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Japanese Bonsai Garden - Learning Curve
Co2 kit installed and up and running, got it set up on the opposite side to the filter to hopefully get the best circulation I can (directly opposite the outlet) with the drop checker next to the filter, currently set at 3bps (no fish) and 40psi
Will be aiming for a pH drop from 7.2 to 6.6 initially and trying to hit that for lights on
Co2 on at 3pm, lights on at 5pm
Co2 off at 9pm, lights off at 11pm
Will be aiming for a pH drop from 7.2 to 6.6 initially and trying to hit that for lights on
Co2 on at 3pm, lights on at 5pm
Co2 off at 9pm, lights off at 11pm
hotashes
Member
Nice piece of kit, my name is Ash and I'm based in London uk. Great looking tank set up. Inspired by your bonsai. Where will I get one of them ha ha? I'm guessing you got the CO2 system at discount price following their recent deal at CO2 Art. I'm awaiting my pro SE elite series to arrive... Will be my first ever attempt at CO2. Be good to learn some pointers here as well as good plants to get.. Yes I also use Aquarium gardens.
Aqua oak tanks 4'x2'x2' & 5'x2'x2' both freshwater set up on apex Neptune systems.
Mortgage & Protection Adviser Full Time,
Peace
Aqua oak tanks 4'x2'x2' & 5'x2'x2' both freshwater set up on apex Neptune systems.
Mortgage & Protection Adviser Full Time,
Peace
Thanks for the comments Ash, you can get the bonsais online but Maidenhead Aquatics actually have them as well so you can see before you buy as they do vary a bit
Co2 off last night around 10pm with the drop checker lime green indicating around 30ppm, just checked this morning so 8+ hours later and it's still lime green and the pH is still sitting at 6.4 and hasn' r at all. My KH is 2 so I expected it to return to its usual 7.2 pretty quickly?
Filter is giving a slight surface ripple and tank has a glass top with 1cm gap all the way round, could the glass top be holding the gas in that much??
Co2 off last night around 10pm with the drop checker lime green indicating around 30ppm, just checked this morning so 8+ hours later and it's still lime green and the pH is still sitting at 6.4 and hasn' r at all. My KH is 2 so I expected it to return to its usual 7.2 pretty quickly?
Filter is giving a slight surface ripple and tank has a glass top with 1cm gap all the way round, could the glass top be holding the gas in that much??
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kadoxu
Member
Why not upgrade to a small canister/HOB filter?
It's a nice contained unit and as much as it's annoying that it takes up space inside it's a good happy medium for me starting out with the space i have. Was just trying to soften the look of it with the moss wall.
If i decide to get a bigger tank in the future then I would go down the canister route
MrB15hop
Member
I took the box out of mine and just moved the filter to the back corner with the heater just in front of it. It hasn't created loads of room, But it does make the tank feel bigger...
I've been trying justify spending on a canister filter for it. Pretty sure I'm still not allowed though. Haha.
I am sort of wishing I'd thought of trying the moss wall before I pulled the tank apart now...
I've been trying justify spending on a canister filter for it. Pretty sure I'm still not allowed though. Haha.
I am sort of wishing I'd thought of trying the moss wall before I pulled the tank apart now...
That does make it look a lot bigger! The back corner behind the filter does bug me as it's hidden away and kind of wasted space but I'm justifying it telling myself it's a good hiding spot for some fish if they want it..... Lol
Looks good though and could easily hide the filter and heater a bit with a few strategically placed plants
MrB15hop
Member
The last straw with mine was when my betta decided she was going to keep hiding in there. I thought she was stuck, but she was getting in by sliding over the top, and then just sitting there, mocking me.
I thought the same about the space behind it, but I figure I've gained useable space, and only sacrificed dead space.
Like you say, plenty of plants can hide it, with the right light it can sort of blend away into the background....ish..
I thought the same about the space behind it, but I figure I've gained useable space, and only sacrificed dead space.
Like you say, plenty of plants can hide it, with the right light it can sort of blend away into the background....ish..
Yeh I have thought about that as I fill right up to the top of the filter unit so was thinking about putting mesh or something round the top
I wouldn't be surprised if that was true about your betta! Surprised at how much of a personality they have
I wouldn't be surprised if that was true about your betta! Surprised at how much of a personality they have
MrB15hop
Member
I'll be honest..my tank has been running for near enough a year now, and I haven't tested the water once...
I've just been learning, and using visual cues from inside the tank...
Yeah, the personality on betta' s makes them quite amusing. She's an oddball to say the least.
I've just been learning, and using visual cues from inside the tank...
Yeah, the personality on betta' s makes them quite amusing. She's an oddball to say the least.
Patrick Crowley
Member
I’m also new to co2, I added it to two tanks at the beginning of the year. Now I’m measuring co2 levels with a drop checker, rather than a pH pen, but I see a marked difference between my tanks.
The first has good flow and plenty of surface agitation - the drop checker is back to dark blue within a few hours.
The second, I have problems with flow and my lily pipe. No surface agitated, as I cannot raise the outflow lily pipe (I’m looking to replace it). This stays lime green for 3 days after turning off the co2!
So in my experience, flow and surface agitation have a huge effect on co2 degassing.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Good to hear you're seeing a noticeble difference, mine is still in its first week with co2 so still bedding in, few new plants as well and got a bit of melting (Monte Carlo and Siamensis 53b) so hopefully they'l settle after a couple of weeks.
My flow isn't bad, far from perfect but adequate. My surface agitation was minimal so I dropped the water level slightly and that does seem to be helping with gassing off outside of co2 hours so cheers mate
Got one of the cheap TDS and pH pens from a seller on here (ebay ones) so I can at least see what ballpark I'm in with TDS and was more just curious to see how good or bad it was with pH compared to my liquid API test
Tap water
TDS - 115
pH - 7.5 (API measures 7.2)
Tank (during co2)
TDS - 98
pH - 6.6 (API measures 6.4)
Smells Fishy
Member
What happened to this being a doubletail tank? I'm about wounded lol
It still is mate..... (terrible pic BTW but only one on my phone in the new tank)
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Smells Fishy
Member
He's not much of of poser lol. In both pics with the betta they look like different kinds, the first looks like a crowntail and the new one, it looks more a half moon rosetail. That's mental you've shot me through a bit, there's some crazy, spooky and trippy lighting going on here lol.
Haha this is where the joys of the internet have failed me mate, been looking through trying to define what type of betta he is and multiple pics come up when searching double tail that fit the bill, but he definitely isn’t a double tail after looking into further and looks like you’ve hit the nail on the head with him being a halfmoon, not sure about the rosetail part
