# carlsj2012's 75 Gallon, The Comeback (56k warning?)



## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

So, a quick update on the current status of this tank. Started dosing EI on March 5:

Dosage:
KNO3 - 1/2 tsp EOD
KH2PO4 - 1/8 tsp EOD
K2SO4 - 1/8 tsp EOD

CSM+B - 1/8 tsp EOD
Iron - 5ml twice/week

Flourish Excel - 5ml ED
Flourish Advance - 5ml ED (had some left over, I'll run it until it's gone)

CO2 is probably a little on the low side. Bumped up the regulator pressure to 10 psi today and targeted closer to 4 bubbles per second. I'm working at the moment, so I don't really get to monitor what the pH or drop checker are doing.

It looks like BGA is making a comeback. I suspect lack of 02/circulation and too much light. Today I angled my spray bar toward the front of the tank for some good surface ripple and better circulation (it had been angled down the back previously) and light intensity has been reduced from 100% to 75%. Tested nitrate at 20ppm.

Unfortunately, these steps are good at preventing it, and won't necessarily get rid to it. I did a little reading on fighting BGA and am deliberating on which method to use:
1) Four day blackout
2) EM Treatment
3) Hydrogen Peroxide

Anyone have experience with these? The EM may require a prescription, but I've yet to contact my LFS to check availability.

carlsj2012


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## KZB (Jan 3, 2018)

Hello @carlsj2002 your tank is looking good. For your Bga I used Ultralife Blue Green stain remover with great success before. Got it on Amazon. You look to be on a better track. Glad you didnt give up. I would suggest looking at some members journals here and see what their doing. Co2 at 4 bubbles per minute worries me, but I think you ment to say 4 bubbles per second. Pick up some test kits so you can share your water parameters and the members here at TPT will be able to help you. Keep up on your 50% weekly water changes, along with thorough gravel cleaning, proper filter maintenance. Keeping a tank and equipment clean goes a long way. Goodluck and enjoy the ride. This is also a useful link to help with fertalizers https://rotalabutterfly.com/nutrient-calculator.php.


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

Thanks @KZB,

I currently have the API master test kit, but I think I will pick up a gH/kH and PO4 kit. I found the template @Greggz has been using, and like it a lot. I will play around with it a little bit until I figure out what I'm doing. The journals have been fun to read through, although they mostly make me want to get another tank!


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

Decided to do a spot vac of the BGA this afternoon when I woke up (working the night shift at the moment). I got a good chunk of it out, but I know it's still in there. I'm hoping the adjustments I made will prevent it from spreading. Ended up being ~10% WC. Didn't want to go too crazy before work! Dosed my regular macros, and doubled down on Excel at 10 ml. Going forward, I will spot treat with H2O2 until (hopefully) it is eliminated. I figure if it can no longer spread, then I will just sit there waiting to be eradicated....maybe I'm delusional.


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

I'm beginning to wonder if something else is happening in my tank. I do see what resembles BGA on the substrate, but the didiplis appears to be getting a coat of lighter green colour on it. I thought BGA didn't "jump" up onto plants, more of a creep up? Also the rosanervig leaves are getting a dusting of brown on them. Diatoms? I'll try to get some pictures when I'm not working.

On another note, I've been working on filling out my water parameters spreadsheet. I've got most of it done now, but I'm waiting on a degassed pH value. I'll be using the API pH test kit for those values. I know they aren't as accurate, but it's all I've got for now. Tomorrow is WC day, so I'm curious to see what my NO3 readings are pre and post WC. I'll have to pick up some other test kits for PO4 and gH/kH.

I also have some concerns with regard to my PAR value. Based on the PAR data I managed to find, I suspect I am getting just under 50 PAR at the center of my tank. I feel like this isn't enough light?


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

So I was sitting there pondering about my water clarity. I don't think I mentioned this yet, but the water is not as clear as I would like it to be. Then it hit me: I think I've got my filter set up all wrong! Not only that, but it really isn't set up to be polishing water at all!!! I have no fine polishing, only coarse sponge. And to make things worse, I think my trays are in backwards. Bio media is in the bottom, I have some carbon in the middle tray at the moment, and a coarse sponge on top.

Guess I'll be doing a filter clean tomorrow! I'll stop at some shop somewhere and pick up some polyester fill. No wonder I'm running into so many issues!


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## AguaScape (Oct 28, 2018)

carlsj2012 said:


> So I was sitting there pondering about my water clarity. I don't think I mentioned this yet, but the water is not as clear as I would like it to be. Then it hit me: I think I've got my filter set up all wrong! Not only that, but it really isn't set up to be polishing water at all!!! I have no fine polishing, only coarse sponge. And to make things worse, I think my trays are in backwards. Bio media is in the bottom, I have some carbon in the middle tray at the moment, and a coarse sponge on top.
> 
> Guess I'll be doing a filter clean tomorrow! I'll stop at some shop somewhere and pick up some polyester fill. No wonder I'm running into so many issues!


I would suggest losing the carbon completely. It does not really help with clarity. I only use carbon if I want to clean out meds. Most canisters run bottom up on chambers. Mine have 4 chambers. Coarse foam on bottom, two chambers of bio-media, then a medium foam and polish pad in the top chamber.


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

Thanks @AguaScape! Yeah, that carbon was put in recently during my re-start to help with odor. All that BGA smell was not pleasant in the living room! I will probably leave it in there until the following filter change, as it's relatively new. I was wondering about the placement of the polishing stage. Would having it before the bio-media be beneficial in keeping them a little cleaner? I had noticed there wasn't much in the coarse foam last time I took it apart.


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## AguaScape (Oct 28, 2018)

carlsj2012 said:


> Thanks @AguaScape! Yeah, that carbon was put in recently during my re-start to help with odor. All that BGA smell was not pleasant in the living room! I will probably leave it in there until the following filter change, as it's relatively new. I was wondering about the placement of the polishing stage. Would having it before the bio-media be beneficial in keeping them a little cleaner? I had noticed there wasn't much in the coarse foam last time I took it apart.


Carbon will help with odor, but odor is usually not caused by algae so much as detritus. Algae is often the result of too much detritus as well. Proper cleaning and filtration will help with that. I prefer to put the polish pad as the last step. This may just be personal preference, but it works for me. I find that most the mulm will collect in the coarse foam and the fine stuff will flow through the bio media to get caught later in the medium foam and polish pad. The polish pad is more prone to clogging due to how fine it is and having it on top allows me to change it easily if I notice a flow reduction.


