viktorlantos
Aquascaper
nice tank mate! congrat! the plants look really good.
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The upgrade!
- Thread starter Egmel
- Start date
Egmel
Member
Right, I was just getting involved with a question about lighting when I realised that since I upgraded my tank I only actually have 60W over a 30USG tank... which may explain why some of my plants are quite leggy!
So I'm looking to upgrade the lights at some point (probably in the next few months when the bank balance is happier) but I'll start the research now. I'm not sure how much I want to go up by. I currently have two separately controlled 30Ws of light (one the original juwel ballast the other a dual 15w arcadia ballast). Should I add another 60W using a dual 30W arcadia ballast and then if it's too much I can kill one of the single 30W sections or should I be conservative and just add the 30W. I currently have good CO2 and nutrients and I think I can up these to match the lighting - I've even just looked at getting a CO2 DIY inline reactor from Ed (see the hardware and DIY section 🙂 ) so if anything my CO2 will be getting even better (more efficient at least) soon anyway.
So I'm looking to upgrade the lights at some point (probably in the next few months when the bank balance is happier) but I'll start the research now. I'm not sure how much I want to go up by. I currently have two separately controlled 30Ws of light (one the original juwel ballast the other a dual 15w arcadia ballast). Should I add another 60W using a dual 30W arcadia ballast and then if it's too much I can kill one of the single 30W sections or should I be conservative and just add the 30W. I currently have good CO2 and nutrients and I think I can up these to match the lighting - I've even just looked at getting a CO2 DIY inline reactor from Ed (see the hardware and DIY section 🙂 ) so if anything my CO2 will be getting even better (more efficient at least) soon anyway.
Egmel
Member
Well life is nice and busy at the moment, I'm in the final throws of thesis writing and buying my first house. In the meantime I've moved into my sister's and I took the chance to re-scape the tank. 🙂
When I move into my new place I'm going to replace the sand with akadama and probably strip out the old juwel filter which is taking up much too much room in the back corner.
There have been a few casualties, I lost a couple of rummynoses and an otto in the move, mainly because I used traps to catch the shrimps and managed to catch some fish too.
Which was a dud lost as during the time I've been at my sister's my entire shrimp population has disappeared, I'm assuming they've died since there's nothing new been added to the tank that's able to eat them. At a guess I'd say it's something in the water as that's the only thing that's changed but I'm at a loss as to what. Again something I'm going to leave until I move to try and rectify.
When I move into my new place I'm going to replace the sand with akadama and probably strip out the old juwel filter which is taking up much too much room in the back corner.
There have been a few casualties, I lost a couple of rummynoses and an otto in the move, mainly because I used traps to catch the shrimps and managed to catch some fish too.
Which was a dud lost as during the time I've been at my sister's my entire shrimp population has disappeared, I'm assuming they've died since there's nothing new been added to the tank that's able to eat them. At a guess I'd say it's something in the water as that's the only thing that's changed but I'm at a loss as to what. Again something I'm going to leave until I move to try and rectify.
Steve Smith
Member
Tank is looking lovely 🙂 Shame about the losses but I guess it can't be helped :? Have you moved far? Is it a different water company etc?
Egmel
Member
Not far but it is a different water company which is why I suspect that. Some of my snails have also kicked it so it might be copper in the supply. As I say, I'm just keeping on top of maintenance, the fish seem fine so I don't think it's a nitrate/nitrite/ammonia problem, though I haven't tested in a while.SteveUK said:
Egmel
Member
Ok, so I'm still alive, I'm still keeping fish and I still have a high tech tank... sort of!
We're in the process of renovating the kitchen diner so the tank has moved to the only other space in the flat - the bathroom.
Poorly taken, with water spots all over and cucumber fishing lines but you get the idea!
Having also begun to miss having fish in the kitchen we've added a Betta Splendens to what was a live food tank and that's beginning to take form.
Meet Dorian
In his tank where I shoved some stuff to keep him happy.
And an in-situ view - the blank bit of plaster is where we had a chimney/gas fire removed (hence the main tank being elsewhere - this one is small enough I can move it when we actually get round to decorating)
We're in the process of renovating the kitchen diner so the tank has moved to the only other space in the flat - the bathroom.
Poorly taken, with water spots all over and cucumber fishing lines but you get the idea!
Having also begun to miss having fish in the kitchen we've added a Betta Splendens to what was a live food tank and that's beginning to take form.
Meet Dorian
In his tank where I shoved some stuff to keep him happy.
And an in-situ view - the blank bit of plaster is where we had a chimney/gas fire removed (hence the main tank being elsewhere - this one is small enough I can move it when we actually get round to decorating)
