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238l rescape, UPDATED 21st Oct

Re: 238l rescape.

yeah.just add a bit at a time until the gh stops dropping.
 
Re: 238l rescape.

stop adding it.its actually the kh that drops.
have a read of james site,

I decided that because I had loads of shrimp and some fish I'd pre treat the Akadama to prevent the KH from dropping which is common with baked clay substrates. If you plan on setting up a new tank with no livestock for a while, then the pre-treating could be skipped.

I calculated that three bags of Akadama should be enough. This was all emptied into a dustbin and the following was added to a bucket of water to try and dissolve:
120g Calcium carbonate
105g Magnesium sulphate
30g Potassium sulphate

This solution was then added along with more water to completely cover the Akadama and left for one week.

I did some GH and KH tests on the water to see how the parameters would change. The water that was added has a KH of 3.3 and GH of 5.6. After a few hours KH=3.3 and GH=11.2. GH was a lot higher than expected. Most likely because the Akadama wasn't rinsed properly after it's pre-treatment. After 24 hours KH=3.3 and GH=13.4. GH has risen a bit. Nothing too much to worry about as it's KH that I'm more concerned with. The KH has remained steady which was my aim and which so far has worked. Going to see what it is like at the end of the week now. Water changes will bring the GH back down to normal levels in time.

I'm now thinking that perhaps my pre-treatment amounts were too high. They were a guess anyway. Perhaps cutting the amounts in half would work fine.
Click to expand...
http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/akadama.htm
 
Re: 238l rescape.

nelson said:
stop adding it.its actually the kh that drops.
have a read of james site,

I decided that because I had loads of shrimp and some fish I'd pre treat the Akadama to prevent the KH from dropping which is common with baked clay substrates. If you plan on setting up a new tank with no livestock for a while, then the pre-treating could be skipped.

I calculated that three bags of Akadama should be enough. This was all emptied into a dustbin and the following was added to a bucket of water to try and dissolve:
120g Calcium carbonate
105g Magnesium sulphate
30g Potassium sulphate

This solution was then added along with more water to completely cover the Akadama and left for one week.

I did some GH and KH tests on the water to see how the parameters would change. The water that was added has a KH of 3.3 and GH of 5.6. After a few hours KH=3.3 and GH=11.2. GH was a lot higher than expected. Most likely because the Akadama wasn't rinsed properly after it's pre-treatment. After 24 hours KH=3.3 and GH=13.4. GH has risen a bit. Nothing too much to worry about as it's KH that I'm more concerned with. The KH has remained steady which was my aim and which so far has worked. Going to see what it is like at the end of the week now. Water changes will bring the GH back down to normal levels in time.

I'm now thinking that perhaps my pre-treatment amounts were too high. They were a guess anyway. Perhaps cutting the amounts in half would work fine.
Click to expand...
http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/akadama.htm
Click to expand...
so its a KH test kitg i need?
 
Re: 238l rescape.

Little update,

Not much to report to ya people, Yesterday i finally got my akadama soaking in one of my old 3ft tanks in the garage, The akadama is so filthy its amazing! Going to need alot of cleaning. And lots of water changes prior.

After James C contacted me about gh boosting he saidf that plain old tap water had all the minerals needed to do the job, so i took his advice and saved a few pennies.

Still trying to get my hands on a few plants
Bolbitus, Prooving hard to get.
Christmas moss, Hard to get.
Awaiting wood for scape, But im sure it will be with me soon.
Got myself some Paveing sand, Kiln dried, the stuff you place between the cracks.

Its getting closer and closer the long day of rescape. :D
Looking forward to it thou.
 
Re: 238l rescape.

A tip for getting bolbitus...

If you have a Pets @ Home near you, check out their fish stock tanks for tropica plants on wood. Often they have things like Bolbitus and java ferns in there for decoration but are for sale, and have been growing for months. I managed to get a monster bolbitus and narrow java fern on wood, both for £25 (£15 each or 2 for £25). I would say I had about 8 pots worth of each plant easily! Naturally I binned the crappy bogwood they came on ;)

Worth checking :)
 
Re: 238l rescape.

