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Radion fresh water

If you're doing what seems the modern version of "typical high tech" then it's either lots of water changes while tank establishes or have a very good water polishing system in place ... back in the day, tanks started with loads of (cheap) fast growing stem plants while getting established, crypts & "sensitive" plants were added later (after a few weeks to months), those T8 lights put out a lot less intensity so less CO2 demand etc, etc

From my recollections, Amano did frequent 50% water changes even on his big tanks, though as the tanks matured, those 50% water changes might be done at 7-14 day intervals ... he also used considerable amounts of charcoal in his filters.

With new soils/substrates, melting plants, there are a lot of DOC's entering the water column.

If on a water meter, then a large tank can be established with just a partial fill of the tank so water volume is easily reduced by half.
 
Large tank water changes is reasonably easy apart from cost 400l of metered water which is about £1.30 in my area.

1.Turn off filters and pumps.
2. Use a gravel vacuum to vacuum out 400l of water and detritus, using 16/22mm or larger pipe to either drain or lawn or garden. Some people use 1" PVC fittings to syphon out, though how you easily prime a 1" syphon will be interesting.
3. Add enough Prime or Amquel for 800l to tank.
4. Put hose pipe into tank and fill. If plants only no need to preheat water. Might want to consider raising tap water temperature if fish are present, though many including me have used hose pipe straight into the tank, drops to say 18'C or lower but fish appear fine.
 
Water changes are really important. I recently set up another tank and it still surprises me how much detritus builds up in a tank with no fish.

Given the plant mass to water volume ratio a daily change is probably not needed but I would at least have started with 2-3 changes per week for the first 2 or 3 weeks.
 
Well I did the 50% water change and that's a lot of water to take out every day for a week 2800ltr to just flush down the drain. Plus that's a lot of work

Will this not just flush out all the goodness in my fluval filters that I'm trying to gain? I was under the impression that all that chlorine will kill the good stuf
 
Rabbit229 said:
2800ltr to just flush down the drain
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Water the garden with it, that's what I do. Might as well have some use of your £8.96 of water (Southern water price is £3.20 per m3).

Might also want to consider sodium thiosulphate as dechlorinator as considerably cheaper than the likes of Prime and AmQuel. Get it from Ebay.
 
How do I dechlorinat 400ltr, I don't have 400ltr tub to mix the water
 
Rabbit229 said:
How do I dechlorinat 400ltr, I don't have 400ltr tub to mix the water
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You don't. First you vacuum out 50% (400l) of water, removes all the detritus as well.

Then add to the remaining 400l in the tank enough Prime/AmQuel/Thiosulphate for 800l. The double dose is extremely important.

Then add your 400l of fresh water. Done.
 
Rabbit229 said:
We don't need to water the garden in Oldham, rains almost every day
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Yes, but it doesn't rain nitrates, phosphates, potassium, fish poo and plant organics, all very yummy to plants and/or lawn. There is an extremely green area on my front lawn which shows the length of my waste fish water hose pipe, must get a longer pipe to water rest of lawn.
 
When should I run the co2? Just the 4h my light on? I know plants only take on co2 when its light but it's quite light through the day with the light off, with natural day light
Should I have the co2 starting up at 7am till 9pm or 4pm till 9pm
 
People suggest 2-3 hours on before lights and then 1 hour before lights off.

In what I've learnt so far, this seems to not be a hard and fast rule though.

My tank is in a fairly light room and gets day light most of the day. I suffered with a lot of melt and algae until I switched to running my co2 24/7. I am toying with stopping it from lights off until around 4am though as it is fully dark in the room during that time. Just trying to save a bit of gas.
 
You run your CO2 say 2hours before lights on so that your drop checkers are comfortably green when the lights come on. Or pH has dropped by one unit when lights come on. Both these indicate about 30ppm CO2. Running CO2 for more than lights on time is a waste of CO2 which will be considerable in a large tank.

In lower light or room light plants may or may not make use of the natural CO2 that dissolves into the water from the atmosphere giving about 3ppm dissolved. No need to add any more.
 
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