagrog. In the next chamber is more filter foam at course then medium then fine densities. This is sold as for pond filters. Cost about £15. There's the duckweed and salvinia natans floating. Then into the big chamber. In here is more alfagrog (2kg in total), some elodea and some cabomba and also some bog standard spider plants growing in clay pebbles in a shower caddy. The water falls over a weir into the final chamber, as it does it runs through more spare filter foam that I just attached with clothes pegs, so its like a trickle filter. Final chamber has two more shower caddies sitting on the bottom with peace lillies and echinodorus barthii in them, all the leaves are emersed, planted in clay pebbles again. Then return pump back up. And there's also a wee bag of activated carbon. The sump is lit for 12 hours with a cheap interpet led on the reverse to the main tank. So far so good.

If I was doing again I'd ditch the cabomba, its shedding a lot of foliage. I'd also maybe get a big floater like pistia instead for the main chamber and avoid any submersed growth at all.

I've not used the ATU chamber yet.

All in all it seems highly effective at the moment


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## steevwatson (6 Feb 2017)

Kezzab said:


> Aye of course. The pipe drains into the return chamber, there's no filter sock. In that chamber there are some off cuts of course filter foam just floating about and some bits of alfagrog. In the next chamber is more filter foam at course then medium then fine densities. This is sold as for pond filters. Cost about £15. There's the duckweed and salvinia natans floating. Then into the big chamber. In here is more alfagrog (2kg in total), some elodea and some cabomba and also some bog standard spider plants growing in clay pebbles in a shower caddy. The water falls over a weir into the final chamber, as it does it runs through more spare filter foam that I just attached with clothes pegs, so its like a trickle filter. Final chamber has two more shower caddies sitting on the bottom with peace lillies and echinodorus barthii in them, all the leaves are emersed, planted in clay pebbles again. Then return pump back up. And there's also a wee bag of activated carbon. The sump is lit for 12 hours with a cheap interpet led on the reverse to the main tank. So far so good.
> 
> If I was doing again I'd ditch the cabomba, its shedding a lot of foliage. I'd also maybe get a big floater like pistia instead for the main chamber and avoid any submersed growth at all.
> 
> ...


Thanks that's perfect sounds like a great setup.

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## Kezzab (11 Feb 2017)

So I ordered plants, they didn't arrive after a week. Called the shop and they resent the order.

And both old and new order appear the next day...

The ones that have been in a box for 9 days are actually in good condition.

So I now have more than I need...


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## Kezzab (12 Feb 2017)

Now fully planted.
Various crypts- wendetti, balansae, costata, nevelli, usteriana (tragically melting after taking a year to grow to 45cm in the tank I took it from, boo)
Marislea hirsuta
Ranunculas inundata
Sagittaria sabulatta
Hygro. Araguaia
Lileaopsis new Zealand and brazil
Enchinodorus tenellus
Echinodorus ozelot green leopard
Anubias nana bonsai
Weeping moss

Without co2 and the slightly debatable light it remains to be seen how some these 'medium difficulty' plants will do. The water is fairly stained too, needs a bit of a change. I may have to think about the light, ill give it a few weeks and see if we get growth.

No live stock yet, but plenty of hitchhikers from the live gravel I used. Different snails, copepods, tiny nemotodes and bigger ones too, tubifexish worms. Hopefully a healthy sign.

Two existing tanks have been stripped to create this, so it better bloody work!


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## nduli (13 Feb 2017)

Looking good.


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## Million (14 Feb 2017)

Love that stump. Bonus on the free plants!


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## Tim Harrison (14 Feb 2017)

Liking this a lot, very natural.
Blue-ish light adds a different dimension, tho' I suppose it won't exactly bring out the colours in critters when you add them.
But it should be OK as far as plant growth goes...


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## steevwatson (14 Feb 2017)

Looks amazing. Good news on the free plants. I'm just setting mine up today and testing out the return pump etc. How are you finding the nose from drain? Mines is gurgling quite a lot at the moment 

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## Kezzab (14 Feb 2017)

Thanks for the replies folks


steevwatson said:


> How are you finding the nose from drain? Mines is gurgling quite a lot at the moment


Sometimes mine gurgles, sometimes it doesn't. There's a common mod involving putting an air vent in the sump drain a few inches above where it enters the sump. If you google "noisy TMC signature" you'll find it. I might get round to trying it myself. My main complaint is the volume of the pump, an Eheim 1000!

Regards the light, it's less blue to the eye than in the phone pics, especially with the water quite stained. If water was crystal clear it would look very white though.

It's very early days, but there are signs of growth. Although all my crypts are on full 100% melt, fingers crossed they'll bounce back - the light level is very low in that back right corner. In the sump i've ditched the cabomba, it was a bad choice. Now stuck in a floating raft of Cardamine Lyrata from another tank and some refugee crypts.


