Re-education.....

[Andrew Butler]

In one of my old tanks I used to add filter floss in the centre of the pre filter, it would clog fast in this tank but I guess that would encourage better filter maintenance.

Is filter floss not a bit too fine? you've experience of doing it so unsure how, and if it effected flow rate (on screen)

cleaned some old sand to add back in......

Was this through rinsing that it came up clean? (Unipac Maui quartz sand?)

Tbh the wood isn’t anything I wouldn’t expect

I can't find where but when I commented somewhere people kind of rubbished this being something normal, but you've clearly shown it happening.
Puts me off adding wood to my next longer term planned aquascape, that's for sure.

Aside from the above it looks pretty enjoyable viewing to me, which I think is what the hobby's all about.

 

[Ady34]

Is filter floss not a bit too fine? you've experience of doing it so unsure how, and if it effected flow rate (on screen)

Was this through rinsing that it came up clean? (Unipac Maui quartz sand?)

I can't find where but when I commented somewhere people kind of rubbished this being something normal, but you've clearly shown it happening.
Puts me off adding wood to my next longer term planned aquascape, that's for sure.

Aside from the above it looks pretty enjoyable viewing to me, which I think is what the hobby's all about.

Hi, the floss does reduce the flow a little and I won’t be using it in this tank tbh as I need the flow and I don’t want to be cleaning every day.
The sand was some used I had previously from my discus tank, I just rinsed it and added it. I threw the sand I removed from this tank out, it’s too badly stained.
Yeah to me wood is biodegradable so will always disintegrate, the rate will just be different between types, I just accept it tbh and don’t tend to reuse wood hardscape as I always want fresh pieces for a new aesthetic.
The tank does look ok and from a distance has an impact. I do enjoy it and your right, that’s what it’s about but this has just got a bit too ugly tbh and I need to address the issues. I’m already feeling a lot better about it after a few maintenence sessions, just need to be consistent now.
Cheerio,
Ady.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

the rate will just be different between types, I just accept it tbh

A lot depends on the wood. In my experience these types are the most resistant to decay.

• Real "bogwood", wood that has been encased in a peat bog for hundreds, or thousands of years,
• Oak (Quercus robur) heart wood, from either branches or roots.
• Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) heart wood
• Mopani wood (Colophospermum mopane)

cheers Darrel

 

[Tankless]

Does the disintegrating Manzanita wood affect water parameters?

 

[Tim Harrison]

Looking much better for the maintenance Ady
You planning on getting much more milage out of this scape?

Does the disintegrating Manzanita wood affect water parameters?

I think the wood in Ady's scape is Talawa wood.
Manzi does decay a little, but it's very hard and resistant.
So no it doesn't impact much, if at all, on water parameters.
I've got pieces that have been used many times and still have plenty of life left.

 

[Ady34]

Does the disintegrating Manzanita wood affect water parameters?

As Tim said, it’s actually Talawa wood, with good tank maintenance and regular water changes it should not effect water quality.

Looking much better for the maintenance Ady
You planning on getting much more milage out of this scape?

Yeah it does look a lot better but a photo filter helps too
I think I am planning on running this for a lot longer. The thought of rescaping is so tempting but the cost in a tank this big is a little daunting so long term is definitely the way forward. I will see how well I can pull it back, but if the recent maintenance is anything to go by then I’m confident it will improve significantly.
I am almost decided to go for a second smaller set up which I can rescape more frequently to scratch the creative itches. That way I can leave the big tank as the slow burner, enjoy it, and get my aquascaping fix with a more cost effective system with regards creating more and varied scapes. Initial outlay will be an investment but future scapes will definitely be more achievable in a 30cm cube. I have always preferred larger tanks but I’ve converted myself to the positives of a nano
Cheerio,

 

[Ady34]

After carrying out double filter strip downs, and substrate replacement all within a couple of days i think it is important to follow up with above average water changes to counteract any reduction in filter bacteria and the loss of natural bacteria within the substrate. I’ll be doing ^50% water changes every other day this week and possibly every third day next week to ensure water quality remains safe for the fish.

