First tank

[Maf 2500]

Only one sponge is not an issue. Your tank is well planted and all the heavy lifting of filtration will be done by your plants.

Totally agree with the above. Foam is an excellent media for bio-filtration which in combo with the substrate and plants in the tank is more than adequate.

The cartridges that come with your original filter are borderline useless tat that is designed to block up after a certain amount of use forcing you to buy expensive replacements. Foam has the advantage of being 100% cleanable and with a very long service life (years).

 

[BarrWarr]

That’s great, thanks both. So that Allpondssolution filter with just the black foam but a higher flow rate will be perfectly fine?

 

[Maf 2500]

That’s great, thanks both. So that Allpondssolution filter with just the black foam but a higher flow rate will be perfectly fine?

I don't see why not. The tank is fairly small and well planted. The carbon and snake oil in the cartridges of the original filter are not needed and may even be detrimental in some situations.

If you are so inclined you can probably even mod it to get rid of the casing over the foam and use a larger foam block. (Longer intervals between cleaning, more volume of filter media)

 

[BarrWarr]

Thanks. When you say modify, do you mean so it looks like those air filters I have seen? The only decent shop near me has these in every tank.

 

[Maf 2500]

I meant something like this where you could run the top part of the filter as a powerhead atop a tube and a block of foam (I think they are out of stock, it is just for visualising the idea):
HMF Biological Sponge Block Filter for Power Head 10x10x30cm - Envobee Shrimp .
I don't know if this is similar to in the "decent shop". The fact that they are the decent shop tells you that their approach works.

The mod is likely unnecessary and the new filter will work fine as is. I was just throwing it out there because looking at the filter, that is the sort of thing I would do....

 

[BarrWarr]

Ah, ok - that’s similar but the ones in the shop have bubbles coming out. I quite like your idea but I would have no idea how or where to get the right things!

 

[Maf 2500]

I quite like your idea but I would have no idea how or where to get the right things!

It will work fine straight out of the box, but nice to know you have the option in the future. Let us know how you get on.

If you get the new filter run it along with the old one for a while until it is established. To kick start the foam on the new filter you could rinse the foam of the old filter in a container of tank water and then rinse the brand new foam in the dirty water to innoculate it with bio-organisms.

 

[BarrWarr]

I’ve been looking into the lighting of my tank this morning as I initially thought the inbuilt ones were not good enough.

I’ve done a little bit of reading and it seems the having the right PAR is important.

Although probably not entirely accurate, I used an app via my smart phone to measure the PAR on my tank. I have three lights; two inbuilt unadjustable leds and I added an adjustable led on the top.

Measured same distance from the substrate;

With all three on (the adjustable one set to 50%), the PAR came out at 66.

I turned one of the inbuilt leds off and the PAR was 55.

If I turned off both inbuilt leds off, the PAR was 21.

If I turned off both inbuilt leds but turned the adjustable led up to 90%, the PAR was 35.

So, my question is - what light combo would be best for my set up please? Just to recap, the plants I have are Limnophila sess, Microsorum narrow, Staurogyne repens, hornwort, Java moss. The lights are currently on for 10hrs.

Any thoughts would be much appreciated.

 

[bazz]

So, my question is - what light combo would be best for my set up please?

Whichever looks the best to your eyes, I personally wouldn't get bogged down worrying about PAR at this stage, just having the intensity not too high though will help nullify some problems.

 

[BarrWarr]

ok, thanks. I do like it with just the adjustable led set to 90% (both inbuilt turned off) as it is more atmospheric if that makes sense - I’m just wary about the light levels not been enough for the plants.

 

[bazz]

I’m just wary about the light levels not been enough for the plants.

Just give it a couple of weeks on the setting of your choice then if the plants aren't growing and you have no signs of algae you can afford to up it a notch and vice versa, remember though, plants take a short while to adapt to different conditions/parameters so stability is key and consistent moving of the goal posts will set them back giving our friend the upper hand.
Your tank is looking good!

 

[BarrWarr]

It will work fine straight out of the box, but nice to know you have the option in the future. Let us know how you get on.

If you get the new filter run it along with the old one for a while until it is established. To kick start the foam on the new filter you could rinse the foam of the old filter in a container of tank water and then rinse the brand new foam in the dirty water to innoculate it with bio-organisms.

Just an update. I purchased a new filter, different to the one I had planned on getting (this is what I got). I didn’t have space to run it along side the old filter so is this likely to put me back to square one with regardless to cycling my tank?

The new filter has twice as much media space as the old one so I added some cirax pellets in the two side panels to run along side the two sponges. Is that a reasonable thing to do?

The 500ltr/ph seems to be just right as 600 was just too powerful. I have noticed what I am assuming is green hair algae today so I intend to reduce the lighting intensity and duration, stop using the CO2 booster and Tropica nutrition. I’m going to keep up with the weekly 50% water changes and not faff about with anything for a few weeks and see how things progress.

I was hoping to get some cherry shrimp later this week but as the filter is new, do I have to wait a few weeks now?

Thanks.

 

[Maf 2500]

It might be possible to shoe-horn the foam from the old filter into the new one in place of some of the new foam. Without having both filters in front of me I can't say for sure if it is possible. But, if you can do this then effectively the new filter becomes as matured as the old one.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

and Tropica nutrition

I wouldn't stop completely, in terms of their <"basic physiology and photosystems"> the green algae is a "plant", just one you don't want. Basically what is <"sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander">* and you can't starve out the green algae, without starving out your plants.

