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Annoyingly BBA is starting to return on the hardscape again. It goes away when I dose liquid carbon directly to the tank but was hoping it was something I could stop adding. I guess the heavy stocking and large amount of wood is going to make this an ongoing problem.
 
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Annoyingly BBA is starting to return on the hardscape again. It goes away when I dose liquid carbon directly to the tank but was hoping it was something I could stop adding. I guess the heavy stocking and large amount of wood is going to make this an ongoing problem.
I spot control with glut, but mostly keep it under control by reducing light.
 
I guess the heavy stocking and large amount of wood is going to make this an ongoing problem.

That would be my guess too - BBA seems to like higher level of organic waste in the tank. I’ve always had it appear when I’ve become a bit more max with maintenance.

What is your current water change regime?

Anything you can do longer term to reduce the organics - flush them out with increased water changes, increase DO levels (surface agitation, airstone (even if just at night), Twinstar type devices), perhaps consider using Purigen pouches - should all help longer term.
 
That would be my guess too - BBA seems to like higher level of organic waste in the tank. I’ve always had it appear when I’ve become a bit more max with maintenance.

What is your current water change regime?

Anything you can do longer term to reduce the organics - flush them out with increased water changes, increase DO levels (surface agitation, airstone (even if just at night), Twinstar type devices), perhaps consider using Purigen pouches - should all help longer term.
Around 50 percent once a week. Eheim filters cleaned weekly now - I used to be a nightmare when it came to cleaning my external but thought I’d keep on top of this now as I thought it was contributing to the issue. I do have purigen in the filter but I’m sure this has been exhausted now, I really need to put it in some bleach to bring it back.

Flow is pretty good, 2 x filter outlets in a jet style facing the front and a circulation pump too. Although I’ve always found bba prefers high flow areas.

I should probably just embrace the algae to be fair as it looks pretty natural on the wood and the plecs enjoy sifting through it. I had a load of friends round yesterday and all enjoyed the tank and none mentioned the algae. Although they did ask why don’t I get some nice big fish like some parrot fish! 😫😫😫😫😫
 
Great idea! A nice shoal of parrot fish, a couple of barracuda, maybe a Napoleon wrasse - they only get to around 400lb 😂
I think he meant the awful deformed orange hybrid cichlids that look like they’ve swallowed a golf ball.

Napoleon wrasse, Now that’s a proper fish! Seem some absolute beasts when I’ve been diving before. Same with barracudas.
 
I think he meant the awful deformed orange hybrid cichlids that look like they’ve swallowed a golf ball.

Oh right yeah, they’re awful manufactured things.

Napoleon wrasse, Now that’s a proper fish! Seem some absolute beasts when I’ve been diving before. Same with barracudas.

Likewise, almost bumped into a 5ft barracuda while diving in Mexico - I saw it at the last minute about 2ft from its face - it had no intention of moving - top predator arrogance!

Similarly a massive Napoleon Wrasse almost scared me to death when it suddenly appeared over the top of coral ridge I was diving beneath, in the Red Sea - it swam right over the top of me. Both times were almost full on ‘Code Brown’ moments! 😂
 
Oh right yeah, they’re awful manufactured things.



Likewise, almost bumped into a 5ft barracuda while diving in Mexico - I saw it at the last minute about 2ft from its face - it had no intention of moving - top predator arrogance!

Similarly a massive Napoleon Wrasse almost scared me to death when it suddenly appeared over the top of coral ridge I was diving beneath, in the Red Sea - it swam right over the top of me. Both times were almost full on ‘Code Brown’ moments! 😂

😂
Had a similar experience with a rather large Moray Eel. I’m kinda diddy at less than 5ft but wasn’t so keen to be swimming alongside anything that’s bigger than me and has scary looking teeth! 😳
 
😂
Had a similar experience with a rather large Moray Eel. I’m kinda diddy at less than 5ft but wasn’t so keen to be swimming alongside anything that’s bigger than me and has scary looking teeth! 😳
They can grow into monsters!

The worst are the Titan triggerfish when they’re in breeding mode, fearless with massive bloody teeth! They won’t back down from anything, have to make sure you give them a wide berth.
 
They can grow into monsters!

The worst are the Titan triggerfish when they’re in breeding mode, fearless with massive bloody teeth! They won’t back down from anything, have to make sure you give them a wide berth.

Yeah, a girl on our first open water dive after passing the PADI course got hit by a Titan trigger as soon as she jumped off the boat - bit a massive 20mm diameter hole in her fin - she was lucky she wasn’t barefoot!

Apparently their breeding territory is like a cone, so it can be 3m diameter on the seabed, but 30m diameter by the time you get to the surface - so you never swim upwards to avoid them!
 
Yeah, a girl on our first open water dive after passing the PADI course got hit by a Titan trigger as soon as she jumped off the boat - bit a massive 20mm diameter hole in her fin - she was lucky she wasn’t barefoot!

Apparently their breeding territory is like a cone, so it can be 3m diameter on the seabed, but 30m diameter by the time you get to the surface - so you never swim upwards to avoid them!

Good to know!! 👍 Sideways….at speed…got it!! 😂

I had a weeks diving in Egypt booked 8 days after the ‘world’ shut down for the first lock down. Was gutted to miss it.

May well finally re-book late this year, assuming the airports ever get their act together!!

I am missing both the sun and the sea!
 
Hope everyone’s good?

Seen freeze dried blackworm mentioned a few times recently. It’s a great food and I swear by it now for conditioning corydoras however all fish love it and it’s a favourite of discus breeders. I stick it on the glass low to the substrate and it drives the corydoras mad like no other food, it even allows me to take some rubbish pictures of them!

I highly recommend it for most fish except herbivorous species like mbuna as it is very high in protein.

Cheers
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Yeh great photos . Any tips for how get to capture the fish like that Connor
I’m pretty hopeless at taking pictures, I manage to get pictures of the catfish as they’re pretty still whilst eating the blackworm. As for the tetras I just take loads and occasionally the odd one or two turn out ok but it’s pretty rare! Would love to be able to take decent pictures with a good quality camera as these iPhone pictures really don’t highlight the true colours of these fish.

Cheers
 
Ha ha think your fish pictures not bad at all @Conort2 . Taking with a Motorola which seems Ok .probably take a few like you say. I have a few Barbs never still always active and out of focus
 
Not sure if the really warm weather was anything to do with it but everything has gone spawning mad in the main tank. Pencilfish and hyphessobrycon spawning regularly however they turn around and eat their spawn almost instantly. The corydoras duplicareus are also in the mood, managed to save a few eggs the other day but only had one hatch. Seems to be doing ok even though I accidentally sucked it up whilst cleaning the breeding box! It’s impossible to see amongst the mulm.

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Cheers
 
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