Ready To Throw In the Towel

[nayr88]

Mark, lift the lid of the tank and get a shot of the lid and where the lid connects,
I'd say chances are you will be able to use the filter, what make is the tank? There maybe someone on the forum who has done the same? Ill go back and check your details you gave and if its there ill have a hunt for you.

The 405 is sold without spray bar but you'll be able to buy if from the same place you buy the filter from. It does come with inlet and an outlet(jet type).

How are you defusing your co2?

Cheers

 

[mark4785]

Mark, lift the lid of the tank and get a shot of the lid and where the lid connects,
I'd say chances are you will be able to use the filter, what make is the tank? There maybe someone on the forum who has done the same? Ill go back and check your details you gave and if its there ill have a hunt for you.

The 405 is sold without spray bar but you'll be able to buy if from the same place you buy the filter from. It does come with inlet and an outlet(jet type).

How are you defusing your co2?

Cheers

The make of the tank is Ferplast and my aquarium holds 120 litres.

I will take a picture as soon as I can.

I'm diffusing c02 using something called 'up co2 Atomiser 20'. It can be found here: http://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/up-co2- ... -2161.html .

Thanks for your help.

 

[m_attt]

regarding the light, can u get one of the clip on reflectors and put it on so its under the light so reflecting the water back to the hood.

 

[nayr88]

Hello mate,

Right I couldn't find anything on your particular tank being diy'ed but that doesn't mean it can't be done,

All you need to do is cut 2 slots in the back of the lid, you make a slot not a hole as you still need to lift the lid without the tubing being pinched, are your following me?

The diffuser your using seems good enough, a lot more people are opting for inline diffusers to get a more even spread and distribution of co2.


Cheers

 

[mfcphil]

Light is the Devil.....

I reduced my light which solved months of heartache!

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
I don't think you have enough plants, but as other people have suggested they will grow and fill out. I'd start by reducing all of the "3 pillars" of plant growth - Light, CO2 and Nutrients. I'd suggest turning of the CO2, and adding a layer of Amazon Frogbit (Limnobium) or similar to the tanks surface, this will have the advantage of access to atmospheric CO2 and of diffusing the light to the lower levels of the tank. I'd also reduce the nutrient input, once some semblance of stability has appeared you can then increase the light, CO2 and nutrients. Others will disagree, but have a look here. <http://www.ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=14061&hilit=frogbit+index#p146248>.

If you can't find any Limnobium, (or Salvinia or Pistia) locally, PM me as I always have some spare I can post.

cheers Darrel

 

[a1Matt]

I linked to that same post of yours in another thread earlier today Darrel!

 

[mark4785]

One thing I thought i'd mention is that my lights, heater and internal filter (350 LPH one) are all wired to the same plug which means the task of swapping to an external would only be possible once I've ideally removed the internal from it's "electrical bond"..

Just had an electrician visit the house and he had told me it would be unsafe to assign a plug to each appliance (lights, heater and internal filter) as it could cause an overload.

So the only way forward to be able to install an external filter is to rip the hood off and bin all of the appliances and start a fresh with a new hood.


I've acted on Ceg's advice and pointed all of the filter outlets and powerheads in the same direction for the benefit of coherent circulation.

I've cleaned all of the surfaces of the tank with a toothbrush and I'm using as much Easycarbo as I can safely use in a 24 hr period to kill off any remaining algae.

The aquarium now looks pretty clean but i'm not confident i've done in enough to stop black beard algae and hair algaes (which are most prominent) coming back.

Also, some posters have said I need to lower my lighting by putting some sort of buffer in between the bulbs and the water column. It's not practical really and I don't think it's very safe. The light reflectors are still installed so I guess I could remove them but again, how can someone be certain that this will prevent BBA and hair algae; won't it just still grow but at a slower rate?

Should I be tackling light as the cause of algae or lack of plant mass? I'm a bit confused now.

 

[nayr88]

Mate the way I summerised it would answe that pretty clear.

If you can't change the bulb or deffuse, I'd opt for an even shorter lighting period.