SteveUK said:
A tip for getting bolbitus...

If you have a Pets @ Home near you, check out their fish stock tanks for tropica plants on wood. Often they have things like Bolbitus and java ferns in there for decoration but are for sale, and have been growing for months. I managed to get a monster bolbitus and narrow java fern on wood, both for £25 (£15 each or 2 for £25). I would say I had about 8 pots worth of each plant easily! Naturally I binned the crappy bogwood they came on ;)

Worth checking :)
Click to expand...

YOU GENIUS! I have one about 3 mile away, Im off to Pets At Home. lol. wwwwooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOSSSHHH!!!! :arrow:

:lol: Cheers mate!
 
Re: 238l rescape.

i have a java fern that will atach to some wood, it is quite large but is verry tatty, can send it to you if you like
 
Re: 238l rescape.

mattyc said:
i have a java fern that will atach to some wood, it is quite large but is verry tatty, can send it to you if you like
Click to expand...

I have narrow leaf java fern going into the scape from prviouse, Not sure how the two would look, Bolbitus is my main focus plant in this scape due to the nature of my layout. Yours offer is surpreme and i may not of turns that down when i just started, But i want to be real picky this time so i scape a beuty! Well i hope at least. :? You understand where im comeing from matt?
 
Re: 238l rescape.

that is no probs, just thaught you might find a use for it, it dosent fit with my new tank theam either. keep the updates comeing i an interested in what you do your drawings are amazing btw, if you rank looks as good as them you will be on a winner!!
 
Re: 238l rescape.

mattyc said:
that is no probs, just thaught you might find a use for it, it dosent fit with my new tank theam either. keep the updates comeing i an interested in what you do your drawings are amazing btw, if you rank looks as good as them you will be on a winner!!
Click to expand...

Thanks mate, I hope its comes together like my plans. Its all going to flop if i dont get moss very soon, as the scape needs the moss to come together, (Christmas moss) Mainly, wich im attching to parts of the manzi. And the bolbitus for the hight throughout the manzi sides! o_O

Ill keep you all posted! :thumbup:
 
Re: 238l rescape.

Ok so after a nice bit of advice i shot down to my pets at home today to have a look, After about 10 mins looking i found bolbitus hideing behind a rock in one of there display tanks, The only one i could find! It also has algaue all over it, Hairy algaue, But at least i found some. And to make things even better, when i got to the till exspecting to pay the going price of £7.00 For one bloody pot! The lady says, That will be.........£2.00 lol, I got out of that shop like a bat out of hell! What a bargain. Check it out!


1001040.jpg


And then to make it even more of a better day! The postman has been and dropped of a big o box from planted box, Wich yes, it contained my manzi! lol Yipppeeeee!!

!! CHECK THIS OUT!! WHEN I WAS WRITEING THE LAST LINE ABOUT THE MANZI THE DOOR WENT AGAIN AND IT WAS THE POSTMAN, STRANGE......ALL OF A SUDDEN ANOTHER BOX???? ON OPENING IT TURNED OUT TO BE MY BUBBLE COUNTER FROM SINGAPORE! WOOP WOOP
1001042f.jpg

WHAT A BRILLIANT DAY SO FAR!
 
Re: 238l rescape.

Hopefully your crypts should be there too ;)

On the bolbitis front, I'd let it settle into your tank for a week or so, and then hack most of the worst leaves off :) Should grow back strong :)
 
Re: 238l rescape.

SteveUK said:
Hopefully your crypts should be there too ;)

On the bolbitis front, I'd let it settle into your tank for a week or so, and then hack most of the worst leaves off :) Should grow back strong :)
Click to expand...

Steve mate, I have had another knock at door just, Three times now, going nuts lol, Its ya crpts from amazon lol, Not realy just the box with ya crypts in, Cant wait to start scapeing, Ill do what ya said about the bolbitus. Can i use the hacked leaves on the bolbitus?
 
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