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Large scale river manifold set-up
- Thread starter Ted
- Start date
AndyMcD
Member
Building on what Darrel and Shawnmac have said, I'm sure you'll have read the following, but if not, you may find these very interesting:
http://www.loaches.com/articles/a-river-runs-through-it
http://www.loaches.com/articles/hillstream-loaches-the-specialists-at-life-in-the-fast-lane
http://www.loaches.com/articles/river-tank-manifold-design
http://www.loaches.com/articles/a-river-runs-through-it
http://www.loaches.com/articles/hillstream-loaches-the-specialists-at-life-in-the-fast-lane
http://www.loaches.com/articles/river-tank-manifold-design
Ted
Seedling
- Joined
- 8 Jan 2014
- Messages
- 24
Interesting Daniel - I didn't realize the extent of CO2 risk posed to the gobies. The biology makes sense. That said, I suspect the presence of CO2 isn't binary. With a controller, I can maintain a PH of 7.5, which given my hardness, wouldn't interfere with their respiration. I'm definitely not going to pump any more than that.
In terms of ferts, Rachel O'Leary doesn't dose her manifold set up at all, presumably to keep TDS at levels it would be found in nature. I've been trying root tabs for the crypts but not having much luck. Any thoughts there?
@AndyMcD great links - very interesting. Thanks.
In terms of ferts, Rachel O'Leary doesn't dose her manifold set up at all, presumably to keep TDS at levels it would be found in nature. I've been trying root tabs for the crypts but not having much luck. Any thoughts there?
@AndyMcD great links - very interesting. Thanks.
Hi all,
If you have water high in carbonates (as HCO3- and their related cation, usually Ca++), the pH will be stable at pH7.8, and the conductivity will naturally sit at ~600 microS. As you add chemical salts conductivity will rise, but for fish from limestone rivers that isn't a problem.
If I wanted to grow green algae I'd definitely:
cheers Darrel
It should be all right, but I'd keep a close eye on the water temperature, as it rises you can still have problems with <"low dissolved oxygen levels">, due to reduced gas solubility with rising temperature.
If you aren't dosing fertiliser, your plants are unlikely to be CO2 limited (it is back to <"Liebig's law of the minimum">).
If you have water high in carbonates (as HCO3- and their related cation, usually Ca++), the pH will be stable at pH7.8, and the conductivity will naturally sit at ~600 microS. As you add chemical salts conductivity will rise, but for fish from limestone rivers that isn't a problem.
If I wanted to grow green algae I'd definitely:
- have alkaline water,
- dose some fertiliser (green algae belong to the <"same clade"> as all the higher plants),
- I'd go for a long light period (at least 12 hours).
- I'd have a low plant mass.
cheers Darrel
Ted
Seedling
- Joined
- 8 Jan 2014
- Messages
- 24
Hi all - wanted to provide an update on this tank and ask for a spot more of advice. I've taken on much of your awesome advice and am loving the tank. The aufwuchs growth is awesome and the fish (stiphodons, sewellia, garra flavatra etc) are thriving.
The only issue is that the green algae accumulating on the glass is driving me nuts. It's absolutely CAKED on and requires a good 2 hrs to scrape off each week, which has sadly led to me scratching the heck out of the acrylic (see the photo). You can see that my algae eaters are 'helping' by nibbling the algae off the glass but aren't really making a dent.
Question for you guys:
1) Do you think I should dose less / reduce light period or intensity / or try incrementally higher levels of Co2 injection?
2) Is there a specific chemical imbalance that could be causing this type of algal accumulation or is this just the price you pay for having a plentiful source of aufwuchs.
Details in case helpful
+ Alkaline water kept at 24C
+ 2 Fluval FX6 and a massive koralia so LOTS of flow
+ Dosing EI (and Excel)
+ Lighting: 6x80w T5 with 10 hour photoperiod
+ 50% water change per week
+ Injected Co2 to bring pH to 7.1 (vs 7.8 tap water)
Thanks!
The only issue is that the green algae accumulating on the glass is driving me nuts. It's absolutely CAKED on and requires a good 2 hrs to scrape off each week, which has sadly led to me scratching the heck out of the acrylic (see the photo). You can see that my algae eaters are 'helping' by nibbling the algae off the glass but aren't really making a dent.
Question for you guys:
1) Do you think I should dose less / reduce light period or intensity / or try incrementally higher levels of Co2 injection?
2) Is there a specific chemical imbalance that could be causing this type of algal accumulation or is this just the price you pay for having a plentiful source of aufwuchs.