Chuck the uv steriliser

 

[mark4785]

Hi all,
I don't think you have enough plants, but as other people have suggested they will grow and fill out. I'd start by reducing all of the "3 pillars" of plant growth - Light, CO2 and Nutrients. I'd suggest turning of the CO2, and adding a layer of Amazon Frogbit (Limnobium) or similar to the tanks surface, this will have the advantage of access to atmospheric CO2 and of diffusing the light to the lower levels of the tank. I'd also reduce the nutrient input, once some semblance of stability has appeared you can then increase the light, CO2 and nutrients. Others will disagree, but have a look here. <http://www.ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=14061&hilit=frogbit+index#p146248>.

If you can't find any Limnobium, (or Salvinia or Pistia) locally, PM me as I always have some spare I can post.

cheers Darrel

Reducing nutrient input has had the effect of causing blue-green algae almost immediately (presuming you're talking about macro-nutrients).

Wouldn't Amazon frogbit cause a lack of algae growth as well as a lack of plant growth (esp in the case of my fast growers)?

 

[nayr88]

To be honest, what harm will it do to try the ifs and buts your giving to people who have successful planted tanks already 🙂

The flow you've sorted, so that's good. You've done a good clean and water change, keep doing the waters changes and cleaning any algae you see pop up.

As for ferts back of a little to suit your plant mass....so maybe just NPK mix?
Or purchase more plants and dose fully.

Amazon frogbit was suggested..why? Because it will block the light a little and will absorb a bomb or nutrients, and also because you mentioned about spending money on plants for waste because you was sceptical and 2 people have offerd you a portion of it.

Upload a pic and let's see how the clean has turned out bro

Thanks

 

[CeeJay]

Hi mark4785

Just had an electrician visit the house and he had told me it would be unsafe to assign a plug to each appliance (lights, heater and internal filter) as it could cause an overload.

You'd better get yourself another electrician (That's my trade too 😉 )

On a serious note, as mentioned before, Planted tanks follow these rules, Light > CO2 > Ferts, in that order. Control the light and you have much more room for error on the CO2 & ferts.
JenCliBee asked why everyone suggested more plants. One good reason for filling your tank with plants is that they will use any ammonia produced by fish etc. (Light + Ammonia = algae........... guaranteed) and the faster growing plants will use it quicker too. Win win situation.
Sounds like you've now got your flow right and got your ferts right. That leaves the light and CO2 to get sorted and you'll be there.
Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[nayr88]

Oh yeah, I didn't pick up on your electricians comment mark, sounds to me like he wants to wire and bill you to add a couple more sockets haha 🙂 how else is everyone in the country runing lights filter heater and co2 solenoid? Haha.

I mentioned ealier to bin the UV, don't 🙂 haha I've just been told there find 🙂

 

[mark4785]

That leaves the light and CO2 to get sorted and you'll be there.

Well I've ordered some Amazon frogbit from eBay and I'll try using it in the aquarium. I'm not that hopeful that it will last because one of my internal's has a intake grill at the surface (which is where this plant will be located) and it may get sucked in. I think they are suitable to be in an environment down to 4 degrees C so if it starts to die or get sucked into the filter, I'll transfer it to my pond and let it grow there.

You'd better get yourself another electrician (That's my trade too 😉 )

I trust the electrician's advice. He's a friend of the family and we've known him for many years so I'm not going against what he's said. If theres anybody to pick fault with, it's Ferplast; oh wait, there HQ is based in italy so they won't understand me if I had a complaint??

As requested, here are some newer pictures of the aquarium (sorry to those who I'm not naming, I'm still getting used to this phpBB software):

Whole Aquarium

Strange Growths - Not sure what it is!

close-up

One Bacopa with same growths

There is also some green hair algae which I missed and will remove tomorrow.

Note: the drop checker is not mounted as it dropped off the glass (yet again!). I'm awaiting a newer one to arrive which I'm hoping isn't so fiddly and which suckers to the glass properly.