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

Aye, I had meant today to be so much more productive! Alas, life is a roller-coaster. I managed to pick up some polyester fill to put in one of my trays (thanks walmart), and took care of that during a 50% WC. Scraped the glass, did a little vacuuming of the gravel and plants, being careful not to uproot the freshly planted flora, and gave the HC a haircut. Managed to do a couple of water tests:

Degassed pH: 7.6 (API test kit)
Nitrates Pre-WC: Between 40-80 (API test kit)

Tomorrow I hope to determine my pH drop, as well as see where my nitrates are at after the WC.

As per KZB's recommendation, I increased the RGB light to 100%, leaving the white at 75%. I did not realize just how low on the red spectrum the Satellite +Pro was.


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## KZB (Jan 3, 2018)

@carlsj2012, I used your setting of 100% rgb 75%white at your 18" to substrate. Hope this helps


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

March 12, followed up with some water tests. Low pH at the end of the day was 7.0, NO3 after the water change is sitting at ~30ppm. Still no tests for PO4 or K, but with NO3 being in range I'm just assuming the others are as well, so I decided to skip my macro dosing today. Looks like I can also increase my CO2 injection, so I'll work on fine tuning that.

Some of the algae I've been seeing:







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Tank Mates:







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FTS:







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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

Something I forgot to mention, I had my Anubias Nana's leaves all fall off. I had wedged it between the rocks, hoping that the roots would latch on, but I must have missed the mark and just squished the stems? I ended up planting what was left of the roots into the substrate. With any luck it will show new growth (I hope!)


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## chayos00 (Sep 22, 2013)

Just hunting for some new threads to follow and yours caught my eye! Growing pains seem to be the trick of the game to figuring out how to keep a great looking tank it seems! You've got a great looking tank and I can't wait to see where it grows from here! 

Also that Emperor tetra picture in the 5th picture two posts up sure caught my eye. Makes me really want to get a dozen of them for my 125g tetra filled tank!


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

Thank @chayos00! I was a little hesitant about the Emperor tetras, but my little girl picked them out. She did a good job! I see you've got a DIY LED build. I may have to check that out, try to get my PAR and PUR up! All in good time.

Bump: Today I decided to wage WAR on the BGA. I punched it right in the face with H2O2. Here's the procedure I followed:
1) Turned off all circulation, filter and skimmer, and waited 5 minutes for flows to settle.
2) Loaded up a 10 mL syringe with H2O2
3) Repeatedly punched BGA in the face, mostly at the substrate level, a little on some of the plants.
4) Total used was 35 mL, I felt I was getting trigger happy, so I stopped there.
5) Watched BGA scream in agony for 30 minutes.
6) Filter and skimmer back on.

So far so good. Fish seem as happy as always. Guess I'll know more in 24-48hrs how everything fared out.

Also tested water parameters with what API test kits I have.
pH: 7
NH4: 0.5 ppm
NO2: 0 ppm
NO3: 20 ppm

Found my CO2 bubble count had slowed for some reason, so I cranked that back up. Added my regular macro doses, and also added 5 ml of Excel. Now my daughter wants to type something:

6oppuxcrsxg gfagyg jnp; b vi9093gk;k;n k[l;lbjw,kb kqnckqjjwl.kwnkwb kwqu 

She's sitting on my lap, gotta keep it fun. Until next time!


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## chayos00 (Sep 22, 2013)

Keep up the H2O2 dosing for a few days or every other day to keep the algae death happening, sometimes I've noticed area's I thought I got good enough needed repeated dosings to kill. I battled BBA (black beard algae) for quite some time, but I think I'm finally winning that battle as I'm seeing only tiny bits here and there now.


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## nbr1rodeoclown (Feb 6, 2015)

I wouldn't use any chemical treatment to combat BGA, except for peroxide spot treatment. Adding another chemical compound to the tank seems like adding another variable.
Keep up on water changes. A normal running tank with EI dosing needs 50% a week, but i've found that 3x 25% changes a week make things look even better.
While your battling BGA, i would say do even more.

TLDR: for BGA (and most other algae)
1. Manual remove as much as possible
2. Spot treat with Hydrogen Peroxide right before a water change
3. Do big water changes.
4. Do more big water changes.


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

Thanks for your input everyone! The plan going forward is to spot dose every other day. Unfortunately, I'm only able to water change once a week at the moment. But next week I have some vacation, and will have more time to devote to water changes.

On another note, I'm looking at picking up testing kits, and was wondering what priority order to give, as getting all will exceed the monthly budget set aside. Here's what I want to get for tests:
-Gh and KH
-PO4
-K
-Ca
-Mg
-pH pen

Thoughts?


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## chayos00 (Sep 22, 2013)

Being that you are dosing CO2, I would start with a good way to read pH changes due to injecting CO2. Also the GH & KH test, as then you can determine your rough CO2 levels. I picked up this pH pen and love it. One thing with pH pens are the cheap ones I've found to be junk and take forever to read stable. This one I let it sit in the sample for about 2 minutes and know the reading is stable. I always calibrate my pH pen when using it with the 4.0 and the 7.0 solution. I just take this testers little ph solutions and change them out about every other month and this way the calibration solution lasts for quite some time. 

PH Pen:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ENFOHN8/

Calibration Solution:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017H73794/

Then I'd probably go PO4 and then the others (Ca & Mg) would depend if you RO mix your water. Not sure if anyone ever measures K (Potassium).


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

An interesting observation from my SO: It would appear that my angels are pulling up the newly planted HC. This would explain why I'm finding chunks of it floating around the tank all the time. Not too sure how to go about it, but several possibilities came up on the forums. Could be they aren't getting enough variety in their diet. I think this is the most plausible, as it's really mostly been flake food with the occasional shrimp pellets, and they have also be picking at the wafers I leave for the pleco. I found another interesting possibility that this is a learned behavior. They pull at plants, and I feed them thinking they must be hungry. Something I actually did last night after being told of this behaviour. Smart little fishes, I say! The third and less likely possibility I've found is that they are trying to tidy up for breeding. Doesn't really seem like they've paired off at all, so I'm ruling that one out. Maybe I'll try adding some veggies into their diet. Maybe some cucumber?

Otherwise, the BGA I hit with H2O2 has not come back with a vengeance. I've still got a couple of spots that I will hit tonight after work. I noticed my Java fern leaves appear more wavy than normal. Some kind of deficiency or excess? Macro and Micro dosing has resumed, on day two now. I've been thinking of trimming back the dosing since my plants are relatively sparse and young and my PAR is so low. I'll try to get my parameters sheet up so you can see where I'm at. Some info will be missing, but it's a start.


