# 'Forest Bend' 120 gallon journal



## Smooch (May 14, 2016)

Pretty tank. It is very peaceful.


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

*Pre-game*

From the moment I knew I would be starting this tank, I was determined to get as much as I could right. The first month makes or breaks an aquascape - the many practices and products Amano devised exist for this reason. In the past I had shied away from these, feeling them to be unnecessary or difficult, but with this tank I made a point to execute the proper husbandry and have been thankful for it. I would like to credit Frank Wazeter for explaining much of this methodology in his past threads - I spent days reading through them, but every bit was worth it. 


*Preparation step 1: Plants*

Acquisition:

Plants are integral to the aquascape, yet sourcing them is often not given due effort. The standard approach to planting a new tank is to get a bit of everything, because plants are too expensive and too hard to find, and plant the tank sparsely, dreaming of some far-off day when everything ‘fills in’. Almost invariably this leads to an unstable tank laden with algae - it may stabilize over time with diligence and luck, but it also may crash and burn. Yes, it may take a bit of effort and cost to plant heavily from the start, but I'd rather spend this to have an enjoyable aquascape I spend hours gazing at rather than a dreadful box of algae I spend hours getting my sleeves wet dealing with. 

Planted tanks are very Malthusian. All the resources for photosynthesis (light, nutrients, CO2), are present in your tank - if there aren’t enough plants to utilize them, then what will? I would rather spend more effort and money to plant the tank well from the start and have a pleasurable experience rather than spending endless time combating countless sorts of algae. When I say plant heavily from the start, I do mean heavily. There should be little bare substrate visible (unless your scape calls for such areas), and the plants should be planted densely. 

There are strategies around these perceived cost and effort issues. Plants at local retailers are often overpriced and of limited variety. However, for basic/common plants, like _Cabomba spp_., such stores can be a viable source - they get these from nurseries in Florida. Good stores will let you special order plants which lets you get larger amounts for a lower cost. For rarer plants, online forums like this one and Facebook groups are great resources. Look for people offering packages or doing rescapes to get sufficiently large quantities for lower prices. When ordering from multiple sources, it can be difficult to arrange to have everything arrive simultaneously. Most plants can be held for several days in buckets or small tanks lit by a CFL lamp. More delicate plants will probably require some CO2 addition if being held for over a couple of days. 


Preparation:

Once the plants are in hand some more steps must be taken before adding them to your tank. 

Many people are of the school of thought that all algaes exist in all tanks but only arise when conditions are imbalanced. They claim that algal spores are everywhere in the air, so preventing their introduction is futile. I disagree. This is generally true for ‘flat’ algaes like green spot algae. But for the bane of many a planted tank keeper’s existence - filamentous algaes - I don’t think this is the case. I have had many tanks that were seemingly balanced and doing well until such algaes were introduced as hitchhikers, upon which they grew rampant and destroyed the setup. I have had others where such algaes were never introduced; these have remained free of them for years. My observations of non-planted tanks further support this. While these often have ‘flat’ algaes or green water, they rarely have filamentous algaes without plants to introduce them. In fact a common problem among African cichlid keepers is culturing and maintaining such algaes in their tank to serve as food!

Thus it is an essential practice to ‘quarantine’ new plants before use. Place them into water, and closely inspect them under a light for any signs of filamentous algae. If any is found then further action is required. 

In my situation I had to execute several algae removal procedures. First was with the _Cryptocoryne affinis_ and _nurii_. These were from the tank’s previous BBA-laden incarnation. I’d trashed the rest of the plants but had an emotional attachment to these crypts - I’d had them for years and some were generously gifted to me. After removing them I clipped off old/decaying leaves and roots, manually removed as much algae as possible, and put them into cups of water matching the conditions they were grown in. They then went into a dark closet for three days (vascular plants are better at coping with periods of darkness than algae). Following this, any remaining visible algae was manually removed, and the plants were rinsed multiple times to shake off any algae pieces and spores, until no more algae was visible in the rinse water. They were then placed into a lit container until the tank was ready to set up - during this time I monitored them for further algal growth (of which there was none).

Second was the _Bolbitis_. While it seemed clean under initial inspection, an additional check before planting found it to have small bits of filamentous algae tangled amongst the roots. I manually removed as much as possible. I then left them in an H2O2 dip composed of 8 mL peroxide in one gallon of water for 20 minutes, after which I rinsed them in water and further inspected for remaining algae. 

Earlier I mentioned special ordering plants through a local store. An additional advantage to this is lack of contamination. Let’s face it - most stores are not good at keeping plants. In my case the store’s plant tanks were laden with various types of algae. Ask the store to hold the plants in their shipping bags/box for you to pick up directly. Generally plants direct from the nursery are algae-free. I picked up the _Cabomba_ I ordered almost fresh from the truck. For fine-leaved stem plants and mosses the risk of algal contamination is especially high. I made sure to get my willow moss as a tissue culture, to eliminate contamination risk. 

*
Preparation step 2: Constructing the substrate*

Substrate choice:
From the moment I decided to redo this tank I knew I would use ADA Aquasoil. My experiences have been contrary to those who advocate for the adequacy of inert substrates supplemented by root tabs and water column fertilization. This tank’s previous incarnation had a primarily sand-based substrate (with mineralized soil below) with ample water column dosing; this fostered algae rather than plant growth, and picking out algae was a constant battle especially when plants weren’t doing well. Meanwhile, next to this tank was a 10 gallon shrimp tank with some old Aquasoil. Even with the Aquasoil being three years old, it still grew plants well, with the only nutrient source being cherry shrimp being fed every other day. Even with almost no water changes this tank had almost no algae.

My experience has been that nutritive substrates lead to more stable tanks less prone to devolve into a mess of algae should something malfunction. The primary reason is that nothing beats a nutrient substrate for supporting plant health. When working with an inert substrate, you’re basically playing a guessing game (dose-ee-dose I like to call it). The plants are entirely dependent on your dosing regime for nutrients, so if this is subpar in some manner (which may vary for different species) they’re out of luck. This certainly puts a lot of pressure on the keeper to have spot-on dosing, and if anything goes wrong with this (the tank doesn’t get dosed for a few days for some reason or another) plant health quickly suffers and instability occurs. As someone not home everyday, this method certainly isn’t feasible.

Nutritive substrates provide both macro and micro nutrients from the get-go. Even when they have been depleted of their original nutrients with age, their CEC still allows them to bind and store nutrients from the water, making consistently perfect liquid dosing less essential. Furthermore, this nutrient binding takes nutrients out of the water column, making them available to only plants rather than algae. Though Aquasoil is somewhat pricey initially, the results in plant growth and greater ease of care are more than worth it. 
Another important component of the nature aquarium substrate system is power sand. Originally I was reluctant to use this - in my 10 gallon it quickly mixed in with the Aquasoil, leading to white specks in the substrate. I changed my mind for two reasons:

1. On a larger tank with a deep substrate, this wouldn’t occur as easily
2. I gained insight as to the true purpose of power sand in a substrate system.

While power sand does provide some nutrients (primarily nitrogen) and peat to help buffer the water, the primary purpose is to house beneficial bacteria. Such bacteria facilitate various essential processes in planted aquariums (such as nutrient cycling), and help prevent anaerobic zones from developing - all functions essential to tank health.

Unfortunately, the local ADA retailer did not have enough power sand to fully supply such a large tank. But with its primary purpose in mind, I was able to come up with a substitute. Power sand itself is crushed pumice, but being on the east coast I was unable to find any. Thus I decided to go with lava rock, which while less porous still contains plenty of surface area and is a popular DIY bio-media. I was initially concerned about impacts on water chemistry, but some tests (over several days) showed that it was more or less inert. In fact, some pieces actually led to lower TDS in the water, presumably due to some sort of ion binding capacity. 

Initially I went with Home Depot lava rock (sold for use in grills) because I had read about it being inert. This it was, but crushing it to substrate size was awfully labor intensive. I found a brand named Hoffman that sold lava rock already crushed to pebble size (for use as potting media), which was perfect for my application. Both types were inert, and both types are quite dusty - rinse well and multiple times before using!

Creating slopes:

Of course, any great nature aquarium must have a substrate slope to create a sense of depth. I didn’t realize the extent of this until I visited my first ADA dealer several years ago - even on small tanks the substrate was up to half a foot deep in the back! Though Aquasoil is somewhat better at maintaining slope than other substrates, the slope in my 10 gallon had evened out over the years. Therefore I knew I needed some sort of support system. 

Flow cells, used for collecting rain water, provided both vertical and horizontal support - the perfect solution. These have some ridges/recesses on the sides that allow pieces to fit together. I kept this in mind when cutting the pieces (using an electric saw) in the shape of the slope I wanted so that each layer would fit as one piece and be less prone to shifting with the addition of substrate. I cut the pieces smaller and shorter than the desired slope, accounting for substrate volume (you can see in my photos I adjusted the top right piece’s size for this reason). Before this I envisioned the scape I wanted, with some rough sketches on paper to get an idea of approximate dimensions for the slope.










Finally it came time to layer down the substrate. I layered Aquasoil along the sides of the tank so that the lava rock wouldn’t be visible. I first filled the flow cells with lava rock.










I then added power sand, choosing to add my limited amount to the more central areas where I would plant heavy root feeders like Cryptocoryne and hairgrass so they could utilize the extra nutrients. Before filling in the rest of the Aquasoil, I took three ADA Bacter Balls and crushed them up (using a nut cracker), sprinkling the powder and chunks evenly over the lava rocks and power sand. My local ADA retailer didn’t have Bacter 100. I would have used the other additives like Penac and Tourmaline but these were unavailable as well. 











*Preparation step 3: Designing the scape*

Conception:

The scape was inspired by my experiences in southern Texas, which contains many interesting environs where forest and prairies are juxtaposed. I envisioned driftwood combined with stem plant groupings representing stands of forest, with a gently swirling center path of hairgrass as the prairie that connects the two. The midground would represent the forest-prairie boundary, often a very biodiverse area. 










With this in mind I laid down the pieces of driftwood. The large piece actually does not naturally rest in this position - it has a flat base that leads it to naturally sit like below:










However I partially embedded it in the substrate and used lava rocks to support this tilted position. The left ‘piece’ of driftwood is actually two pieces placed next to each other. When plants grow in this will be less apparent. It is indeed possible to create a nice scape with less than ‘show-quality’ wood pieces through such creative arrangement strategies. 

The importance of flow:

Of course, functional considerations must be made in addition to aesthetic ones. I originally considered using more pieces of driftwood, but decided against this for a main practical issue.

How often have you heard all that’s required for a successful planted tank is light, CO2, and nutrients? While this is true at a basic level, it’s not a very helpful statement. There are plenty of tanks with sufficient lighting, high CO2 injection, and ample fertilization that don’t do well (as was the case with this tank’s previous incarnation).

Yes, you can be adding all these to your tank, but if there isn’t ample flow to distribute them then they won’t be available to nurture your plants, leading to poor growth and algae problems. For example, you can be pumping so much CO2 that no livestock can survive, but without proper flow certain areas will still have low CO2 levels. 

Insufficient flow also leads to detritus and mulm accumulation, which increases the chemical oxygen demand and spawns algal proliferation. It is for these reasons I acquired a second canister filter, as my past experience with the tank showed that one 2217, despite being rated for a tank my size, didn’t provide ample flow and biofiltration capacity to reduce detrital buildup.

Thus maximizing laminar flow, in which all the water in the tank moves as one and sustains a momentum, reaching all areas of the tank, was of utmost priority to me. Turbulent flow is of less importance and is actually counterproductive in most planted tanks; there are many reefkeeping articles discussing the differences between types. Copious hardscape materials hinder laminar flow and increase the chances of ‘dead spots’ and areas of mulm accumulation forming, so I chose to limit them and construct the scape primarily from plant groupings. 


*The final stage: Planting*

Before planting, I added enough water to go up to the substrate level at the front, and moistened the taller areas with a spray bottle. Prior to planting, I cut off any dead leaves and rinsed the plants well in water - this minimizes the organics load and resulting ammonia in the new tank. Spray regularly throughout the process so the plants don't dry out.

I decided to start with defining the hairgrass path, as this is the central area that ties the rest of the scape’s components together. I used bamboo skewers to help define the path I wanted and planted the hairgrass within this area, leaving a little empty space at the edges to account for growth. 










A strong midground is essential to defining a scape, so I planted this next. I attached the_ Bolbitis_ to the small Home Depot lava rocks and right two wood pieces using ADA wood tight (which is essentially vinyl-coated wire, but it has a good color). The java fern was acquired a week later and similarly attached to small lava rocks. This allows for easy rearrangement of epiphytic plants should it be necessary. Willow moss was wrapped around the upper branches of the large wood piece.










Then came time to plant the crypts and stems. The stems were planted densely, two at a time. Before planting I lined up the tops and cut off the bottoms so they were of an even height. For the larger groupings like the _Cabomba_ I used two set heights, with taller stems in the back. 










Finally came time for water to be added! I use remineralized RO water mixed in Rubbermaid brute trashcans (a classic reefer trick), so pumped this using a MaxiJet 1200. I placed a dish under the water outlet so as to not disturb the scape.


----------



## ScubaSteve (Jun 30, 2012)

Lovely tank!


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

*Week 1: May 18 - May 24 2016*

The first month makes or breaks a planted tank, and the first week is especially important. There are some important considerations for this period. The plants are newly added and transitioning, so will not be photosynthesizing very vigorously. Therefore it is important to be more stringent with photoperiod, CO2 rate, and dosing. Aquasoil contains both macro and micro nutrients so I did not dose at all for the first week. As the plants acclimate and resume vigorous growth, these are ramped up, but this must be done slowly.

As per Frank Wazeter’s methodology, the tank receives ~50% daily water changes for the first week. This helps prevent ammonia leached by Aquasoil from building up to excessive levels, algal accumulation (even if you can’t see any some is there), and removes other substances like tannins from fresh driftwood. For the first month the filter is ~20% mechanical media and ~80% carbon to further help remove these. 


Day 1:










I start off with CO2 at 3 bps and a photoperiod of 6 hours. Amano actually used 3 bps for some 4’ tanks (albeit planted primarily with epiphytes and crypts), so this isn't too low of a rate. Some plants are floating following initial planting, but I will get to these at tomorrow’s water change. For now only one filter is running to let the plants adjust and root. Two pieces of driftwood are floating, which is quite odd - I’ve never had malaysian driftwood float before.


Day 2:

I didn’t get around to taking a picture this day. I replanted any loose stems and added the second canister filter. One canister has a spray bar for surface agitation, while the other just uses the pipe outlet for laminar flow. I run the CO2 inline with the latter so it’s better distributed throughout the tank. 


Day 3:










I increase the photoperiod to 6.5 hours and CO2 to 4 bps. One driftwood piece has sunk while the other still stubbornly floats. 


Day 4:










I notice some diatoms growth on the glass, so begin incorporating glass scraping before each water change. 


Day 5:










A near disaster occurred the night prior. A family member turned on the light after the photoperiod had concluded to show the tank to some visiting guests. This would’ve been fine had they remembered to turn the light back off. By the time I found it the next morning it had been on for over 8 hours. I did a larger than usual water change, being especially conscientious to remove any detritus and dead leaves to minimize the chances of algal growth. However nothing looks worse for wear. Had the tank not been as heavily planted or stable prior, it may have been a very different situation. 

I had originally planned on increasing the photoperiod today but hold off because of the whole light fiasco. 

Now that the plants have had a few days to adjust, I add a 1600 gph powerhead for increased flow. This will also help prevent algal issues caused by dead spots and poor resource distribution. 

The last driftwood piece has begun to waterlog but hasn’t completely sunken. I stash it in a corner without many plants.


Day 6:










I notice some brown filamentous algae growing on a few older _Cryptocoryne_ leaves. It’s too early to tell if it’s BBA or filamentous diatoms, but I immediately clip the affected leaves. Manual removal of algae and infested leaves is key to control. Slow-growing plants like _Cryptocoryne_ are prone to algae on older leaves, but there is no need to fear removing these - even without leaves,_ Cryptocoryne _can survive if its roots are healthy and it receives enough light.

I decide I like the look of the _Rotala macrandra_ 'green' in front of the Cabomba on the left, so add a sprig of emersed_ Bacopa colorata _I had on hand to grow out and eventually plant in front of the right _Cabomba_ bunch for a similar effect. 

Day 7:










The plants are growing well but the water has a slight green tint when the lights are off. Hopefully this will settle itself as ammonia levels lower (though green water is a relatively benign algae).


----------



## Opare (Sep 9, 2015)

Ooo that light turning on could've been real bad, testament to your setup that it survived it!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

*Week 2: May 25 - May 31 2016*


After the first week, I’m a believer in Frank’s methodology. The tank is almost spotless! Past CO2-supplemented tanks I’ve done were a mess of algae by this point. 

The second week, barring special circumstances, has water changes done every other day. Lights and CO2 continue to be increased and dosing begins. Due diligence in spotting and removing algae is required with such adjustments, and care must be taken to avoid overly sudden changes.


Day 8:










I increase the photoperiod to 7 hours and CO2 to 5 bps. The last piece of driftwood is finally waterlogged enough to add to its proper location. 


Day 9:










The _Cabomba caroliniana_ is starting to look a bit yellow in new growth and the _Rotala macrandra_ ‘green’ is showing pinholes in older leaves, both classic signs of potassium deficiency. Aquasoil is low in Potassium so this is expected. Thus I start dosing 5 mL of Flourish Potassium.


Day 11: 










Photoperiod is increased to 7 hours and 15 minutes, and CO2 is increased to 6 bps. I plan on leaving it at this level. One of the defining aspects of nature aquariums is that CO2 supplementation is enough to support the plants while being at a moderate level for the sake of bacteria and livestock, unlike many ‘typical’ high tech tanks pumping so much gas that the fish are listless whenever the CO2 is on. 

I test the ammonia for the first time; it’s still 5 ppm. Despite this I notice pond snails starting to populate the tank. Unlike many, I don’t mind snails - they’re good detritivores and are only in excess if the tank is out of balance. I also notice the hairgrass has started shooting out runners. The Cabomba is still looking a bit yellow so I increase the potassium dosage by 0.5 mL.


Day 12: 

Forgot to take a picture today. 

I increase the photoperiod to 7 hours and 30 minutes. However at the end of the day I notice the first signs of _Spirogyra_, primarily near the _Cryptocoryne affinis_. After a minor panic attack, I immediately trim the affected leaves, and decide to back off from lengthening the photoperiod. I’m dismayed that it made it into the tank despite my previously described preparation - presumably dormant spores were introduced along with some plant or another. 

This was also the first day there were no stems uprooted overnight.


Day 13:










Ammonia is 1 ppm - I’ve often noted _Spirogyra_ and high ammonia to be correlated. I do a large (>50%) water change. No _Spirogyra _is visible on the _Cryptocoryne_ but a couple strands are on the driftwood near the willow moss. After I siphon out the water and the level is low and stagnant, I add a half dose of AlgaeFix near the visible strands and let it sit for several minutes. By the late evening the strands look white, a good sign. I add the rest of the full dose at night after lights off. 

Today also marks the first day of visible plant pearling (on the _Cabomba_). 

I’d like to take a moment to discuss my seemingly drastic reaction to the presence of _Spirogyra_. Some may be confused as to my strong reaction to its presence - algae’s normal in new tanks, so why get so worked up? Why be so extreme with chemical fixes instead of just removing it and balancing out the tank?

Algae and planted tanks go hand in hand. However most types aren’t too difficult to deal with. Diatoms almost never occur in established tanks and make good Otocinclus food. Flat green algaes like GSA are easily scraped off and devoured by nerite snails. _Cyanobacteria_, though virulent once established, will fall victim to antibiotics like Erythromycin. Even the dreaded BBA does not spread quickly and is easily controlled in proper conditions with good plant growth.

Yet _Spirogyra_, the spaghetti-shaped beast, is easily the most vile of them all. Though outbreaks are sometimes spurred by a temporary imbalance (such as the aforementioned ammonia), once the algae is present and established it’s perfectly content to grow in the same conditions that plants thrive in. Only your plants won’t be thriving anymore, because _Spirogyra_ will choke them out. It gives a hearty chuckle towards attempts at manual removal, retaining fragments on surfaces in the tank that regrow overnight, ever sprawling onward to every nook and cranny of the tank, not satisfied until your precious plants have had the life squeezed out of them. 