 

[nayr88]

Whoa whoa whoa!! What about the left pane of glass! Haha 😉 thick with algae,

Sometime if I notice some furry algae on my plants ill gently rub the leave with my hands or pick it of with tweezers.

Also In the picture the Koralia on the left seems to be flowing toward the other end of the tank, hindering you co2 distribution.

If it was me I would have both koralias mounted on the back wall pointing towards to front panel and slightly pointed downwards only slightly though, I would the have the diffuser on the back wall in the centre, I would also do my best to hide the cables ect, your sparky mate might give you some cable ties to use with the sticky back pads that you can pull the cable tie through and stick inside your hood.

I could of send you double and ebay portion just for postage costs mate, let me know how your portion turns out and ill send you some extra for a couple quid.

Next keep an eye out for some really easy to grow stems, and some more crypts 🙂 also you could trim your current stems in half and replant them.

 

[Drouthie]

Here's a cleaning tip:
Use a razor on the glass (unless its acrylic), it's so much easier than scrubbing and it'll get the GSA off easily. Its strangely satisfying scraping it all off! I break the safety plastic of cheap orange bic razors although plain blades are better for corners.

 

[mark4785]

Also In the picture the Koralia on the left seems to be flowing toward the other end of the tank,

The left koralia is switched off, I just haven't detatched it from the glass.

I would also do my best to hide the cables ect, your sparky mate might give you some cable ties to use with the sticky back pads that you can pull the cable tie through and stick inside your hood.

I too am doing my best to keep the wires nice and tidy but the suckers do not suck. Since I can't use blu-tak or cellotape in there I've kinda given up. I'm not sure how practical your suggestion is since part of the hood is inaccessible so I wouldn't be able to thread any wires through it.

Sometime if I notice some furry algae on my plants ill gently rub the leave with my hands or pick it of with tweezers.

Is there any way of stopping this algae from forming as it is getting on my nerves haha.

Here's a cleaning tip:
Use a razor on the glass (unless its acrylic), it's so much easier than scrubbing and it'll get the GSA off easily. Its strangely satisfying scraping it all off! I break the safety plastic of cheap orange bic razors although plain blades are better for corners.

I too find it quite satisfying but I do go through phases which involve being lazy about cleaning it due to probably being shattered at the end of a college day. I'm finding that the toothbrush is a good cleaning tool but I will take into consideration your suggestion

One thing I ought to point out is the fact that a very small 1cm by 1cm patch of what looks to be like cyanobacteria has appeared in my substrate. I know this can form in response to 'dirty substrate' but how am I supposed to clean the substrate when doing so releases ammonia which the German Blue Ram responds to straight away? I've responded to the cyano by dosing a little more nitrate on a micro-nutrient dosing day, presuming it's a nitrate deficiency rather than dirty substrate causing it to form.

 

[mark4785]

Will provide some pictures of the aquarium tomorrow as the Limnophila and Bacopa is growing very quickly. There are no major algae issues a part from a small amount of what looks like cyanobacteria and white tuffs/hairs growing on some plants.

 

[nayr88]

Good to hear mark,

Look forward to the pictures, has you frogbit arrived from ebay?

 

[mark4785]

Look forward to the pictures, has you frogbit arrived from ebay?

Yes it has but the seller sent 20 pieces instead of 40 which was the amount I ordered. He's sending an extra 40 as an apology.

Here are the pictures, the algae seems to be taking hold on some of the plants:

1. Hair algae growing on bog wood.

2. Dark algae growing on lower part of Bacopa; discoloured algae.

3. Algae attacking the whole of this plant.

4. Unidentifiable Algae :?:

5. Algae overwhelming another plant.

I'm obviously not too pleased with the algae and would definitely like to know how to stop it from growing so quickly.

Oh, and on the bright side I believe my female German Blue Ram will have some fry very shortly!

Edit:

Also, another issue I have is with my new Aqua essentials' branded drop-checker. The bromo blue within inside seems to be 90% transparent! is there a way of stopping this from happening? See pic below: