It's been 1 hellish end to last week!
Saturday's jobs drain the water, set up the ADS with the new ferts micro-macro after water is drained (I can move the tank out of the corner then), change light timings and power, adjust co2 for new timings, refill and finally do a PH profile....
I had to wait for lighting to come on prior to doing Saturdays water change, when it did, I spotted some BBA on the Monte Carlo and Eleocharis mini so out came the toothbrush and the fear started. I didn't want to uproot any of the plants. Anyway, cut a long story short got it cleaned and water changed, added the tanks inhabitants back to their new home and added a load of anubias to hopefully help with algae control. Wahoo job done.
I got up early Sunday, no lay in, I need to check dosing is running right. Oh god it's dosing both pumps at the same time (my fault I didn't dry run them first) so I pinched pump 1’s tube then pulled pump 2’s tube out of the bottle breathing a sigh of relief thinking I had stopped the dose entering the tank only to find out when checking both containers/bottles that the dose had been administered oh well nothing I can do about it now. HOW am I supposed to sort out the ferts lines now the tank is full, the lines run up the rear with only 2" between the tank and wall and go into the tank in the back corner, oh the joys of having a corner tank. I decided I would have to do everything at the pump or wait till next water change but didn't feel that was an option, I clamped the output lines to stop air getting in and then realised no that’s not right the tank will drain out, disconnected I can now mess about with timings and intervals, I found this to be a nightmare and could not get it to run right. I then found a tutorial, even then it wasn't easy after about 6 attempts and a whole bucket of stress I eventually got it running correctly, I think! Dosing into pots now as test for a few days.
After all the messing about with the above the lights had come on in the tank. I stared into the tank with disbelieve at what I was seeing there are loads of plants (AR mini, Staurogyne, MC and bits of the Eleocharis mini) stuck to the wall of the circulation pump. Here we go again then I see that the Reineckii mini has been almost completely obliterated apart from a few plants the rest are just stems and some have totally disappeared, by this stage. I have a mixture of emotions going on in my head including cursing the shrimp as they are eating it right in front of me, I feel like they are baiting me for a reaction the little sh*ts. I'm at a loss and don't know what to do, they look like they are now moving onto the Staurogyne. It’s now 2pm on a Sunday what the hell am I going to do to stop them! (I know it's only natural but when see your work getting destroyed you know how it feels). I ring
@Aquarium Gardens and once more they come to my rescue and advise me to add some cucumber for the shrimp to eat saying they must be hungry, how hungry can they be they have devoured nearly a whole pot! I added 4 clumps of cucumber strips straight away and they flocked to it and are munching the hell out of it thank god, now they will leave the poor Reineckii alone. Problem sorted I thought.
I replanted all the poor floaters and have noticed some gaps in the MC, it's obvious where they have gone.
The first thing I did this morning (6am) checked the tank and to my relief everything was still intact, problems over. This was short-lived on arriving home for a quick visit at 10 am I can see the rest of the Reineckii is gone and another load of plants have been uprooted/partially eaten and again stuck to the pump side wall.
I have now removed some of the bunches of cucumber and replaced it some lettuce leaves, I have also ordered some almond and banana leaves in the hope they will leave the plants alone.
I did not have a chance to replant these tonight, tomorrow I will do a water change and replant then.
So, the sage continues tomorrow….