I have lost countless tanks to this vicious foe, and won’t lose another. Sure, I could just manually remove it, keep ammonia down, and hope for the best. But little fragments or spores would be lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment - a dead fish gone unnoticed in a stand of plants, a bit too much substrate disturbed during planting - to unleash their horrid selves. At night, they would haunt my dreams, with visions of a peaceful aquatic world turned to chaos. 

No more, I say. This algae deserves nothing less than vanquishment, extermination, extinction like the dodo - only then shall I be content. 


Day 14: 










Now that the _Spirogyra_ has been killed, I conduct an additional 50% water change to get out AlgaeFix and to prevent ammonia from any small organisms that may have been killed. All the pond snails are still alive, despite a few anecdotes that AlgaeFix affects them.


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

Week 3: June 1 - June 7 2016



The third week receives three water changes as levels of ammonia, tannins, and similar substances are now lower. Lighting and dosing continue to be adjusted.

The tank is almost ready for fauna. It’s important to add algae-eaters towards the beginning to prevent normal small amounts of algae from spiraling into full-blown infestations. Algae eaters are effective at prevention, but won’t do much for an established outbreak unless added in extreme amounts. 


Day 15: 










Ammonia is slightly greater than 0.25 ppm, but it’s hard to know for sure with the liquid test kits. Photoperiod is increased to seven hours forty-five minutes. 


Day 17:










Ammonia is slightly less than 0.25 ppm. Hairgrass runners are noticeable from the front of the tank. Note that this area is by far the dimmest, with PAR in the 20s or 30s at most, yet hairgrass is doing well. Carpet plants require sufficient CO2 and good substrate, not blazing lights.










I note a small amount of green filamentous algae near the _Cryptocoryne affinis_ and manually remove it. I didn’t use Algaefix this time around for several reasons:

It’s not _Spirogyra_. Other green filamentous algaes, while unsightly and potentially virulent, are easier to deal with and respond to proper parameters, algae eaters, and manual removal

It’s not near the moss. Moss with filamentous algae is good as dead - once the two are entangled only chemical treatments will be sufficient.

I want to support the population of microscopic invertebrates so that they can contribute to breakdown of detritus and eventually serve as a source of fish food.

I’m ready to add amano shrimp soon, and don’t want any remnants of AlgaeFix (toxic to crustacean invertebrates) in the tank upon their introduction.

Day 18: 










After much research, I’ve ordered and started dosing potassium bicarbonate (KHPO3) in place of Flourish Potassium (potassium sulfate, K2SO4), starting off with ~1.3 ppm. I’m concerned about the accumulation of sulfates from long-term potassium sulfate dosing.

Potassium bicarbonate is likely what ADA Brighty K is made of - the actual Brighty K is much too expensive for a tank my size. My water has almost 0 KH, so the small amounts of added carbonates are welcome. While some people assert Brighty K is instead potassium carbonate (K2CO3), there are many anecdotes of problems following dosing this compound. Carbonate is a much stronger base than bicarbonate, so will lead to stronger water parameter fluctuations. 

I also begin dosing Fluorish Iron because the _Cabomba furcata_ looks in need of it, starting with 0.01 ppm (the amount provided by the recommended dose of Green Brighty Step 1 according to the Rotala Butterfly calculator). 










Following these changes the _C. furcata_ is very happy and pearling intensely. 


Day 19: 










I increase the photoperiod to eight hours and potassium dose to 1.5 ppm. The _Cabomba_ are getting very unruly and due for a trim. Ammonia is zero, but I will hold off on livestock introduction until after the plants have been trimmed and the tank re-equilibrates. 

Day 20:










A trim is definitely needed - without the powerhead’s current the _C. furcata_ reaches the surface!

However, I am a bit nervous going into this trim, as I have had some tanks do well until a major trim was performed, after which the plants start doing poorly or algae runs rampant. Since the tank is much more stable than my past ones, the water parameters are excellent, and the plants being trimmed are hardy, vigorous growers, I am not too concerned. However I do avoid trimming all the tank’s stems at once, leaving the _Rotala macrandra_ varieties untouched (the regular type is still far off from needing a trim).

The first trim is the shortest, and subsequent ones are done at slightly higher spots - this helps promote the ‘bushy’ look. The shortest stems were trimmed to about 4” tall. The plants are trimmed at different heights in the shape of the desired bush. 










A few of the trimmings were replanted in sparser areas for a denser bush, but the vast majority were repurposed to other tanks. Any stems of _Ammania sp._ 'bonsai' that had sprouted side shoots had the tops cut off and replanted to further the grouping’s size and density.

Now that I have more of an idea of what the plants look like when grown in, some minor rearrangements are made to the positions of _Rotala macrandra_ and _Rotala rotundifolia_ var. After all the trimming and replanting has been done, a ⅓ water change is done to help remove any loose dead leaves from plants and particles/ammonia from any disturbed substrate. 











Day 21: 










Algae hasn’t run rampant and no plants are dead so I’m happy. Some of the _Rotala macrandra_ have stunted new growth - hopefully this is due to relocation (some stems may be in an area with less light). There is a tiny amount of green filamentous algae similar to Day 17, once again around old crypt leaves and exposed roots. It’s essential to trim away these - they merely lead the plant to waste energy keeping them and serve as sites for algal growth. I test pH for the first time - it’s 6.4 at the end of photoperiod.


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

By week 4, the tank should be pretty stable. Only two water changes will be performed this week. After the first month only one water change a week should be needed. This bodes well, as I have an upcoming internship that leaves me away from home for the weekdays (not to mention being away for weeks at a time at college later on). A weekly water change combined with regular observation and livestock feeding (when needed) is fairly simple maintenance even my fish-sitters are capable of. 


Day 22 (June 8 2016):

Today is every fish keeper’s favorite day - the one to add livestock! I had 14 amano shrimp and 4 _Otocinclus_ being held in the 10 gallon tank next to this tank. Over the past week or so, I have been doing frequent water changes on that tank with the same source water as this one so the parameters are more or less identical. 

I add the shrimp and fish straight from the holding to the display tank early in the morning, about four hours before the CO2 comes on. This gives them a chance to get settled in their new tank before having to deal with the higher CO2 level. Right after this, I have 7 more _Otocinclus_, 30+ amano shrimp, and 14 Thai micro crabs come in from Msjinkzd. I plop and drop these into the newly vacated holding tank. I will let them adjust to the new parameters for a couple days before similarly transferring them to the display tank.










By the time the lights are on, the transferred shrimp are hyper, picking around the whole tank. The _Otocinclus_ particularly enjoy the large wood piece. These four were actually from this tank’s previous incarnation, and seem to enjoy being back in larger accommodations. _Otocinclus_ really do thrive with more swimming space, especially when kept in large groups. I'm sure they'll be even happier when they have seven more friends to join them later this week. 

Late in the photoperiod things are still going well. The big driftwood piece is certainly much cleaner than it was at the start of the day - it now has a slight mahogany hue. None of the livestock show any signs of CO2 stress. The _Otocinclus_ are sticking to the lower half of the tank instead of lethargically hanging out at the surface. The shrimp are actively picking at surfaces in the tank, instead of having little pincer movement or worse, ‘drunkenly’ swimming around (if your shrimp are doing this turn off the CO2 and start running an airstone immediately).

Could I run more CO2? Maybe - probably, even. Am I going to? No. The livestock are happy, and the plants are thriving. It’s commonly advised to run CO2 as high as the livestock will take it, only backing off when they start showing stress or gasping at the surface. But viewing lethargic (or worse, gasping) fish constantly on the brink of suffocation is no fun. This is the first time I’ve really enjoyed looking at one of my tanks in years. Thriving fish and shrimp roaming through a world of lush plants - this is what the hobby’s about.










Now’s the perfect time to begin adding the clean-up crew. The die-off of old hairgrass leaves is beginning to become noticeable, and there is a minor amount of film at the surface. Shrimp in particular help assimilate organic matter into forms more easily broken down and recycled into nutrients - hopefully they will help take care of any decaying old plant leaves and reduce the tank’s organics level, which is what contributes to surface film. One of my goals for this tank is to gain learning experience as to how to utilize a clean-up crew to minimize detritus accumulation. Hopefully this knowledge will help with ease of maintenance on future set-ups, which may incorporate automated water changing.


----------



## Aqualibra (May 15, 2013)

Nice set up. Where did you get the drainage cells for substrate support?


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

Here's the link. They're definitely very sturdy. I have no doubt they'd do a stellar job supporting rocks in a rock-focused scape. They will require a good electric saw to cut though.


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

Day 23:










Unfortunately one amano shrimp didn’t make it. However the others are all acting normally so I’m not too concerned. The _Otocinclus_ are all alive and seem to have plumped up nicely. All the critters in the holding tank are doing well and ready for transfer tomorrow. 

A 40% water change was performed. The hairgrass carpet had quite a bit of detritus and dead leaves sucked up from it - much more than in the first three weeks. Hopefully this won’t be present in as large amounts after the initial old leaf die-off has concluded. While the surface isn’t crystal clear, there’s no discernible film either. The addition of further clean-up crew tomorrow should help.


----------



## gaga43 (Oct 14, 2010)

Wow man super detailed I love it definatly subscribed LOVE the tanks esthetics


----------



## Chris Noto (Aug 19, 2005)

> Unfortunately one amano shrimp didn’t make it. However the others are all acting normally so I’m not too concerned.


I have found Amano and Neocaridina shrimp to be more sensitive to changes in water parameters than most of the other livestock I've handled in freshwater aquaria. Translation: I've killed a few.  



> The _Otocinclus_ are all alive and seem to have plumped up nicely.


I do love Otos. Have a couple in my 10 gallon setup, along with a few Corydoras julii and one C. habrosus. Cheap, interesting, and useful little fish. Can't ask for much more!

P.S. I have been loving this thread. Clear thinking, well expressed, nicely documented with photos, and a fine looking tank. Many thanks!


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

Chris Noto said:


> I have found Amano and Neocaridina shrimp to be more sensitive to changes in water parameters than most of the other livestock I've handled in freshwater aquaria. Translation: I've killed a few.


This is true, although think it was just stress associated with catching and transferring them that did it. The water in both tanks is from the same source and is very similar (within 10 TDS), with the display tank perhaps having a lower pH from tannins.


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

Day 24:










Transfer from the holding to display tank went a bit better this time after reducing the water level to 25% and removing any epiphytic plants. When transferring such a large number of fauna, it is helpful to keep a tally using pen and paper to track how many have been caught and how many remain. One of the _Otocinclus_ and eight micro crabs evaded detection and will be transferred at a later date. 

Unfortunately one amano shrimp was found dead later in the day. The _Otocinclus_ are doing well, looking nice and plump. I’ve yet to see any cohesive schooling - at most groups of three or four will briefly swim together before dissociating. The newly introduced fish seem to segregate themselves from the four original ones (I can tell based on size differences) - hopefully their social group will integrate with time. I have observed similar behavior in the past with other social fish like tetras. The big driftwood piece remains very popular.

Plant leaves are looking very clean. They were pretty clean before, but had some faint brown specks of diatoms (normal in new tanks). Now they’re almost spotless. Hopefully this will help the plants photosynthesize more vigorously. The sprig of _Bacopa colorata_ is beginning to show larger growth and red pigmentation. My emersed specimens have been doing well lately so I may transfer a few more sprigs. Hopefully as this plant finishes its acclimation it will take off as _Bacopa_ are known to do - when I grew it submersed years ago it was a vigorous grower even without CO2. 

Interestingly, the shrimp don’t seem to enter the dense groupings of stems, preferring to browse the driftwood and other more open areas. I have occasionally noted a few of the smaller (1 inch, 2.5 cm) shrimp in these plant bunches, but this seems to be for rest rather than foraging. I intend to add 50 crystal red shrimp in August - hopefully the dwarf shrimp will inhabit and forage areas where the amano shrimp don’t, providing a more comprehensive clean-up crew. There is a bit of surface film, but I will perform another water change tomorrow to remove the rest of the hairgrass old leaf die-off (I’d already drawn out enough water during the last one before getting to it all).










Though I couldn’t imagine it happening, I actually did manage to spot micro crabs out and about on a few occasions. Hopefully these will further flesh out the cleaning crew, as they enjoy exploring dark crevices where fish and shrimp generally don’t venture.


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

Day 25:










I perform a water change, trying to loosen up as much of the hairgrass old-leaf die off as I can. A large net, as big as will fit into the tank, is useful for cleaning up any loose leaves from the water surface afterwards. During the day, the surface is slightly cloudy but doesn’t have a discernible film. 

I’m really enjoying the micro crabs. I was worried I’d never see them, but I often spot them crawling across the hairgrass. They seem very active in this tank, much more so than I’ve seen them behave in smaller tanks. With any luck they’ll breed - I’ll know if I’m still seeing some in a year or two!










Here's a rare sight - willow moss pearling!


Day 26:










I left today for an internship in another city (staying there during weekdays), but unfortunately my departure was marred by disaster. I spent the whole morning setting up my two autodosing pumps (for potassium and iron). I plugged these into the outlet to let the tubings prime with fertilizer, and then transferred them to their respective digital timers. Having skipped breakfast I was eager to have lunch!

Somehow the iron pump’s timer, despite displaying the program setting, was actually on, meaning my entire iron mixture was deposited into the tank by the time I returned. I was frantic - I had no pre-mixed water to do a water change, and had to leave very soon. My concern, though high, was mitigated by a few factors.


The volume and concentration were very low. Thus instead of the usual 0.01 ppm dose, 1 ppm was added. Yet some people (using EI) add this amount to their tanks every day! Therefore a one time dose is unlikely to lead to irreversible disaster.

Ferrous gluconate, the form of iron I use, does not last very long in the tank, degrading quickly (a few hours) from light, heat, etc. This is part of my philosophy - keep the nutrients in the water column for as little time as possible. Thus even though there’s one mega-spike of iron it’s not in the tank for long.

ADA Aquasoil has a high CEC and should readily bind any excess Fe ions not utilized by the plants, removing them from the water column before algae can utilize them. Like I’ve previously mentioned, such substrates act as a buffer in case of any dosing program blips.

I’m not sure if plants can store excess iron like with nitrogen and phosphorus, but will abstain from dosing iron until my return next weekend. I figure the plants have taken in enough, and the substrate should be able to supply them should they need any later on. 

The key lesson here is: when setting up any sort of automation, be fully present to make sure it actually works before leaving. Had this happened with the potassium bicarbonate instead I could have very easily lost the whole tank to KH swings...


Day 27:










I feared an explosion of hair algae, but no such thing has come to fruition. The tank looks no worse for the wear. The _Cabomba furcata_ has visibly grown quite taller overnight - I’m sure having this iron-hungry plant also helped mitigated the high iron dose’s effects. 


Day 29:

The _Cabomba furcata_ continues to take off. My mother (who helps me observe the tank while I’m away) reports the shrimp are very happy and active, which I’m glad to hear. Shrimp are like a canary in a coal mine. This concept’s generally found in saltwater fishkeeping - have fauna sensitive to changes in certain parameters serve as an early warning sign that something’s amiss. Shrimp serve this role for quite a few parameters, such as overly high CO2 and high dissolved wastes - if they aren’t doing well (or worse, going carpet surfing) then something’s amiss and needs addressing. 


Day 31:










I finally get to see the tank again after almost a week (and some mild separation anxiety). I nervously head down the basement, but am very happy once I lay my eyes on the tank. The plants are looking vibrant, and there is not a spot of algae to be found. The shrimp are displaying good color and all over the tank, instead of sometimes huddling in one area (as they did shortly after introduction). The _Otocinclus_ are plump (some quite so). 

The tank’s success during my short departure is a good sign. It required no input from my fish-sitter besides observation. Hopefully as the tank continues to stabilize it will be able to handle my being away from home weeks at a time for college, with the only inputs being a weekly water change and feeding of any additional future livestock.


Day 32:










Though the tank is doing well there’s still work to be done, so I conduct the weekly water change.

The _Cabomba_ is definitely in need of a trim. In addition to some_ C. furcata_ that’s nearly reached the surface (almost doubling in height within a week), some stems in the rest of the tank have outgrown the others, so must be cut back to shape the bush. This presumably results from my replanting of stem tops to fill in areas that had been left sparse by uprooting during the early weeks, as the bottoms that were left in place have not added much height yet. I imagine this uneven growth rate is why Amano said it is best to use the tops for other tanks instead of replanting them.










Some hairgrass old leaf die-off remains. In addition to vacuuming, I pull up some loose plugs with some visibly decaying old roots (this was purchased as a very thick established mat) that have become slightly buoyant, and pull away any old tissue, leaving only young green leaves and fresh, white roots behind.










Interestingly, only certain patches of hairgrass, mainly in the center front have this issue. Perhaps part of it is light - this area is dimmer, and the hairgrass was grown under brighter conditions so the old foliage isn’t suited to this environment. Yet the hairgrass at the front edges doesn’t have this issue either, so perhaps strength of flow plays a role too. There’s plenty of new growth and runners so I’m not concerned. 

I had originally planned to change the carbon in one of the filters to bio media, but want to avoid making too many changes at once since I’ve trimmed some stems and disturbed part of the hairgrass carpet. This will have to wait until the following weekend - I don’t want to make a major change tomorrow when I’m not even around for the whole day to observe.

Later in the day the water surface is the cleanest it’s been in a while. Not crystal clear but not filmy or cloudy either - perhaps dusty would best describe it.


----------



## ScubaSteve (Jun 30, 2012)

Not sure if you mentioned it somewhere in the thread, but where did you get the micro crabs and what are they called? Sorry if you already answered this!


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

ScubaSteve said:


> Not sure if you mentioned it somewhere in the thread, but where did you get the micro crabs and what are they called? Sorry if you already answered this!


They are Thai micro crabs (_Limnopilos naiyanetri_). I got them from Rachel O'Leary (Msjinkzd).


----------



## ScubaSteve (Jun 30, 2012)

Axelrodi202 said:


> They are Thai micro crabs (_Limnopilos naiyanetri_). I got them from Rachel O'Leary (Msjinkzd).


Thank you for the info!


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

Day 33 (June 19, 2016):










After the start of the second month the first real signs of algae appear. I notice a bit of BBA starting to grow on the leaves of the hairgrass under the brightest light, with a few spores on the back glass. It’s been present since the tank’s first week, but always in minimal quantities. Presumably the disturbances of removing and cleaning decaying hairgrass material in the tank (releasing debris into the water) and a dead _Otocinclus_ (one of the largest ones, presumably from old age) combined with trimming some plants has allowed it to multiply. I did notice a similar occurrence a week ago, also following a water change. 

It seems to still be rather nonvirulent, consisting of tiny pieces instead of large, thick tufts. BBA isn’t the worse algae out there - while it can be very virulent once established, it can also exist benignly as small amounts in a balanced tank (or even go extinct all together). 

I mow the affected leaves and scrape the back glass, being careful to catch all debris with a large net. Vigilance is still important at this stage of the tank - though the first month (the most difficult period) has passed, the tank will not be fully mature for another couple of months. It is much better to nip new algae in the bud then try to remove it all once it’s established. 


Day 34: 

Tank seems to be doing well. Algae hasn’t reappeared and there are no more livestock losses.


Day 35:










Unfortunately one more _Otocinclus_ passed away. It looked rather skinny, which is odd given that the rest of them are still quite plump. Perhaps the individual had digestive difficulties, or the tank’s carrying capacity was overshot. 


Day 38: 










The tank is doing well upon my return - the surface is looking cleaner than last week, and there’s no visible algae. I check on some trimmings from the most recent trim that I threw into a small holding tank, and notice scuds in the tank! I had previously suspected some of the plants had brought in scuds, as I noticed one (sucked out during a water change) during the tank’s first couple of weeks. Luckily, they haven’t been in the main tank since - I suspect the Algaefix did them off. 

But this sighting reminds me of the importance of quarantine. Even with my careful inspection a scud somehow managed to get past me, and its likely they would have proliferated had I not dosed the AlgaeFix during the first month. I may consider using a default Algaefix quarantine for all new plants in the future - while it doesn’t affect plants (besides certain liverworts supposedly) it will kill any undesired filamentous algae and crustaceans. 


