'Eruption', my lockdown scape

[steveno]

I have been away from the hobby for a while, however the recent lockdown and working from home has given me time to set up an new scape.

This what my tank looked back in Jan 2019.



From that, it went to this (below) mainly due to lack of the attention after my two C02 tanks ran out and not having time to get refills. This pic was taken about 3.5 weeks ago, before i decided to re-scape the tank.

At that time, having fail numerous times before I thought i would make the most of the old aquasoil and try my hand growing UG again, having read that UG perfers inert soil. I actually tried UG in my previous scape. Which started out as dry start/Mist start, but the UG (despite more or less filled out during the dry start), it completey melted away very soon after flooding, probably beacuse i hadn't cycled the aquasoil sufficiently before dry start, so eventually it replace with hairgrass, which I had abit more success with. I made a journal of my previous scape, if your interested in the misting method I used.



Shortly after, I got the itch to do a rescape, here's what my tank looked just after the re-scape - 2.5 weeks ago.



Hardscape:
Random Bogwood pieces (pre-sock and boiled - but still releasing tannings into water 🙁)
Seriyu Stones (smashed up from previous scape - that was fun 😛)

Soil:
Old aquasoil in foreground and new aquasoil in background behind stones, i have also added some root tabs in there.

Plants:
UG planted in foreground in the old aquasoil.
Hydrocotyle sp. Japan plant for abit of midground height, planted between the bogwood.
Rotala rotundifolia planted in the background in the area with new aquasoil, for abit of height and hopefully to give me a bit of colour, if I can get it to turn red.
Weeping moss glued to bogwood & some bruce taken from my other (low tech) tank.

Tank:
ADA 60p

Lights:
ADA Aquasky Moom LED's on a dimmer.

Filter:
ADA Super Jet Filter ES-600EX

Filter media:
ADA Bio cube (top layer - from previous scape)
ADA Bio Rio (second to top layer - from previous scape)
Fluval Zeo Carb - hopefully to reduce the tannings from bog wood (mid layer).
Ceramic rings (base layer - from previous scape)

Other equiment
Inline heater (hydor) and inline C02 reactor (M1), metal inlet with surface skimmer and metal outlet, twinstar sterilizer and addition pump for added flow.

Dosing:
EI dosing from www.aquariumplantfood.co.uk, but not dosing any Potassium Nitrate KN03 as i am aware that UG doesn't like Nitrate and should help Rotala to redden up too.
Also added Liquifry to encourage infusoria for the UG.

30% to 50% water changes every 2 days.

This is what it looks like now:



I know it's in dire need of clean, scheduled for tonight.

Most of the plants are filling out reasonably well, and the UG hasn't melted .

Some of weeping moss didn't take very well so i replace with HC, hoping it will fill out and start to trail down. Also added another piece of bogwood, to fill the empty space on the right and another bruce (mini leaf) in the mid ground between the stones and wood.

I've recently also introduce 20 crystal red shrimp, as my clean up crew (4 days ago), so far only noticed one fatality .

You'll notice that the drop check is blue, despite having soft water from tap (manchester), not sure why no matter how much C02 I inject i can't get this to turn green. I've tried placing in different position to no avail.

However I have recently ran a C02 profile over the course of the day, taking both KH reading and PH readings and using an KH and PH comparison table, I had the following results:

6.15am - PH 7.25 / KH 4 = 3.8 pmm of C02 (C02 turns on at 7am)
9.15am - PH 6.7 / KH 3.5 = 21ppm of C02 (lights turn on at 9.30am - probably need to turn on C02 earlier)
12pm - PH 6.55 / KH 3.5 = 33.2ppm of C02
3pm - PH 6.5 / KH 3.5 = 37.9ppm of C02
6pm - PH 6.4/ KH 4 = 47.4ppm of C02

Lights turn off at 7.30pm.

I hope i am reading this correctly but I appear to getting the required 30ppm of dissolve C02 over the course of the day, and plants seem to be doing well, so cant understand why the drop checker isn't changing colour (having tried two differently sourced solutions)?

Looking at readings I do need to increase C02 injection alittle to get sufficient dissolved C02 before lights turn on.

Bogwood is also still releasing abit of tannings into the water despite by-daily waterchanges of 30% to 50%, so I've recently pick up some Purigen, which i will add to the filter when i have some time.

Unfortunately i do have a slight issue with bba in some places, this might be attributed to not having sufficient dissovled C02 before lights turn on, particularity on the UG.





Perhaps i need to increase C02 injection, but am concerned about my shrimp, thou with my twinstar diffusing micro air bubbles into tank I might be ok to blast abit more C02?

I have recently purchased some Excel and am thinking fogging some in the affect areas, dose anyone know if Excel is harmful to UG?

I also not getting much colour on my Rotala, perhaps the light are not powerful enough (currently set to 100%), can anyone offer some advise?