Details in case helpful
+ Alkaline water kept at 24C
+ 2 Fluval FX6 and a massive koralia so LOTS of flow
+ Dosing EI (and Excel)
+ Lighting: 6x80w T5 with 10 hour photoperiod
+ 50% water change per week
+ Injected Co2 to bring pH to 7.1 (vs 7.8 tap water)
Thanks!
zozo
Member
In my low tech experience, i have lights on from 8 am to 8 pm within the compansation point of the plants. 5 hours more light bellow that compansation point. And so i ramp up my lights slowly as nature would do, go up in steps from 0 at 8am to noon, have the highest intensity from noon to 5 pm and ramp it down on steps again to 10% at 8 pm. Keep the 10% on till 11 pm then it goes 0 again.
It works like a charm still not at a full 100% in the high periode with 60 watt's of led lights total at full power.. That's trail and error to find out.. But found the sweetspot not to have to much algae growing on the glass. What grows on it is easily wiped off with a sponge during the weekly water change. I have algae or aufwuchs growing on the rocks.. Wood and plants are relatively clean.
I dose my tank with potassium nitrate, potassium phosphate, magnesium nitrate and traces. 🙂
Tho i have a bit more plantmass then you have.. But my guess is, definitively intensity is playing the biggest part not the periode.
That's the nice thing about leds, it is easily and cheaply automated when it comes to dimming options.. Anyway, seeing your plantmass than 6x 80 watt is a tad much. Since you have a pendant light what you could try is play with the height to reduce light in the tank.. Double the height and see how it goes and go back down if needed..
High tech i have the same experience, it has 12 hours and a tad higher intensity mid day periode and about the same schedule.. Also a pendant hanging 40 cm above the tank.. Funny is almost everybody yells, low co2 is the cause for algae to thrive.. I have less algae in my low tech.. 🙄
Many forget..
It works like a charm still not at a full 100% in the high periode with 60 watt's of led lights total at full power.. That's trail and error to find out.. But found the sweetspot not to have to much algae growing on the glass. What grows on it is easily wiped off with a sponge during the weekly water change. I have algae or aufwuchs growing on the rocks.. Wood and plants are relatively clean.
I dose my tank with potassium nitrate, potassium phosphate, magnesium nitrate and traces. 🙂
Tho i have a bit more plantmass then you have.. But my guess is, definitively intensity is playing the biggest part not the periode.
That's the nice thing about leds, it is easily and cheaply automated when it comes to dimming options.. Anyway, seeing your plantmass than 6x 80 watt is a tad much. Since you have a pendant light what you could try is play with the height to reduce light in the tank.. Double the height and see how it goes and go back down if needed..
High tech i have the same experience, it has 12 hours and a tad higher intensity mid day periode and about the same schedule.. Also a pendant hanging 40 cm above the tank.. Funny is almost everybody yells, low co2 is the cause for algae to thrive.. I have less algae in my low tech.. 🙄
Many forget..
So it also likes co2 as much as the plants do as well as light.
AndyMcD
Member
Have you considered moving your light back or lower or angling it or taking a tube out so there is less light on the front glass?
A black background may mean algae is less obvious, on the back surface.
The aquarium looks great! I'd love to try this style of tank.
A black background may mean algae is less obvious, on the back surface.
The aquarium looks great! I'd love to try this style of tank.
Ted
Seedling
- Joined
- 8 Jan 2014
- Messages
- 24
Hi - thanks again for offering up some suggestions to reduce algae on the glass. I tried each independently - the winner was #2 (removing front and back bulbs).
Here were the results:
1) Raising the lamp hampered plant growth in the depths of the tank and led to a cyanobacteria bloom in places with poor circulation (behind the poret-foam corner filter intake)
2) Removing the front and back bulbs while keeping close to the surface reduced algae on the glass by about 90% and the plants are doing great
3) Increasing phosphates didn't make a noticeable difference
Appreciate it. I'll post photos once the plants make a bit of a comeback. I also read that there's a way to remove scratches on acrylic, which sounds like a pain but will be worth it.
Here were the results:
1) Raising the lamp hampered plant growth in the depths of the tank and led to a cyanobacteria bloom in places with poor circulation (behind the poret-foam corner filter intake)
2) Removing the front and back bulbs while keeping close to the surface reduced algae on the glass by about 90% and the plants are doing great
3) Increasing phosphates didn't make a noticeable difference
Appreciate it. I'll post photos once the plants make a bit of a comeback. I also read that there's a way to remove scratches on acrylic, which sounds like a pain but will be worth it.