Day 39: 










I change one of the two canister filters over to biological media - ADA Bio Rio with some Eheim Substrat to fill out the remaining volume. I chose to use primarily the former because of its dormant bacteria, but these should quickly colonize the Eheim media. It’s surprising how dirty the filter has become after only a bit more than a month!

Somehow some the very minor BBA has popped up again overnight - perhaps my eyes were fuzzy the prior night. A few small dots are in the back center on some hairgrass leaves and glass. I trim all afflicted hairgrass leaves and scrape a few spores off the glass, making sure to remove as many as possible from the tank. 

I change the media before a water change because the Bio Rio manual warns of potential cloudiness. While there is a bit immediately after starting the filter, it’s rather negligible. 










During the water change I continue my cleanup of the hairgrass carpet. I learned my lesson from last week and clean out plugs in a separate bucket of tank water, lest I unleash a massive load of organics into the tank’s water column again. But it seems that the organics load overall is decreasing, as there are fewer snails than previously. 

I notice the _Cryptocoryne affinis_ is starting to send runners and am excited. This is one of my favorite plants, and is absolutely gorgeous once mature and established. Furthermore, greater substrate coverage reduces shrimps’ ability to pick at the substrate, releasing particles into the water column. An old ADA AquaJournal discusses this as a potential cause of cloudiness in sparsely planted tanks.

I move the light fixture forward to help support more areas of the carpet, hopefully reducing the old-leaf die-off. The _Rotala macrandra_ was shaded and is now in poor condition, but I moved it to the center so it will be supported by the new light placement as well. 

Another potential cause for the appearance of BBA - my CO2 flow rate is slower than normal, perhaps because the overall tank pressure is starting to get low (indicating its low on gas). This is a reminder of the importance of regular observation, even when things are supposedly automated.


Day 40 (June 26, 2016):










Originally I intended to wait a week before changing the second canister filter, but do so today for a couple of reasons:



Changing the first filter produced a significantly cleaner water surface after just half a day. The water surface clarity is a good proxy for organics levels - if it’s cloudy or filmy they must be high. I want to get organics as low as possible, lest the tiny amounts of BBA become not so minor…


I was watching a video by Ted Judy where he said not to worry about the loss of nitrifying bacteria when cleaning filters, as bacteria uptake the most nitrogenous waste when in their exponential growth phase.

I notice the temperature is a bit higher than usual, now being 77-78. For ease of maintenance and consideration of the future CRS, I would like to have the tank running a bit cooler so I order a heater controller.


----------



## Julie7778 (Apr 21, 2015)

This is very well written and enjoyed it very much. I'm excited to see what's next! 
Gorgeous tank.


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

Been very busy this summer, between interning, taking care of the tank, and family matters, so have fallen behind on journaling. But I've been keeping pictures and notes along the way so am catching up.


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

Day 42 (June 28, 2016):

After some reflection I may have come up with a cause for the hairgrass die-off - trace nutrient deficiency! Up until now I haven’t been dosing anything besides potassium and iron. However, I noticed that a few of the new _Rotala rotundifolia_ leaves were looking a bit funny so suspected some sort of deficiency. Though the long-term effects of centering the light over more of the carpet remain to be seen, I suspect this isn’t the only factor as some patches receiving a lot of light have the problem while some other ones in dimmer areas don’t. If it were trace nutrient deficiency, it could be that certain areas of substrate still happen to have more while others have been depleted. Certainly the grass in the areas with the thickest substrate, which presumably takes the longest to deplete, is looking the best. 

Thus a half dose of Flourish Trace is added, avoiding a full dose because it would be quite a sudden change. Seachem instructs to dose twice a week, so another half dose will be added in a few days if it goes well. 


Day 45 (July 1, 2016):










The hairgrass is definitely looking better - die-off has stopped.

Signs of deficiency (pinholes in_ Rotala macrandra_ ‘green’, less vivid _green Cabomba caroliniana_) indicate it’s time to increase my potassium dosing. This could be from the plants becoming further acclimated and photosynthesizing more vigorously. But the tank has also been running hot all week (maxing out at 80 degrees) despite my unplugging the heater, as ambient temperatures are high from summer weather. Hopefully they’ll cool somewhat before my CRS come in mid-August. 

I give a slight trim to the_ Rotala rotundifolia_. Some of the willow moss looks a bit ‘stringy’, bare of leaflets. This could be a result of the amano shrimp; Amano often documented they’ll eat mosses and some other fine-leaved or newly grown plants once they’ve run out of algae. I will continue to observe for further signs of damage, supplementing the shrimp’s diets if needed. Unfortunately the_ Rotala macrandra _hasn’t recovered yet. Some portions that are obviously dying are removed. 

I notice the first presence of GSA. This is a very benign algae - if it’s present in anything more than minor amounts something is seriously wrong with the tank’s balance.


Day 46 (July 2, 2016):










I conduct the weekly water change. I’m tired of looking at the decaying old hairgrass, so pull up most of the carpet, clean off all old dead growth, and replant plugs. It’s tough work, but worth it in the end. The carpet no longer looks yellowish, and the water surface is very clean!


Day 47 (July 3, 2016):










Once again I notice a few tufts of BBA in the usual spots. For the past several weeks now I’ve noticed a pattern: minor BBA appears after a water change, yet doesn’t return (following manual removal) until the next water change. I suspect this is from large water changes (50%) stirring up organics/detritus into the water column or on a more general level disturbing the tank’s equilibrium. I entirely remove the _Rotala macrandra_. Unfortunately it was too weakened by its time in the shade and is beyond recovery.


Day 53 (July 9, 2016):

After my noting the pattern between large water changes and BBA, I decide to do a smaller water change this week, exchanging 30% rather than 50%. Looking through ADA tank specs, this is the amount I notice almost all their more recent tanks receive. Though specs for older tanks indicate 50% weekly water changes, I trust that over the years ADA has refined their methodology and now changes less water for a reason. 

By now I’ve worked up to a ¾ dose of Flourish trace and will keep it there for a while until the plant mass is higher again.


Day 54 (July 10, 2016):










My hypothesis regarding the correlation between BBA and large water changes seems to have some merit. Today there are only two visible tufts, instead of up to a dozen as there have been on past post-wc days.


Day 56 (July 12, 2016):

After consulting with the hobbyist I got it from and various online resources, I pin down the identity of the _Rotala rotundifolia _as_ Rotala sp._ ‘Yao Yai’.


Day 59 (July 15, 2016):

I come back on Friday to low CO2. Due to the tank pressure getting low as it nears becoming empty, the bps rate decreased by almost 50%. There are a few tufts of BBA in new spots like the glass, driftwood, and old fern leaves. My experience indicates that BBA is directly a result of dissolved organics. Low CO2 is often given as a cause, but this is more likely due to low levels leading to poor plant health and increased leaf shedding, which increase organics. 


Day 60 (July 16, 2016):










I perform a big prune on the _Rotala macrandra_ ‘green’, the plant most affected by the week of low CO2. It’s shed many leaves, and many more older leaves are in poor condition. I cut off the good tops and replant them, discarding the unhealthy older portions. There are many leaves to net. I switch the regulator over to a spare 5 lb CO2 tank; a full tank will have a constant pressure and less fluctuations in bps rate so I can rest easy while I’m away for the next week.


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

Been super busy with school the past few months, but the tank survives. Now that it's winter break I finally have some time to catch up on the journal. Updates coming soon.


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

*Month 3: July 18 - August 17 2016*

Day 63 (July 19, 2016):










The third month is off to a bad start. I had asked a family member to help refill my main 20 lb CO2 tank while I’m away (since the gas supply store isn’t open on weekends), but took the initiative to put the regulator back on the main tank. I’d already carefully calibrated the needle valve to provide the proper flow rate using the 5 lb spare tank, but the rate was substantially different following transferring the regulator back to the main tank. Luckily I’d taken a video of the bubble counter after switching to the spare tank so have something my family members can adjust the flow rate to as a reference. Hopefully it doesn’t deviate too much.


Day 67 (July 22, 2016):










I return on Friday to find all but one_ Otocinclus_ missing. There are no dried up corpses around the tank (I haven’t found _Otocinclus_ to be prolific jumpers anyways) so I presume them dead. The amano shrimp are as numerous and happy as ever, with some of them having gotten quite large (morbid, I know). 

Many of the replanted _Rotala macrandra _‘green’ stems have uprooted and begun dying off over the course of the week. I’ve learned my lesson - never plant many unrooted stems if you won’t be around to take care of floaters. Unfortunately this means there are more loose leaves, which I net out. 
The water is hazy, but not cloudy or filmy. There’s more GSA, but surprisingly little BBA given the organics load that must have been unleashed on the tank the past week. 


Day 68 (July 23, 2016):










I go down to the tank in morning and see gas flowing in the bubble regulator. It’s unclear what’s going on, as even the detached regulator shows bubble. But my inclination is that something happened during the CO2 tank transition that led to gas flowing at all hours - perhaps some sort of suction? The solenoid is still working. I confirm this with a pH test - it’s very low at 6.4, which is what it usually is at the end of the photoperiod (when CO2 has built up for a while). The pH after several hours of oxygenation (filters left running with a lowered water level during a water change) is 6.6. If CO2 were indeed running 24/7, this would explain why my_ Otocinclus_ perished. Even with an airstone, it still likely built up to dangerous levels at nighttime when the plants ceased photosynthesis.

I disassemble and reassemble the CO2 system components until I no longer see the odd continuous flow of gas. I perform a big 50% water change, and clean the filters. 

During my time maintaining the tank I don’t really see any of the micro crabs either. This big livestock loss is disappointing for sure, but alas - sometimes events out our control happen. Persistence is the key to this hobby - even Amano frequently espoused this.

In between diagnosing the issue and the water change, I spend more time than anticipated. Generally when doing maintenance I try to be done (the tank filled) before the CO2 kicks on, so as not to interfere with the buildup of CO2 before the photoperiod. Today, this wasn’t possible, so I manually turn on the CO2, lights, and fertilizers at a later point instead of having them run off the usual timers. I forget to turn off the potassium pump in time so accidentally made a double dose. But this may actually be a good thing given the big water change and potentially deficient plants (rough-looking older leaves). The main fear is KH swings from the carbonate - the Brighty K manual mentions no more than a double dose should be used for this reason. But given that Aquasoil binds carbonates I’m not too worried. 

I test the KH to be 3 degrees, which is about what I’d expect. 

The _Cabomba_ looks a bit off, especially with yellowing old growth but some new small stems too. Perhaps this was a result of low oxygen over the past week? It could also be a nutrient deficiency - whether or not the issue persists further (now that the CO2 has been fixed) will give me some further indication. 


Day 73 (July 29, 2016):










There’s no apparent BBA but some yellowing plants left over from last week. 
I need to rearrange the _Cabomba caroliniana _on the left, as it’s shading the _Rotala macrandra_ ‘green’. Initially I planted different species of stem plants right next to each other, but this may have been unwise. Instead I should have intentionally left a little space between groupings of different species. As plants grow they naturally get bushier and spread out to the sides. If some space is left between them, this natural process fills the empty space. However if no space is provided then plants may shade each other, resulting in dying stems, which contributes to the organics load. 
The _Rotala sp._ ‘Yao Yai’ could use a trim but I’ll wait until I’m done with my internship and around to observe things for longer than a day and a half. 

The TDS is in the low 80s, which is the highest it’s ever been. This suggests something’s off with the tank’s balance. Either there are more dissolved wastes in the system, or something is impairing the plants’ ability to uptake nutrients. 


Day 76 (August 1, 2016):

I suspect that my recent issues may be a result of phosphorus deficiency. The old leaves aren’t looking good, the growth rates are slowing down, and some plants (such as the_ Cabomba_) are looking less robust overall. While I’d assumed the new Aquasoil would provide enough for a while, another hobbyist well-versed in its usage tells me that some phosphate dosing may be necessary, as the Aquasoil very quickly binds any in the water column. 

ADA’s Green Brighty Special Lights fertilizer does add 0.2 ppm phosphate per dose, which is the level I’ll aim for. I start slow with 5 mL of Flourish Phosphorus, which adds ~0.05 ppm PO4. I’ll work my way up to 0.2 ppm over the course of the next week, avoiding a sudden influx of nutrients and letting the plants get accustomed to the more available nutrients.


Day 80 (August 5, 2016): 










By now I’m up to dosing 15 mL of Flourish Phosphorus, which provides ~0.15 ppm. The old growth previously in bad condition continues to deteriorate but the new growth is very vibrant green.

I’ve completed my internship, and am home for two more weeks to make observations and adjustments before heading off to college in late August.


Day 81 (August 6, 2016)










I tidy up the_ Cabomba_, removing the old portions in poor condition and replanting the healthy tops. I trim the_ Rotala sp._ ‘Yao Yai’. Following the big reduction in plant mass I reduce the potassium to ~3 ppm. 
The system’s health is improving. Even after uprooting and generally stirring things around before the water change, the TDS is below 80 (before any fresh water is added to the tank). There’s much fewer loose _Cabomba _leaves on the surface and trapped in the powerhead intake.

The glass cover looks a bit dusty so I wipe it down with a paper towel. I’ll be incorporating this into my regular maintenance routine from now on so the buildup doesn’t get too substantial and impact things. 
After almost a week of phosphorus dosing, some plants are appearing redder, such as the_ Bacopa colorata_ and_ Ammania bonsai_. The _Cryptocoryne affinis_ ‘metallic red’ have really taken off over the past week, sending runners and new leaves. Whether this is a function of the phosphorus dosing or simply time I don’t know.










I also add a recently ordered intake sponge. I hope this will help keep the canister filter cleaner while not overly reducing flow. Instead of entering the canister and rotting, leaves and other detritus will be trapped by the sponge, which is much easier to clean, providing a better way of exporting organics from the system.


Day 83 (August 8, 2016):










I notice the first gravid amano shrimp, which suggests my population is at a good level (or at least not above carrying capacity). 


Day 84 (August 9, 2016):










I get in quite a bit of livestock today. I ordered 15 _Otocinclus _to replace the ones I lost, with one DOA. Early in the day all but 1 look good . This one died later in the evening. The rest show no signs of CO2 stress.

I also get in ~100 red king kong mischling shrimp. These are essentially CRS, but with some red king kong genes in them. This is primarily for a separate colony tank, but I will be adding some lower grade ones to this tank as well for several reasons:


CRS are plain neat. Since the early days of my planted tank hobby I’ve always wanted to have some in a display tank, but was held back by liquid rock tap water (before my RO unit acquisition) or a complete inability to maintain livestock in a CO2-supplemented tank with good plant growth. Now that I have a tank where I can maintain clean, soft water and good plant growth without gassing all livestock to death I figure it’s a good an opportunity as any.
In such a large, densely planted tank they will have good chances of survival and reproduction, even when small fish are added later on. I’ve always wanted to have a large planted tank with a thriving shrimp colony living alongside fish.
They will further round out the cleaning crew. Their small size means they can help process wastes that the larger amano shrimp do not.

I initially acclimate them all to the future colony tank, dripping them from 11 am until almost 9 pm. I add some guppy grass from the colony tank to help them feel secure. I’ll get them into good condition and used to my water parameters in this tank for about a week before transferring some over to the display tank. The two tanks use identical source water so have very similar water parameters.


Day 85 (August 10, 2016):










I start noticing fewer pond snails along with empty shells. Snails are a great barometer of tank health and organics load - their decrease suggests the tank is becoming cleaner (less organic matter available to them resulting in a lower population). 


Day 86 (August 11, 2016):










I get in some tissue culture plants today. I haven’t added any new plants to the tank since its first few weeks because I’m scared to death of introducing Spirogyra or hair algae, but with tissue culture this isn’t a concern. So far I only add some _Ammania bonsai _to fill out the existing grouping. The amano shrimp are very curious about these new additions, immediately inspecting them. I wait to envision the scape before adding any additional plant species. 


Day 87 (August 12, 2016):










After some further contemplation I’ve envisioned the next step for my aquascape. Though I usually do rescaping on water change days, I decide to just go ahead and make the rearrangements today. I figure the damage can’t be too bad since there’ll be a water change tomorrow anyway, and I want to save time on tomorrow’s water change day. I’ll be showing my mother (who’ll help me maintain the tank while I’m away) the ropes of the procedure, so want to eliminate as many extraneous steps as possible.

I move one of the_ Cryptocoryne bullosa_ further to the right, near a lava rock at the base of the large driftwood piece. Its runner also gets dragged along; I position it a bit further front. As the _Cryptocoryne_ mature and spread, this will create the image of a patch of the_ C. bullosa _‘bending’ around from behind the driftwood, eventually transitioning into the patch of _C. affinis_ ‘metallic red’ further front. I attempt to minimize substrate disruption by horizontally ‘sliding’ the plant into position instead of completely uprooting it and replanting it, which would be disruptive to the plant. _Cryptocoryne_ take quite a while to recover from sudden shocks, and given that this plant has my first _C. bullosa _runner I want to keep it as happy as possible. Using this method only some shorter peripheral roots need replanting (instead of the entire root system). Unfortunately, even this painstaking rearrangement does stir up quite a bit of the debris, leaving the tank slightly cloudy. 

I also plant some new _ Rotala sp. ‘Pearl’ _in the back, between the borders of the hairgrass carpet and the stem groupings. Hopefully this will further add a sense of depth. I’d ordered some _Rotala macrandra_ as well, but as much as I’d like to have this plant in the tank again I don’t see any room for it in the scape. I’ll be culturing it, along with some other species I order, emersed.


Day 88 (August 13, 2016):










I perform a water change today. The tank was cloudy for all of yesterday but has improved by this morning. The_ Otocinclus_ are very happy with the influx of cool water, schooling as one big group (which I don’t generally otherwise see).

The_ Cabomba_ that started out healthy has stayed green. Now I’m up to almost a full dose of both Flourish Phosphorus (17 mL) and Trace (18 mL). I’ll be mixing my own phosphorus solution soon for use with an autodosing pump. I also increase the iron dosage to 0.016 ppm (from 0.01), which matches the level provided by ADA Green Brighty Step 2. This is appropriate as I near the 3 month mark.

After seeing the amount of loose leaves the sponge intake cover has collected in only one week, with no significant reductions in flow, I decide to add another for the second intake. However, they require cutting to size in order for me to fit both in the tank. Cory of Aquarium Co-Op, who sold me them, suggested getting them wet (but not submerged) and freezing, then cutting with a breadknife. This worked quite well, though I also trimmed them with short scissors afterwards so they weren’t too misshapen. 


Day 89 (August 14, 2016):










I increase potassium back to 3.42 ppm now that the _Rotala sp. _‘Yao Yai’ is showing signs of new growth. I decide to test dosing 0.11 ppm NO3 (using a solution of KNO3) for a few days to see how it affects things. I’m reluctant to do this, as I’d assumed new Aquasoil would have plenty, but several things suggest this measure’s necessity:


The old leaves of the _Rotala macrandra_ ‘green’, while not deteriorating horribly, are not in great condition. The old leaves of the _Cabomba _have also seen better days.
The overall growth rate has slowed. The _Cabomba_ hasn’t grown very much in the past few weeks, a far-cry from its tankbusting behavior during the first two months. 
New growth, while vibrant green, is looking a bit smaller in certain plants like the _Cabomba_. 
My tank has a very low livestock load. ADA generally doesn’t dose nitrogen in a young tank. Though their Green Brighty Special Lights fertilizer contains some, looking through Nature Aquarium: Complete Works 1985-2009 very few tanks actually have this dosed. However my tank also doesn’t have the giant schools of fish that many ADA tanks do, and is more or less never fed. 
I used very little power sand - the amount intended for a tank half the length of this one. Power sand does contain additional nitrogen and nutrients, and in more recent research I’ve conducted (reading through old Aqua Journal issues) plays a role in setup longevity. I’ll definitely make a point of acquiring it for future setups. With this tank I haven’t really had problems with power sand granules surfacing above the Aquasoil, which is a common complaint and problem I experienced in a previous 10 gallon tank.

Special Lights contains 0.22 ppm NO3, so I may work up to this level depending on how things go. 

Since the tank’s first month I’ve had several nutrient issues cause problems. When planning the tank and during its early days, I wasn’t sure whether or not to go with ready-made ADA fertilizers, or simply DIY my own. As much as I love ADA, the amount of fertilizer required for a tank my size would have quite a high cost. I’m not afraid to invest money into my tanks, but considering this would be a recurring expense (unlike Aquasoil, which lasts for years), made me reluctant. 