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

Been looking at some new lights. I'm really liking the Radion XR15 Pro Freshwater LEDs, but I think the price tag will keep me away for a little bit. Best start saving my pocket change, hahaha! Tonight is WC night, should be able to get a FTS and parameters up.


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## chayos00 (Sep 22, 2013)

carlsj2012 said:


> Been looking at some new lights. I'm really liking the Radion XR15 Pro Freshwater LEDs, but I think the price tag will keep me away for a little bit. Best start saving my pocket change, hahaha! Tonight is WC night, should be able to get a FTS and parameters up.


Yeah it's always savings time for fish tank evolution! That's the way it's gone since I set mine up two years ago. I even created a "savings for fun" savings account, that started life as the 15 year diamond upgrade for my wife's wedding ring. She's got a car on her finger, so that's now a "fun" fund! LOL 

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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

Okay! 70% WC was done. Also trimmed one of the didiplis diandra and replanted the top, just to see how it will handle it. This one seems to be my best grower, I will try to propagate it throughout the tank to increase my plant load until the others catch up. 

Post WC-
pH: 7.6
NH3: 0.5
NO2: 0
NO3: 10

I'm a little confused as to why any ammonia would be present after a WC. I chalked it up to a bad test, and will check again tomorrow. Anyone see this before?

And finally, current water parameters and some pics!







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I think I may need to reduce my dosing until my plant population grows, for now all I can do is monitor NO3. What do you think?

Bump: Also, is there a way to get rid of the photobucket water mark? It really is unsightly. Not sure why my first images don't have them....


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## KZB (Jan 3, 2018)

Your tank is coming along nicely. Keep up us posted


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## chayos00 (Sep 22, 2013)

carlsj2012 said:


> Also, is there a way to get rid of the photobucket water mark? It really is unsightly. Not sure why my first images don't have them....


It must be a photobucket thing, your pictures aren't the only ones I see these on. However I use Flickr and you could even use Imgur as a possible hosting site, neither have watermarks.


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

Did a barrage of water tests last night, here are my numbers:
pH: 6.8
NH3: 0 ppm
NO2: 0 ppm
NO3: 40 ppm
dGH: 13
dKH: 5
Ca: 55ppm
PO4: 0.5 ppm
Mg: 23.09 ppm

Haven't really had time to analyze these values much, but off the top of my head, it would appear I am overdosing NO3 and underdosing PO4. Today is the last macro day, so I will skip KNO3. Any thoughts on my GH and KH? I felt like I needed quite a few drops for GH...
Hopefully tonight I can update my parameter worksheet. I think next EI cycle I will half KNO3.


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

Omg omg omg! The most astounding thing I've seen in my tank yet! Aaaaaaah!!!!! Ok, so, I was so surprised. I'm almost speechless. A male and female Emperor Tetra have tunneled underneath the HC! This whole time I've been blaming the Angelfish, but it was them all along. They must be "nesting"? With such a diverse population, they must be seeking somewhere safe. It's so cool seeing them disappearing under the HC. You can almost see them through the front of the tank. I'll have to keep clear of that area during tank clean. Don't want to disturb them.


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## Untalented (Mar 24, 2019)

That's neat! burrowing tetras. - Converting my 75 turtle to another planted shortly, good inspiration.


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

Update on the Tetra cave. I'm still not sure what's going on over there. Just saw my silver flying fox trying to get in there, but he's too big. Water change is complete, tried not to disturb that area too much. Another new development was both the tetras and angelfish nipping at my arm. Maybe they're just more comfortable now?


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

Current Parameters and FTS:







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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

My tank seems to be doing quite well. As far as the burrowing tetras, this seems to have stopped. Still not sure what that was all about. I ended up having to remove the now loosened portion of HC and replant what I could. I tried to spread it out a little across the tank to help fill in the bottom. The Limnophila Sessiliflora is really doing well. I've cut and replanted a few stems already. It's neat to see the new growth vs original plant. I'll have to cut from the bottom soon just to get some continuity in colour. Everything else seems to be taking it's time in growing. Yesterday was WC day. I ended up doing a 70% change due to NO3, here are the water tests before vs. after the WC:

pH: 6.6 -> 7.6
NH3: 0
NO2: 0
NO3: 80ppm -> 10ppm
PO4: 0ppm
dGH: 11
dKH: 5 -> 6
Ca: 45ppm
Mg: 20.48ppm (calc)

NO3 is still getting quite high by the end of the week. Maybe I'm just overfeeding? I'll cut feeds down to every other day, see if that helps. I also noted my PO4 is basically always 0, is this normal? I've been holding off on dosing more KH2PO4 as algae is basically non-existent right now. 

That's all for now, enjoy some pictures!







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One of my favourite male emperor tetras:







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## tredford (Jun 29, 2018)

Those emperor tetras are beauties! Tank is coming along nicely.


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

Well, I'm at a bit of a loss with what to do with my HC carpet. Seems like the entire population is trying to tear it apart. Just today I found my bristlenose pleco completely underneath the carpet, so now I have another section of HC thats just floating around. Whatever I replant gets torn out by the angels, so....any suggestions? Tomorrow is WC day, for now I'll try to re-anchor the floating chunk into the substrate, but this is really stunting any growth. Maybe a carpet just isn't meant to be.


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## Igor95 (Aug 19, 2017)

carlsj2012 said:


> Well, I'm at a bit of a loss with what to do with my HC carpet. Seems like the entire population is trying to tear it apart. Just today I found my bristlenose pleco completely underneath the carpet, so now I have another section of HC thats just floating around. Whatever I replant gets torn out by the angels, so....any suggestions? Tomorrow is WC day, for now I'll try to re-anchor the floating chunk into the substrate, but this is really stunting any growth. Maybe a carpet just isn't meant to be.


Try gluing a rock in the middle of the carpet so it stays down? If they're pecking at it, I doubt you can do anything


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

Not sure how well attachments work, but it's all I've got time to do for now. You can see where my fish like to hang out underneath the HC, and the angels rip out what I replant, ends up in the skimmer. Sigh.....


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

Just some shots post WC. I trimmed from the bottom this time, removing all the old growth, and moved some of the plants around a little. HC is still there for now...














































I've also decided to half by KNO3 dosing and double my KH2PO4 as it is consistently zero. Lets see how it goes this week!


