Jungle flex 57L

[Davey]

I returned after a short 2day break and during the water change I discovered the heater not working. Have ordered an aquael ultra 100w. I probably could get away with a 75w, but maybe I'll use it in a bigger tank later. It's just annoying to have to replace it. The old visitherm 100w worked for about 5years before clapping out.

Plants are growing well although I feel I didn't place a thick enough layer of aquasoil ontop of the mesh bags. I will be topping the layer up. I'm considering pushing a tropica capsule in the topped up soil to encourage the crypt roots to embed themselves. Frogbit has really expanded. I trimmed their roots back and trimmed the stem plants.

Most interestingly, I very vigorously shook the nitrate test bottles and I started getting readings! @dw1305 you were right!
The water before the water change was 10-20ppm and my tap water is about 10ppm. It is very difficult to distinguish the colours.

I added 2 spider plants and some mosses a while back. I Will be figuring out a place for a Maidenhair fern somewhere back there soon. I'm considering creating a trickle of water coming down from the top of the log using a small water pump. I was inspired by @Riverwood Aquatics !

Current state:

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Most interestingly, I very vigorously shook the nitrate test bottles and I started getting readings! @dw1305 you were right!
The water before the water change was 10-20ppm and my tap water is about 10ppm. It is very difficult to distinguish the colours.

Frogbit has really expanded. I trimmed their roots back and trimmed the stem plants.

That sort of why I trust the plants, at the most fundamental level <"nutrients and growth are linked"> and <"plant leaf colour"> and <"growth"> are a <"pretty good indication of nitrogen level">.

cheers Darrel

 

[Davey]

So, I topped up the level of aquasoil yesterday as it seemed too thin. I also placed a single tropica root tab under the big crypt in the middle. The soil might leach ammonia as I've read on this forum. I'll be testing the water regularly to see whether the spike registers, although, I'm hoping the mature filter will convert it. Here are today's water results:
0ppm ammonia and nitrite
5-10ppm nitrate
3 drops kH 53.7ppm
6 drops gH 125.3

Also, all the salts/chemicals have now arrived. @Happi I am now ready to make the fertiliser you have provided the recipe for. Wish I could link the recipe here in this journal (will try figure it out)
Before I make it, is there anything you'd advise me or want me to check?

Should I add the white vinegar to the container first and then throw the weighed chemicals in, followed by distilled water to make it up to 1litre?

Looking forward to your reply.

 

[hypnogogia]

Should I add the white vinegar to the container first and then throw the weighed chemicals in, followed by distilled water to make it up to 1litre?

I’m not sure what recipe you’re following, it is it an all in one you’re making? Normally you’d add the chemicals to the water, ime at a time. I’d start with the vinegar to acidify the water and then add your salts one at a time. acidifying first stops potential interactions if you are making an all in one that contains iron and phosphate.

Nice looking tank, btw.

 

[John q]

Wish I could link the recipe here in this journal

Guessing it was one of these?

Recipe #1
60 liter aquarium (Individual Recipe)
10 ml White Vinegar
0.5 gram potassium sorbate
1000 ml, 20 ml dose
3.628 gram Solufeed Sodium Free TEC

Fe 0.1
Mn 0.02418
B 0.0111
Cu 0.00278
Zn 0.014
Mo 0.001813

Recipe #2
60 liter aquarium (Individual Recipe)
10 ml White Vinegar
0.5 gram potassium sorbate
1000 ml, 20 ml dose
20 gram Solufeed 2:1:4

N 1 (Urea-N 0.466 ppm, NO3-N 0.54 ppm) this adds about 2.4 ppm NO3, Rest of the N is from Urea
P 0.2
K 1.766
Fe 0.01166
Mn 0.004
Cu 0.000666
B 0.0014
Zn 0.005
Mo 0.0003333
Mg 0.12666