While I’ve had more issues than I may have had I gone with the ADA ferts, I’m glad I went the DIY option. By observing and responding to differences in plant growth I gain a great understanding as to nutrient demands, deficiencies, and timing (in terms of setup and plant age). This makes me a better aquarist overall, even if it means some plants don’t look great for several weeks. Plus as someone who hopes to run a lot of large aquariums in the distant future, this knowledge will save enough money so that I actually have enough to run such setups. 

Some may also wonder why I don’t go with the EI method in light of such deficiencies. My experience with EI and other heavy water column methods has been lackluster. Sure, plants grow well enough, but so does algae. And I find such tanks to be rather unstable - as soon as something is off for a day or two (say the CO2 runs low or empty, or a fish dies), all hell breaks loose, and you’re left with a full-brown algae outbreak. Meanwhile, with a leaner method, I’ve had both of these misfortunes occur (low CO2 for almost a week, and about a dozen dead _Otocinclus _within a few days) with only a slight disturbance to the tank’s overall health. I’d rather have minor algae and plants doing a bit lackluster after a few days of emergency, rather than an algae outbreak that takes hours (if not days or weeks) to get rid of. I’m also not a fan of the extremely high CO2 levels such tanks require, as I’d like to keep interesting livestock rather than being limited to hardy mass-produced chain store fare.

After the past few days’ events (rescaping and addition of new tc plants) the BBA, while still in the barely visible nonvirulent form, is more widespread.
The tank’s _Cryptocoryne _continue to do well. The _C. bullosa_ runner plant is really taking off, having put out a new leaf of considerable size after only a couple of days in its new location. The_ C. nurii _are finally putting out leaves with showings of the characteristic color pattern, instead of the nondescript green ones they’ve had until now. They were very weakened when I pulled them from this tank’s previous algae-laden incarnation, but seem to finally be recovering. Never doubt a_ Cryptocoryne_’s resilience - I’ve had them stay with me through numerous horrible past tank crashes. 
I notice a lone scud (_Hyalella azteca_), which is slightly startling at first considering I want to have CRS in this tank. However after further consideration I decide it’s not a cause for concern. I do remember seeing one in the tank’s early weeks (even after the Algaefix dose), and suspect this is the same individual (according to an internet search their lifespan is 12 - 14 weeks so this is plausible). I highly doubt I have a reproducing population. I’ve had a scud infestation in the past, and there’s no way I wouldn’t have noticed one in this tank, especially with the available detritus and decaying plant matter available several weeks prior. In the worst case scenario that they do proliferate, they’ll make good fish food. Being less cautious than shrimp I suspect they’d be preferentially hunted.


Day 90 (August 15, 2016):

Since I wasn’t able to do as much maintenance during the last water change as I’d have liked (having to show my mother the general steps), and I’d like to get things neat and tidy befor emy departure later this week, I do some cleaning up. 

I trim old leaves in poor condition (indicated by minor BBA) from the ferns, _Cryptocoryne_, and to a very small extent the hairgrass. These leaves’ condition is a result of age rather than nutrient deficiency - slow-growing plants like the former two would require extremely severe deficiency before showing symptoms. I also trim away the older, yellowing portions of _Cabomba_ - these were slightly deteriorated but in marginally okay condition previously, but haven’t improved. I also plant some loose stems of the recently added tissue culture plants, and trim a particularly tall stem of _Bacopa colorata_. It’s not presently too tall, but would definitely be too tall by the time I return in a month or two. Furthermore, trimming it will encourage further bushing out. My grouping of_ Bacopa colorata_ only has a few stems so this is welcome.

In a final act of rescaping I move a_ Bolbitis _to behind the big driftwood, which will hopefully add a greater sense of depth to the mid-ground. Fortunately rearranging epiphytes isn’t disruptive in the slightest. I have most of my ferns tied to small lava rocks, so can simply pick them up and arrange them as I like.

With both sponge intake covers in the place the flow is slightly lower, but may now actually be at a good level. Previously it was quite strong, leading to some stems on the left to sway quite a bit. The current flow is still sufficient, with all plants gently swaying. The water surface is extremely clean, probably as clean as I can remember it following the discontinuation of filter carbon. Perhaps the added surface area from the second sponge intake cover has boosted the microbial population? I do notice the first presence of small particles in the substrate, but I think this is more a sign of tank maturity than dirtiness, as there’s no visible mulm above the substrate. Minimal hardscape and ample flow help in this regard. 

Unfortunately the temperature is still hovering a bit below 80. Since I want to introduce CRS this week, I run a fan next to the tank in hopes of lowering it. By the end of the night (after a few hours of the fan) the temperature is down to 79 and will hopefully decrease a bit further. 

I find a dead _Otocinclus _in between one of the intake covers and the glass. I’m not quite sure how it died, but the rest still seem quite happy so I’m not too worried. A few losses within the first week or so are expected. 


Day 91 (August 16, 2016):

Today’s an exciting day - I’m adding some CRS to the tank! They’ve been doing well in the colony tank, with only a few losses shortly after introduction. Netting these is a bit more of an involved process, as I’m purposely selecting lower grade ones to be transferred. I use a 3d-printed shrimp net, which is stiffer than a regular net and retains its shape underwater. I chase the desired shrimp into the net using a tweezer, taking advantage of their instinct to jet backwards at the first sign of danger. Positioning the net behind them and the tweezer in front makes for an efficient netting process. I hold them in a dip and pour until I’ve caught 10. I’ll see how these do before transferring any more. If they do well, I’ll transfer 30-40 more, and add any future culls from the colony to the tank as well. Maintaining pretty shrimp like these does take some selection!










The acclimation process is fairly straightforward, since the two tanks use identical source water and are very similar parameter-wise, with only a ~10 ppm TDS difference. I do a drip of ~1.5-2 drips per second until the water volume is roughly doubled, which takes an hour and a half. Upon introduction to the tank the shrimp immediately resume normal activity. They’re added to the tank about one and a half hours before the CO2 kicks on, so they can get used to their new environment before having to deal with CO2. 

I’m very careful to acclimate them well. This introduction serves as bit of an experiment. Very rarely are dwarf shrimp, especially_ Caridina_, seen in CO2-supplemented tanks. I suspect this is because conventional methods, with extremely high amounts of fertilizer and CO2, make a hostile environment for them. However, tanks run in the ADA style seem to have no problem supporting more delicate livestock. The core philosophy of the nature aquarium is to trick the livestock into thinking they’re back in nature. Wild discus and altum angels are not uncommon sights, and several of Amano’s older scapes included bee shrimp. That being said, I haven’t seen them in recent ADA tanks - whether this is an issue of parameters or simply wanting a larger pool of fish species to select from I don’t know. Therefore I want to test how they’ll survive in my tank, as this will let me know if I should bother starting _Caridina_ colonies for use in future tanks. Being a test, I must eliminate as many extraneous variables, capture and transition stress being the biggest ones. 

Later in the photoperiod they continue to thrive and display active picking behavior, with no signs of CO2 stress. Though small, they make for a real treat for the eyes and a pleasant surprise when spotted. Hopefully these shrimp will be as happy grazing on the hairgrass and wood in my tank as they would be in a mountain stream in China. 










With any luck, these shrimp will breed and establish themselves in the tank in the coming months. This is the reason why I’ve held off from fish besides _Otocinclus _for now - hopefully the long wait is worth it. I won’t be adding more fish until December, when I’m home for several weeks straight for winter break. 

The temperature is 78, which is still a bit higher than I’d like but tolerable. Hopefully the temperatures come down the _Cabomba_ will start doing better. It’s been rather lackluster ever since the temperatures hit 80 back in late June even though other plants have been more or less fine. 

The stem plants are looking better with the addition of low levels of nitrogen, with new growth on the _Rotala macrandra_ ‘green’ and _Cabomba _being larger in size. I haven’t noticed an overall increase in algae, though I did spot and remove a larger-than-usual tuft of BBA from the large driftwood). Immediately after this the amano shrimp picked quite intensely at it. These have certainly been an invaluable cleanup crew. 


Day 92 (August 17, 2016):










I transfer 14 more CRS using the same procedure as yesterday. I had originally caught 15, but at the end of the acclimation one of them was acting oddly, moving jerkily and breathing heavily. I returned this one to the colony tank to hopefully recover instead of having it serve as food for my amano shrimp.

While the shrimp are acclimating I do some other work. The _Rotala macrandra _‘green’ has bare lower portions due to being right next to hardscape objects, which results in less light. I trim the healthy tops and replant them further back, where there’s more light. The idea is that as they grow and bush out they will fill in the empty space between the initial planting and hardscape, similar to my prior observation on grouping different stem species together. This plant is truly heliophytic - in this tank’s previous incarnation it got absolutely gorgeous when it grew into the upper half of the tank, demonstrating increased leaf-size and color. It also bushes very readily so I’m confident this planting strategy will work well.

Lately I’ve been noticing less spread from my light fixture. I find that the glass covers have become a bit dirty. Even though the tank water is very soft, three months of condensation and evaporation has resulted in some not insubstantial stains. I initially attempt to clean them with wet paper towels but this proves slow and insufficient. I wipe them with some white vinegar and let them sit for several minutes, subsequently wiping with wet paper towels. While this doesn’t leave them crystal clear, it results in much cleaner covers, on par with how they were originally at the tank’s start.

The_ Cabomba_ is beginning to regain some of its former glory (in terms of leaf size and overall health) with the combination of the new dosing regime and cooler temperature. It seems like with this plant in my scape summer will be the most difficult time in terms of maintenance - luckily I’m around then! Hopefully it won’t require too much babying while I’m away at college, when the temperatures are a bit cooler. It’s been heartbreaking to watch this plant lose its bushy luscious glory as the summer heat has dragged on, but with any luck I’ll be pleasantly surprised when I return home in the fall. I’ll definitely be looking into some better cooling strategies before next summer.










I find a reddish worm in the substrate. I find this odd, as this tank has never seen any live foods, and I haven’t introduced any non-tissue-culture plants in months. My best guess is that it came in with some farm-raised plants from the tank’s inception. Even then, its very odd that I haven’t seen any until now. Hopefully I’ll eventually be able to identify it. As long as its not parasitic it’s a welcome addition to the tank’s biodiversity, and a potential source of fish food. CO2-supplemented tanks can indeed be quite biodiverse once mature. A previous 10 gallon setup had ~10 1 inch fish that were never fed, maintaining a good condition simply off of microorganisms in the tank. It’s my hope I’ll see something like that in this tank as well, as these organisms would be a good supplement to a prepared food diet and feed any potential fry.


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

*Month 4: August 18 - September 17 2016*


Day 93 (August 18, 2016):

I transfer 14 more CRS, for a total of 38 in the tank. I’d originally wanted an even 40, but there were no more lower grade ones (A-SS) to cull out. With CRS, I enjoy both the high and low grades in different ways. The high grade ones have a beautiful pearly white sheen, sometimes overlaid with a subtle rosy red wash, that really makes them the star of a tank. Meanwhile the lower grade ones have the classic candy cane look that meshes well as part of a bigger (aquascape) picture.

Since I’ll be leaving soon, I clean the canisters. This is something even I as a seasoned fishkeeper (albeit one relatively new to the filter type) sometimes struggle with, so I definitely don’t want my family to have to do it. Even though 4 weeks have yet to pass since the last cleaning, a substantial amount of detritus and mulm has accumulated. I notice that the filter that had the sponge for an extra week is slightly cleaner than the other one, with fewer large clumps of debris. Only time will tell how clean a freshly cleaned filter will fare with a sponge intake cover from the start.

Unfortunately this maintenance does result in a bit of gunk getting into the tank. Previously I’d been manually priming the filters, getting a nice mouthful of fish tank water in the process (the sad thing is it’s still much cleaner than my tap). This time around I successfully manipulated the valves so that it primed itself. However with the first filter, I didn’t foresee that this would evacuate residual debris from the outlet into the tank, much of which was too fine to net. With the second filter I removed the outlet from the tank so the initial dirty spurts of water would go into a bucket instead. The TDS is in the low 80s and the surface has a slight film- whether this is a result of the filter gunk or increased bioload from the CRS I don’t know.

In preparation for my water change the next day I set up an Inkbird heater controller. Until now I’ve simply been using unheated cold water. However with the CRS, I want to avoid drastic temperature swings. While a degree or two should be fine may not fare well with the several-degree swings that the amano shrimp have weathered and the _Otocinclus_ love. Furthermore, as the fall approaches room temperature water may be substantially colder than the tank water. The unit indicates the room temperature RO water is 71 degrees. I’m aiming for a final temperature of 74 degrees (the temperature I hope to eventually maintain the tank at and one that’ll produce a temperature drop of about one degree with the tank’s current temperature), so the heater won’t have to work very hard. 

I also change one of my RO unit’s DI cartridges, preventing a potential source of problems. I notice the TDS of a trashcan full of freshly made RO water is a bit high. It’s usually not zero due to residual water from previous batches being diluted, but this time the value is too high to be accounted for by this alone. I confirm by running the unit and checking the inline TDS meters - the output one displays 4-8 ppm. Though I briefly question using this batch, I decide it’s not a big deal. It’s only a few ppm that got through, which once diluted into my tank will be almost negligible. Most of what did make it through is probably hardness (the majority of my tap water), and any chlorine would have had two nights to offgas. After changing the cartridge the TDS is once again zero.

Once again, regular observation and maintenance save the day. This must have been a very recent occurrence since the output TDS was zero when I mixed the prior week’s batch. Had I left the cartridge unchanged, my mixed water would have gradually had more and more substances, some questionable, while I was away, potentially leading me to be at a loss if any tank deterioration were to occur. I haven’t always been using the inline TDS meters when running RO water, but will make it into a regular practice from now on.


Day 95 (August 19, 2016):










Today’s full of trepidation - it’s my last one before leaving for college. I guide my mother through a water change (40%) practice run, as she’ll be helping me perform them while I’m away. Though I was hesitant to be away from the tank during weekdays over the summer, in retrospect it was a boon in giving me a sense for what aspects must be monitored while I’m not there to take care of the tank. Combined with the guiding principles I’ve developed (with the help of this journal) over the tank’s prior course, I’m confident I’ll come back to something better than the box of BGA I came home to after the start of my first year at college.

As part of my preparation for departure I’ve been notating aspects of tank maintenance, including the water change procedure. One observation I’ve made is that GDA and BBA on the glass tends to accumulate only in the lower portions, with presumably less flow. Perhaps this is a result of less circulation bringing in inhibitory allelopathic chemicals from plants.
I’m happy to see the water surface is extremely clean, even moreso than earlier in the week. It’s almost crystal clear!

The CRS continue to do well, even after the water change. Part of me was concerned they’d keel over, as some breeders espouse against larger water changes. However since my tank doesn’t accumulate many wastes to begin with I don’t think the influx of fresh clean water is too much of a shock. Hopefully I’ll come home to more than 40 later in the fall. With the temperature at 78 degrees I don’t any expect any breeding for now, but they have the whole fall to get their numbers up before I introduce fish. 


Day 101 (August 29, 2016):










My time away from the tank has been off to a bad start. My family, returning from a week-long vacation following my departure, report a very low rate of CO2 - about 3 BPS, which is less than half the usual rate. This is quite odd considering the CO2 tank is largely full - last time this occurred the tank was near empty. I instruct them to adjust it back to the usual rate.










The _Cabomba_ is looking quite weak.











September 2, 2016:

I return home for Labor Day weekend to find the CO2 is still low (around 4 bps) despite prior adjustment. The plants are starting to appear worse for the wear. The _Rotala sp._ ‘Yao yai’ leaves curl down at the edges, and the _Cabomba furcata_ is in poor condition. The extent of poor health suggests the low CO2 has been going on for a while, perhaps for the entire 2 weeks since my departure.










So far there doesn’t seem to be much BBA except on the powerhead and spraybar, both in bright areas.










I find a CRS with a bent back. There's no way to know if it's due to chance, poor genetics, or water conditions. Given how well my amano shrimp have been molting I suspect that at least the water is conducive to molting.



September 3, 2016:

I notice BBA on new spots like the lower front glass and heater. Except for big tufts on the powerhead it’s still small elsewhere. It’s similar in extent (size and spread) to the previous week of low CO2 back in July.

Interestingly the debris type has changed - there are less very small particles and more larger ones, like would be seen from dead leaves and the aftermath of their decaying.

When mixing RO water I notice the unheated water is already 73 degrees, while the tank is 78 with the heater unplugged. Presumably the various filter pumps and lights add several degrees of heat. I take out the heater, figuring the room temperature can drop by at least several more degrees before the tank naturally falls outside the acceptable range.


September 4, 2016:

I clean one canister filter, my first time doing so on one that has had the sponge intake cover installed since the prior cleaning. It’s still dirty but less than half the dirtiness of previous cleanings. I find one CRS barely alive in the filter. Maybe one of the intake covers was loose and it slipped through. I’ll have to pay closer attention to their position in the future.

There’s some noticeable BBA on the largest driftwood, which will need scrubbing off with a fingernail. Now that I think back, BBA first appeared on the wood after I lost my first batch of otos from July’s CO2 woes. With nothing to clean the natural wood organics plus the organics spike from the dead fish, conditions must have been ripe for it to establish itself. I’m hoping the willow moss will shade it out but it doesn’t seem particularly adept at clinging to surfaces.

I also sight my first planaria today.


September 5, 2016:

The new growth on the _Rotala sp. 'pearl'_ is looking good - it previously was stunted with the low CO2.

I finally figure out the cause behind my CO2 woes. A friend who grows and sells aquatic plants as a business instantly recognized my needle valve as a cheap SMC1200. This is prone to ‘floating’, or spontaneously changing its position and hence the flow rate. I immediately start making provisions to acquire a new regulator, but its installation must wait until I return home next in early October. I’d feel very uneasy about having someone unfamiliar with CO2 equipment install it and then have the tank left unseen by me for almost a month. For now, regular monitoring and videos sent to me of the bubble counter will have to do. 


September 7, 2016:











September 10, 2016:










The _Cabomba caroliniana_, though still weak, is showing signs of improvement, and the CO2 rate has held mostly steady.


September 13, 2016:


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

*Month 5: September 18 - October 17 2016*


September 20, 2016:











September 27, 2016:










Life has certainly been hectic for me lately - an AC unit that is so loud as to prevent sleep, and then doesn’t cool (in the Houston, TX summer), smack in the middle of midterm season, doesn’t bode well. Thus I haven’t been as diligent with checking with my family on the tank (and the CO2 rate). 

Unfortunately the needle valve has floated again, continuing CO2 woes. But now the CO2 rate is too high! I’ve had some livestock losses, including what seems to be all the CRS and perhaps a few _Otocinclus_. The _Cabomba_ is also taking a turn for the worse, after having shown signs of improvement a couple of weeks prior. The livestock casualties are disappointing for sure, but at least I soon won’t have to worry anymore about fluctuating CO2 levels.


October 5, 2016:










I will be returning home later in this week on one of my few breaks, so start taking action to prepare. There has been an increase in BBA lately, so I get in 60 amano shrimp, having my mother place them in a small holding tank until my arrival. I also get in some fresh _Cabomba_ to replace the original very weakened batch. I have my mother place them in a bucket with light over it, and add some API Algaefix to ensure no hair algae is brought in. By now this chemical will be a default quarantine procedure for all new plants, even if they look clean.


October 6, 2016:

I return home to find a mixed bag. On one hand the midground is looking really great, as the ferns and _Cryptocoryne_ have had time to mature. However, there’s more BBA on the driftwood than before, a small amount of BGA on the hairgrass, and no more CRS. Presumably the increased algae is primarily due to organics from all the dead shrimp. However, the spray bar was left facing the wrong way for a few days (greatly reducing flow) which probably didn’t help either.


October 8, 2016:

I take the day off from heavy maintenance to go see some old friends, but I do start pulling the _Rotala sp._ ‘pearl’, which hasn’t done well, and the dying _Cabomba_. There’s more BBA on the glass than usual. Except for some tufts on the big driftwood piece most of the bba is still very small.