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

Just did a pretty big overhaul on the tank tonight. All said and done, took me about 3 hours from start to finish. Didn't even do any water tests, which is a shame, but I was getting pretty tired of it all by the end, hahaha! Here is the tank before WC:




































The HC carpet really was beginning to struggle. Half of it was no longer anchored, and since all the tank dwellers were determined to tear it apart, I decided it was time for it to go. I did initially think I would pick it all apart and try replanting it (you can see it in water on the counter) and I said to myself, "What the heck am I doing?! This is not worth the headache, I'll just find a different carpeting plant that isn't so finicky!"

I also removed the driftwood from the tank to try and scrub that red/brown stain left over from the BGA I battled a short while ago. Long story short, didn't work.




























While fiddling with the HC, I finally solved the riddle. Why on earth did my fish hate that damned carpet anyway? Look what I found swimming about in my dish of HC. I don't know what it is, but I assume fish find them tasty! Sorry for the bad photos, they're just so small it's hard to focus. 



















And finally, I moved some of the plants around a little. The Alternantera Rosanervig was moved to the side of the tank closest to the window. The bundle I had there was growing a little better than what was in the middle. I think that extra bit of light is helping it. I also cut the older bottoms off and replanted the tops. Then I bunched up the other carpeting plant (can't remember what it's called) in the middle, and trimmed down the Limnophila Sessiliflora and replanted some of the stems. Here's where we're at now:





































Sorry for the long post, but thanks for making it this far. Now you can say you did a water change with me, hooray! Almost forgot to mention the new tank dweller. You may know him as Olaf. My daughter picked him out too, just like she picked the Emperor Tetras.


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

Tried to pick up some hair grass yesterday for a new carpet. Unfortunately, the LFS sold out of it the day prior. Will check again in a couple of weeks, or seek out a Canadian supplier online.


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

Water change day. Finally did some water tests to see where I end up with Nitrates and PO4, finally sitting at 20ppm NO3 and 0.5ppm PO4. I may have found my dosing, now to update that sheet....
Anyway, water change went fine, however I spotted the youngest male of my Emperor tetras tucked away near a rock. Didn't look too good (see pictures below). I had noticed the males nipping at each other and wonder if he got beat up and now has some infection?
The limnophila sessiliflora sure grows quickly! Every water change I need to cut it down so low, else it reaches the water surface!



















Before water change:









After water change:



























Fish!


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

It's been a hectic week! Finally got some DHG, and moved a couple of things around in the tank to accommodate. WC day was quick, so no testing was done. I did find my CO2 flow to be a little low. Something to keep an eye on, as this isn't the first time. The Emperor that was plagued appears to be better. He has some scarring on his body, but otherwise seems to be doing quite well.


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

Just a quick update on how the tank is doing. Life has been a little busy, so tank maintenance was delayed by a few days. Additionally we had to leave town for a few days, so instead of dosing every day, I did one large dose of nutrients. All in all, it didn't seem to rock the tank too hard. GDA was a little more present on the glass but that's about it. During maintenance last night, I found what looks like eggs on some of the java fern leaves, but the way they're placed has an interesting pattern to it so I'm not sure. Can someone confirm or explain based on the photo?

FTS:









Eggs??? Something Else?


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## Greggz (May 19, 2008)

I don't know what is on the fern, but the tank sure is coming along nicely now.

Look forward to seeing it fill in even more over time.


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## chayos00 (Sep 22, 2013)

Those are baby ferns that you see starting on the underside of the leafs. Eventually they will start to grow as new plants. 

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## chayos00 (Sep 22, 2013)

This is what it will end up looking like. I pluck them off once they get about 2-3" leaves.









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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

Very interesting @chayos00, I never knew that was even possible! I'll be watching them closely for sure!

Thanks @Greggz. The limnophila sessiliflora grows so quickly I usually have to trim it right down to nothing. It almost reaches the water surface by the end of the week. I've left them a little longer this time and will trim mid-week again.


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## livebearerlove (Aug 20, 2013)

carlsj2012 said:


> Thanks @*Greggz*. The limnophila sessiliflora grows so quickly I usually have to trim it right down to nothing. It almost reaches the water surface by the end of the week. I've left them a little longer this time and will trim mid-week again.


I definitely should have gone that route- I was looking for something similar and ended up with water sprite (certoperis siliquosa) and I cant control it! I cut it down, and by the end of the week it has grown a few inches..... problem is with all the roots at the nodes.... fuzzy mess I have to trim it seems daily  Yours looks much more uniform.


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

@livebearerlove I feel your pain. I believe what I originally started with was also certoperis siliquosa, or something closely related. The roots and runners drove me crazy, I really didn't like how unsightly it was. You can see how quickly things got out of hand at the beginning of my journal. I ended up tearing everything out and starting from scratch with different species. I never had any luck trimming this plant anyway(or any of the others in my original set up, for that matter!)
Keep fighting the good fight, it's looking great!


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

Did some tank maintenance last night. Nothing out of the ordinary, trimmed the Limnophila Sessiliflora and removed some of the dead or poor quality leaved from the Alternantera Rosanervig. Only one of the shoots appears to be growing at the moment, and slow to boot. Seems by the time new leaves appear the ones below are already wasting away. I've been working a little on my dosing regimen as well, modifying a couple of things based on water tests. I've doubled my PO4, as I was having issues detecting any at the levels I was dosing. Apparently the soil I'm using can absorb PO4 out of the water column? I also doubled K2SO4 since I've been noticing the leaves have a wrinkled look to them and it seems everyone is dosing much higher than where I was at. Still a a little low by some standards, but with the light I have I hope it's the right move. Early in the week I attempted to increase my CO2 injection since it regularly falls off (probably need a higher quality valve), and got distracted with family life. Ended up losing one of the cardinals. Fortunately I noticed before any other casualties started piling up. I'll have to make a day of CO2 monitoring when time allows it.

Water parameters AFTER WC are:
NO3: 5ppm
PO4: 0.25ppm
dGH: 11
dKH: 6
Ca: 50ppm
Mg: 17.4ppm (calculated)

Photos:
Before WC









After WC









Tank Mates


















New Parameters:


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

I just noticed something seems off on the parameter sheet...I don't think the K is being calculated over the 3 doses. Must have screwed something up while editing. I'll go back to the source sheet and try again.

Bump: Fixed the parameter sheet.


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

Another day, another update. It's been a while since I made a journal entry, but life has been very busy. Last week we welcomed our third child into the world, a little baby girl! Needless to say, my other aquatic babies have taken a bit of a back seat.