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## LocustDemon (14 Feb 2017)

Great read, I'm coming back to planted from marine, big house move from one end of the country to the other and another baby on the way. I sumped my own tank and made the sump, just need some inspiration on what to put in there and where! 
Matt. 

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## Kezzab (14 Feb 2017)

Throw whatever you have lying around into the sump and see what sticks!


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## steevwatson (18 Feb 2017)

Kezzab said:


> Thanks for the replies folks
> 
> Sometimes mine gurgles, sometimes it doesn't. There's a common mod involving putting an air vent in the sump drain a few inches above where it enters the sump. If you google "noisy TMC signature" you'll find it. I might get round to trying it myself. My main complaint is the volume of the pump, an Eheim 1000!
> 
> ...


I tried the mod yesterday. It works very well. There is no gurgling at all now. In fact now I've started to notice how loud the return pump is. I have a TMC V2 1500 pump. 

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## nduli (19 Feb 2017)

Kezzab said:


> Thanks for the replies folks
> 
> Sometimes mine gurgles, sometimes it doesn't. There's a common mod involving putting an air vent in the sump drain a few inches above where it enters the sump. If you google "noisy TMC signature" you'll find it. I might get round to trying it myself. My main complaint is the volume of the pump, an Eheim 1000!



I've done the mod and confirm it does fix the issue my pump is an newa pump 2200 I think. It's operating well within it's capacity, I had to add a valve on the return to throttle back flow..


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## Kezzab (26 Feb 2017)

A couple of weeks and there's some growth thankfully! Crypts are still sulking though.


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## Kezzab (4 Mar 2017)

New inhabitants:
6 Anomalochromis Thomassi
18 Pearl danio


Close up.


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## Kezzab (13 Mar 2017)

Notable things since adding fish 9 days ago:
- Algae makes an appearance. Just a little bit of BBA and some staghorn in the moss. Also some GSA on front glass. Have reduced light period to 8 hrs from 10hrs (I knew I was chancing it).
- Total cherry shrimp genocide. Only those that got sucked into the sump survive. Happily they are thriving down there.
- Amanos are ok, but keeping a very very low profile during lights on.
- Snails also appear radically reduced in number, if not also genocide.
- Feeding fast fish and slow fish together is tricky. Pearl Danios are quick and voracious.
- Big water changes are a PITA on a bigger tank. 10% weekly from now on, not 30% monthly.

In terms of plants, everything appears to be growing, although in the low light right hand side this is painfully slow. New or additional light is now on the list. In the sump the Peace Lilly is flowering.

Over and out.


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## LocustDemon (14 Mar 2017)

Tank and fish looking great mate!Ive just started gather stuff for my tank and have take inspiration from yours. Will make a journal up soon and see how it goes! I'm in two minds about lighting my sump, I do have a light for when I had a refugium on the marine tank... Certainly taking note of your plants! 
Matt. 

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## Kezzab (14 Mar 2017)

Light it. Double fun.


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## Kezzab (24 Mar 2017)

Here’s a bit of a proper progress update:

Generally it’s going OK, but not perfect – although with no C02 and a marine light I shouldn’t complain.

Things that seem to be thriving are the Sagittaria, E. Tenellus, and Marislea Hirsuta. All of the crypts have stopped melting and started growing, but the light is so limited where most of them are planted that growth is very slow and very small (although perfectly healthy). The anubias are fine, but have been shifted out of the direct light as they were getting algaefied.

The E. Ocelot Green Leopard is throwing out leaves but is staying very short, about 20cm. I assume this is again because of low light, I had hoped it would be 50cm! The Ranunculus Innundatus is growing, and staying quite short. But it’s not very vigorous. I thought this was a gamble though, so I’m quite happy it’s not just died. The hygrophila Araguaia is doing not too bad, growing, but without the lovely copper/purple colour, again I presume due to low light.

The Weeping Moss is growing quite well, but where it’s under bright light it’s getting a quite a bit of staghorn algae. As long as it doesn’t overwhelm it I’ll live with that

The main fails are the Lilaeopsis, especially the Brasiliensis which is pretty much shrivelling away and being colonised by horrid black hair algae.

At the surface I’ve added a Ficus Pumila which looks quite cool.

Down in the sump there’s now a large shrimp refugee colony living in the filter sponges. I’ve also spotted some Mayfly larvae down there which is nice. The plants are doing fine apart from the Echinodrus Barrthii, which is producing new leaves but doesn’t seem happy.

The big root is also picking up some black hair algae on the thinnest branches, especially where there is still bark on the root. Nowt too much though. And there’s still odd fungus growing elsewhere on the root.