October 9, 2016:

Today is a big work day, beginning with scraping BBA from the glass and wood. I trim all the _Rotala sp. _‘yao yai’ & throw out bottoms which are looking pretty ratty, rearrange the _Cryptocoryne affinis _(which had gotten a bit unruly), trim old or overly large leaves from the_ Bolbitis_. I plant the_ Cabomba_, cutting the stems to a uniform length beforehand. Unfortunately, there has been some melt during their time in the bucket - perhaps they didn’t receive enough light. 

On the faunal front, I spotted a micro crab, which I thought had all died following previous CO2 issues. There are also many planaria at night, another sign of high organics.


October 10, 2016:

Given the recent trim and new plants added, I decide to add 26 drops green gain. I also decide to add some phyton git in response to the BBA. Frank Wazeter used one drop phyton git per 6.5 L on a severe case, so ~2 mL should do it. I also soak my powerhead in hydrogen peroxide to kill off any algae.

Now that all the planting work has been done I transfer the amano shrimp to the tank. 

I clean the filters, which are surprisingly not too dirty, and switch to 100% bio media, replacing the Eheim ceramic rings with more Eheim substrat. During the photoperiod there is a slight cloudiness, presumably originating from dust from the new media (despite my best efforts at rinsing).

I install the new regulator, a very nice Victor HPT500, and calibrate the bubble rate to what I had originally. Hopefully this investment will mark the end of my CO2 woes.


October 11, 2016:

I conduct some PAR tests using a borrowed Hoppy meter now that the water has cleared up. I get values of slightly above 50 directly under the fixture, ~40 in the center, and 10-15 at the very front. No wonder why the hairgrass in the front has become so sparse. I’m not a believer in carpet plants requiring super high light, but 10-15 micromols is really quite low. I had previously ordered some new light fixtures (Micmol Aqua Air) in hope of installing them this long weekend, but alas they did not arrive in time and will have to wait.


October 13, 2016:


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

*Month 6: October 18 - November 17, 2016*

October 18, 2016:





























October 26, 2016:






































October 31, 2016:

The BBA on the big driftwood has made a reappearance after an absence following the last cleaning earlier this month. This is not surprising - additional plant mass from the new _Cabomba_ (which is doing pretty well) helps, but hairgrass is still sparse and the tank’s plant mass isn’t at where it was originally.


November 1, 2016:





























November 2, 2016:

I realize the _Cabomba_ is starting to look a bit weak, particularly in the lower regions, so I double the daily NO3 dose to 0.22 ppm.


November 5, 2016:



















The _Cabomba_ looks much better following increased nitrogen.


November 12, 2016:




























BBA has now spread to the right-most rock on the tank’s left side.


November 15, 2016:




























I notice the lower _Cabomba_ stems on left are looking ratty, so increase the nitrate dose to 0.33 ppm. Sure, there is risk of algae from increased dosing, but unhealthy plants also contribute to such risk.










I also notice that the _Cabomba_ on the right of the tank looks better than that on the left. This leads me to consider a need to reduce current, as the _Cabomba_ on the left receives the direct flow from the powerhead while that on the right receives more of an indirect flow. Perhaps having to fight water flow increases energy demands for those stems on the left, leading to their poor condition.


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

*Month 7: November 18 - December 17, 2016:
*

November 22, 2016:





























November 23, 2016:

I return home for Thanksgiving break. The _Cabomba_ and_ Ammania _look quite weak.


November 24, 2016:

I find the iron autodosing pump unplugged, which explains a lot. Even though the dosage is not very high, at least a small level of iron is essential to stem plant health, as I have learned the hard way in the past. This explains why so many of the stems appear in poor condition. Even the _Rotala _and _Bacopa_, two of my heartiest growers, are showing subpar condition in the older leaves. It must have accidentally gotten unplugged at some point in recent weeks, given how well the _Cabomba _and other plants were growing initially. If it had been unplugged the whole month and a half I was gone the tank would likely be in a much worse state.

The temperature is 70 degrees Fahrenheit and the _Otocinclus_ appear a bit sluggish. I add a heater wired through a heater controller set to 74 degrees.

There are seemingly very few shrimp. While I’ve been away (about over a month), my mother has reported intermittent shrimp deaths, perhaps totalling to 15-20 observed ones. I highly suspect this has been due to planaria. It’s likely not a CO2 issue as past experience with this tank has shown that the _Otocinclus _would be the first to be affected, yet they have been fine. Furthermore, I have seen in the past firsthand how planaria are capable of taking down even adult shrimp. However it seems that my mother underestimated the scope of deaths as the shrimp seem few and far between. Some nighttime observation confirms my suspicions - the tank is absolutely crawling with the ubiquitous flatworms. There aren’t even any snails I can see - perhaps they’re being outcompeted/killed by planaria?

I notice a small amount of BGA on the hairgrass and at one spot on side glass at the substrate border, which suggests to me subpar tank health and potentially a bacterial imbalance. 
I begin my water change in the evening instead of during the day. The TDS is only 88, but there’s much detritus, presumably from plants in poor condition after iron deficiency and less shrimp to process decaying matter. 

I take out water until I reach the minimum level required for the filters to run, and leave the level low overnight. This in combination with a bacter ball placed near the BGA spot in the substrate will hopefully help towards restoring microbial balance. I also add 70 drops of phyton git and 35 drops of green gain, and set a planaria trap (with just one food pellet for now).


November 25, 2016:

Plug back in the iron pump but leave the others off for the day. I add another 35 drops of green gain. The heater controller is working well.

After filling up the tank and leaving the powerhead off, the flow seems good except for the lower right side. I let the flow build up for a day to see if it gets any better. But by day’s end there’s still no visible swaying of plants in this region, so I will need to install a small pump.


November 26, 2016:

I do another big water change, adding 70 drops phyton git and a second bacter ball. Prior to the change the TDS was still in the low 80s. I resume the other fertilizers. I test adding a small Hydor pump but it doesn’t really seem to add any flow.


November 27, 2016:

The TDS is now in the low 70s. I install a Hydor Koralia 850. When positioned directly parallel to the back glass the flow is still a bit strong, but it seems to be at a good level when I angle the pump towards the back glass to diffuse it somewhat.

Originally I wanted to set up the new lights this long weekend, but decide to wait until December. I know that the existing setup leads to a moderate yet manageable amount of BBA, but not full-blown infestation. Installing a new light, particularly one with complex programming, is too big of a change to not be around to observe the effects of for longer than 4 days. In the meantime I cut the photoperiod to 7 hours and nitrate dosing to 0.11 ppm daily. 


November 30, 2016:

It’s time to take drastic action on the planaria before they cause a drastic disaster for my tank. The trap hasn't worked at all. I have my mother treat the tank with Borneowild Exterminate per the bottle instructions. 


December 1, 2016:

Though the shrimp are all fine, unfortunately all the_ Otocinclus_ are dead following the treatment. In retrospect would’ve been safer to transfer to my shrimp tank, but haven’t read anything like this occurring to anyone else, who have all vouched for this product as fish-safe. My only guess is that the _Otocinclus_ were weakened from the low temperature over the prior few weeks. At least it seems as if all the planaria are dead.


December 2, 2016:

The shrimp continue to do fine, with only one death, potentially from high ammonia or other nitrogenous wastes following the dead planarians. There continue to be no visible planaria, suggesting their extinction from my tank. 


December 4, 2016:






























December 13, 2016:



















Winter break is fast approaching, which will give me a solid three week period to work on the tank and make some much-needed changes. I have some new _Cabomba_ and _Ammania _come in. I have a family member remove the weights from the_ Cabomba_ bunches, place it into a larger, wider bucket (more surface area), and treat it with API Algaefix. The _Ammania _is tissue culture so only requires refrigeration. If only more plants were available as tissue cultures…










I do have some doubts about trying _Cabomba _again after the trouble it’s the trouble it’s given me in the past. But this plant has fascinated me for years, and I am determined to figure out its secrets. However if this batch doesn’t make it, I’ll be substituting it for another fine-leaved plant like_ Rotala nanjenshan _or _Pogostemon erectus_, which I have grown in the past.


December 14, 2016:

I return home to find the BGA more widespread and in some new spots (mainly the back left), but am not worried. It’s not yet at the thick slimy virulent stage. I’ll be around to fight it vigilantly, and worse comes to worse BGA is easy enough to kill with Erythromycin.

The BBA has returned on the driftwood but has stayed off the rocks. Old leaves on plants like the _Cryptocoryne_, _Bolbitis_, and the hairgrass are cleaner and less affected.

The old _Cabomba_ is doing better, with no further deterioration and stems actually growing vertically, but is not as vigorous or numerous as it once was and will get replaced. I treat the new _Cabomba_ with Borneowild Exterminate, having learned my lesson the hard way. Planarian drugs will be part of my quarantine routine from now on. I didn’t have the drug added yesterday in case of any interactions with the Algaefix chemical.

I receive some _Eleocharis sp._ ‘Mini’ to fill out the empty foreground. This should be the same plant as _E. sp._ ‘Belem’, as Tropica originally got their stock of the former from a sample of the latter sent to them by Tom Barr. I treat it with Algaefix - even emersed plants can introduce algae, as I have learned the hard way in the past.

The remaining shrimp are quite happy and seem to be thriving.


December 15, 2016:

I receive some livestock (15 _Otocinclus_ and 100+ Amano shrimp) to replace my cleaning crew losses. The box is slightly cold so I float the bags for a few minutes in the tank before adding them, doing so in a dark environment to minimize stress from light exposure. Even though I will be doing some maintenance in the tank, the vendor has assured me they will be fine and that it’s better to get them into their home as soon as possible. 

I also receive an Apogee MQ-510 PAR meter. This is their latest model specifically designed for underwater readings. Between this and my new programmable light, my lighting woes should be a thing of the past. It’s a big investment for sure, but as someone who will be in the business of keeping tanks of aquatic photosynthetic organisms for as long as I am able, it’s worth it.

Later in the day, I start a water change. I intend to vacuum out the BGA but it seems a lot less noticeable. Maybe the amano shrimp dislodged it from the grass with their constant picking?

I take out the big driftwood piece and start the cleaning process. I detach most of the moss, which has decaying bottoms from lack of light. Some _Bolbitis_ has attached, which I leave after some trimming of old or overly large leaves. I stick the driftwood into a bucket with the branch tips (traditionally where the most algae grows) exposed to the air, which I spray with hydrogen peroxide. I add a few drops of phyton git to the bucket water.

I clean hairgrass the new hairgrass very well, as it has lots of dirt and some old decaying leaves (even though it arrived in good condition), taking advantage of old tank water to do so. I leave the water level low overnight for extra oxygenation.


December 16, 2016:

I have a bit of a serendipitous realization concerning my _Cabomba _struggles. In preparing the stems for planting, I realize their condition is much better than the batch I had in October, with no melting. Since the quality of plants from nurseries is pretty consistent, I imagine it’s an issue of light. This time they were held in a bucket with much more surface area, allowing for much more light exposure than in the tall and narrow bucket used for the October batch. However as I looked through the stems I noticed that a few of them, primarily the ones in the lower layers of the bucket and shaded by plants above, looked very similar to the weak _Cabomba_ I had been seeing in my tanks - brittle, thin stems; small and discolored leaves; and a more ‘closed’ appearance. This makes me realize my _Cabomba_ may have not been getting enough light. This is an infamously light-hungry plant, yet when I moved the light fixture forward back in the summer in an attempt to preserve my hairgrass I may have been depriving it of light. However with the new light fixtures and PAR meter I should have no trouble meeting its need this time around.

I manage to plant all the hairgrass in just over an hour. I get started planting the _Cabomba_ but there’s not enough time to finish. The water level is still left low.

I scrape off any BBA left on the big driftwood with my nails. I wrangle up all the tank’s loose willow moss, tie it up very securely (which I failed to do at the tank’s inception), and leave the driftwood completely submerged in a large bucket overnight with some phyton git.


December 17, 2016:

The ferns have started to get unruly, so I tidy them up. I trim some _Bolbitis _rhizomes that have spread to areas where I don’t want them, and rearrange the ferns so that the_ Bolbitis _and java fern are in more distinct areas instead of growing together as one giant messy tangle. I finish planting the _Cabomba _and add the _Ammania_. Last time I tried adding tissue culture _Ammania _back in August, it didn’t establish very well, presumably from my separating the stems too much. This time I leave it more intact in groupings of several stems, each with a substantial portion of roots. 

This time around I’ve been planting with the glass covers removed and viewing from the top, which is much easier. It enables one to see when a stem is firmly secured in the substrate or when it’s still out of the substrate and just held down by nearby plants.

I notice a pretty decent-sized and healthy _Cryptocoryne bullosa _runner in a spot previously completely covered by the big driftwood, which is quite remarkable. This confirms my suspicions about _Cryptocoryne _- good substrate and water is what matters most. The crypts are actually starting to get a bit unruly with their spread. In retrospect I wonder if some sort of substrate divider would have been useful for containing them.



















After returning the big driftwood to the tank, it is immediately swarmed by amano shrimp. Hopefully they are feasting on weakened/dying BBA.










I finish the water change after two days - this has to be some sort of record.


----------



## BettaBettas (Aug 21, 2016)

slowly, very slowly coming along


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

BettaBettas said:


> slowly, very slowly coming along


Very slowly indeed. But for me having been away from the tank for 90% of the time the past few months I'm not too disappointed by how things are going. Will elaborate in a few days with some end of year reflections.


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

*Month 8, Week 1: December 18 - December 24, 2016:*


December 18, 2016:

I start off with a 6 hour photoperiod, no added ferts, and 18 drops of green gain after adding all the new plants. I place the light over the back to give the new _Cabomba_ a boost. I adjust the CO2 to be slightly slower. There’s a slight film on the surface, but considering all that’s went down over the past few days the tank is pretty clean. 

At the end of the 6 hours I notice that the shrimp have eaten quite a few leaves off the _Ammania_! Hopefully having left a healthy root system on these this won’t be an issue, as such leaves would have died off anyways following the conversion to submerged growth. I also notice a few of the otos appear a bit sluggish, so will further back off the CO2 rate.

A few hours after lights off, I’m initially slightly startled to see the _Otocinclus_ much more active. Initially I wonder if this activity and rapid breathing is a lasting sign of CO2 stress, but rule this out. Though more active than they have been over the past few days, I think this activity range is actually within the normal range of ‘clownish’, active behavior for them. They may have been a bit slow over the past few days due to acclimation and a slightly lower temperature, providing a misleading frame of comparison. I find when I keep the water level low my heater and heater controller have a difficult time keeping the temperature much above 70. 


December 19, 2016:

I perform a small ~30% water change (in just under 1.5 hours to boot). I cut the CO2 down to somewhere between 4-5 BPS. I resume dosing nutrients at half the standard level.

I decide to switch from dosing traces only twice a week to dosing smaller amounts daily. I’m starting to think the common fears of trace toxicity may be overblown, especially for a tank like mine with no overly delicate plants. APC plantfinder suggests micronutrients promote larger, more robust growth, in _Cabomba_, so hopefully this will help prevent this batch of_ Cabomba_ from having the same issues with eventual weak growth and dwarfing that the previous ones did.










I take some PAR readings with my new Apogee meter. The sensor wand makes doing so very easy - I don’t even have to get my hands wet! The readings are quite surprising. With the light centered over the tank as I’ve had it, the PAR at the back is ~40, that at the front is ~15, and that in the forward middle is ~40. However the value right under the light is as high as 90! Overall, the light is relatively even over a foot or so, but drastically tapers off toward the front of the tank.


December 20, 2016:

I resume dosing iron and phosphorus at normal levels, with other nutrients still a bit lower than usual. I use a 7 hour photoperiod. I also take out the spray bar and just run the second outlet direct into the tank like the first one. This seems to increase the flow slightly. The idea is to increase flow gradually to acclimate the plants to the Koralia 850 eventually being turned on. I have left it off for a few days to let the new plants adjust.


December 21, 2016:










I finally get around to setting up my new light fixture. I originally settle on 100% white, 10% blue, and 25% special (a mix of UV, green, red, and yellow), but this does not give me quite the PAR I want, with the front only getting around 20. After much tinkering, I settle on 100% white, 35% blue, and 100% special, which gives PAR readings of approximately 50, 60, and 30 at the back, middle, and front respectively. It’s a bit more blue than I’m used to, which gives the tank a bit of an ‘airy’ look, slightly reminiscent of some ADA tanks I’ve seen. Deciding on a color balance has been a difficult process. I figure I’ll sleep on it and see if I still like it tomorrow. If not, I’ll install the second fixture and run both at a lower intensity. 

I resume dosing nutrients at all previous levels, including nitrate at 0.1 ppm. I may bump up the nitrogen in coming weeks depending on how the plants are looking - all the stems will certainly put it to good use.


December 22, 2016:










I perform another 30% water change to get out some of the gunk from the new plants. The _Ammania_ is quite bare and may not make it, but at least the Amano shrimp have done a good job of cleaning up after themselves. I clean the filter media. Following some discussions concerning biofiltration optimization with another hobbyist, I decide to reinstall the ceramic rings. In addition to mechanical filtration they do serve a purpose of enhancing water flow through the filter, ensuring even flow and thorough ammonia processing (vs the creation of ammonia in certain areas, which can result from uneven flow). I originally replaced them for 100% biological media as this is what ADA does after several months, but I realized that they only do this after the tank itself is satisfactorily stabilized. Thus the tank itself has excellent microbial health and itself has significant biological filtration capacity, meaning perfect flow inside the filter itself is not as essential. 

Now that I’ve been home for a week I notice that the temperature is a pretty consistent 72 Fahrenheit despite my setting the heater controller to 74. I find the cause for this issue - the heater’s own thermostat is set quite low. Thus even when the controller’s heater outlet is turned on, the heater itself may sometimes not be turning on. I raise the heater thermostat to negate this issue, and it does the trick - the temperature is very close to 74 later in the day.

I also have a serendipitous realization concerning flow in planted tanks. I turn on the Koralia 850 after having left it off for a few days. Instantly the water gets moving, with some plants waving much more strongly. With the powerhead, I’ve met the ‘ideal’ of having a high turnover and all the plants move slightly with the current. Yet looking at the tank now makes me uneasy. What was once a tranquil scene of greenery now looks more akin to a reef surge zone - one would expect to see chromis and_ Acropora _rather than_ Otocinclus _and _Cabomba_! The willow moss and some of the _Cabomba_ are shaking quite significantly, which surely can’t be good for their growth. The literature indicates _Cabomba _is found from calm waters, which could be one factor behind the fate of my previous _Cabomba_. Overly strong current may also explain my past struggles with getting willow moss to attach.

Initially I feel as if at a crossroads. My intuition suggests this much flow is not good for the tank - it looks so peaceful without it, and the new plants are doing well. Yet conventional wisdom says my turnover isn’t nearly enough, having some plants not moving is a sure sign of dead spots, and such a low flow rate will surely result in doom and death to all. In this moment of darkness something from the prior day pops into my head. I had been watching videos of ADA galleries in an attempt to get a good color balance with my light. Thinking about the extent of flow required, I realized that many of the tanks I saw were actually quite calm, with the exception of a few scapes planted only with sturdy epiphytes. Those tanks with stem plants in particular were almost stagnant compared to how some people run their tanks. It’s been years since I’ve been to a full-fledged ADA shop, but I recall the display tanks I saw them being similarly calm. I also have a fishkeeping relative visiting from China, where planted tanks are hugely popular. He confirms that the planted display tanks in the infamous fish markets of China also have very calm water.

Lastly, I consult with an international hobbyist who is quite well-known on YouTube. Facebook, and other websites, and whose tanks I quite admire. His tanks also have calmer flow yet grow dense plants quite successfully. According to him, the emphasis on high flow and turnover is an American trend, similar to that on blazing lights and high nutrient levels. So how does one tell if there is sufficient flow to avoid dead spots? For tanks with CO2 injection methods producing fine bubbles, including diffusers and Mazzei injectors (like I use), the movement of these bubbles throughout all areas of the tank is a good indicator that CO2 and nutrients are reaching all the plants. Observing these bubbles further confirms my suspicion that the flow from just the filters is satisfactory.

Later in the day while reading some ADA literature on filtration I see that they address the performance and cleaning of the impeller. I’d completely overlooked this aspect. I figure I’ve already messed around with the filters enough for one day, and want to be awake to observe for any problems, so decide to get to it within the next few days.










