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Eheim Incpiria Rescape Complete

REDSTEVEO

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31 Mar 2008
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I have just completed this rescape. Recently I subscribed to the Aqua Essentials Newsletter and the Top Tips for maintaining a healthy planted tank. I have had several emails from Richard with some useful information.

I have just emailed him back with a question about water changes during the first week. I have made a screenshot of the recommendations and will post it here for your comments.

Below is my email to Richard explaining my current setup. Maybe someone on here can comment also. I welcome any suggestions on lighting, CO2 rates, and my fish suggestions.

"Hi Richard,

Thanks for the continued tips. I am a member of UKAPS.ORG and have had some fantastic planted tanks in my time over the past 30 odd years.

I have just finished stripping down and rescaping my 400 litre Eheim Incpiria Tank. I have used Sera Floradepot as the base plant substrate and capped it off with Maui White Quartz Fine Sand.

There is a good deal of staghorn oak in there which is covered in a lot of mosses, java fern, trident ferns etc. Multiple Crypts 2 species only, plus Cryptocoryne Ballansai, and a carpet of Eleocharis Parvula Mini for a carpet along the front and sides.

The tank is filtered by two Eheim T6 Thermal external canister filters. The filters are full of matured filter media as they had been running on the tank previously, and I kept them running in mature tank water during the rescape.

I use the Estimative Index dosing method, mixing my own liquid solutions from dry powders, plus trace elements and iron.

I started the rescape on Wednesday this week and finished it at 2am Friday morning. There are just plants and Amano Shrimp in the tank at the moment. I am undecided as to what fish to put in there, possibly a shoal of Dwarf Neon Rainbow Fish, some Coryadorus Sterbai, and some Ottocinclus.

I am waiting for the Eleocharis Parvula Mini to establish itself and put some roots down before adding the Cory's as they tend to disturb the grass causing it to lift.

So far I have not done any water changes as per your your recent recommendations. I have got 2 x CO2 Diffusers running off a pressurised 6 kg cylinder, using a CO2 Splitter from CO2 Supermarket. Both diffusers running from 8am to 6pm at 40 bubbles per minute.

Lighting is a Fluval Aquasky, and a Fluval Freshplant 3.0 both set to come on for six hours only from 12pm to 6pm as per your recommendation. They are set at low (28%) capacity at present.

Do I still need to do the 30% daily water changes as per your recommendation in the last email?

Hope this gets to you and look forward to your reply.

Many thanks,
Regards,
Steve

Apologies for the reflections I promise there will be better photos to come. Thanks
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I have got 2 x CO2 Diffusers running off a pressurised 6 kg cylinder, using a CO2 Splitter from CO2 Supermarket. Both diffusers running from 8am to 6pm at 40 bubbles per minute.
This seems a very low bubble rate for 400 Litre!
Are you using any drop checkers?
 
This seems a very low bubble rate for 400 Litre!
Are you using any drop checkers?
Agreed, it is low for one diffuser. But there are two diffusers at 40BPM. So that's 80BPM.

Still tweaking the needle valves on the two way Splitter. I'm not sure if the needle valve on the regulator should be fully open and then control the flow rate using the two valves on the Splitter.

When I adjust the needle valves on the splitter even by the tiniest amount, the rate goes from 40BPM to an uncountable rate. So not sure how to get around this.
 
I see.....its a piece of equipment I've never used so can't advise the best method to get a stable bubble rate!
Just an afterthought I run 2 bubbles a second........ 120 a minute on a 35 litre!
 
Agreed, it is low for one diffuser. But there are two diffusers at 40BPM. So that's 80BPM.

Still tweaking the needle valves on the two way Splitter. I'm not sure if the needle valve on the regulator should be fully open and then control the flow rate using the two valves on the Splitter.

When I adjust the needle valves on the splitter even by the tiniest amount, the rate goes from 40BPM to an uncountable rate. So not sure how to get around this.

