aaron.c
Member
Howdy All
I have a Rio 125 High Tech and I am really struggling. I think I have got everything right, but the plants tell me otherwise.
I am after some ideas of where I might be going wrong and what I should try next. Please forgive the long post, but want to make sure I get everything in.
Tank: Rio 125 (Internal filter removed)
Lighting: 2 x Grobeam 600 and controller (mounted over tank on TMC brackets) @ 40%. Currently run from 17:30 to 23:59. With 30 minute ramp up and ramp down.
Filtration: JBL Cristal Profi 1501 - Via Spaybar
CO2: 2kg FE and Co2 Art Dual Stage Regulator.
Diffusion: Up Inline Atomiser
Top Up: Topped up with TMC Auto Topup - I did this to keep levels constant for CO2 balance.
Ferts: Standard EI, mixed with RO and double dosed (40ml every other day) via Dosing Pump.
Liquid CO2: 7ml a day
Water Changes: 50% once a week.
Substrate: JBL Aqua basis plus, topped of with JBL Manado.
Stock:
So, the problems...
Algae - Limited to one really, but quite a lot of it. BBA on tank, on the wood and rock, and some on the slow plants.
Plants: The plants are generally struggling. Lack of growth is the main issue. I am not expert enough to diagnose many particular defficiencies. That said, some of the new growth is on the yellow side, which I believe could be an iron issue, more on that later.
CO2: The spray bars are a menace and require constant attention. They stay put, but they are forever getting blocked. I run filter wool in the filter to try and stop stuff getting to the spray bar. I can clean it completely with pipe cleaner and the next day half of the outlets will be comprimised. I think this is causing localised unstable CO2. Additionally, I hate the look of the CO2 bubbles.
The CO2 bubbles are getting to the bottom of the tank and fired to the back and round again. I am not convinced flow is the issue, as you actually see the Manado pelletes being carried accross the substrate sometimes.
CO2 comes on 3 hours before lights hit full power (they have a 30 minute ramp up from 5.30 to 6.00pm). I am observing a 1ph unit drop.
I can't really inject more CO2 - fish are already at limits.
I have a surface film on the tank a lot of the time.
What have I tried?
Anything else?
Water:
Our water is very very soft here. PH is near 7 but KH and GH are virtually non existent. To counter this, I have been adding Seachem Alkaline buffer with new water to try and get some buffering capacity.
Heat:
The tank runs at about 24c - if the house gets very cold, or after a water change, it has been known to drop to about 22c. I don't really want to be another heater in there if I can avoid it.
Pictures:
Drop checker in bottom corner of tank.
Drop Checker at top corner of tank
FTS
Plants
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Please let me know if you need more information or more pictures.
Thanks
Aaron
I have a Rio 125 High Tech and I am really struggling. I think I have got everything right, but the plants tell me otherwise.
I am after some ideas of where I might be going wrong and what I should try next. Please forgive the long post, but want to make sure I get everything in.
Tank: Rio 125 (Internal filter removed)
Lighting: 2 x Grobeam 600 and controller (mounted over tank on TMC brackets) @ 40%. Currently run from 17:30 to 23:59. With 30 minute ramp up and ramp down.
Filtration: JBL Cristal Profi 1501 - Via Spaybar
CO2: 2kg FE and Co2 Art Dual Stage Regulator.
Diffusion: Up Inline Atomiser
Top Up: Topped up with TMC Auto Topup - I did this to keep levels constant for CO2 balance.
Ferts: Standard EI, mixed with RO and double dosed (40ml every other day) via Dosing Pump.
Liquid CO2: 7ml a day
Water Changes: 50% once a week.
Substrate: JBL Aqua basis plus, topped of with JBL Manado.
Stock:
- 10 Panda Cory
- 4 Ottos
- 5 Dwarf Neon Rainbows
- 10 Harlequins
- 12 Amano Shrimp.
So, the problems...
Algae - Limited to one really, but quite a lot of it. BBA on tank, on the wood and rock, and some on the slow plants.
Plants: The plants are generally struggling. Lack of growth is the main issue. I am not expert enough to diagnose many particular defficiencies. That said, some of the new growth is on the yellow side, which I believe could be an iron issue, more on that later.
CO2: The spray bars are a menace and require constant attention. They stay put, but they are forever getting blocked. I run filter wool in the filter to try and stop stuff getting to the spray bar. I can clean it completely with pipe cleaner and the next day half of the outlets will be comprimised. I think this is causing localised unstable CO2. Additionally, I hate the look of the CO2 bubbles.
The CO2 bubbles are getting to the bottom of the tank and fired to the back and round again. I am not convinced flow is the issue, as you actually see the Manado pelletes being carried accross the substrate sometimes.
CO2 comes on 3 hours before lights hit full power (they have a 30 minute ramp up from 5.30 to 6.00pm). I am observing a 1ph unit drop.
I can't really inject more CO2 - fish are already at limits.
I have a surface film on the tank a lot of the time.
What have I tried?
- More ferts - treble dose of Micro - didn't really seem to improve anything. I had a massive shrimp die off over about 2 weeks, and I would not be surprised if this could have been the cause. These have since been replaced without issue.
- More Light - Slowly built it up to 60% over several weeks. No improvement.
- Flow - added a Koralia 900 below spray bar to try and limit affects of blocked spray bar (in case I don't notice it is blocked for a day or so).
- CO2 - Tried injecting more CO2 and offsetting with more surface agitation.
- Iron - Adding Seachem Iron to try and solve that deficiency, if that is indeed what it is.
- New Ferts: Through out the old and ordered new from reputable source (as were previous)
Anything else?
Water:
Our water is very very soft here. PH is near 7 but KH and GH are virtually non existent. To counter this, I have been adding Seachem Alkaline buffer with new water to try and get some buffering capacity.
Heat:
The tank runs at about 24c - if the house gets very cold, or after a water change, it has been known to drop to about 22c. I don't really want to be another heater in there if I can avoid it.
Pictures:
Drop checker in bottom corner of tank.
Drop Checker at top corner of tank
FTS
Plants
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Please let me know if you need more information or more pictures.
Thanks
Aaron
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