Finally got around to looking at things a little closer, here's what we're looking at:

FTS:









To sum this up in one word, "green" comes to mind. But not in a great way. The water itself appears to have more of a green tinge to it than I'd like. I've been looking around for a submersible UV filter, something small I can run on a as-need basis. Any recommendations?

Hydra Infestation:









Sometime in the last two weeks, hydras have really taken hold on the substrate. Hard to photograph, but I think this shows how many there are. The entire substrate is like this. Since they aren't killing/consuming my fish, I'm guessing they are surviving on something else, like the little critters I found in my substrate when I removed the HC carpet. The plan so far is to vacuum the substrate and reduced feeding. The idea is if I can starve out the hydra's food supply, they too will eventually parish. Thoughts?

Calcium Deficiency?









I've never dosed calcium or a GH buffer, and I'm wondering if maybe I need to start. The leaves always had a "wrinkly" look to them, but never this twisted. I read somewhere that Alternantera Rosanervig is extra sensitive an increase in K (which I did at the time of my last post) and this this may inhibit Calcium uptake? I don't know, I tend to leave the science to the pros. The java fern's tips are also pointed down (no photo, not sure where it went). Any advice? For now I've reduced K, didn't seem to have any positive results anyway.

Fish appear to be doing well. Every time I take a photo, I'm always drawn to the small Emperor Tetras. They always seem to steal the show!









I did a water change last night, and will probably do another one in a couple of days to get as much "food" out of the substrate as possible.


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## Phil Edwards (Jul 18, 2003)

Looking at the algae on the substrate, you may benefit from putting the skimmer on the right pane so it shoots lengthwise, rather than front-to-back. I don't know how strong those things are, but it may provide a little more benefit than where it's placed now.


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

Thanks Phil. The only reason I have it the way I do to to try and extend the spray bar, as it isn't quite long enough. It's offset to the left, with the skimmer moving some water on the right side. It's trimmed back quite a bit, but they can definitely put out more flow.


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## [email protected] (May 22, 2019)

carlsj2012 said:


> Something I forgot to mention, I had my Anubias Nana's leaves all fall off. I had wedged it between the rocks, hoping that the roots would latch on, but I must have missed the mark and just squished the stems? I ended up planting what was left of the roots into the substrate. With any luck it will show new growth (I hope!)


So looking back, what was the reason for you BB algae bloom? Was it high Nitrates and too much light?


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

I'm quite certain light is not the issue, however there were some other factors around that time. First, my CO2 tank ran out. It wasn't for very long, but it no doubt caused some large fluctuations in CO concentration. Second, due to life events, tank maintenance suffered, along with an increase in Nitrate concentrations from "rush feeding" the fish to attend to more immediate matters. These two things no doubt contributed to the algae bloom. I've since done another 80% water change with a heavy and deep vacuum of the substrate, as well as a H2O2 scrub of the drift wood and rocks. Things are looking better, however I still have an army of hydra occupying my substrate. I'll give it more time for now.

As far as the twisted/unhealthy look of my Alternantera Rosanervig, I've found some threads on TPT indicating towards CSM+B toxicity, which seem to also fit symptoms of my other plants. While the jury is still out on if this is the case in my tank, I'm am decreasing CSM+B dosing. I am also no longer dosing K2SO4, since I believe I may be getting enough from the KNO3 and KH2PO4. We'll see where this takes us in the next couple of weeks.


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## ipkiss (Aug 9, 2011)

carlsj2012 said:


> Another day, another update. It's been a while since I made a journal entry, but life has been very busy. Last week we welcomed our third child into the world, a little baby girl! Needless to say, my other aquatic babies have taken a bit of a back seat.


congrats for the real(er) things that matter!


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

Time for an update. I've made a few changes this past week in an attempt to improve maintenance on the tank. Everyone at home is beginning to settle into their own grove, freeing me up to pay a little more attention to details. Despite the changes I had made in my previous post, things would sour quickly in the aquarium. Water would become tingey green within a day of 80% WC and algae was rampant on the substrate. Apart from a more thorough and deep vacuum, here are the changes I've made:

Dosing:
I looked closer at what I was dosing and suspect I was overdosing on a pretty large scale. For starters, I mentioned CSM+B toxicity in my previous post. I still believe this is a huge factor in why things are out in the tank. Looking at the spreadsheet and my low PAR value, all the micros are quite high! So I went into Rotatla Butterfly and used the Low Light EI parameters. This has me dosing 1/3 of what I used to, and I suspect that will show some improvement in the plants, which appear to have completely stalled out with the exception of the Sessiliflora, which grows like a weed. I also only dose 1X per week now, both macros and micros on the same day. 










Lighting
Until algae blooms settle, I've decreased white light output to 60%. Once things stabilize, I will work on ramping this up again. It's hard to get a DHG carpet at less than 50 PAR....

Filtration
I've invested in Purigen, and I must say I am VERY impressed with the results. In just 12 hours, my water was so clear I couldn't believe it! I actually did a double take when I came downstairs in the morning, it was the first thing my subconscious noticed. I've also replace some of the bio-media. Haven't done that since the tank started. I replaced about 70% of it, so monitoring NH4 will be important in the coming weeks. 










I'll keep you posted on these changes!


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

So this happened...









I noticed the angels were super aggressive last night. Found these little guys today. I'll be making a separate forum thread for advice on what to do, but here's the low-down:

I never had any intention on breeding the angels, but while keeping the eggs/fry to term isn't a priority, I'm also not interested in going out of my way to destroy them. Getting another tank is out of the question both in space and budget, so the question I pose is "What can I do to increase the likely-hood of survival for these guys?" Apart from the other 3 Angels being kept at bay by what I assume is mom, tank mates are Cardinal and Emperor Tetras, 1 Silver Flying Fox, and 1 Bristlenosed Pleco.


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

An update on the eggs. Looks like nature is taking it's course. I was hoping to pick up a divider to help keep other fish at bay but ran out of time. Looks like momma has been stressed and resorted to eating her eggs. There were still about 15 left last I counted, but I imagine once I get home from work they will be gone.

As short lived as it was, the experience was very cool and exciting. I think it's the first time my wife was as giddy as I was about the aquarium! I might be on to something


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## Desert Pupfish (May 6, 2019)

IME, any eggs that turn white didn't get fertilized (not uncommon for a first spawning) or have fungus or are otherwise unviable. The parents will pluck those off & eat them so the fungus doesn't spread to the viable ones.

And plecos are notorious for eating eggs at night while everybody's asleep. No wonder the parents are nervous.....

Good luck!


