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Can an external canister filter be run with a separate pump? :-)

Rahms said:
that was a really nice tank, I think you're just focusing on the "perfect" result of 0 algae, all plants 100% in all places. All I see is a small patch of algae next to a big rock (understandable), and a lot of happy looking plants in a nice scape!
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Thanks🙂
But as you can see from the last photo, the plants at the back were badly hit due to insufficient Co2. BBA was spreading more and more. I had taken some close up videos of the plants and BBA but after I switched to the new setup, I decided not to upload it.
Cheers
 
Looking forward to the new setup ... fish movement seems a bit odd in the video, so will be interesting to see if fish behavior changes.

Do you have your LED lights back yet?

What is your tap water like (or are you using RO)?
 
alto said:
Looking forward to the new setup ... fish movement seems a bit odd in the video, so will be interesting to see if fish behavior changes.
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Don't mind those guys. They behave like kittens when I'm near the tank.:lol:. After the new setup I do notice the Otos and especially the shrimps coming out into the open even during lights on.

alto said:
Do you have your LED lights back yet?
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Nope.😡 The LFS is dragging its feet on this issue. Now I'm running on T5 (12000K, 3 pcs @54watts). But the plants are pearling good with the new setup. If the LFS can't repair the LED, I may switch to T5s. As I use a chiller, the heat from the T5s won't be an issue.

alto said:
What is your tap water like (or are you using RO)?
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I'm using good old sky juice (plain tap water - average pH 6.8)🙂
Cheers.
 
I'm in the habit of reading old threads on UKAPS ... you might find this one interesting (re the algae outburst after changing house ... if your water is soft (which I'd suspect with that pH), maybe look into some additives)
 
alto said:
I'm in the habit of reading old threads on UKAPS ... you might find this one interesting (re the algae outburst after changing house ... if your water is soft (which I'd suspect with that pH), maybe look into some additives)
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Agree on this.

Zak - our water is really soft. Something like 0 GH and 2 or 3 KH. No calcium and almost no magnesium. I am also encountering issues after around 6 months from starting. My guess is the soil has been providing some buffer for Calcium/Magnesium shortage and it became worse and worse as time goes on.
 
oliverpool said:
Agree on this.

Zak - our water is really soft. Something like 0 GH and 2 or 3 KH. No calcium and almost no magnesium. I am also encountering issues after around 6 months from starting. My guess is the soil has been providing some buffer for Calcium/Magnesium shortage and it became worse and worse as time goes on.
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Hi Oliver,
Since I'm into EI, I mix 6 teaspoons of Magnesium Sulphate into 500ml water. This stock solution lasts for 2 weeks and 2 days ( ie. 8 doses of 60ml each)
I tested my KH (using API KH tester) it gave a reading of 6. The same reading since I started the tank.
As for calcium, I have 1 kg of coral chips in the canister.
Average pH is 6.9 ( using a pH tester pen)

How is your tank doing now?
 
Zak Rafik said:
Hi Oliver,
Since I'm into EI, I mix 6 teaspoons of Magnesium Sulphate into 500ml water. This stock solution lasts for 2 weeks and 2 days ( ie. 8 doses of 60ml each)
I tested my KH (using API KH tester) it gave a reading of 6. The same reading since I started the tank.
As for calcium, I have 1 kg of coral chips in the canister.
Average pH is 6.9 ( using a pH tester pen)

How is your tank doing now?
Click to expand...

Fingers crossed. It does seem to be doing better in the past 2 weeks since I started dosing Barr GH Booster at water change and adding MGSO4 as per EI with my macros. I guess I was following EI just from a US centric site which usually does not indicate that MG is required dosing. I do not test my water these days except for TDS and PH (co2 gauge) as a gauge to see if TDS is creeping up (poor maintenance) or some other issue.

If you have coral chips in your canister, that should be good enough for calcium. Thats probaby why your KH is at 6? I have pretty low PH of around 6.1/6.2 before CO2 injection. Probably due to the driftwood and ADA soil.
 
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