Scaper 90

[ichigoDoux]

Hi,

After lots of reading, gathering supplies, thinking and desciding, i finally started up my tank today!

Scaper 90 with a lido 120 cabinet
Chihiros WRGB 2
CO2 currently running close to 2bps
Biomaster thermo 350

What do you guys think of my light settings?
Currently running around 25% with a rampup timer of 1h, 6hours light.

About the waterchanges, im not sure yet.
Om dosing EI, but how do you do that, if you need waterchanges nearly every day the First week?

I was planning sunday WC and Macro, monday micro, tuesday WC and macro, wednesday micro, thursday WC and macro,….

 

[Aqua360]

I recommend reading the writings of Christel Kasselmann, she advocates 12 hour light periods, since trying it I've actually had less algae issues, plants grow much better.

You have to be accurate on dosing and co2, but it gives you much more time to view your tank also.

 

[hypnogogia]

I recommend reading the writings of Christel Kasselmann, she advocates 12 hour light periods, since trying it I've actually had less algae issues, plants grow much better.

Do you compensate with lower intensity? Do you have a reference for where she discusses this?

 

[Aqua360]

Do you compensate with lower intensity? Do you have a reference for where she discusses this?

I didn't, I just upped it and it worked. She's written on this forum before, I'll try to find and link it @dw1305 may also have the link!

 

[Aqua360]

Lighting duration

6-8 hours photo period appears to be largely the de facto standard advice for a high tech/CO2 injected tank on this forum, particularly on a tank start-up - the reason quoted to avoid algae outbreaks From @Tim Harrison's excellent soil substrate guide: I 'm not sure on the origin of the 6-8...

www.ukaps.org

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I'll try to find and link it @dw1305 may also have the link!

This one <"Algae help!! Starting to take over!!">.

cheers Darrel

 

[ichigoDoux]

Thank you Darrel, Aqua360. I did not have the time yet to review the info you gave me. Going to read into that the couple of days.

So today is day 2 of cycling. I came home to a very cloudy aquarium. Immediately did my waterchange of 50%, This is How it looks now, still a bit cloudy though. Is This the so called bacteria bloom, or is it too soon for that?

 

[ichigoDoux]

Hi Guys,

This is how it looks after cycle day 3.
Is this something to worry about? I did a WC of 50% on day 2 and again today, day 3, but the cloudiness comes back immediately.
Can it be the new spiderwood colouring the water? Or are there tests that i can run to determine something?

Dropchecker is dark green in the morning, co2 comes up 1,5h before light, and turns lime green.

 

[John q]

Is this something to worry about?

No nothing to worry about, it's all part of the circle of life and perfectly normal. Keep up with the water changes, it will pass in time.

 

[ichigoDoux]

Thanks John, ill keep it up

 

[ichigoDoux]

Tomorrow is day 7.
The cloudiness is disappearing very good, Thanks to the daily WC.
From tomorrow on, ill be doing WC every 2 days.
Im dosing EI daily, macro one day, micro other day,….
Im keeping my Chihiros WRGB 2 at 28% for at least one more week.

Im seeing some white bacteries on the wood that im cleaning with a toothbrush.

2 questions;
Looking for advice for a good vacuum cleaner. Im doing the WC with a 16/22 pipe, but that is too powerful to use on the soil and plants.

Is there any need to increase the strength of my lights, i dont see any issues with the plants.

Any ideas guys?

 

[AlecF]

For those with small means a thicker air line makes a good way to remove water, clean and add water.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

a thicker air line makes a good way to remove water, clean and add water.

I use 12 / 16 hose, but I have a small clamp (originally an air line accessory?) to throttle back the flow. This sort of thing <"Eisco Tubing Clamp Hoffmann Type">, and some sponge over the business end if I want to go really carefully.

The other option is just to have some narrower tubing somewhere in the syphon system

I always syphon the water into a <"6 pint milk carton">, as this allows me to retrieve any Asellus, fish fry etc. that I may have sucked up.

cheers Darrel

 

[ichigoDoux]

Thats a good idea Darrel!
Going to fix something together in the weekend. I figured out the main line should not be too big, the end part that goes into the aquarium should be bigger.

 

[Lauris]

Im doing the WC with a 16/22 pipe, but that is too powerful to use on the soil and plants.

I use these to increase/decrease flow + fine mesh bag on the other side of the hose to catch any moss (when trimming moss..as you want to reattach that)

Is there any need to increase the strength of my lights

Hold on your horses, don't blast it out. Give mother nature a chance.. you need 2 weeks about'ish before you can make any solid judgments.. week 1 is usually problem-free (unless you are starting it terribly wrong).

On the other hand..

i dont see any issues with the plants

..why change then?

 

[ichigoDoux]

..why change then?

Spot on!

 

[TheOslo]

Looking great. I must say putting those small stones on the soil is the first for me. Usually people would put them on sand or fine gravel?

 

[ichigoDoux]

Looking great. I must say putting those small stones on the soil is the first for me. Usually people would put them on sand or fine gravel?

Yes Oslo, you are correct. during the hardscape it looked beatiful, but during planting, it came clear that it would overgrow quickly

 

[ichigoDoux]

Hey @Lauris i have created a WC hose using the adapter you showed me, it works great! No need to take it out of the aquarium every time the bucket is full

I did fell off my chair when measuring my parameters; i do have a water softner at home i must mention:

Before water softner:
Kh 17
Gh 16

After water softner:
Kh 18
Gh 4

Im looking into doing partly RO WC as From now. Still have a aqua medic easy line 190 laying around. Probably i’ll start changing the filters and membrane first.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Im looking into doing partly RO WC as From now.

We have a water softener, but we don't drink the water from it and I use rain-water in the tanks.

After water softner:
Kh 18
Gh 4

It is <"strong acid"> ion exchange. The cation (usually calcium (Ca++) is swapped for two sodium ions (2Na+), but the anion isn't involved, so you get sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) in the water, and the carbonates of <"monovalent cations are soluble">.

Have a look at <"https://www.lenntech.com/Data-sheets/Ion-Exchange-for-Dummies-RH.pdf">, despite its slightly strange title it is really useful.

cheers Darrel

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