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

A late update, but as I expected there are no eggs left. Things are back to normal in the aquarium with fish swimming freely instead of being bullied to the left side of the tank. Now to find the time between work shifts for tank maintenance....


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## zmartin (May 1, 2018)

Hey carlsj2012 - just found and read the thread. Really enjoyed and will be following along. Keep up the posts.

There doesn’t seem to be so many largish medium light tanks on this board and your struggle finding time (with a young family) to calibrate CO2 really resonated. 




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## chayos00 (Sep 22, 2013)

zmartin said:


> Hey carlsj2012 - just found and read the thread. Really enjoyed and will be following along. Keep up the posts.
> 
> There doesn’t seem to be so many largish medium light tanks on this board and your struggle finding time (with a young family) to calibrate CO2 really resonated.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


CO2 and high lighting can be done with low tech plants to not have a massive amount of plant growth requiring frequent trimmings. I probably only need to play with my plants about once a month or so.


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

zmartin said:


> Hey carlsj2012 - just found and read the thread. Really enjoyed and will be following along. Keep up the posts.
> 
> There doesn’t seem to be so many largish medium light tanks on this board and your struggle finding time (with a young family) to calibrate CO2 really resonated.
> 
> ...


Thank @zmartin,
As you may have guessed by my lack of posts, life has been busy! Tonight I hope to find the time for some tank maintenance after work. So far the lower ferts is allowing more flexibility in maintenance, as getting it done on the same day every week is not always possible. 

Currently I seem to have some small patches of BBA popping up on one piece of my driftwood. I've been blasting it with H2O2 to keep it in check but I suspect it has to do with the lack of maintenance I've been able to do. The filter definitely need to get done, and I would imagine I need to regenerate the Purigen.

There are several "wants" for my tank, and the priorities always seem to change, but I think one thing that would help me is improving circulation around the tank. Currently, with only one spray bar and the skimmer, I don't think I'm getting adequate coverage. This means I always have detrius building up. I can't seem to keep up with the vacuum! Once budget allows, I'll try to pick up a couple of powerheads or something. The plan is to try angling my spray bar down along the back glass, and the powerheads at each corner causing surface agitation. I just hope it isn't too turbulent for the angels.

Some other "wants" are: a better CO2 valve, BT Powerbar, Radion XR15 G4 FW lights (X2), more plants!, another aquarium! :smile2:

Anyway, I'll try to make an update tomorrow should I get around to maintenance.


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

Finally got around to the tank maintenance last night, Phfew! This was about 12 days since the last clean I did. All things considered, I think it wasn't too bad. You can see the GDA that accumulated on the glass is pretty light:


















And here is the BBA on the driftwood. I hit it again with H2O2 before starting the WC.









Burn baby, burn!









And here we are after WC is complete, all bubbly!









All in all the tank seems to be doing okay. The inhabitants are good. As always the Limnophila Sessiliflora is growing like a weed, and the Java fern is doing well. The Didiplis Diandra is not struggling, but it is going VERY slowly. I don't think it will ever color up with my current set up though. 

Dwarf Hair Grass is not doing great. I've trimmed it down to try to get it to propagate, but the color of the roots tells me this may be very difficult. The Pogostemon Helferi has complete stalled out and started melting away. Last WC I pulled it up, trimmed what was left and tried replanting it. Not sure how well it will recover. And the Alternantera Rosanervig, while the new growth is looking better, by the time it develops the older leaves are completely peppered in black and holes so it's hard to get it to look great.

I've been reflecting long and hard about what I want out of my tank and determined that with my current set up, I'm not sure I can get it. So I began scouring across TPT Journals to find someone who had a similar taste to mine, and I found it in @ange062 journal. I started taking notes on his current set up and was pleased to see he had a nice set of LED's for half the price of the ones on my original "wish list". So, the list has changed to reflect these new wants. 

Here is the new wish list:
-AI Prime HD Freshwater LED's x2
-Eheim Classic 2215 (not sure if I also want to change out my Aqueon 400, since parts are not readily available locally...probably though)
-Lily pipes (for that clean look)
-Inline Heater (again, for the clean look)
-Inline UV sterilizer
-CO2 diffuser (to help clean up the inside cabinet)


The goal is to slowly gather all these parts up, and perhaps re-scape the whole system once I'm ready. I may get the filter first since I already suspect I have flow issues. Originally I thought of getting a power head, but I feel like I already have enough hardware in the tank.


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## ange062 (May 9, 2011)

carlsj2012 said:


> Finally got around to the tank maintenance last night, Phfew! This was about 12 days since the last clean I did. All things considered, I think it wasn't too bad. You can see the GDA that accumulated on the glass is pretty light:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Sweet!! Let me know if you need advice on anything, always happy to help! 

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

Thanks ange062!

Anyone have experience with glass lily pipes on rimmed tanks? I suspect these are usually made for rimless, but maybe someone has found something that fits?


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

We'll, my CO2 tank seems to have dumped itself. Sigh...I'm about to have a headache.


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## ange062 (May 9, 2011)

carlsj2012 said:


> Thanks ange062!
> 
> Anyone have experience with glass lily pipes on rimmed tanks? I suspect these are usually made for rimless, but maybe someone has found something that fits?


My CalAqua pipes would probably have enough clearance to fit over a rim, I can get some measurements for you if you want.


carlsj2012 said:


> We'll, my CO2 tank seems to have dumped itself. Sigh...I'm about to have a headache.


Yikes!!! Lose any fish? What kind of regulator are you using?

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

Fortunately, no fish were lost. Seems to happen every time the tank gets low. It's more of a headache getting the bottle refilled when I'm working, so I end up getting some algae issues. I'm using the Milwaukee single stage regulator...I think it's the MA957? I've read dual stage is the way to go in preventing this, anyone able to confirm?

Thanks for the offer @ange062, I'll try to get you some measurements. There's definitely no rush at the moment, plus it really is just for cosmetic purposes. If they don't fit, it isn't the end of the world. Just means I need to invest in a rimless tank 

Today I tried to pick up some new plants and moss from my LFS, but they didn't carry anything I wanted. Maybe next week.


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

Did some maintenance last night. Almost went 3 weeks without touching anything, and once again I was surprised by how well things were going, all things considered. No before pictures, but here is a FTS:










You'll notice I pulled out all the DHG and Alternantera Rosanervig. I was getting tired of trying to force it to grow, and I didn't like looking at it struggling. My train of thought was if I don't like looking at it, it's gone. The tank is a little empty, but I've got an order placed with The Wet Leaf for 3 new plants: Bacopa compact, Anubias barteri var. nana 'large', and Taxiphyllum Taiwan moss. They only ship on Mondays, so I should receive it next week.