Having given the existing light a fair crack of the whip, I’ve decided to add a little more light to get a more even spread across the tank. Because I’m a cheap skate I’ve done that by buying a fairly tatty 2nd hand Aquaray strip off ebay for £10, again its marine white. I’m awaiting an adapter before installing, I’ll be treading carefully as it will change things quite a bit, but also half the tank is practically dark so…

In terms of fish… I’ve had one Danio suicide but the A. Thomassi have settled in and now have their own love triangle/family feud thing happening. There’s one fairly clear pair developed who occupy the right side of the tank, but there’s another male who’s challenging. Two seem to be whipping boys/girls for the rest.

So, no disasters, but we’re not settled yet.


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## Kezzab (25 Mar 2017)

So I fitted the new light. Now I have one end of the tank that is really quite bright, and one end that is not really any brighter than it was before (the 'new' LEDs are a lot dimmer). But I'm using double the power.

I'm king of the false economy.

We'll see what happens.


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## LocustDemon (2 Apr 2017)

Afternoon! How's the tank doing? I'll make a journal today maybe haha! Your sump looks a lot nicer than mine that's for sure! 
Matt. 

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## Kezzab (2 Apr 2017)

People always tell me I have a nice sump.

As for the tank, its doing ok, but not perfect. I haven't really nailed the lighting. I'm getting some black furry algae on some of the plants that aren't growing well and need to do some trimming to get rid.

And I've had a couple of suicides...


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## Kezzab (6 Apr 2017)

You know when you think, ah i have a couple of free hours, I'll just fix that thing that's bugging me, and now your tank looks blahblahblahblah? Just done that.


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## Kezzab (29 Apr 2017)

Quick update... the tank is doing OK, not great but OK. I've not got the lighting quite right so i'm still getting fuzzy black algae growing on some plants. However my wee experiment of growing things emersed on wood sticking out the tank is working quite well.

I have some weeping moss growing out the water, i've also stuck on a bit of moss that i think fell off our roof. Into that ive pushed in some bits of rannunculus that detached itself from the substrate, some Monte Carlo and i've tied on the Ficus Pumila. I'me quite pleased with how it's working out.


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## Kezzab (26 Jun 2017)

Two months from the last update and i thought it was about time...

Things are progressing slowly. The algae problems (black fuzzy coating leaves, looks awful) have pretty much gone, save on old leaves. The culprit was, i'm fairly certain, dirty filter media. I had been running with the idea of the mattenfilter, but i think, in my tank at least, that the idea of a year between filter cleaning is a little far fetched.

Growth is slow, as one might expect, and new leaves on plants (espc. Aponegeton Crispuhs) are smaller than older pre-my-tank leaves. I'm considering adding some root tabs to give the plants a bit of support. The tank remains Co2 free and zero ferts
just now though.

For some reason the Hygrophila Araguaia started melting, after 5 months of steady, if unspectacular growth. We'll see if/how it recovers.

The emersed experiment on the wood poking above the water surface is a success. I have weeping moss, random moss that fell off my house, Ficus Pumila, Monte Carlo and Ranunculas Inundatus all growing very well. The RI sent out runners through the whole tank that i've had to trim away.

Down in the sump, i added an extra Peace Lilly, and now also have a sweet geranium cutting stuck in some filter foam to see if it will grow.

Fauna wise my Danios were a poor & hasty choice for an open top tank, i now have 12 from the original 18. The cichlids are doing well, although have suddenly become very shy. The female Amano is berried, which she hadn't been for months, so i think that speaks to water quality improvement post filter clean.

Lighting wise i'd like a new one, but can't really justify the cost at the moment.

So here are some pics.


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## steevwatson (26 Jun 2017)

Tank is looking great. What light are you using in your sump? 

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## Kezzab (26 Jun 2017)

Hi, the light in the sump is the basic LED double strip that came with the Superfish 70 set up I bought a couple of years ago, must be cheap. Works though!


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## steevwatson (26 Jun 2017)

Thanks. I have the same tank as you and the light in my sump died a few days ago so I need to get a cheap replacement before the plants die. 

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## Kezzab (29 Sep 2017)

Still growing.


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## Kezzab (8 Oct 2017)

Wee trip to the shop, bought 12 Serpae Tetras. Just about visible in the pic.


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## ricky tango (8 Oct 2017)

love the natural look , and the use of a sump , had a tmc reef years ago which was hard work , currently on the prowl for one to plant with the sump , 

awesome job so far


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## Kezzab (8 Oct 2017)

Thanks, appreciate the comments. Sump is definitely worth it, just keeps all the clutter out the way. And its fun seeing what you can grow in it!


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## ricky tango (8 Oct 2017)

what light is fitted for the sump ? i was just going to stick a mini 400 tile in the cabinet


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## Kezzab (9 Oct 2017)

hi, its a basic interpet double strip LED that came with a complete set up I bought a while ago. Just hangs on with some string.