Started to think about what other livestock I might add, but want to get a handle on the bba and before adding, thou having some other agle eaters might help, would welcome any suggestions.

Thanks for reading.

 

[steveno]

I thought i would provide a bit of an update, all plants seems to be all growing in well, I started to dose Excel after water changes and it seems to be helping with my algae issues (touch wood this continues).

The UG is starting carpeting quite well and throwing out runners every where, which was the primary goal of the this scape.
The HC has started to fill out and started to trail down as i hoped.
The Hydrocotyle sp. Japan is also filling out well, so much so i have to trim some of the runner to keep it contained.
Both bruces seem to be settle in well, thou some of the leave are covered in green algae, thou my shrimp seem to be keeping on top it.
Rotala rotundifolia has filled out well, and started to take on a bit of colour, wont be long before it needs a good trim. I've started dosing extra Iron on the 'micro' days, and still not dosing any Potassium Nitrate KN03.
The moss (weeping), which i didnt think had taken very well has started to show signs of recovery.

Still have a bit of coloured water from the tanning, but i have yet find time to add the Purigen into the filter, thou my regulaer water changes are helping, but doesn't take long to turn slight yellow after a couple of day after water change.

Here an updated picture (apologies photos aren't great - only have mobile phone to take pictures - Samsung S10).



Here's another from top down.



Currently tank is a crystal red shrimp tank only and they all seem doing well, apart from 3 fatalities so far , thou i will soon be adding a few other live stock, lets see what's available in my local aquarium shop.
Here's a few pics of shrimp in action, love watching them do their thing 🙂.









I also got a new toy 😛, this should ease my day to day maintenance, also my work sometime take me away so having a auto doser unit will help me out during these times without having to rely on my son, who has a tendency to forget.
The Jaboa doser 3.4 was recently purchased off Aliexpress and only took 1.5 weeks to arrive, which was a nice surprise particularly given the situation we all find ourselves in. I also picked a 3 way dosing container. Considered doing a DIY container using some VOSS water glass bottle, but as there wasn't much difference in cost i brought one instead.

The doser can be controlled using a app, however the instruction that came with the unit leave a lot to be desired, so I'm still getting my head around the setting up, i have yet to find a decent youtube video showing how to set up device to dose ferts on alternative days, i thought i had set the unit to dose on alternative day, but it dose both 'Macro' and 'Micro' on the same day, fortunately i have it dosing into a jug until i have it working the way i want.
I always wondering what happen when when you mix 'Macros' and 'Mirco', now i know, you end up with cloudy white mess 😛.

Has anyone had any experience using this dosing unit i would greatly appreciate some advise.



Oh, I wasn't aware that you can't change the Journal title, would have chosen a better title if i had known ...

 

[dcurzon]

Oh, I wasn't aware that you can't change the Journal title, would have chosen a better title if i had known ...

me too :/

tank is already looking beautiful

 

[Jayefc1]

Yank looks amazing mate sorry never used a dosing machine so cant help that ug seems to be settling in nicely its my nemesis cant get it to not melt what ever I try
If you PM @Guest he will change the title for you I would think with pleasure

 

[steveno]

Thanks dcurzon, still a long to go and and alot thing can still go wrong, but I am reasonably pleased with the way it progressing.

 

[steveno]

Hiya Jay, thanks for your compliment, your lights will replace my current lights to see if I have better luck colouring up the Rotala rotundifolia, the red leds in the lamp should help hopfully.

I've tried UG numerous other time before, and ultimately failed each time 🙁, this is the first time it seems to be carperting for now, the biggest difference i think has been the mature substrate, every other time I have use new Aquasoil and it melted on me. I'm also using Liquifry for the first time to encourage infusoria to provide it something eat, and of course not dosing any nitrates may be helping.

As suggested the original intent for this scape was to have one last stab at growing UG, I hope i don't jinx myself for say this but surprisingly seems to be working so far 🙂.

 

[alto]

I suggest beginning a topic on Jebao pump programming, I know it’s been discussed in some journals but a ukaps Search has brought up some results but not those I expected

I believe @Zeus. uses this brand

(Unfortunately Title Changing has become a victim of the new software so need to request a Moderator do it now)

Almost forgot to say,
Lovely scape

(Of course now I have to immediately rescape my 60P 🙄)

 

[steveno]

Thanks Alto.

I did similar search on here and also couldn't find much on this particularly unit.

I was actually considering creating another post entry on my experience on using this dosing unit, once I got my head around the app, to help other who may be thinking of purchasing the same unit.

 

[alto]

https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/jecod-jebao-auto-doser-alt-days.61629/


https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/jebao-auto-doser-sorry-if-a-repeat.59039/

perhaps of some use 🙂

 

[alto]

I was wrong (again 😵)
@Zeus. went the DIY route

(in my defence, I’m certain he’s used the term “Jebao” more than once 😉)

 

[steveno]

Thanks again Alto,

I had look at those links you provided, my unit is their latest unit, and is alittle more convenient to control via on app. You can control each head independently, and i think it easier to get it to dose on alternate days, thou i have yet to achieve this 😅.