The Limnofila Sessiliflora is doing REALLY well at the moment. I usually have to top it every week because the older growth starts looking a little gross, but the long period between maintenance has really allowed it to thrive. Runners have come up and thickened up the whole pack. I still had to remove SOME ugly stuff, but for the most part I just trimmed and left everything rooted. Check it out:










I'm very excited for the new plants to come it. I think they will really add viewing pleasure to an already much improved tank.


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

Big day today! New plants came in from TheWetLeaf! So I decided to do a heavy and deep vacuum before planting. I figured since I seem to have quite a bit of detrius build up over the course of a week, I'd give the plants time to root themselves before getting in heavy with the vacuum again. The water was a little hazy after everything was done, but I'm not too worried about it. I'm pretty sure I messed up the fine balance by aggressively digging into the substrate with a vacuum. Should clear up in a few days. New plants I got were Anubias Barteri var. Nana 'large', Taxiphyllum Taiwan Moss, and Bacopa compact. I really like the look of the Anubias, the other two will need some more time to mature. All told, the cleaning and planting took 2.5 hours. Here are some pics:

Before:









Middle:









After:









Bacopa, I'd like to keep it shorter, but I'll give it time to settle in before trimming and propagating:









Moss, first real attempt at tying anything down. Didn't quite spread as much as I had hoped, but I'm sure it will grow:









And the Anubias:


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

Quick post. My angelfish are eating the bacopa....sigh. They're a bit tall right now, maybe I'll try trimming them down and keeping them closer to the substrate.


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

Did a water change on the 26th. Nothing too exciting to report. As I expected, the water cleared up from the initial overhaul prior to adding the new flora. The angels seem to be leaving the bacopa alone now. Guess they really hated that one stem in particular. It's basically a bare twig now, but at least they're leaving the rest alone! Trimmed back the sessiliflora as usual. It really seems to be thriving, I love how it looks! The Java fern is doing well, but I'm seeing quite a bit of black discoloration on some of the older leaves. I didn't have time to deal with it this water change, but I will probably remove these leaves next time around.









Here you can see the discoloration/diatoms(?) on the Java:









The glorious Sessiliflora from above:


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## ange062 (May 9, 2011)

Limnophila is looking great!! 

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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

I have an update, and I'm curious to hear if anyone has had this issue before. Today I noticed several leaves from the Anubias were floating on the surface. In earlier versions on my tank, I have had an Anubias Nana plant pretty much die off, and I attributed this to poor planting conditions (it had been tucked between two rocks and I thought maybe I squished it). This time however, I tied it onto a rock. The leaves all appeared to be in really good shape, but the stems seemed "squishy". Here are some photos of the leaves lost and of the plant:


















I did a little digging on the interwebs and came across a series of posts on various forums discussing an "Anubias Disease" that appears to be in-curable. Someone linked to this article and I found it interesting, but without answers. The article in question is about half-way down:

Bulletin of Russian Anubias Forum

So I'm curious if anyone has experienced something similar, and if they managed to resolve it. Many thanks.


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

Once again, a pretty routine update. Life and work have been crazy, and as a result I didn't get to look much at the tank. Apart from removing the rotting Anubias I haven't had much time to even enjoy looking at the tank. I am repeatedly amazed at how well the tank does with the lack of maintenance. This first couple of images is after 17 days of no care/maintenance:




























Here we are post WC:










Pretty much did the works: Trimmed back the Sessiliflora and thinned out the Java Fern, scrubbed the glass and hardware, cleaned the filter. I then dosed KNO3, KH2PO4, and K2SO4 to reach my low light EI targets. Hopefully I can see where I'm at in 7 days, but I guess it isn't the end of the world if I don't get around to it


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

Haven't updated in a while, mostly due to not having any news to report. Water change days have been few and far in between, but I seem to have found a nice balance that keeps the algae in check. Since the last update I've gotten rid of the plants in the far right corner (I can't remember their name) since they weren't really thriving with my current set-up. As always the Sessiliflora and Java are doing well. Here are some pics:





































In other news, I've heard that Santa is going to be very generous to my hobby this year. Fingers crossed! An overhaul may come due in 2020!


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

As expected, Santa delivered!










CO2 diffuser: The plan was to get rid of my reactor, as there is no way for me to clean it, and I don't want to keep building new ones. I can't begin to imagine what the inside of my current one looks like!

New Filter: Because, why not?

Lights: AI Prime. These ARE the "Reef" model, but I believe I can make them work. This also allows room for future upgrades into the world of reef tanks.

I still need to figure out the logistics of the upgrade. I intend to do a "fresh start". The first thing I need to figure out (and no doubt the most challenging) is how to re-home the current inhabitants. I don't have a suitable second home for them, and I intend to start with only plants to figure out the new balance of the tank. I'll start on Kijiji and work my way out to LFS. Not sure if my LFS has a re-homing program or not.

Once that's done, tank and current equipment will be stripped and cleaned as best as humanly possible, substrate and driftwood will most likely go to trash, and current flora will be analyzed for re-use or tossed.

I also need to source a new supplier for CO2. My local guy seems to have vanished from the face of the earth. Oh well.....

2020 should provide with some exciting challenges for my hobby!


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## chayos00 (Sep 22, 2013)

carlsj2012 said:


> As expected, Santa delivered!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I went looking back through your thread to see what you have for a reactor and found the photobucket photos are no longer showing as well as I couldn't find anything of the reactor besides it being mentioned. Is it just a flow through reactor, or do you have media in it? I mean an reactor should be be the upgrade from a diffuser vs the other way around. I've never thought about cleaning my reactor, but it's also a 4" wide open pipe LOL. However as I have my UV light right before the reactor, I do wonder if that kills anything that comes into the reactor to keep it clean.


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## Discusluv (Dec 24, 2017)

carlsj2012 said:


> As expected, Santa delivered!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


For relocating fish, try your local aquarium society. A great way to find good homes for fish.


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

chayos00 said:


> I went looking back through your thread to see what you have for a reactor and found the photobucket photos are no longer showing as well as I couldn't find anything of the reactor besides it being mentioned. Is it just a flow through reactor, or do you have media in it? I mean an reactor should be be the upgrade from a diffuser vs the other way around. I've never thought about cleaning my reactor, but it's also a 4" wide open pipe LOL. However as I have my UV light right before the reactor, I do wonder if that kills anything that comes into the reactor to keep it clean.