It might be possible to shoe-horn the foam from the old filter into the new one in place of some of the new foam.

I'd try that.

I was hoping to get some cherry shrimp later this week but as the filter is new, do I have to wait a few weeks now?

It will depend on what plant growth is like. If the plants are in growth? Then you are good to add a few shrimps.

I like an established tank and tank stability, but <"plants in growth"> is the parameter that counts.

..... In some ways that is why I like <"plenty of oxygen">, <"venturi">, <"seasoned tank time">, <"conductivity measurement">, the <"duckweed index">, <"water column dosing"> (rather than <"root tabs etc">) and a <"sand substrate">, basically all the cards are on the table.

All tanks are going to be a <"continually changing dynamic equilibrium">, but you can limit the extent of those changes (retain <"stability">) to stay in the <"Goldilocks zone">.

Have a look at <"Correspondence with Dr Ryan Newton - School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee">, Dr Newton explains the processes that occur in the aquarium, based on DNA reads of the microbes actually present, if you like it is "straight from the horses mouth"*.
* I like an analogy, it helps me to <"re-find my posts">.

Cheers Darrel

 

[BarrWarr]

Many thanks. The green hair algae is growing on most surfaces, including on the plants which indeed are growing very well. I’ve tested my water and the nitrates are about 15-20 (same as my tap water). The only thing I haven’t tested for yet is phosphate.

Is the algae just part of the cycling process? There are some bladder snails in the tank and a single ramshorn but should I be doing anything else to keep this algae at bay?

Many thanks.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Many thanks. The green hair algae is growing on most surfaces, including on the plants which indeed are growing very well.

Suggests that you have <"plenty of nutrients">.

I’ve tested my water and the nitrates are about 15-20 (same as my tap water). The only thing I haven’t tested for yet is phosphate.

Try reducing the fertiliser addition and see what happens. You can lean dose, as long as you supply all of the nutrients plants need. Don't get too hung up on what the test kit says, <"use plant health as your test kit">.

I use a floating plant as <"net curtain">, I prefer this to reducing light intensity, it just ensures you have enough PAR for plant growth.

Is the algae just part of the cycling process?

Not specifically, it just tells you that conditions are <"suitable for plant growth">.

There are some bladder snails in the tank and a single ramshorn but should I be doing anything else to keep this algae at bay?

Probably not. Shrimps are great filamentous algae browsers, but snails tend not to and just graze on the biofilm.

Cheers Darrel

 

[BarrWarr]

Many thanks Darrel. Based on the images of the algae, is this one that is likely to disappear/improve by cutting down the lighting period/intensity (looking back, I’m pretty sure I had way too much lighting in terms of period and intensity - 3 leds strips on for 12 hours)?

I was adding 6ml of Tropica specialised food once a week during the water change - what would you recommend to cut this too please?

I do like floating plants but I think they’d get pushed into the corner of the tank due to the spray bar?

Thanks again.

 

[BarrWarr]

So, I’ve just used a Salifert Phosphate test and it has come back as absolute zero - is this a problem and possibly the cause of the algae?

Does this zero reading mean I need to dose my Tropica specialised nutrition even more but won’t that then cause even more algae?

Any help would be much appreciated!

 

[MichaelJ]

So, I’ve just used a Salifert Phosphate test and it has come back as absolute zero - is this a problem and possibly the cause of the algae?

Does this zero reading mean I need to dose my Tropica specialised nutrition even more but won’t that then cause even more algae?

Any help would be much appreciated!

Hi @BarrWarr, from what I understand your tank is only 3 weeks old. With the Tropica Aquarium Soil you should keep the WC frequency/amount to 50% twice a week for the first 4 weeks.

The Tropica soil will leach quite a bit of ammonium and ammonia and other compounds for at least the the initial 4 weeks, so for a low-tech tank, during that time, I wouldn't be dosing much other than traces and some potassium which is what you would get from Tropica Premium.

But above all, have patience. Things will settle as the tank matures - which will take time. After the initial 4 weeks or so (an additional few weeks for you as you appear not have changed enough water), to take the edge of the leaching soil, and when you start to see some good healthy growth in your tank and some buildup of decomposing organics, your tank will be ready for livestock. Do an ammonia test for a second opinion, just as an extra precaution.

Also for water changes, there is no reason to age the water, if you use a good dechlorinator such as Seachem Prime. If you prep your water in buckets and add the appropriate amount of Prime and stir it up it will literally work within minutes.

Unless you add some floating plants, I would dial down the light intensity a bit.

Your tank looks great btw! 👍

Cheers,
Michael

 

[BarrWarr]

Thank you Michael. Yes, the tank is three weeks old but I replaced the filter just the other day so should I reset the ‘clock’?

Ok, I’ll do 50% water changes twice a week. I have bought some Seachem Prime and I did 50% change yesterday and found it was usable within minutes as you say. As next week will be the fourth week, shall I resort to just once a week water change after that or keep doing it twice a week until things settle down.

I do have the Tropica Premium - how much should I be using in terms of ml and frequency?

I have just tested for ammonia and it came up as about 0.2mg/l so you are spot on with your thoughts - many thanks.

With regards to the phosphate level, is this something I need to address?

Thanks again.