Agree with @GHNelson, that bubble rate isn't nearly enough for 400 litres. Whilst all bubbles aren't created equally, when my 60 litre tank was on CO2, I was on around 2.5 BPS. My 100 litre is at the point of being uncountable by eye. A drop checker is you best bet for ensuring you hit your target CO2 levels.

As for the needle valves, most are complete rubbish, including those that come in commonly bought kit. You have to spend a but more to get a decent one - though currently showing as out of stock, I have found this one to be very reliable without too much cost outlay:

 
Agree with @GHNelson, that bubble rate isn't nearly enough for 400 litres. Whilst all bubbles aren't created equally, when my 60 litre tank was on CO2, I was on around 2.5 BPS. My 100 litre is at the point of being uncountable by eye. A drop checker is you best bet for ensuring you hit your target CO2 levels.

As for the needle valves, most are complete rubbish, including those that come in commonly bought kit. You have to spend a but more to get a decent one - though currently showing as out of stock, I have found this one to be very reliable without too much cost outlay:

Thanks @Wookii Strangely enough I've just been looking at them myself and noticed they were out of stock. Don't ask me how but I have managed to increase the bubble rate again without it going ballistic. I think it will be a case of watch and see.

There are no fish in there yet so no danger of gassing them.

I have got a Dupla PH probe in the tank which if I wanted I could hook up to the original Dupla PH Controller.

When I checked this morning before the CO2 came on at 8am, the PH was 7.24. It is currently PH 6.88. I will check again at 6pm just before it goes off what ge PH is.

Re the drop checker, it is yellow.
 
So how does that work when you have got two lines?

Well you either need two of them, or have them both at the same bubble rate after the needle valve.

On your setup you could add it here:

28BF47F7-BC46-4854-9E39-CC60E75AAAF7.jpeg

And just have the other two valves wide open.

EDIT: or maybe better after the solenoid
 

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Well you either need two of them, or have them both at the same bubble rate after the needle valve.

On your setup you could add it here:

View attachment 168100
And just have the other two valves wide open.

EDIT: or maybe better after the solenoid
Thanks, I'll have to look at it in detail. If I add it after the solenoid I'm not sure how the splitter would attach?
 
I've been trying to decide which schooling fish to put in this tank as soon as it is ready. I've picked a few out.
Any thoughts, on how many etc View attachment 168205View attachment 168206View attachment 168207View attachment 168208
I’d give the Buenos Aires tetra and the blue tetra a miss. Buenos Aires get pretty large and will definitely eat stems and any softer plants. As for the blue tetras they’re very aggressive and nippy for a small fish. Either of the other two would make a great choice.

diamond tetras and bleeding heart tetra would be a good choice if you wanted something a bit larger to fill the tank. They take a while to show their full potential but they’re stunning once fully settled in.

cheers

Conor
 
I’d give the Buenos Aires tetra and the blue tetra a miss. Buenos Aires get pretty large and will definitely eat stems and any softer plants. As for the blue tetras they’re very aggressive and nippy for a small fish. Either of the other two would make a great choice.

diamond tetras and bleeding heart tetra would be a good choice if you wanted something a bit larger to fill the tank. They take a while to show their full potential but they’re stunning once fully settled in.

cheers

Conor
Well I got the same advice from a friend, and from a person I know who works at Maidenhead Aquatics. So in the end I went for Pygmy Coryadorus x 12, Pencil Fish x 8, Harlequin Rasboras x 10, and a shoal of 20 x Ember Tetras.

They've all settled in really well. I got several types of Hikari Fine grade pellets and flakes etc, but they don't seem that keen on any of it to be honest.
 
Hi all,
but they don't seem that keen on any of it to be honest.
<"Fluval Bugbites"> seem to be taken by most fish. Mine tend not to be keen on <"any dried food">, but they will eat these.
So in the end I went for Pygmy Coryadorus x 12, Pencil Fish x 8, Harlequin Rasboras x 10, and a shoal of 20 x Ember Tetras
They will all eat Grindal and Micro worms. Pygmy Corydorus <"really like both of these">. If you can I'd have <"Mosquito larvae"> and <"Daphnia buckets"> as well.

cheers Darrel
 
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