IrvineHimself
Member
Okay, time for a belated introduction: I retired last year; have a number of health issues and was moved into an assisted living facility last Christmas. Not thinking in terms of lugging 20 litre buckets of water around, Aquascaping seemed like a great hobby which would not require a great deal of physical labour🤣 (I assure you, the python water change system is next on my shopping list)
Noting that I am a completely new to this hobby, I seem to be specialising in slow growing plants, and the tank has only been up and running for less than a month, you will want to see some photos
Public View
Private view
Looking from the public view, the left hand wall is planted with Weeping Moss as is the far right corner and the para-cord liana. The near right corner is planted with Christmas Moss as are the rocks which, together with the drift wood form a network of caves running the length of the aquarium.
In the foreground I have a large Anubis along with a few Pygmy Bucephalandra and some Crypts. I had a couple of Nana Anubis, but the rhizomes turned to mush. There is still one hanging on on top of the right hand piece of drift wood, its' rhizome is still okay but it only has one leaf😪
At the back I have a number of both varieties of Bucephalandra, along with rooting plants for which I cannot remember the name (I think they might be 'Lobellia Cardinalis'?)
This week, I also started to cultivate Red Root Floaters, for which, in conjunction with the sponge filter, I have set up air stones in the corners, each with their own thumbnail control valve to get them to gently circulate under the flood-light.
I want some more faster growing stem plants, preferably red, to camouflage the sponge filter; soak up nitrates, and provide a bit of colour. I am also looking for more epherites, of any colour, to replace the unfortunate Nanas
Oh yes, I almost forgot, I have also planted a couple of riparian plants: Pothos and Spathiphyllum, (see attached photos for the little plant holders I built from stainless steel mesh))
Livestock:
This is where I made the classic beginners mistake of being too quick with the cycling. After initially stocking with: half a dozen X-ray Tetras; 3 Rock Gobies [rarely seen] and 10 Cherry Shrimp [also rarely seen], I waited a week and, apart from an initial, very slight rise in ammonia, everything seemed okay. So, last weekend, I introduced: half a dozen Pygmy Corys, 10 Endlers and 2 Rabbit snails [also rarely seen]. As a result, I have been battling nitrite spikes all week. Ammonia and nitrates are perfect! In fact, the extremely low level of nitrates may be contributing to the BGA problem I mention in my initial post?
I would really like to get half a dozen Kuhlis; 3 more Rock Gobies a different, larger, more visible variety of shrimp and some Nerites. Also, once the mosses start to grow in, I would like a female Betta as a show-piece fish.
Lighting:
I tried a proper Hyger Aquarium light which rested on the tank, but bloody thing was constantly getting in my way and uses PLC technology that I considered archaic back when I was a student engineer. So, I bought an IP67, RGB+Daylight floodlight which is bolted to the roof of the tank alcove. Not only is it out of my way during tank maintenance, but I can program an automatic lighting schedule on my Google Nest. This schedule is currently a work in progress, and my initial unrealistic attempt to simulate a natural dawn through dusk environment may have contributed to my BGA problem.
Testing:
I initially bought the SeaChem 'Ammonia Alert' monitor, NT Labs 'Aquarium Lab' test kit, and, for convenient quick daily testing, the API '6 in 1' test strips. Now, with a bit of experience under my belt, I think I will use the SeaChem Nitrite/Nitrate test kit along with daily test strips that only test for nitrites/nitrates.
Subsequently, when designing my CO2 injector, I bought the JBL 'Easy 7 in 1' test strips to monitor CO2 levels. With regard to this product, I definitely feel suckered. Baring in mind the only reason I bought these strips was to test CO2 levels, the instructions are very obscure. Noting that they sell the same test strips at the same price with a colour chart to use in an app with a privacy policy that can only be described a abysmal and whose primary purpose appears to be to advertise JBL products, this obscurity appears to be quite intentional. What really irks however, is that the strips work by calculating changes in acidity from CO2 and comparing this to the KH value of the tank water. In other words, I could have got the same result from my API test strips, or, even better, a combined digital ph/temperature monitor.
CO2 Injection:
After looking into this, and in order to save money for more important things like the Python Water changer and good quality testing equipment, I decided to give the DIY approach a try. The two main methods appear to be vinegar or citric acid and baking soda, or fermentation. With a few mods, my system is basically based on this video.
CO2 Injector
The regulators are comprised of a thumbnail valve and a test tube filled with water. By cracking open the release valve, I have a degree of control as to how much CO2 is delivered to the tank. The purpose of the water filled test tube is partially to indicate if the valve is open and by how much, but also, to act as a diaphragm. In practice I may have to increase the depth of the test tube, but during pressure testing it seemed to work.
The scrubbers clean off any gunk from the fermentation
The CO2 check valves mean that I can initially start the fermentation with one vat. This will take a few days to get into full production, but towards the end of the cycle, I can connect up the second vat and start its fermentation thus delivering a constant supply of CO2.
Also, unlike in the linked video, I am using a proper CO2 diffuser.
However, as previously mentioned, I bought my CO2 testing strips under a misapprehension and, and, while the kit is installed and ready to go, I am reluctant to start the fermentation until I get a proper drop checker.
