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Dragon's Grove

I'm thinking go to 1 39w t5?
Clean diffuser (up new atomizer) or even different diffusion method - what do you use Ceg?
Maybe dose less potassium phosphate (need to think about this but I saw that someone said it increases growth rates thus co2 demand - any thoughts?)
I doubt my flow needs increasing but I could add a 1000lph eheim compact pump
Double dose liquid carbon
In the mean time I am not sure what to do, I can get co2 set up for Monday afternoon/evening so probably just ambient light for 2 days? But my hairgrass was just recovering from the accidental blackout
Hi mate,
Just turn the lights off for the couple of days that you will be without the gas. Again, try sending the gas directly through the filter and skip the reactor, just to see if it helps. Check with the BOC and you can get much larger cylinders.

Cheers,
 
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So I've got the co2 back up and running since Monday last week. Plants still in a similar state, maybe less melt but still unhealthy and I'm getting quite a lot of diatoms and a brown thread algae on older/unhealthy leaves.

35e66218be6728e5191a25013855f156.jpg


Haigrass looking a little greener

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The moss remains totally happy for some reason.

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On a slightly more positive note I got 6 threadfin rainbowfish from MA on Sat and they've been feasting on daphnia from the pond.

Tried and failed to take any pics...

Need to order

Microworms
pH meter
Dropcheckers
Monte carlo (new plants, not invitro, not much, just a test)
 
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Looking at my tank it certainly ain't dim o_O so maybe I could go to 1 39w tube or chuck some floaters in their? I'm also yet to try Co2 into the filter inlet, before I do so has anyone with a jbl done this without any damage?
 
Oh and what is the best cure to diatoms, I'm guessing more CO2 and more water changes? :arghh: I should really be doing more water changes (currently doing 50% per week) seeing as I have got algae and poor plant health.
 
Hi again,
Well for sure more water changes, the melt and die back will br creating ammonia that won't help anything accept algae maybe 30% every other day for a while if you can manage it. Remove dying leaves daily.

Less light, maybe 5 hours on one lamp with the second lamp on for just the fourth hour as well.

Get some amano shrimp 1 per 5 ltr if you can because those guys are the top clean up dudes. Check this http://tropica.com/en/guide/algal-control/

Then suss out your CO2 with drop checker or pen.

Be patient, it looks like everything is growing, it's just going to need a fair bit of work for the next few weeks...
 
So all the stuff I ordered has arrived. Drop checker is in and I've upped co2 to a lime green. Tomorrow I should be able to do a full pH profile with the pH meter. A tiny bit of new monte carlo went in the tank as a test, the rest of the pot went into my emersed propagator. Unfortunately the pogostemon helferi has melted quite a bit (even though it was bought submerged!) however I am seeing healthy new growth so it may well come back.

My microworm cultures are up and running and yesterday I did my first feed- both my copper harlequins and threadfins tucked in. How often can I feed them microworms, is their any harm in feeding daily?
 
Picture 1 of post #84 looks like there is some kind of pump with it's outflow spud pointing perpendicular to the flow of the spraybars. Is that just an optical illusion on my part, or is that real? If it's real it's incorrect.

Blackouts will resolve the diatomic bloom. perhaps still too much light, can't recall.

Cheers,
 
That's right :oops:

I know its not recommended, its a 400lph eheim skim on the lowest setting and I reckon its ok as its right at the back towards the top, so not interfering hugely with the circular flow from the spraybars.
 
pH Profile:
5f9545e4dd2eaffa911c5ed755f09ce5.jpg


Co2 on 1
Lights on 4
Co2 off 9
Lights off 10

However I am really confused as my pH calibrated pH meter says that tank water rested for 24hrs has a pH of 8.42 which would suggest a pH drop of 1.80 in Kh 9.5 water?? Yet my plants show signs of co2 deficiency (diatoms + some melt) I have good flow and 2 39W T5s.

And at a pH drop of 1 my drop checker shows:

1bb42fec1cb5602508cb37330095ca9d.jpg
 
Check flow/distribution mate. Has the filter clogged etc. etc. etc.?
Might also need to tweak the injection rate.
Very unusual to have a strongly alkaline water in a tank, which mostly produces acids.

Cheers,
 
I will test some tap water when I get home. I cleaned my filters at the weekend and removed floss so flow is nice and high again. Also trimmed rotala sp green and hydrocotyle. What is the best way to get rid of diatoms, as I see none on my (healthy) moss I assume plant health is the key here.
 
I think I didn't describe the current plant situation quite right in my last post. I am not seeing any fresh melt, however:

Monte carlo- partially covered in diatoms, no more melt

Rotala- lower/old growth has some algae and looks stunted, fresh growth grows very slowly but is a much healthier shape (larger leaves) and has no algae.

Hydrocotyle- lower/old leaves have algae- fresh growth is healthy and growth rate has been ok but not super fast.

Flame moss- really full and healthy with just a few strands of hair algae

Pinnatifida- no growth and plenty of algae.

Hair grass- slowly growing back looks fairly healthy but quite a pale green, not much algae, localised to debris.

Pogostemon helferi- lots of melt when first added (submerged form) but seeing plenty of fresh growth at crown.

Pogostemon stellata- algae and lost lower leaves- choked by rotala- fresh growth at crown.

Rotala wallichi- lower growth dying (emersed) fresh (green) growth from crown.

So the algae:

Diatoms

Hair (could be staghorn)
 
Yes, these symptoms confirm poor CO2/flow/distribution.

Best way to get rid of diatoms is a blackout.

I know its not recommended, its a 400lph eheim skim on the lowest setting and I reckon its ok as its right at the back towards the top, so not interfering hugely with the circular flow from the spraybars.
Maybe your reckoned wrong. That 400LPH should be used for more productive purposes. Skimmers, Twinstars, heater cables...these are all constructs of The Matrix. Wake up, Neo.

Cheers,
 
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Fixed.

1 less thing to consider.

Also added some floaters:

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And I'm raising the light to 25cm from the water surface.
 
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I figure something has to change and you know more than I, so either I follow the advice of those with results or follow my mine own misguided hunches so:

Red pill it is...

Blackout and maybe some big water changes sounds like a good idea to reset everything. I am worried that already weak plants may suffer the blackout to some extent, what length is good?

After a blackout what should I do? Making sure CO2 is optimal, keep doing the same? Again, Ceg/Chris you have the results, but I feel flow is not the (biggest) issue as I can see some movement even at the base of plants at the back and plants in high flow areas are not flourishing either so it clearly isn't quite that simple.
 
Wow :eek:

Now that's lush!

Thanks for the advice, I will do, annoyingly though I don't think my hanging kit can go down so once at that height I'm stuck with it.
 
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