I go down for one last look at the end of the photoperiod and find a pleasant surprise - the most heavy pearling I’ve ever seen in this tank! Heck, even the _Bolbitis_ is pearling! It’s moments like these that make the hobby worth it.

This may be because the plants like the new light, but it could also be from relatively low oxygen. The second outlet pipe is oriented slightly downwards after messing around with the powerhead, so the surface agitation is a bit low. But even if oxygen is low it’s not too low as all the livestock are still happy. It could also be a function of the higher temperature leading to lower dissolved oxygen, though I’m not quite sure how much of a difference 2 degrees would make. I am curious to see if this pearling will continue. ADA uses pearling starting several hours into the photoperiod as an indicator of good plant condition. 











December 23, 2016:










I organize the two outlets to increase the surface agitation. The water surface is actually quite clean, with only a slight ‘dusty’ layer in the calmer regions.










Four hours into the photoperiod there isn’t much pearling, only some minor pearling on the _Bolbitis_. It may just be me being a bit paranoid, but a few of the new _Cabomba_ buds look a bit small. Whether this is a function of them being new or of some sort of new deficiency remains to be seen and will require careful observation. It may very well be the former, as the growth pattern still looks pretty normal compared with pictures found online.

The_ Cabomba furcata _is finally starting to send out new buds. 
By the end of the photoperiod some _Bolbitis _is pearling but none of the _Cabomba _is. I trim a few old_ Bolbitis _and _Cryptocoryne_ leaves. 


December 24, 2016:

I extend the photoperiod by 15 minutes, now for a total of 7 hours 15 minutes. The extra 15 minutes is a ramp up to full intensity at the start of the photoperiod. I also decide to start shifting the photoperiod to start and end earlier in the day. Currently it starts in the afternoon and ends at night, a relic from my high school days when I wasn’t home during the day to see my tank. But now when I’m home I’m generally on break and would like to view the tank earlier in the day. I shift it forward by 15 minutes at first, avoiding too sudden of a circadian shock.










The new _Cabomba caroliniana _buds continue to look a bit small, leading me to suspect some sort of deficiency. I test the nitrates and they are more or less zero! I add 0.22 ppm, and will gradually increase this amount as needed. 

Feeling inspired to do some further research and pondering, I find that my past issues with _Cabomba _weakening over time may have been in part from zinc deficiency. I shared some old photos of the affected plants with a fellow hobbyist, who confidently suggests zinc deficiency. The symptoms match up - older leaves falling off, yellow spots on older leaves, slower or ceased growth, and overall dwarfing. Zinc is required for many essential enzymes involved in respiration and growth. Zinc is partially mobile, also consistent with the older growth first being affected. Of course with _Cabomba_’s pinnate leaves, it was difficult to determine the exact chlorosis patterns, but I feel this diagnosis is a fairly good one.

I also dose 0.2 ppm (vs 0.1 ppm as usual) of phosphate today. Some sources suggest loss of old leaves and small new growth may also be related to phosphorous deficiency. I’ll have to do some further research before deciding which dose to stick at.

I notice a few spots of BBA on the left piece of driftwood. The big driftwood piece is still quite clean, but still has a few tufts (strangely in the dimmer areas). These will need removal at the next water change.

Bump:


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

*Month 8, Week 2: December 25 - December 31, 2016:*


December 25, 2016:










I adjust the photoperiod to 7.5 hours, adding a 15 minute ramp to the end. I’m starting to reconsider installing the second fixture. Scientific literature states _Cabomba caroliniana_’s light at compensation point is 55 micromols, which is slightly higher than what the stems in the dimmest regions are receiving. However this value was for plants grown at 30 degrees Celsius. Preliminary research hasn’t been able to find anything concrete, but I strongly suspect higher temperature, and thus metabolic rate, may increase light needs.

I’m hesitant to increase the light too much, for both stability and aesthetic reasons. Many anecdotes suggest that under extremely high light conditions _Cabomba_ becomes very leggy, while growing more bushy with more moderate light levels. I saw this before in the tank's first month - the stems directly under my previous light receiving 90 PAR at substrate were quite leggy. 

This pondering leads me to retest the tank’s PAR values. I guess the water is now clearer than it was, because I now get readings of 55 and 35 at the back and front respectively (both 5 micromols higher than the initial test). Given that these values are around the minimum for what I need (growing _Cabomba _and carpet plants respectively), I decide to leave the light alone for now and will continue observing the condition of the plants - if it seems to start deteriorating, I will install the second fixture for slightly higher light. 

The new growth on the _Cabomba caroliniana_ has a better green color (no longer slightly pale), but the buds are still a bit small. If this continues I may continue to up the nitrate dose. I decide to leave the phosphate dose at 0.1 ppm, after finding out it is best to have a higher ratio of nitrogen to phosphorous (the range my hobbyist friend stated to me was 5:1 to 10:1).


December 26, 2016:










I do some tidying of the scape and a water change today. There are more old Bolbitis leaves to be trimmed. The moving and rescaping 1.5 weeks prior seems to have disturbed their equilibrium, as there are several larger, older leaves displaying black or transparent patches. Hopefully this trimming will promote denser new growth.

I also rearrange some _Cryptocoryne_. Over the past few months their growth has become quite extensive, and some plants have started intruding into the area where the hairgrass carpet should be. I relocate the intrusive plants to the spots where I’d initially planted the_ Ammania_; by this point the amano shrimp have decimated it. I’ll definitely have to try some sort of substrate divider in future setups. But I’m glad they’re doing so well, as bullated _Cryptocoryne_ have long been some of my favorite plants.

I open up one filter to clean the impeller, but find it’s a lot cleaner than I expected, with only some slimey mulm and no large detritus trapped. Given this I decide to wait until the next water change before cleaning the other filter’s impeller.

The original hairgrass is looking better than it has in a while. The new hairgrass seems to be transitioning well, displaying good color and starting to send out plantlets, with less old leaf die-off than I anticipated.

I leave the photoperiod alone for today, but end up starting the lights about half an hour later because I didn’t finish the water change in time. Surprisingly the tank looks quite clean despite all the rearrangements and uprooting. By the end of the photoperiod the water surface is almost crystal clear and there is moderately intense pearling from the ferns, _Cabomba caroliniana_, and even some from the _Cryptocoryne_ and moss! The tank really looks quite clean, but the TDS is in the low 90s. I suspect this is more a function of tank maturity than dirtiness.










I’m initially a bit suspicious that this higher reading may be a result of TDS meter inaccuracy. Such meters, unless specifically temperature-compensated, will have a difference of 2-3 ppm for each degree Fahrenheit lower. Thus water at 65 degrees Fahrenheit (slightly warmer than the temperature I’ve been mixing my water at) would display a reading 20-30 ppm lower than the actual value compared to water at 75 degrees (close to my tank temperature). My meter is supposedly temperature-compensated, but some Amazon reviewers question the validity of this function. Yet after further consideration I don’t think this is the issue. I’ve been adding more or less the same amount of remineralizing salt per the same volume of fresh RO water. However there’s only one way to know for sure. A quick GH test assuages my fears and confirms the hardness to be at 3 degrees, which is what it should be.


December 27, 2016:










I increase the photoperiod to 7 hours 45 minutes, adding another 15 minutes to the morning ramp up. I decide to increase the daily nitrate dose to 0.33 ppm now that there’s more plant mass.

I find a dead_ Otocinclus_. The corpse looks quite skinny. Lately the glass has been quite clean, so I likely need to start supplementing.

I spot what appear to be some copepods crawling on some wood. This is quite exciting, as fostering a diverse microfaunal community has been one of my hopes for this tank.


December 28, 2016:

I am away all day, and come home to find two _Otocinclus _wedged between the right filter intake cover and the back glass. Unfortunately I was too late to save them.


December 29, 2016:










I increase the photoperiod to 8 hours 15 minutes, adding 15 minutes to both the ramp up and ramp down period.

I receive a cheap lily pipe from Amazon to test out the flow pattern. While it looks nice and feels sturdy, the flow it produces is overly strong, so I decide to stick with the two Eheim outlets. THe lily pipe would be perfect for a longer tank, or if it were the tank’s only outflow. The surface agitation is quite high after all this messing around, so I adjust the outlets to reduce it. Despite all the hairdryer-created picture perfect surface ripples in aquascape contest photos, a quick consultation of ADA gallery video reveals their tanks actually have rather calm surfaces. 

At the end of the photoperiod the ferns are pearling somewhat intensely, and even the original hairgrass has a few bubbles. I notice the old leaves on the new hairgrass starting to fray, which will keep my amano shrimp well-fed. Plants have pearled on the majority of the days for the past week - hopefully this means they are growing healthily?

I remove one tuft of BBA. After this I cannot see any others in the tank.

I also break out a Chinese aquatic plant book I purchased around a decade ago in hope of gaining some further information on the plants I’m keeping. Flipping through it is quite remarkable, as there are many plants that were unheard of or barely in the American hobby ten years ago, which goes to show how the American planted tank hobby pales in comparison to other parts of the world. With the help of some family members I am able to get some useful information on_ Cabomba_.

The profile for _Cabomba furcata_ indicates it prefer low levels of nitrate and regular iron fertilization. Interestingly, it’s noted to be susceptible to illness from bacterial infection, with recommended treatments of copper sulfate sterilization or lowering the temperature to 20 Celsius (68 Fahrenheit).

The profile for_ Cabomba caroliniana _initially describes it as a long-lived (perennial) submersed plant, assuaging my fears that the species may have some degree of seasonality making it unsuited for a long-term aquascape. It is said to be a water column feeder with a high fertilizer requirement, yet with roots going deep (requiring a spacious, not too compact substrate). The authors note it to enjoy slow water flow and to avoid placement in areas of strong direct current, which echoes my experiences. Curiously, it’s said to prefer a slightly alkaline pH, with leaves withering otherwise. However the given pH range is 6-7 so I guess this may be a typo. 

I’ll have to give this book some further time in the future. I always love seeing what other language sources have to say about planted tanks, as other parts of the world often have discovered knowledge not well-known among American hobbyists.


December 30, 2016:

I adjust the photoperiod to 8 hours 45 minutes, now having a ramp up of 1 hour and a ramp down of 45 minutes. Normally I’d be hesitant to make so many big changes (an increase of half an hour, multiple days in a row), but do so for a couple of reasons:


I think it necessary for plant health. ADA literature often mentions how a 10 hour photoperiod (no more, no less) is optimal for plant health. Natural history supports this - _Cabomba_ and my other plants hail from tropical latitudes with long days. My observations of nyctinasty further suggest a need for a longer photoperiod. Yesterday the plant buds were still open half an hour past the photoperiod end, and weren’t completely closed even an hour later. 

The added time is all to the ramp up and ramp down period, so is of a lower light intensity. I am maintaining the period of 100% light intensity to be 7 hours. ADA’s noon burst is 6 hours, but supposedly their metal halides used for this are really quite intense (>100 PAR at substrate). The same international hobbyist who told me about the emphasis on heavy flow being an American trend also told me he likes to use a 7 hour full intensity period when the full intensity is a more moderate PAR level (50-70 at substrate). 

In the past I was very hesitant to go with a full 10 hour photoperiod given that all of this duration would be bright light, but now that my lighting can ramp up/down I am much more comfortable using a longer photoperiod.


December 31, 2016:










I increase the photoperiod to 9 hours 15 minutes.

In the morning notice the tank looks slightly cloudy and that detritus is accumulating on some plant leaves. I then look in the stand to find that one of the canisters was unplugged! It must have not been fully plugged back in after experimenting with the lily pipe two days prior. Luckily I caught it early. Essential items getting unplugged seems to be a recurring theme - I wonder if there’s some sort of power center that can monitor such things.

I’m initially concerned but figure that the damage won’t be too bad for several reasons:


I have a second filter, as well as plenty of lava rock in the tank’s scape and substrate to support bacteria. 

I don’t notice any sulfurous ‘rotten egg’ smell indicative of anaerobic conditions, or 'oily' surface film indicative of dead bacteria.

There’s no noticeable BBA in the tank, so the risk of a sudden severe outbreak is lower than if there had already been noticeable large tufts. 

My tank has a very low bioload to begin with.

I have plenty of healthy _Cabomba_ and other stems to absorb nutrients. If anything, a one-time influx of nutrients may be a boon to growth (as I saw with_ Cabomba furcata_ growing inches overnight after an accidental 100x iron dose back in June). Based on recent research, _Cabomba_ and other weedy plants potentially undergo great growth spurts as a coping mechanism to deal with excessively high nutrient concentrations.

The biofilter should be pretty quick to re equilibrate. However, I do take some precautionary measures. I withhold dosing nitrate, in case of ammonia from dead bacteria from the filter. I also immediately start making RO/DI water for a water change at the end of the photoperiod tonight.

By the end of the photoperiod, all the livestock are still happy and alive, and the water surface is still clean. The tank is already looking clearer. There’s minor pearling on the ferns, willow moss, hairgrass, and a few stems of _Cabomba_.

Luckily this happened when the tank was healthy and stable. Had it happened a few weeks earlier when half the tank consisted of struggling plants with BGA looming on the horizons things would likely be much worse.

During the water change, I notice the tank seems cleaner than usual despite the filtration fiasco. It’s only been six days instead of the usual full week between water changes, but I don’t think this fully accounts for the cleanliness. There’s less small pieces of detritus (with mainly large pieces of feces). There are only two small strands of BBA, which I remove. I also notice air bubbles rising when cleaning around some plants, like the hairgrass and _Cryptocoryne_.

I leave the water level slightly low overnight for extra oxygenation, and add a bacter ball to the substrate below the filter intakes.

*
End of year reflections:*

In over a decade in the aquarium hobby (starting from the wee age of six), 2016 has definitely been the largest year of personal growth for me as an aquarist. Maybe it’s me coming into full cognitive bloom, the college science courses rubbing off on me, or latent frustration with years of lackluster results, but this year I’ve thought more critically about planted tanks and fishkeeping than I ever have before. 

While I still have a long ways to go, this tank has been my most successful, sustained effort, despite a fair share of mishaps and misfortunes. If you had caught me in my hopeless throes several years ago of trying other popular yet misguided methods, and told me I could achieve something like this, I would not have believed you. If I can maintain a decent tank while being away from it 90% of the time, I am well on my way towards becoming one badass hobbyist by the time I’m older and on my own.

That being said, here are nine key lessons from this year:
*

1. Problems often take time to manifest. *Assuming your purchased plants arrive in good shape, they have some level of initial vigor and reserves to go off of, meaning they may not die (or even grow somewhat) in unideal conditions. Furthermore, with new Aquasoil, the influx of nutrients may also serve to give plants extra vigor and mask systematic issue. This is why it took me months to realize systematic problems like overly strong flow and insufficient light spread.


*2. Invest in success. *So often, I see people trying to cut corners and look for the cheapest equipment, plants, or livestock. But in this hobby you truly get what you pay for. Yes, the cost of items can oftentimes be daunting. Yet failure to invest in quality often costs more in the long run, as I’ve learned the hard way. That $80 secondhand regulator seemed like a great deal compared to high-end several hundred dollar ones, until the floating needle valve killed $30 worth of Otocinclus, $40 worth of micro crabs, $120 worth of CRS, and led to BBA issues. Using the light I already had seemed like a practical choice until it led me to a half-bare tank with the threat of algae looming on the horizon. Investing in quality helps prevent future problems, which often ultimately cost more money and time. 

Things in this hobby often last a while. Good substrates last for years (at least; I don’t have the experience with longer time frames). A quality regulator will last as long as you need it. Even additives like bacterial supplements can be used for quite a while. Even healthy livestock will live (or at least self-perpetuate) for years.

Proper investment also ensures enjoyment of the hobby. Yes, bacter balls are expensive, but I’d rather use them to restore microbial balance rather than having to spend hours of backbreaking work cleaning out BGA. Yes, a good regulator is expensive, but I’d rather have thriving livestock rather than coming home to a tank devoid of life after a floating needle valve has gone unnoticed for a while. 

I’m fortunate enough to be in a situation where acquiring such quality equipment isn’t a great hurdle as it can be for some. But to those in the latter situation, this principle is perhaps even more important. Recovering from mistakes, such as replacing dead plants or livestock, is really quite costly. Have patience, and save up your pennies. Only run as many tanks as you can acquire quality equipment for. It’ll be worth it in the end.


*3. Minimize early mistakes.* A prime example of this was the light left on overnight during the first week and the subsequent first appearance of BBA. It’s possible had this never occurred, BBA may have never been able to establish a foothold in my tank. The tank’s start is a fragile period - respect this and plan accordingly with other events in your life.

That being said…

*
4. Accidents and mistakes are okay.* We’re human; they happen and are nothing to beat yourself up over. Success is a poor teacher - without hardship and setbacks we can never learn what truly works or build intuition. Amano himself said that the key to success, be it with bicycle racing or planted tanks, is to imagine the worst possible scenario and how to overcome it. The key here (a philosophy I carry over to my studies as well) is to avoid drastic mistakes from which one cannot recover. Ending up with some BBA in a few areas of the tank is no big deal, but a eutrophic box of BGA and hair algae is much harder to bounce back from…


*5. Thus, don’t let fear lead you to inaction.* While research and informed judgments are important, in the aquarium hobby (as with many finer things in life) many things can only be learned through experience and intuition. You can agonize and research until you’re blue in the face, but oftentimes experimenting and seeing things for yourself is the only way to increase one’s expertise as an aquarist.

On a related note…

*
6. Don’t make assumptions. *This is how systematic problems or misconceptions remain unfixed. With prior tanks I assumed you needed to pump ungodly amounts of CO2 and nutrients in a tank for plants to grow, and then wondered why I could never keep livestock alive. I assumed I needed super high flow, and then wondered why my plants that hail from calm waters were struggling. I assumed that dosing traces daily would lead to toxicity, and then suffered from trace nutrient deficiency. Don’t assume that if a certain method doesn’t work for you for the long term despite your best efforts, that you just aren’t doing it right or trying hard enough.

Let your results and intuition guide you. Accept that no one can ever know everything, and that anyone can be wrong. There are many polarized views in this hobby - the truth is likely somewhere in between them.
*

7. Never stop asking questions, and never stop learning.* I’ve been reading Tropical Fish Hobbyist and other sources of aquarium information since I was a child, yet I’ve realized that even a whole lifetime is not enough to learn all there is to the hobby in all its forms. Take in information from all sorts of people and sources. While I generally focus my readings on planted tank content, I have learned a great deal from reading about other aspects of the hobby like reef aquariums. You never know when you’ll discover a tidbit of information that gives you a much-needed fresh perspective on a problem or question you’re facing. For example, had I not read content and watched videos concerning reef aquariums and professional aquarium maintenance, I would have never adopted many practices, such as direct draining of old tank water and pump-driven tank filling, that make my maintenance routine (even on such a large tank) expedient.

*
8. Get connected.* With so much to learn in limited time, it’s important to choose one’s sources wisely. I spent years browsing and posting in general forum threads, yet my expertise remained stagnant and my results were lackluster. While I love forums, most threads consist of vague advice, parroting of information heard elsewhere but personally untried, or people passing off short-term success as the truth and gospel of a method’s validity. These days I find myself asking for advice from specific people - mentors if you will. Information from first-hand experience is much more valuable than parroted general ‘knowledge’. Instead of posting an open question on a forum to be answered by any random nobody (who may not even have experience with the topic), I ask folks who I know have expertise and success. Find people doing what you want to do, and learn from them. One hour spent chatting with such a mentor or reading a detailed firsthand account is worth more than a whole week of reading random forum threads. This is an area where forum journal threads and Facebook groups are helpful.

Local clubs are also an invaluable resource. Many great hobbyists have no online presence yet are a wealth of information. If it weren’t for connections made through my local club, I’d have never found out about Mazzei injectors (perhaps the easiest CO2 injection method I’ve ever used) or certain fishroom design aspects that make my maintenance routine easier.