Well, That is me and my tank properly introduced.
Edit: I forgot to mention I am using 'TNC Aquatic Plant Nutrient'
Noting that I am a completely new to this hobby, I seem to be specialising in slow growing plants, and the tank has only been up and running for less than a month, you will want to see some photos
Public View
Private view
Looking from the public view, the left hand wall is planted with Weeping Moss as is the far right corner and the para-cord liana. The near right corner is planted with Christmas Moss as are the rocks which, together with the drift wood form a network of caves running the length of the aquarium.
In the foreground I have a large Anubis along with a few Pygmy Bucephalandra and some Crypts. I had a couple of Nana Anubis, but the rhizomes turned to mush. There is still one hanging on on top of the right hand piece of drift wood, its' rhizome is still okay but it only has one leaf😪
At the back I have a number of both varieties of Bucephalandra, along with rooting plants for which I cannot remember the name (I think they might be 'Lobellia Cardinalis'?)
This week, I also started to cultivate Red Root Floaters, for which, in conjunction with the sponge filter, I have set up air stones in the corners, each with their own thumbnail control valve to get them to gently circulate under the flood-light.
I want some more faster growing stem plants, preferably red, to camouflage the sponge filter; soak up nitrates, and provide a bit of colour. I am also looking for more epherites, of any colour, to replace the unfortunate Nanas
Oh yes, I almost forgot, I have also planted a couple of riparian plants: Pothos and Spathiphyllum, (see attached photos for the little plant holders I built from stainless steel mesh))
Livestock:
This is where I made the classic beginners mistake of being too quick with the cycling. After initially stocking with: half a dozen X-ray Tetras; 3 Rock Gobies [rarely seen] and 10 Cherry Shrimp [also rarely seen], I waited a week and, apart from an initial, very slight rise in ammonia, everything seemed okay. So, last weekend, I introduced: half a dozen Pygmy Corys, 10 Endlers and 2 Rabbit snails [also rarely seen]. As a result, I have been battling nitrite spikes all week. Ammonia and nitrates are perfect! In fact, the extremely low level of nitrates may be contributing to the BGA problem I mention in my initial post?
I would really like to get half a dozen Kuhlis; 3 more Rock Gobies a different, larger, more visible variety of shrimp and some Nerites. Also, once the mosses start to grow in, I would like a female Betta as a show-piece fish.
Lighting:
I tried a proper Hyger Aquarium light which rested on the tank, but bloody thing was constantly getting in my way and uses PLC technology that I considered archaic back when I was a student engineer. So, I bought an IP67, RGB+Daylight floodlight which is bolted to the roof of the tank alcove. Not only is it out of my way during tank maintenance, but I can program an automatic lighting schedule on my Google Nest. This schedule is currently a work in progress, and my initial unrealistic attempt to simulate a natural dawn through dusk environment may have contributed to my BGA problem.
Testing:
I initially bought the SeaChem 'Ammonia Alert' monitor, NT Labs 'Aquarium Lab' test kit, and, for convenient quick daily testing, the API '6 in 1' test strips. Now, with a bit of experience under my belt, I think I will use the SeaChem Nitrite/Nitrate test kit along with daily test strips that only test for nitrites/nitrates.
Subsequently, when designing my CO2 injector, I bought the JBL 'Easy 7 in 1' test strips to monitor CO2 levels. With regard to this product, I definitely feel suckered. Baring in mind the only reason I bought these strips was to test CO2 levels, the instructions are very obscure. Noting that they sell the same test strips at the same price with a colour chart to use in an app with a privacy policy that can only be described a abysmal and whose primary purpose appears to be to advertise JBL products, this obscurity appears to be quite intentional. What really irks however, is that the strips work by calculating changes in acidity from CO2 and comparing this to the KH value of the tank water. In other words, I could have got the same result from my API test strips, or, even better, a combined digital ph/temperature monitor.
CO2 Injection:
After looking into this, and in order to save money for more important things like the Python Water changer and good quality testing equipment, I decided to give the DIY approach a try. The two main methods appear to be vinegar or citric acid and baking soda, or fermentation. With a few mods, my system is basically based on this video.
CO2 Injector
The regulators are comprised of a thumbnail valve and a test tube filled with water. By cracking open the release valve, I have a degree of control as to how much CO2 is delivered to the tank. The purpose of the water filled test tube is partially to indicate if the valve is open and by how much, but also, to act as a diaphragm. In practice I may have to increase the depth of the test tube, but during pressure testing it seemed to work.
The scrubbers clean off any gunk from the fermentation
The CO2 check valves mean that I can initially start the fermentation with one vat. This will take a few days to get into full production, but towards the end of the cycle, I can connect up the second vat and start its fermentation thus delivering a constant supply of CO2.
Also, unlike in the linked video, I am using a proper CO2 diffuser.
However, as previously mentioned, I bought my CO2 testing strips under a misapprehension and, and, while the kit is installed and ready to go, I am reluctant to start the fermentation until I get a proper drop checker.
Well, That is me and my tank properly introduced.
Edit: I forgot to mention I am using 'TNC Aquatic Plant Nutrient'
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