Greetings,
As I am starting a comparative experiment involving a three different methods used when setting up a new aquarium, I am in need of some input for one of the methods.
I will be running the experiment twice, once without CO2 and once with CO2 and setting up three identical aquariums in each of the two runs.
Hardscape will be inert lava rock, Tropica Soil/Powder will be used as well as some inert sand. Each aquarium will have the exact same amount of each of the above mentioned items in it (with an error of 1 gram per substance). Plants used will mainly be Tropicas 1-2 Grow!. Fertilizer will be Tropica Specialised Nutrition and will be using the 90 day guide for the setup period.
My problem is that one of the methods I will be testing is the Dark Start Method (DSM) and I have no pratical experience with this method. I have been reading about it but there seems to be a few different schools on what it is.
The DSM I have been thinking of using is as follows:
After the five weeks the remains two aquariums will be set up along side the DSM aquarium, adding hardscape and plants to all of them.
Livestock will be added once all aquariums are cycled (Neocaridina ‘Bloody Mary’, Otocinclus and Corydoras habrosus).
Metrics will be pictures and dry matter yield at the end of the experiment.
My question to the users here on UKAPS is the following:
It will have to be a five week DSM due to constraints in the test setup.
Thanks.
As I am starting a comparative experiment involving a three different methods used when setting up a new aquarium, I am in need of some input for one of the methods.
I will be running the experiment twice, once without CO2 and once with CO2 and setting up three identical aquariums in each of the two runs.
Hardscape will be inert lava rock, Tropica Soil/Powder will be used as well as some inert sand. Each aquarium will have the exact same amount of each of the above mentioned items in it (with an error of 1 gram per substance). Plants used will mainly be Tropicas 1-2 Grow!. Fertilizer will be Tropica Specialised Nutrition and will be using the 90 day guide for the setup period.
My problem is that one of the methods I will be testing is the Dark Start Method (DSM) and I have no pratical experience with this method. I have been reading about it but there seems to be a few different schools on what it is.
The DSM I have been thinking of using is as follows:
- Add the soil and sand to the aquarium,
- Fill the aquarium to the maximum filling hight (marked with tape on all three aquariums),
- Start the filter and cover the aquarium with a dark cover so most visible light will be unable to enter the aquarium,
- Do a water change every week for five weeks (note evaporation, lower level marks with another piece of tape),
- Test water from water change,
- Fill the aquarium up to the maximum filling hight.
After the five weeks the remains two aquariums will be set up along side the DSM aquarium, adding hardscape and plants to all of them.
Livestock will be added once all aquariums are cycled (Neocaridina ‘Bloody Mary’, Otocinclus and Corydoras habrosus).
Metrics will be pictures and dry matter yield at the end of the experiment.
My question to the users here on UKAPS is the following:
How would you do a five week DSM?
It will have to be a five week DSM due to constraints in the test setup.
Thanks.