*
9. At the end of this day, this hobby is a source of enjoyment and peace. *Fishkeeping is not without its share of trials and heart-stopping moments. It’s enough to drive some folks out of the hobby altogether. In particular, maintenance can fill one with dread. I know I’ve had nights at college where the impending prospect of having to uproot and replace plants, scrape off algae, and clean the tank kept me tossing and turning late into the night. Yet when I actually start the maintenance, such worries melt away. Interacting with my tanks is calming. There’s some sort of exposure effect when one is handling plants, or feels the light pinch of a shrimp curiously grazing on one’s arm. Moreover, there’s a pride in ownership. This tank is mine, and these organisms are here thanks to my work. The work I’m doing, though not always easy, keeps them alive and thriving, and contributes to create something great - a miniature world of its own. Each scrape of the glass, or hairgrass plantlet painstakingly inserted into the substrate, serves this greater purpose.

Here’s to 2017, and another year on the never-ending path towards aquatic mastery.


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

Finally done with a very long and tough semester and will be updating the journal soon.


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

*Month 8, Weeks 3-4: January 1 - January 14, 2017:*

January 1, 2017:










I finish refilling the tank with water first thing in the morning. The tank still isn’t as clear as I’d like (determined by looking in from the side with the lights off), so I add a second bacter ball, this time directly between the intake and sponge cover of the filter that was left off. However I’m not too worried - it took two days to get to this state of cloudiness, so will take at least two days to recover.

By the end of the photoperiod the tank is looking clearer,the surface is quite clean, and there is pearling as usual. However the TDS is 100 despite the recent water change. I wonder if this is related to the recent filtration fiasco. I test the nitrate and find that while not quite zero, it’s still very low (less than halfway between 0 and 5 ppm). Given this I doubt increased wastes are solely responsible for this increase. I wonder if the bacter balls also contribute to a TDS increase? If it weren’t for their cost I’d do some experiments.... 


January 2, 2017:










Nitrates are more or less the same or slightly higher, but not sure given slightly leaky tubes. But given that there’s a couple ppm of nitrate Before the photoperiod the TDS is several ppm lower. The water surface is extremely clean. Ferns, hairgrass, and _Cabomba caroliniana _are all pearling.


January 3, 2017:










It’s been awhile since I’ve checked the KH, so I do a test. I dose potassium bicarbonate, which introduces carbonates into the water on a daily basis. This works for me because my remineralizer has essentially no KH. Between aquasoil binding the carbonates, base-neutralizing processes in the tank, and regular water changes, the buildup should not be very much. But it’s a good idea to test things every now and then, especially since Aquasoil’s binding capacities do diminish over time. The KH is still 3, the same as it was back in July.

I notice the GH and KH test kits are nearing (less than a year away from) their expiration dates, yet I think the solutions are still sound and the results valid. Research indicates such test kits fail by indicating overly high, not low, readings.

I do a pH test at the start of the photoperiod in attempt to gauge the sufficiency of my CO2 injection rate. Ideally the pH should drop by several tenths of a degree several hours into the photoperiod. It shows the water as somewhat alkaline. However since the test kit is within a couple of months of its expiration I’m suspect of its accuracy. This is furthered by an identical reading four hours into the photoperiod, especially since ferns are already pearling by this time. 

I get a new test kit which shows the pH as 6.4-6.6 eight hours into the photoperiod, which is satisfactory. 

While I don’t believe in obsessively testing as some other hobbyists (particularly new ones) do, I think it’s a good idea to test once in a while to make sure nothing is blatantly wrong with the system. It’s important not to obsess with obtaining precise values; as long as things are in a good range then all is well.

I get in a GHL Doser 2.1 to automate my fertilizer dosing. Originally I had a grandparent help with dosing a few solutions, but they are travelling and no longer able to do so. With five solutions (3 macronutrients, trace nutrients, and iron), simply buying more individual pumps for each solution would not be economical. The GHL doser has 4 pumps on its own, with the option to add slave pump units for up to 16 pumps total. It is controlled through software and even has Wifi capability, so will hopefully be easier to set up than the BRS peristalsic pumps I previously had, each requiring painstaking calibration and bulky timers. I will use it for everything except for iron, which I don’t really adjust based on maintenance events like trimmings, etc. The GHL pump looks challenging to set up (I am not naturally a technical person, erring more towards the natural sciences and arts), but the experience will help greatly with familiarizing myself with some of the advanced technology available to aquarists, knowledge that will come in handy for future tanks.

I realize I never raised the potassium dose back to 3.4 ppm after reducing it to 3 ppm after a big trim back in August. I raise it back to the former value, and the plants like the change. The _Cabomba caroliniana_ is pearling quite heavily, and even the _Rotala_ is pearling!


January 4, 2017:










I find the pH before the photoperiod to be about neutral, which is what I’d expect given the few degrees of KH. 

I have had no luck with setting up the new doser through wifi. My preliminary attempts at reaching tech support aren’t successful; I’ll have to continue tomorrow. 



















Though the plants aren’t very tall yet, I do a trim. If I were to leave them untrimmed until my next break home in mid-February, they would have grown much too tall. With tall tanks especially I’ve found it’s important not to let the stem plants get too unruly before trimming, lest the bottoms deteriorate quickly (though some of this may have also been related to my past zinc deficiency issues). Furthermore, trims have historically been precarious times for this tank (and others I’ve had in the past), so I’d like to be around for a few days to make observations and tweaks as needed.

I cut some of the_ Cabomba caroliniana_ stems that have grown taller than the rest, as well as the _Rotala sp. ‘Yao Yai’ _and_ Bacopa colorata_. Following this I conduct a water change and add 38 drops of Green Gain, and leave the water level slightly low overnight (just enough to reach the minimum water line on the tank heater).

During my water change, I intend to go scrape a small strand of BBA on some driftwood I’d noted over the past few days, but find it gone! The amano shrimp are certainly a formidable algae-eating army.


January 5, 2017:










There’s no disaster after the trim as I’d feared. The plants are pearling as usual. Even a cut _Cabomba _stem is pearling, suggesting the trimmed plants are still in good condition.

I’m still unable to set up the doser’s wifi connection. Tech support suggests this could be from insufficient wifi signal or signal interference from other devices, with a wifi repeater being a possible solution. I don’t have time to mess with such things before I leave in a few days, but I am able to establish a USB connection and program the pump that way. I calibrate each of the pumps several times. It’s tedious, but I’d rather spend the effort now to ensure accurate dosing rather than find out later after having issues that my initial calibrations were off. In particular, I find the first calibration usually has a slightly different result from subsequent ones. At least the pump is easy enough to calibrate - the software has an option to run the pump for exactly one minute for this purpose.


January 6, 2017:










I find another skinny, dead _Otocinclus_, further suggesting the need to supplement food.

The nitrates are lower (around 2 ppm) now that more time has passed since one of the canisters was accidentally left unplugged for a couple of days. However the pearling on the_ Cabomba_ is less - perhaps it is time to start dosing nitrate again?

I reposition the airstone. I had my original, ceramic, airstone in the left corner because it hid well there and I figured having it opposite the outflows would further enhance nighttime aeration. However this is not a good position for my current, Never Clog airstone. Being plastic it is much lighter and tends to settle around the middle of the tank, looking something like a fishing lure. But beyond aesthetics, its present position is likely not good for plant health. It slightly agitates the left _Cabomba _grouping at night, which would only get worse as the stems grow taller. I tuck it behind a branch of the large driftwood. Not only does this put it out of site, but it also does a better job at moving surface debris, preventing it from accumulating against the side of the glass along the tank’s front corners and side.










At night I feed Repashy Soilent Green, using a piece with the area of a postage stamp and about ¼” thick (as recommended by Rachel O’Leary). It’s very popular with the tank inhabitants, immediately getting swarmed by the shrimp. The _Otocinclus_ are relegated to the sidelines - hopefully they’ll get enough to eat. I choose to feed now because I’ll be changing water tomorrow in case it does foul the tank. I do notice little bits and pieces floating away from the main block as the shrimp feed, but hope that the shrimp and copepods will catch these. I’ll have to mix my next batch with less water to get a firmer texture.


January 7, 2017:










In the morning there’s no more Repashy in this tank, while some still remains in my other smaller tanks that I also fed. It certainly was popular with my inhabitants!

The surface looks a bit dirtier, but the TDS is still the same, and nitrates are more or less same (maybe slightly higher). The_ Otocinclus _look a bit less thin. I’ll have to try splitting into two or more pieces to allow them a better chance at the food.

I do one last water change before I leave for the new semester tomorrow. I debate cleaning the filters given that I just got to them several weeks ago, but decide to do it anyway since I’ll be away for a month. This turns out to be a very wise decision. I notice one of the filters to drain much more weakly out the intake at the canister’s bottom than usual once disconnected, suggesting a blockage. Furthermore, the bottom lattice screen is crooked, with some mechanical media having fallen below. Lacking a spring washer, I shove a thick piece of airline tubing into the the intake, dislodging a piece of ceramic media! 

I’m not sure how long this has been going on, but sure am glad to have caught it now. Episodes like this demonstrate the importance of regular maintenance and not rushing through things. I’m not sure how exactly this happened, but it likely was from either hurriedly shoving back in the bag of bio media after the previous cleaning, or knocking the canister around while working in the stand. In particular, filtration should be treated with an air of sanctity - it is the tank’s life support system after all. After seeing how things can go south even after a few days with diminished biofiltration capacity, it’s definitely something I’ll pay close attention to in the future.

On that note, I take my time putting the bio media bag back into the canister. I attempt to minimize gaps between the bio media and the canister walls and layer of mechanical media, as this leads to uneven flow across the media and diminished biofiltration capacity (a tip learned from an old AquaJournal).

I net out five amano shrimp, and transfer them to another tank of mine. Lately I’ve been noticing a few moss strands and_ Bolbitis_ shoots with signs of nibbling, a classic sign that amano shrimp are running out of algae to eat. I’ll probably transfer several more, but want to make sure this first batch does well in the other tank.

Indeed the tank has been quite clean of BBA. I notice only two potential dots, about the size of a period, on the side glass. There is a bit of flat green algae starting to form, but this does not concern me. This type of algae is simply a function of tank age and is benign (unless the tank is wholly imbalanced). I wonder if the copepods, being detritivores, have anything to do with the lower BBA. They’ve become more established, sometimes visible on the glass. 

During the water change the airstone comes loose from its position under the driftwood, so I further anchor it by tying a small lava rock to the tubing.

Finally, I add five tangerine tiger shrimp (_Caridina serrata_). My dream of having dwarf shrimp in this tank hasn’t died. However I figure these may make a better choice than bee shrimp. They’re larger, more aggressive feeders, and tolerate a slightly larger temperature and parameter range. But these are certainly no compromise, as they’re a shrimp I’ve wanted to keep for some years now. I’ve received mixed answers about their ability to breed in a tank with as low hardness and KH as mine, but given that I have Neocaridina breeding in tanks with the same hardness and even less KH I’m not too concerned.

Usually I’d add more shrimp at once, but I want to see how these five do in the tank before investing in more. I was able to pick them up at a group order from a club meeting, so no shipping costs involved. Though the meeting’s over by the late afternoon, I wait until later that night after the water change to add them, allowing the CO2 to off-gas and the water to stabilize. Some hair algae in the bag presents a bit of a complication to my usual plop and drop strategy. Dumping the whole bag would get all of the algae into the net, risking introduction into the tank. As great as API Algaefix is it’s toxic to shrimp so not an option. I pour out most of the water, which gets rid of most of the algae. I use a pair of tweezers, usually not used for this tank, and pick out all the remaining visible strands I can. Then I pour the remaining water into a small net, and shake the shrimp loose above rather than below the water. Finally, I use a large, clean net, to scoop up the immediate vicinity of any potential algae strands. Some may view my bio security measures as a bit extreme, but I’d rather take this advance precaution then spend hours of backbreaking work cleaning out filamentous (or worse, my family members having to do it). 

However, I’m not too concerned this time around. The algae appears to be _Cladophora_, with a branched appearance, rather than _Spirogyra_ which has a, well, spiral appearance. I find that the former tends to die off in soft water, compared to the latter which will wreck an aquascape irregardless of parameters.

Soon after introduction, the shrimp are happily grazing throughout the tank. If these do well, I will add more in a month or two, giving them a couple of months before I add other fish. However with only five very young individuals they are quite difficult to spot!


January 8, 2017:










I’m much more confident about leaving the tank this semester than I was for last, given that it’s full of healthy vibrant plants instead of half bare. 

On the plane ride I take some time to read some AquaJournal issues. These are an absolute wealth of information, but two topics resonate with me. First is the importance of full plant coverage with Aquasoil. In a new tank, too much bare area without sufficient coverage means small particles of soil are prone to leach into the water, hampering water quality and the biofilter. I’m not sure how relevant this is to a more established tank like mine, but it’s still something to ponder nonetheless. 

Second is the natural history of _Cryptocoryne_. The very low light needs and susceptibility of some _Cryptocoryne_ to overly bright light was discussed. One can guess the species’ natural habitat and optimal growing conditions based on leaf shape. Those with narrower, bullated leaves tend to hail from brightly lit, flowing streams, while those with rounder leaves tend to inhabit shaded, calmer, forest waters. This is consistent with my good experiences growing _C. affinis_ and _bullosa _in this tank, as they receive relatively bright light. The _C. nurii_ varieties haven’t done much since the tank’s start (they were severely weak at the beginning), but hopefully now that they have more light (they were victims of previous poor light spread) I’ll see more activity from them.


January 11, 2017:










It’s almost been a week since the trim. A test shows that nitrates have returned to essentially zero. For these reasons I decide to start increasing the dose back to 0.33 ppm starting tomorrow.


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

*Month 9: January 15 - February 11, 2017*


January 15, 2017:

The tank continues to do well, with plants still pearling as usual. One of the tangerine tigers is spotted.


January 16, 2017:











January 21, 2017: 

I notice the_ Cabomba_ looks a little yellow. Nitrates almost zero, so after confirming the auto-doser is working I decide to increase NO3 to .55, still within the brighty special range.

There are a dead_ Otocinclus_ and amano shrimp. The former was skinny, though the latter is unexpected. A tangerine tiger is still spotted, so shrimp death is likely not a systemic issue


January 24, 2017:










Maybe it’s the placebo effect, but the _Cabomba_ looks more green and is pearling, as is the _Rotala_.


January 26, 2017:










I’m still questioning my dosing sufficiency, as an experienced hobbyist sees some tank pictures and notes the_ Cabomba _leaves as small, which could be boron or zinc issue.

It wouldn’t surprise me if I need to increase traces, as my dose is based on the instructions intended for a moderately planted (as Seachem told me after asking) and (probably) non-CO2 tank. He recommends increasing dose to 2x, so I will start with 1.5x.

_Cabomba _seems to be good indicator plant. It’s frustrating that it’s finicky but also a good learning process.


January 27, 2017:

There’s a poor response from increased traces; _Cabomba_ is no longer pearling. I immediately change back to the original dose, and arrange for a water change tomorrow.


January 28, 2017:

I notice shrimp damage on the_ Bacopa_, so transfer out 5 amano shrimp. There’s still no pearling from _Cabomba_.

There’s an oddity with the CO2 regulator working pressure. It was 12 psi when I left some weeks prior, slightly less than 12 two days prior, 11 yesterday, and 10 today. I find out this working pressure shift can occur from ambient temperature change, or running (while the solenoid is one) vs stationary (while it is off) pressure.


January 29, 2017:










Since traces weren’t issue behind small leaf size, I increase nitrate to 0.77 ppm. Outright deficiency wasn’t happening before as indicated by pearling, but this doesn’t mean more wouldn’t help. I see an improved response - more _Cabomba_ stems are pearling. Though it’s still not as much as last week it shows recovery. More nitrogen is probably in the right direction. I’m starting to see that N ratios of 5:1 or even more have long been a widespread notion.


January 30, 2017:

I increase nitrates to 0.99 ppm. More_ Cabomba _stems are pearling.


February 3, 2017:










The _Cabomba _is in better shape in terms of color and size.

There’s minor BBA on old fern leaves, but this is to be expected due to lack of trimming. These will be snipped off before the next water change. There’s no BBA on driftwood.


February 9, 2017:










Nitrates are increased to 1.21 ppm. 

I return home after a month. There’s minor bba on old fern leaves,a few areas of glass and one small spot of driftwood, along with minor BGA at the front beneath the substrate. There’s GSA on more areas, like old _Cryptocoryne _leaves. 

I spot one of the small tangerine tigers, which will be joined by 30 more friends tomorrow. There’s reduced pearling from_ Cabomba _- likely something else is limiting now that nitrates are higher. The plant colors look a bit off.










I trim out quite a few old fern and crypt leaves.


February 10, 2017:

I give increasing phosphates to 0.4 ppm daily a shot. 

However I find my iron autodosing setup isn’t working! This was the last nutrient being dosed on an individual peristalsic pump, as my new autodoser didn’t have enough pumps. The timer this pump was on was working, but the outlet itself was not so the pump received no power. Sadly this is another example of issues from cutting costs. I could’ve gone with a slave pump for the autodoser but chose not to. 

In retrospect malfunction is likely the cause of sudden pearling cessation a few weeks prior, not increasing traces.

I manually dose 0.15 ppm of iron, spread out three times over the photoperiod. The deficiency is quite severe; I’m already beginning to see death from the tops in one or two _Cabomba _stems. No wonder algae has become more widespread!

I add 30 new tangerine tigers. I let them sit in their breather bag until the lights are off and airstone has kicked on, as they’re in good condition with clean water. Unfortunately they came packed with moss containing hair algae. I manually remove the moss from the bag, pour the shrimp into a bucket, remove all algae strands from the bucket, and then net them. I then do a good sweeping of the open water they were just added to with a large net. 


February 11, 2017:

I dose 0.18 ppm iron, two times over the photoperiod to avoid potential toxicity with the new shrimp. Fortunately the second outlet on the timer still works, so I will use this until I am home for the summer and can set up a slave pump. Until then the iron pump will be monitored very regularly.

I do a big 50% water change, and take the chance to rescape. I raise the midground edges with lava rocks (some old and relocated, some new, and attach ferns to larger base. I trim any unhealthy _Cabomba_ and _Rotala_. 

While cleaning the filters, I notice the detritus is larger rather than the very fine particles that used to accumulate. The filter is overall cleaner.

I add 38 drops of green gain, 40 drops of phyton git, and one bacter ball, as well as leaving the water level low to aerate overnight.


----------



## burr740 (Feb 19, 2014)

Really nice journal, man. Tank is looking great too!


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

*Month 10: February 12 - March 11, 2017:*


February 12, 2017:

I start dosing 0.02 ppm Fe, and will do so for rest of week to help the plants recover from deficiency.


February 13, 2017:











February 19, 2017:

I have the sponge filter covers replaced with stainless steel intakes for 3 reasons:


They're an eyesore
They’re very difficult to maintain, having to be pulled out, thoroughly squeezed and rinsed several times, and then put back on (in a very deep tank) once a week.
Their bulkiness is blocking light from stems in the back right corner, already a relatively dim spot. 

Iron is brought back down to 0.01 ppm.


February 21, 2017:

I increase phosphates to 0.6 ppm daily to help recovery. Some_ Cabomba_ still have little black BBA spots on older growth.


February 23, 2017:










The _Cabomba_ is improving, growing faster and larger.


February 28, 2017:











March 8, 2017:

I ordered new _Cabomba caroliniana _because many stems are still weakened despite some doing well, and need to get the plant mass back up. I put it through the standard Algaefix and Borneowild Exterminate (for planaria) quarantine. I get in some_ C. furcat_a as well from a different source, but in very poor condition.


March 11, 2017:










I come back home for spring break - it’s much easier to see things in person!

A third of_ Cabomba _looks great, while the rest is lackluster. There’s less substrate BGA than a month ago, and the hairgrass is cleaner (less decaying old growth). There’s some amano shrimp damage on the _Bolbitis_; I will have to move more out.

I plant the new _Cabomba caroliniana_, but decide not to use the_ C. furcata_ instead of have it decay in my tank.










I thin out some _Cryptocoryne_ that has invaded the hairgrass carpet. The tiger shrimp like to hide in the main thicket.

The TDS before water changing is same as last month (~130 ppm), but this is with a slightly higher bioload. I notice pond and flat ramshorn snails have returned, but don’t particularly mind. They probably came in on plants I added in December.


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

*Month 11: March 12 - April 8 2017:*


March 12, 2017:










Overall pearling is less compared to December, but even the new _Cabomba_ is pearling (a good sign).

I suspect CO2 is a bit low, since it was at an optimal rate back in December with many new/emersed plants not yet photosynthesizing vigorously.