I think you need to turn on each heads on alternative day once you set up on 1 day intervals setting, well that what I'm currently trying.

I wasn't aware that you had to keep iron and mirco ferts out of the light, good job you sent those link as I have my unit set up under my desk, thou not in direct sunlight, the room can get quite bright when the sun is out.

 

[Zeus.]

I was wrong (again 😵)
@Zeus. went the DIY route

(in my defence, I’m certain he’s used the term “Jebao” more than once 😉)

😂, but think we may of been chatting about the number of rollers in a thread that was about Jacob pumps

 

[Guest]

Oh, I wasn't aware that you can't change the Journal title, would have chosen a better title if i had known ...

If you'd like me to change it drop me a pm 😉

 

[LondonDragon]

I always wondering what happen when when you mix 'Macros' and 'Mirco', now i know, you end up with cloudy white mess

If you mix with the micro and macro Ascorbic Acid and Potassium Sorbate then you can just use one solution like I do and just dose daily using the pump, I find that much easier and only one container taking up space under the tank and only only solution to mix! Have a look on Page 2 of my Aquascaper 900 journal!

In terms of the pump, I had to calibrate mine before it dosed the proper 50ml I wanted to dose daily! I am not familiar with your pump! Got a model and make?

 

[steveno]

Thanks Tim, will be in touch 🙂, better put some thought into naming the scape.

 

[14548]

I had the 1 canal version of that jebao, very easy to calibrate with the smartfone application , be aware that it will need 2,4ghz WiFi to connect

 

[steveno]

Thanks london dragon, thats useful to know, as I still haven't worked how get it dose on alternate days yet, abit of a head sratch at the mo. However i didn't have enough space in my cabinet anyway, so installed under desk beside tank and stand.

Getting a single head unit would have been cheaper and probably simpler to set up, plus as you have pointed out take up less space, it might even fixed in the cabinet.

 

[steveno]

I've been play with my Jaboa 3.4 doser unit the last few days, and final think i have got my head around it.

As Cookie has pointed out, the unit only connects using 2.4GHz wifi connection, you need to connect your phone to this WiFi channel, before your phone will connect with unit.

To connect you need to set up an Jaboa account and download their app on to your mobile. The app seems relatively easy to use, you can control each head independently.



Once connected to calibrate each head you hit the three little dots in top right hand corner, and set the time of how long it takes to dose a specific amount. There are few YouTube videos on how you calibrate the unit, and think its more or less the same for different dosing units.





The app that controls the unit seems works on a 24 hour cycle, you can set each head to dose specific amounts of fert over the course of the day and then set daily (24 hours) intervals between dosages. To get into the controls for each head (channel), you hold down the corresponding channel button on the main page. When you hit the run programme button a green clock icon will appear next to channel button on main page.





Relatively easy up to now, this where it gets alittle more complicated. To get the unit to dose on alternate days, you have to turn on programmed cycle for each heads on alternate days, this was not mentioned in instruction or in any English youtube video I could find.

However I have notice an down side if you happen unplug or have a power cut the heads (while they seem to retaining the programme cycle) will restart the cycle and result in both heads powering on at the same time, which means the head end up dosing on the same day 🙁.

I've yet to find a work around this 😕.

Aside the issue above it really quite a simple device to use, perhaps I should create a separate post on my experience using this dosing devise 🤔.

I have might try what London dragon suggested and mix my maco and micros in to one solution, if I'm away for any stretch of time.

 

[steveno]

If you mix with the micro and macro Ascorbic Acid and Potassium Sorbate then you can just use one solution like I do and just dose daily using the pump, I find that much easier and only one container taking up space under the tank and only only solution to mix! Have a look on Page 2 of my Aquascaper 900 journal!

Hello London Dragon, I have been following your journal, let me first say what a lovely scape and inspirational journal. I was wondering how you mixed all this ferts and not end them reacting with one another. As I discovered when you mix mirco and macro fert it goes very cloudy 🤔.

 

[steveno]

Since I'm here, thought I would provide a few quick update pictures taken from other angles, not much has changed, as it has only been a few days since my last update, but there some obvious growth.

Still no fish, thinking I might wait until the UG has fully carpeted, to give it the best chance as fish poo is likely to add nitrate. Thou im not sure if am I over thinking it 🤔.



This is the view of the tank from my sofa.



I'm going to try and maintain the bumpy appearance of the HC with a bit of underwater topiary 😊.



Those engle eye of you will notice that I have replace the ADA moonlight, with a Twinstar unit. Thanks Jay, who sold me his old unit. Lovely RBG lights certainly make my scape pop, the ADA moonlight is a great light but I'm really liking the colours effect the Twinstar achieves.