 @chayos00 I guess I never did mention much about it. It's just a straight pipe, 2" PVC with no media in it. I think it was 16" in length, I can't remember exactly. Maybe there isn't much in there, but given what I can see in my clear hose, I'd imagine SOMETHING must accumulate in there? It is a lower velocity area after all. Perhaps it doesn't matter much in the end ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. I'll be trying this diffuser out and free up some space below, it's quite the hassle pulling out the filter with the current layout. I know it's a little less efficient, but maybe I'll like a new bubble look :grin2:. Worse comes to worse, I'll just rebuild another reactor.

I'll try cutting it open when I finally remove it, see what's inside!

Bump: Thanks @Discusluv, I'll look into it!


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

I've managed to sell the fish, and even the plants. Thanks for the recommendation @Discusluv!










In the next week I'll be draining the tank and scrubbing everything down. Currently I'm struggling with planning my filtration. The Aqueon canister filter I have been using should be adequate at 400 GPH, however I have found it lacking with the spray bar, and if I use a straight pipe outlet, it blasts everything around. I also have the new Eheim 350 from Christmas, which I would like to implement into my new setup. In a recent thread, I saw this reply and thought it might be worth a shot. This should work, right? Two 200 GPH corner nozzles from the Aqueon, with a spray bar in the back from the Eheim (164 GPH)? 

https://www.plantedtank.net/forums/9-equipment/1303061-flow-surface-agitation-2.html#post11300689

As far as layout goes, I've really been liking the look of Dutch-Hybrids. Don't think I'll use any driftwood this time, but maybe some rocks/small hills.

Looking forward to this new set-up. Looking at an empty tank isn't great...

Should I start a new journal for this new scape!?!?!?


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## Crazyjayb (Jan 9, 2020)

carlsj2012 said:


> I've managed to sell the fish, and even the plants. Thanks for the recommendation @Discusluv!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yes.


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

OK! The tank has been emptied and all equipment wiped down. @chayos00 I even managed to cut open the reactor, and I was quite surprised at it's condition! 

Now things are at a stand-still. Just looking around for good deals on substrate and plants. I will probably go with Tropica Aquasoil, but I had a question: I noticed it comes in pellet and powder form. Is this basically just for ease of planting, or is there some other benefit/drawback to powder? I recall reading in one of my Journal Subscriptions that they blended both pellet and powder, but I don't remember the reasoning...

Other thing I've been contemplating is a black background. I think it would really add some depth to the tank while hiding the cables and tubing. Thoughts?




























New lights mounted too!


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## chayos00 (Sep 22, 2013)

carlsj2012 said:


> OK! The tank has been emptied and all equipment wiped down. @chayos00 I even managed to cut open the reactor, and I was quite surprised at it's condition!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Wow that thing is clean inside the tubing!! That's good to know! I've seen they blend the soil too, but no clue as to the reasoning. 

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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

Things are at a stand-still for now. I'm having a tough time finding aquarium soil. LFS seem to only carry Seachem Flourite Black (and in small quantities at that). The Wet Leaf in Calgary stocks ADA Amazonia (currently out of stock) and also Tropica Aquarium Soil. Seeing as they are listed at the same price, I figured I should hold out until ADA is back in stock as they are often touted as the best in our hobby. Then again, according to Dennis, ADA is much more difficult to start with and Tropica has proven to be more stable at the beginning. 

I guess this is just "paralysis by analysis" and hope someone can provide me with some feedback on the matter regarding their own experiences?


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## BeastlyFern (May 11, 2019)

carlsj2012 said:


> Things are at a stand-still for now. I'm having a tough time finding aquarium soil. LFS seem to only carry Seachem Flourite Black (and in small quantities at that). The Wet Leaf in Calgary stocks ADA Amazonia (currently out of stock) and also Tropica Aquarium Soil.


You could try ska shrimp nature and aquariums on facebook in Calagry. I think they carry both ada and tropica and sometime make trips to Edmoton. I purchase my tropica soil from them for my recent startup.

Good luck with the new setup.


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## chayos00 (Sep 22, 2013)

carlsj2012 said:


> Things are at a stand-still for now. I'm having a tough time finding aquarium soil. LFS seem to only carry Seachem Flourite Black (and in small quantities at that). The Wet Leaf in Calgary stocks ADA Amazonia (currently out of stock) and also Tropica Aquarium Soil. Seeing as they are listed at the same price, I figured I should hold out until ADA is back in stock as they are often touted as the best in our hobby. Then again, according to Dennis, ADA is much more difficult to start with and Tropica has proven to be more stable at the beginning.
> 
> 
> 
> I guess this is just "paralysis by analysis" and hope someone can provide me with some feedback on the matter regarding their own experiences?


I tried ADA in a 6g tank I had, I wouldn't think it's that great IMO in the long run. The little balls break down and produce a dirt dust cloud the more it's disturbed. For a heavily planted tank that gets rescaped frequently it's going to become mud. Again this is just my option. 

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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

@BeastlyFern Thank you so much for the recommendation, I can't believe I've never heard of them! They are actually making a trip up at the end of the week, so it's a huge saving in shipping costs.


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

@chayos00 Thanks! I ended up getting ADA after all. Tropica was short a bag. Hope I don't regret it.


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## chayos00 (Sep 22, 2013)

carlsj2012 said:


> @chayos00 Thanks! I ended up getting ADA after all. Tropica was short a bag. Hope I don't regret it.


Hope it works well! Just watch for that initial ammonia release! LOL But I'm sure just plants will be fine with it. Good luck! 

I think part of my decision to not go with ADA was for a 72" x 18" foot print tank with 2-3" of soil would be a stupid amount for me to spend! LOL


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

chayos00 said:


> Hope it works well! Just watch for that initial ammonia release! LOL But I'm sure just plants will be fine with it. Good luck!
> 
> I think part of my decision to not go with ADA was for a 72" x 18" foot print tank with 2-3" of soil would be a stupid amount for me to spend! LOL


I hear you on the cost! Before I actually looked at substrate cost I figured I would go with Tropica, as Dennis actually mentioned how expensive ADA soil was in one of his articles. But here in Canada, it seems the price is exactly the same as Tropica or only a couple of dollars more. Maybe it's import fees? Either way, if I was going to drop coin on Tropica, might as well be ADA.
I have read about the ammonia spike, so I guess it'll be two WC per week for a month or so!


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## carlsj2012 (Mar 7, 2019)

New journal started here:

https://www.plantedtank.net/forums/...carlsj2012s-75-gallon-upgrade-experiment.html


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