Cheerio,

 

[Jayefc1]

It's so nice to see you posting and taking care of that beast of a tank mate it's been my fav tank on here for a while was gutted to see you had lost that lil bit of fire for it so glad its beginning to get turned around hope it all works out and your getting to the point where your happy with it again

 

[Ady34]

It's so nice to see you posting and taking care of that beast of a tank mate it's been my fav tank on here for a while was gutted to see you had lost that lil bit of fire for it so glad its beginning to get turned around hope it all works out and your getting to the point where your happy with it again

Cheers Jayefc1, would really like to turn it back around and make it look the way it should.

 

[Ady34]

Bba.....

red is dead??

 

[Wookii]

Bba.....

red is dead??

View attachment 132363

Is that from spot dosing/misting, or from whole tank dosing? if the latter what dose are you adding?

Your shrimp should munch through that if you have any left.

 

[Ady34]

Is that from spot dosing/misting, or from whole tank dosing? if the latter what dose are you adding?

Your shrimp should munch through that if you have any left.

Hi Wookii,
Whole tank dosing @ 5ml flourish excel to every 40l for 2 days.
Water change of 50%.
Next day another dose @ 5ml for every 40l, then at 5ml per 80l for the second day, 50% water change and I’ll repeat this till Sunday when I will stop altogether as I hate adding chemicals Hopefully red is dead.

cheerio,

 

[Wookii]

Hi Wookii,
Whole tank dosing @ 5ml flourish excel to every 40l for 2 days.
Water change of 50%.
Next day another dose @ 5ml for every 40l, then at 5ml per 80l for the second day, 50% water change and I’ll repeat this till Sunday when I will stop altogether as I hate adding chemicals Hopefully red is dead.

cheerio,

Yep, its those first three days that got it then I reckon. It'll disappear sharpish now I suspect.

 

[Ady34]

Yep, its those first three days that got it then I reckon. It'll disappear sharpish now I suspect.

Yes it turned red within the first three days, just belt and braces now for the rest of the week.

 

[Ady34]

Well, more maintenance at the weekend including a thinning of the bolbitis and crypt balansae and trimming the ludwigia. The bba has gone red, but nothing is eating it so it still sits on the wood and leaf edges in places. Excel treatment has now stopped, however the water has a slight milkiness, perhaps a small bacterial bloom due to a mini cycle from the major maintenence of the last week. Every third day water changes this week just to make sure, but all the livestock is well with no accelerated breathing nor any flicking or irritation so I believe all is good. I didn’t manage to catch any more bristlenose this weekend, but although I still have a fair amount of substrate detrius, it is nowhere near as bad as before and i can manage it with a quick siphon every couple of days.

the ludwigia and bolbitis were getting pretty condensed

So I pull the ludwigia stems completely

Thin out the older or damaged bolbitis and crypt leaves

trim the ludwigia down

Grab them in the tweezers

And push them into the mass of bolbitis to anchor

it’s not perfect but has a better overall feel again

Oh, and I did this.......

More equipment to collect so a slow burner but a smaller tank for more frequent creativity

cheerio,

 

[Wookii]

^^ Could you add a batch of large Amanos, or will your larger fish still hunt them? Some horned nerites may also eat the dying algae.

 

[Ady34]

^^ Could you add a batch of large Amanos, or will your larger fish still hunt them? Some horned nerites may also eat the dying algae.

Large amanos maybe safe but it’s finding them to buy. To be fair the cherry’s are maintaining a population but not booming to the numbers needed and I think there work ethic is effected by the large fish that do pick them off. I could add snails as I can source them locally. I had some before but they have disappeared.

 

[Wookii]

Large amanos maybe safe but it’s finding them to buy. To be fair the cherry’s are maintaining a population but not booming to the numbers needed and I think there work ethic is effected by the large fish that do pick them off. I could add snails as I can source them locally. I had some before but they have disappeared.

Most Maidenhead Aquatics have Amanos as does my local Pets at Home - in fact PAH have pretty large ones generally. If you buy females they will grow the largest.