Recipe #3
60 liter aquarium (combined Recipe)
1000 ml, 20 ml dose
10 ml White Vinegar
0.5 gram potassium sorbate
3.63 gram Solufeed Sodium Free TEC
20 gram Solufeed 2:1:4

N 1 (Urea-N 0.466 ppm, NO3-N 0.54 ppm) this adds about 2.4 ppm NO3, Rest of the N is from Urea
P 0.2
K 1.766
Fe 0.11166
Mn 0.02818
Cu 0.003446
B 0.0125
Zn 0.019
Mo 0.002146
Mg 0.1266

 

[Davey]

Recipe #4
60 liter aquarium
1000 ml, 5 ml dose (make sure you dose 5 ml and not accidently dose 20 ml)
10 ml White Vinegar
0.5 gram potassium sorbate
9.82 gram DTPA Fe 11%
1.71 gram EDDHA Fe 7%
4.61 gram Mn EDTA 13%
1.28 gram Zn EDTA 14%
40.11 gram K2SO4

Fe 0.1
Mn 0.05
Zn 0.015
K 1.5
S 0.6

at water changes, I would add additional Mg through MgSo4 targeting about 5 ppm and dose Recipe #4 2x a week, total 10 ml weekly. keep in touch with me and keep me updated in case these recipes needs any further modifications.

This is the one.
@Happi Another question: 1000ml and 10ml vinegar or 990ml water and 10ml water?
Regards

 

[Hufsa]

990ml water and 10ml *vinegar

Ill take the liberty to answer for him, this one 🙂 You always want the final volume to be the target you set, otherwise things get slightly out of whack

 

[Happi]

This is the one.
@Happi Another question: 1000ml and 10ml vinegar or 990ml water and 10ml water?
Regards

I would always start with adding the potassium sorbate and acidifying the solution first, you also want to start with 900 ml distilled water and after adding and mixing all the chemicals, then you add more distilled water to fill it till 1000 ml. otherwise if you were starting with 1000 ml to begin with, it would end up something like 1050 ml (estimated) after adding all the chemicals.

 

[Davey]

I've noticed some algae growing on the larger crypts today. I'm hoping this isn't the beginning of a bloom and I can find some way of balancing this out before it becomes a problem. I understand some algae is good and to be expected but I wouldn't want it to take over.

What should I do?
1) Continue on and change nothing. Just observe.
2) reduce photoperiod and/or intensity. Currently running 8hours including 2 hours ramp up and 2 hours ramp down. Reaches a Max of 55% intensity.
3) stop ferting. I have been adding some flourish in every three days.
4) change the fert schedule. I was planning on making @Happi 's recipe (a few posts above). Continue with this plan - switch from flourish to this custom fert asap.
5) add a siesta period
6) add some amano/cherry shrimp or maybe some ottos (don't think I have enough algae for ottos)
7) do more water changes
8) increase or decrease filter flow

Looking forward to learning how to deal with what may be the beginnings of disaster (I do catastrophize as you can probably tell).
Dave

 

[bazz]

In the second photo it looks like you're beginning to get a deposit of detritus on the leaves, giving your plants a good waft during water changes, maybe increasing flow and the addition of snails and shrimp (if your tank is fully cycled) will aid.
Changing light intensity/duration and altering your dosing regime will more than likely stress your plants out, but if you are intending to change anything maybe now is the time to do it and then strive for stability.
As always though, there is more than one way to skin a cat.
Cheers!

 

[Davey]

Today I made up the fertiliser recipe suggested by @Happi and dosed 5ml of it. Today marks day 1 of this fert experiment and day 28 of this Scape.
I intend to fert the tank on Sundays and Wednesdays with a 50% water change on Saturdays. I will be adding 5ppm worth of magnesium sulphate on Sundays (I still need to use the IFC calc to figure this mass out).
Have attached pics of how the tank looks today for reference.

On a side note, I should be adding some bloody Mary shrimp to this tank within the next week.

ps you might notice an inhabitant working away in the pics.

regards