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## Kezzab (9 Oct 2017)

This emersed growth started life as a very tatty piece of Rannunculus, a few tiny off cuts of MC and some scraps of moss just tuck around the roots of the Ficus Pumila. It's now creating its own island, which is quite cool.


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## Kezzab (4 Dec 2017)

After starting this tank with the intention of being quite purist low tech, I'm now dosing liquid carbon, complete ferts and potassium nitrate. The latter was in an attempt to combat cyano and it seems to be working. The plants are definitely happier with my medium tech approach.

Latest development is that the Rannunculus Inundatus that is growing emersed appears to be about to flower. Exciting times.


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## Kezzab (5 Dec 2017)

Not exactly a spectacular bloom, and as my wife pointed out: "Ranunculus? So, a buttercup?" Quite.

Any ideas why it is flowering now? Is increase in nitrate relevant?


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## dw1305 (6 Dec 2017)

Hi all, 





Kezzab said:


> Any ideas why it is flowering now?


It is just because it has grown long enough (or build up enough emersed biomass) in the air. There is no advantage in the plant flowering under-water, so evolution will have favoured plants that become emersed for a period before they flower.

cheers Darrel


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## zozo (6 Dec 2017)

Kezzab said:


> Rannunculus Inundatus



I had the R. Aquatilis in the pond. Because it's indigenous i guess you don't realy find it as aquariumplant but in pond shops as pond plant.
But it flowers like mad from early to late summer. And i bit more striking than the tropical version, slightly bigger white flower with a yellow heart.


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## Kitalexander (6 Dec 2017)

The hard scape on this tank is amazing! Gonna have to go find a root like that now.


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## Kezzab (6 Dec 2017)

Thanks, it was a lucky find!


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## PARAGUAY (7 Dec 2017)

Kitalexander said:


> The hard scape on this tank is amazing! Gonna have to go find a root like that now.


Find your local woods now is a good time to source oa k and twigs branches try to get permission, sponser Aqua Essentials usually have interesting pieces


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## Kezzab (14 Jan 2018)

A wee fts for the record. Planted some juncus repens in back right to try and get some height. We'll see how it goes.


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## Kezzab (28 Jan 2018)

Added 12 Gold Tetras today. There's space because the original 18 Pearl Danios are now down to 2, all the rest having leapt to their demise. They were a poorly researched choice.

Of the new fish, my son's response was "why do you always buy the boring ones?"


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## Kezzab (9 Apr 2018)

A few months from the last fts, grown in a bit more. Considering a rescape, but its looking quite good at the moment.


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## Kezzab (4 Sep 2018)

Been a while, here's the current state of play...


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## Kezzab (22 Oct 2018)

For the past nearly five months the tank has been running with a single TMC aquabeam, of unknown variety, with only four functioning LEDs. I thought things were going ok, some things were thriving. But I could see clearly that any plants down low were suffering.

Today in the LFS they were selling aquaone plant glo 90cm LEDs for £50 instead of £100 so I went with an impulse purchase.

The strip has 156 LEDs in two strips. You can have either all of them on or half of them.

The difference is stark, and has immediately revealed how tatty things had been getting...

Old:


 
New, 50%:


 
New 100%:


 
I now await an algae disaster.
K


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## rebel (23 Oct 2018)

Looks like nice spectrum on the PlantGro. Maybe dim it a little?


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## Kezzab (23 Oct 2018)

There's no dimmer, so it would be a baking parchment job. I'm going to just go with it and see what happens!


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## rebel (24 Oct 2018)

Kezzab said:


> There's no dimmer, so it would be a baking parchment job. I'm going to just go with it and see what happens!


Just reduce duration by 20% or so.


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## Kezzab (28 Oct 2018)

My aponogeton flowered, set seed and now it's self seeding around the tank. Which is quite cool.


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## Kezzab (18 Nov 2018)

Now been running with the new light for almost a month and starting to see positive impact. Thankfully no sign of any algae apart from a bit of cyano that I can never get rid of.

The tank is now also running with gas. Its set at a very low dose, about 1.5bps which is the same as what is was an my 15ltr nano... The co2 line goes straight into the return pump inlet, no atomiser. But in combination with 5ml of LC a day it seems to be beneficial. No idea what ppm I'm achieving but don't think it matters if fish and plants are doing well. Dosing TNC complete at about 3ml a day.

There are a good few Aponogeton seedlings growing in the empty left had side so We are heading towards full jungle I think.


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## Kezzab (3 Jan 2019)

Still ticking on. The aponogeton is flowering constantly and then self seeding everywhere. In 6 months it will probs my be just one massive forest of the stuff. Bolbitis huge now too, fronds easily 50cm+.


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