 

[alto]

Just catching up - great response to the Excel (which is about what I’ve seen on the odd occasion I’ve had enough BBA to bother treating (definitely the wood was an outstanding home as virtually none elsewhere)) I didn’t try to remove any discoloured BBA and it seemed to have disappeared a month on

I encourage removal of the heavily affected leafs of the Buce etc - even once the BBA dies back, there is still significant leaf damage (more prone to new algae attachments, expensive for the plant to maintain) - established plants generally have no problems building new (healthy) leafs

I wonder how much of your wood disintegration is related to the pleco attention - even the softest wood I have, deteriorates much more slowly than what I see in your photo

Excess feeding of fish - your fish are well rounded and large specimens

Shrimp - not sure I’d bother adding Amano re cost and poor work ethic when there’s loads of fish food to be had (this applies to most SAE as well, especially as they mature they naturally consume less vegetative matter (even in the wild))
Also attention from fish will quickly convince them to dwell happily in the undergrowth


ADA 30C
I was going to attempt to persuade a 45P or even 60P but you were too fast (I find square scaping a challenge - I often run my 30C with just the Eheim mini up filter - though I went with the ONF Nano + so good light control)
Of course, now awaiting your 30C scape

 

[Ady34]

Just catching up - great response to the Excel (which is about what I’ve seen on the odd occasion I’ve had enough BBA to bother treating (definitely the wood was an outstanding home as virtually none elsewhere)) I didn’t try to remove any discoloured BBA and it seemed to have disappeared a month on

Thanks for the info, good to hear it will go without intervention. I’m sure I saw some manufacturer with a tweezer for bba removal, I guess I could use a set of eyelash tweezers to manually remove any from the hardscape I see just to help things along

I encourage removal of the heavily affected leafs of the Buce etc - even once the BBA dies back, there is still significant leaf damage (more prone to new algae attachments, expensive for the plant to maintain) - established plants generally have no problems building new (healthy) leafs

Yes, I have been removing the worst effected leaves as I spot them. Snipping a few buce and bolbitis leaves in particular. The bolbitis I mind less as they readily show new fronds however the buce seem slower growing so don’t feel as comfortable taking a lot from them....the worst ones definitely though.

I wonder how much of your wood disintegration is related to the pleco attention - even the softest wood I have, deteriorates much more slowly than what I see in your photo

I’m not too sure, I thought bristlenose weren’t aggressive with wood, more biofilm and algae eaters. Maybe it is water chemistry related.

Excess feeding of fish - your fish are well rounded and large specimens

I do only feed once a day. I guess the Congo’s eat natural shrimp supplies.

Shrimp - not sure I’d bother adding Amano re cost and poor work ethic when there’s loads of fish food to be had (this applies to most SAE as well, especially as they mature they naturally consume less vegetative matter (even in the wild))
Also attention from fish will quickly convince them to dwell happily in the undergrowth

That is my worry too, shrimp hunters do tend to put them off a bit.

ADA 30C
I was going to attempt to persuade a 45P or even 60P but you were too fast (I find square scaping a challenge - I often run my 30C with just the Eheim mini up filter - though I went with the ONF Nano + so good light control)
Of course, now awaiting your 30C scape

I took a while deliberating which tank, I wanted something smaller but always prefer a more panoramic tank for much the same reasons you described. It was a more stressful decision than I’ve made it appear, but I went with a more practical and sensible option in the end as even the 45p was a little too large for the space I have in the kitchen diner. Also the cost increases with every item you buy and I kind of want it mostly all to be ADA, but on a budget. I appreciate a small filter or even a skimmer would suffice however with such a small tank I didn’t want the invasion of a skimmer and then I want the ADA filter too so am looking at the es300 with spin pipes. Likely overkill for the 30c but I decided that tank, light, stand and filter would be ADA. I’ve picked a bad time to start this though with the global situation. Cabinet is made to order in this size and 300 superjet is out of stock without a delivery date I’m not in a huge rush I guess, apart from impatience
I could choose more controllable lighting but I just want it to be ADA, I don’t really know why I have this desire to own an ADA set up as I haven’t really felt the need before......it’s nice to have nice things i guess and on a small scale is semi affordable.....the items do look nice too

Anyway, thanks for the input, I will enjoy trying to scape the very tiny 30c, I’m much more used to larger tanks so it should be challenging. I’m hoping, if not to set the world alight with the scape, but to try some different things without the worry of wasting a huge amount of money on failing. It will be nice to utilise more ADA products and see how they fare.
Cheerio,
Ady.