March 13, 2017:










I’ve long suspected my CO2 could be on low side, ever since learning of bubble counter bubble size variations. BPS is not as sturdy of an indicator as I thought, since different counters can have quite different bubble sizes, leading to different injection amounts at a given rate. My counter has very small bubble size compared to others, especially when considering that the low ADA bps rates that first inspired me are using the beetle counter, which produces very large bubbles. Pearling observations confirm this suspicion. There’s almost none 4 hours after photoperiod start, vs a high amount back in December.

I install a new counter with larger bubbles, more comparable to those of the beetle counter. The rate is much lower (~2.5 bps). A soapy water test confirms no leaks to account for this.

I increase working pressure to 20 psi to avoid fluctuations. A low working pressure can fluctuate more readily from changes in room temp, etc. I increase bps to 3; all livestock are still lively. I will continually to gradually increase it over the course of the next week.

The _Bacopa_ is pearling! This is unprecedented.


March 14, 2017:










Pearling is still low 4 hours in. Livestock are doing well by the photoperiod end with a whole day at 3 bps, and show no signs of stress.

I find small white flatworms, followed by a minor panic attack. But upon further investigation they’re probably rhabdocoela, which are non-predatory (to shrimp at least). They’re smaller than planaria I’ve had in the past, and lack the distinctive triangular head with two dark ocelli (eyespots). 


March 15, 2017:










The new_ Cabomba_ is settling in and showing nyctinasty. Pearling is the same if not slightly less, which is slightly concerning. Potentially now nutrients are limiting. One spot of bba is observed on the left wood piece.


March 16, 2017:










I’m mulling over lack of pearling increase and the potential decrease from yesterday’s CO2 increase - either something else is now limiting or I overshot it (some literature suggests overly high CO2 is not good for optimal growth). However such high concentrations would be clearly detrimental to livestock as well.

I increase traces from 7 mL daily to 7.5. I’m not afraid to increase, as the poor response from the January attempt was probably confounded by the iron pump malfunction. I see some slightly downturned_ Rotala _leaf tips. This likely indicates micronutrient deficiency, as it was seen back last fall with very infrequent traces. The presence of occasional twisted _Cryptocoryne _leaves further suggests a potential nutrient issue. 










Nitrates are at 5 ppm, and phosphate at 1-2. The macronutrients are fine, as many are able to maintain great tanks with these levels (though many others insist higher are necessary). I think a good analogy is body fat percentage. Obviously having too high a level is undesirable. Yet having zero is also detrimental to survival. A low level is the sweet spot.

The livestock are doing well. Amano shrimp are extremely active, but this may be correlated with slightly more bba on old leaves. Given the recent disturbances to the tank and new plant leaf shedding an increase in organics isn’t surprising, and also suggested by a slight snail population increase. I decide to leave in the amanos for now despite previous plant damage to act as a buffer against algae. Ostracods and copepods are still observed. _Otocinclus _are still lively. If anything, the tangerine tigers are more active!

The pH 8 hours in is 6.6, indicating mid-20s ppm CO2. However I also notice more mist bubbles. These don’t contribute to CO2 pH lowering but are still available for plant use. This increased misting is likely a result of raising the working pressure.

The plants are responding well to higher traces. _Cryptocoryne _are pearling, which is unprecedented.

However I also notice some familiar symptoms. Some established java fern leaf tips are turning white/transparent, and some of the new _Cabomba_ stems appear a bit pale, bringing back traumatic flashbacks of my iron pump fiasco just a month before. I did notice an inkling of this symptom with the ferns a few days prior but it’s starting to become prominent now.

Yet it appears the pump is working, as the tank end of the dosing tubing is full of solution. For contrast when the pump hadn’t worked at all the tubing had several cm of empty space. I will have to functionality check tomorrow morning. If it is still working, I will up the dose to 0.02 ppm. 

I have found that the common fears of trace toxicity are overblown in all but the most extreme cases. Though ADA does dose 0.01 ppm by default, their trace fertilizer allows for additional dosage to meet plant needs, and they also do utilize additional iron (via ECA) in some tanks, especially those with many stem plants. Literature on certain weedy plants indicates that optimal water levels may be as high as several tenths to several ppm. Likely by increasing traces and CO2, the plants’ metabolic rate/demand were also increased, rendering a once (potentially marginally) sufficient iron dosage not enough. Furthermore, increased traces may inhibit iron uptake by cation competition.

This potential iron insufficiency could very well be the reason for the slight decrease in pearling among some plants with higher CO2.

It’s interesting to ponder my previous CO2 level. Boyle’s law suggests higher pressure but same bps (volume per time) will have more gas going in. While I’m not sure if all the higher pressure is maintained past the regulator and needle valve, at least some is. A renowned regulator builder regaled to me a story of increasing the working pressure until his diffuser fell apart! Thus it is possible that even though the bps is not two times what I had previously, the injection rate very well may be. 


March 17, 2017:










The iron pump is working, so I double the dose to 0.02 ppm

I turn up the CO2 to 4 bps halfway into the photoperiod. _Cabomba _is pearling 5 hours in, and the _Cryptocoryne_ 6 hours in.

The_ Bolbitis _has heavy mycorrhizal growth , which suggests there was some sort of nutrient deficiency (this was previously seen when the iron pump failed). 

The whole tank seems much livelier, with livestock still very active. There’s a lot of visible defecation! Perhaps I see less pearling on certain plants like ferns due to disruption and release of bubbles from shrimp crawling over the leaves.

Potentially, higher CO2 has led to better plant health. Thriving plants lead to thriving livestock, with potential mechanisms including O2 availability, water quality, or microbial action. The surface is extremely clean, and is mirror-like except for gas bubbles. The hairgrass is cleaner. 

However I do see an oto take a gasp at the surface. This is probably normal behavior, but I will do a pH test tomorrow after several hours to ensure CO2 levels aren’t too high.

I see slightly increased _Cabomba _and _Bacopa_ pearling. The _Cabomba _still looks a bit pale, but I will wait until tomorrow to assess and adjust micronutrient dosage if needed.

I notice some interesting dusk behavior at the photoperiod’s end. _Otocinclus _swim in pairs, and shrimp prefer heavy plant growth rather than open areas.


March 18, 2017:










I increase traces to 8.5 mL (from 7.5)._ Cryptocoryne _and moss are pearling 5 hours in, and _Bacopa _pearling has increased. _Cabomba _appears greener early on in the photoperiod, but by the end once again looks pale.

The pH 8 hours in is slightly lower (6.6-6.5) than before, but livestock are still doing well.

I trim old_ Cryptocoryne_ & fern leaves as well as some moss, and superglue some loose spots. Willow moss is frustrating in its lack of clinging to wood. 

Once again, the filters are cleaner, with more large detritus than small.


March 19, 2017:

I increase iron to 0.03 ppm, and traces to 10 mL. I mark (with a sharpie) 4 bps and 4.5 bps on the needle valve in case further CO2 increase is required in the near future.


March 21, 2017:











March 22, 2017:

_Cabomba _tips still look pale, so I bump up iron to 0.05 ppm. Phosphates are still 1 ppm. Nitrates are ~2 ppm.


March 23, 2017:

A retest shows ~5 ppm nitrate, so yesterday’s test was likely in error.


March 25, 2017:

Some new _Cabomba furcata_, a replacement batch from the last poor one, is planted after being put through the standard 3-day quarantine procedure.


March 27, 2017:










Traces are increased to 12 mL, as I was still seeing signs of deficiency (pale striping on_ Rotala_ leaves, also a symptom seen with the previous biweekly trace regime). There’s much more pearling, and new growth looks good.




















March 31, 2017:










After the iron pump fiasco I’ve requested regular macro-photography of the tank, as things can easily go amiss while still looking fine from a distant, low resolution smartphone photo. However even with a proper camera it’s still tricky to get things like color balance and contrast right! Here are a few shots that came out well. 




















April 2, 2017:

The stems receive a big trim as they’re nearing the surface. This is followed with 40 drops of green gain. 


April 3, 2017:










I keep dosing and CO2 the same after trimming. In talking with some established scapers, I’ve learned that consistency is important. Though plant mass is less, plants need nutrients to heal and recover, plus the majority of plants (hairgrass, ferns, etc.) were not cut.

The livestock are still happy and active.


April 7, 2017:










My tank-sitter reports the _Cabomba furcata_ has been pearling regularly for quite a while now.


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

*Month 12: April 9 - May 17 2017: *

In the craziness of the past year I did not realize counting months as 4 week periods would lead to some incongruity at the end. Hence ‘month’ 12 is somewhat longer.


April 12, 2017:










My family has been on vacation since April 8. I’m a bit nervous but have faith in my systems design for a stable tank. At first glance tank looks fine, but notice front substrate line looks odd. I suspect the substrate BGA has spread, so request a second look. My suspicion is confirmed, with two small spots seen.










I start looking back at prior tank shots and realize it potentially began up to 1.5 weeks before. It’s disappointing that it’s popped up, but the slow spread is reassuring. Given the tank’s checkered history, some lingering microbial imbalance and needed additional support isn’t surprising.

The surface is still more or less clean as usual, and there’s no BBA.

I immediately have 3 suspects for the BGA: 



Nitrates - this will be tested the next morning
 CO2 - in the past I’ve had BGA rear when CO2 suddenly changes (in either direction) or stops. However the CO2 is still working (not too low), and livestock are still doing well (not too high)
 Organics - this is the main suspect. The steel intakes show a lot of debris.

Initially this is surprising since 1.5 weeks have passed since the big trim, but I find another suspect: _C. furcata_, noticing some lower leaf loss. This isn’t surprising since it’s relatively new, so acclimation stress is likely. Though this loss didn’t happen with _C. caroliniana_, the _C. furcata_ went through much more, being shipped internationally to a store, then from the store to me.

The remedy is to clean all BGA above substrate with a paper towel, add a bacter ball to each spot, and clean debris from the intakes every night this week.


April 14, 2017:

One of my worst fears has been realized.

My fish sitter reports a dead amano shrimp, with white, flat worms crawling over it. Given that I’ve had no shrimp deaths in months, this can only mean one thing: planaria.

The tank-sitter couldn’t get a good look at the worms after the carcass was removed, as they quickly crawled away. But her description tells me all I need to know - a triangular head with two black eyespots. Despite no further sightings after lights off (their usual active hours), I will go through treatment lest I once again lose an entire tank of shrimp to these savage predators.

I’m at a loss as to how these got in. Either they survived an accidental underdose of drug during one of the new plant quarantines, or my quarantines weren’t long enough. Presumably higher organics from the recent trim and _Cabomba furcata_ old leaf loss has brought them out. 

I will have to move out the_ Otocinclus_, luckily having a spare 6 gallon tank on hand for this. I treat this tank first to eliminate any possible planaria adults, as it’s previously held plants from the main tank after the latest (potentially contaminated) batches of plants were introduced.


April 15, 2017:

Further research suggests a two-three day quarantine for planaria isn’t enough. I thought it would be because of the instant effects observed during the past treatment last winter, but this could still leave some survivors, either as particularly hardy/resistant individuals or eggs. I will need to quarantine much longer in the future.

During the weekly water change another amano shrimp casualty (a half-carcass) is sucked out from a plant thicket. Though there have been no more worm sightings from my sitter, I am convinced they are present and that treatment is necessary. I will be happy with nothing less than full-on genocide.

The water change is big (50%) to clean out organics, and the water level is left low overnight to oxygenate. 


April 16, 2017:










The soon-to-be fish holding tank gets a 100% water change to eliminate any drug residue, as it’s fatal to _Otocinclus_. 

The shrimp are much more active after the water change and night of splashing.










Only 4 otos are caught and transferred, so I decide to delay treatment by a day to allow for any more to show themselves.


April 17, 2017:

No more otos are seen, with only 4 out of 8 expected having been caught. Given some were quite skinny early on it’s possible the rest died over the prior months.

The tank is treated with Borneowild Exterminate, mixed with tank water and inject with a syringe over substrate areas.


April 18, 2017:

I anticipate nitrates to be higher from dead worms and snails, but they’re actually lower than usual at 2 ppm (quite odd).

The shrimp are fine, but less active than right after the water change. The water is bubbly at the surface and not as clear.


April 19, 2017:

It appears the great dying has finally kicked in as nitrates are 20 ppm. I will stop dosing nitrates for the week.

Less shrimp are spotted, presumably in hiding. It’s sad to have to put them through short-term stress, but I know they will be decimated if I don’t.


April 22, 2017:

The tank gets a big 60% water change with splashing overnight (water level left low). The otos are holding up well in the holding tank, getting some Repashy every few days as needed.


April 23, 2017:










The shrimp are much more active and numerous.

I see photos for the first time in a while (with the craziness of finals I’ve been a bit of a hermit). The C. furcata hasn’t taken well to treatment, with substantially deteriorated color & shape, no more pearling. It has shed old leaves all week. Clearly it’s beyond the point of no return and requires replacement. 



















However this presents a bit of a dilemma. Based on further research of scientific literature, it is clear to me that no less than two weeks will be sufficient for quarantine. I will not be able to replant the tank as quickly as I like, but I would rather have a low plant mass for a few weeks than have to go through all this again.

To those curious as to how I came to the two week conclusion: the two common planarian genera in aquariums are_ Dugesia_ and_ Procotyla_. Two weeks is the approximate hatch time for many planarian species, including _Dugesia_, at the low to mid 70s fahrenheit. I could not find any literature concerning _Procotyla_ at this temperature (only at lower temperatures not relevant to most tropical aquariums). However by extrapolating from other species’ hatch time vs temperature relationships, it’s safe to guess their hatch time is more or less the same. Fortunately planaria aren’t capable of laying eggs for many weeks after hatching, so after any initially present as eggs hatch and are killed they should be extinct. I found no suggestion that the eggs undergo dormancy in presence of toxins. However I did find that they are especially prolific layers in the spring, which would explain how they could have came in on new plants I introduced in March. Furthermore I learned of ‘winter eggs’ that may take months to hatch, but these are unlikely to be encountered given the very low temperatures required.

To fully ensure no more planaria or eggs get into the tank, I treat the _Otocinclus_ holding tank with 0.06 g fenbendazole, placed in a makeshift cloth bag kept in the hob filter compartment. Though my initial treatment with the Borneowild probably killed any adult worms, I must make sure no eggs survive and get into the tank when I net the fish to return them to their home. As a standard dewormer this should be fine for them, and eliminate any lingering internal parasites they may have. They will receive this treatment for at least two weeks (doses added every 3 days) while the big tank is treated and then cleared out of the medication.


April 24, 2017:

Treatment is still not done; I must ensure all eggs in the tank hatch to live short unrealized lives. I use a new drug for good measure - SL Aqua Bio Protector Z1. It’s much easier on the tank. The water is clear, and plants & shrimp act as if nothing has happened.


April 27, 2017:

The oto holding tank is once again dosed with Panacur. They are doing (and pooping) well. 


April 29, 2017:










I’m beginning to suspect the _Cabomba caroliniana_ has been affected by the initial Borneowild treatment as well, as old growth looks a good deal worse. However it has some nice new tips so there’s still hope.










A 1 cm long tangerine tiger is spotted - a potential sign of breeding? Surely my original ones must be larger by now…


May 1, 2017:










I return home after my most difficult semester yet. Despite all the tank’s misfortunes it’s pretty clean, with only some mild BBA on a few spots of wood and old leaves, and some substrate BGA.

Old stem and fern growth is in rough shape. This is probably combination of trimming stress shortly followed by the first Borneowild drug. 

The crypts have really taken off - perhaps there’s less competition from other plants?

_Rotala_, _Bacopa_, and a few spots of hairgrass and_ Cabomba _(especially in the right bunch) look oddly pale. I’m not sure if this is a lingering result of the first drug or an iron issue. 

Throughout the course of treatment the filter intakes have often been covered in shed leaves. I will clean these nightly until the shedding stops.

I purchase some_ Cabomba furcata_ from a local store to replace the ones killed by medication. I will keep these in a bare-bottom 5 gallon tank, with CO2 bubbling in at several bps (no diffuser), two CFL domes for lighting, and a small Azoo HOB filter. I will dose 0.05 g fenbendazole every 2-3 days. Based on my experience treating the _Otocinclus _holding tank fenbendazole has no effect on plants. I also get a few stems of giant ambulia (_Limnophila aquatica_) to try out. This is another plant with attractive pinnate green growth that has caught my eye for a few years.


May 2, 2017:

Early in the morning I add a second dose of the SL Aqua drug. A full two weeks have yet to pass, and the damage to plants will hopefully be minimal, given the observation that most of it happened only during the Borneowild treatment.

Before dosing I test the TDS, which is quite low (112 ppm). I’d previously contemplated cutting traces but decide not to. The TDS is low enough, and if the drug influences plants by impacting nutrient uptake, restriction would not be helpful. Many of the poor growth forms resemble what was seen months prior with insufficient traces.

The iron pump is working, but was dripping right onto a filter intake tube, with some precipitate on the latter visible. Could this have prevented iron from getting into the tank and caused issues?

The oto holding tank receives another dose of drug. They continue to do well.


May 3, 2017:

I dose 0.2 ppm iron, split over two times during the photoperiod. The odd coloration was definitely was an iron issue. The _Rotala _is instantly much better (though some tips are still damaged), and the _Bacopa _ is starting to get some color back. No response is observed yet from the affected _Cabomba_. 

The cleanliness of the steel intakes tells the story. They’ve consistently been covered with shed _Cabomba _leaves for quite some time now, indicating most of it’s in poor condition. 

The surface is somewhat dirtier than usual, with a slight film. I really can’t wait to finish the planaria treatment and get the drugs out of the system, giving the plants a chance to recover. Even though this new drug isn’t as drastically harsh as the Borneowild one, it clearly still exerts harm on the plants. Interestingly, an ostracod is sighted, so at least some microfauna remains. 

Looking back at photos from just a month prior, it’s rather disheartening to see the extent of deterioration, but I know the tank will come back better than ever, as always happens following such disturbances. Still, it’s sometimes hard to put on a brave face. 


May 4, 2017:

Once again I dose 0.2 ppm iron.

I purchase 4 cups each of AFA tissue-culture _Rotala sp._ 'Nanjenshan' and _Myriophyllum sp._ ‘Guyana mini’ from a local store. This acquisition has been a long time coming. During each of my early trials with _Cabomba_, I decided if the replacement batch were to die off I would just replace it with other fine-leaved green plants. However the last few failures were complicated by uncontrollable factors rather than improper growing conditions or systems design. My batch from December was doing well until the malfunctioning iron pump killed off almost all of it. My batch from March was doing splendidly until I had to treat the tank for planaria. Thus I contemplated getting in more _Cabomba _- this time I’d get it right, I thought.

Yet 3 reasons have led me to alternate plant species:



*Volatility* - by this point, I clearly know how to grow _Cabomba_. However by now it is clear to me it is one of those plants that does very well when it is thriving, but is conversely quick to crash as soon as something is amiss. As much as I like to think I’ll run a perfectly stable system and won’t have any more accidents in the future, as someone who’s away from home most of the time and unable to correct things quickly, having such a volatile plant comprise ⅓ of my tank’s plant mass is not wise.


*[*]Growth habit:* When I first envisioned this tank almost a year ago, I wondered why I couldn’t find any aquascapes featuring _Cabomba_ - it’s such a beautiful plant! Perhaps this was a result of scapers not being interested in a ‘beginner’s’ plant with explosive growth rates? But further contemplation suggests this isn’t likely. There are plenty of ‘basic’, fast-growing plants used in countless scapes around the world, like _Rotala rotundifolia_. Now I realize the likely reason: its growth habit isn’t suitable for forming dense bushes. Unlike the ‘tidier’ stems usually used in scaping, _Cabomba _does not grow new buds from the tip after cutting. Instead most new buds form from lower on the stem, or even from sideways creeping stalks from the base. Maybe one in five new buds will form from the cut tip, but even then there will never be multiple branches in close proximity. It’s become clear to me the proper trimming technique is to pull up the plant, cut the top to the desired height, and replant. Plainly this takes it out of the running to use to form neat, tight bushes or to occupy ⅓ of my tank!


*[*]Scale: *Thriving _Cabomba _actually has quite wide and large leaves, despite their fine structure. This renders the tank’s scape as smaller, ruining the sense of scale. 


It is not without much thought and sadness that I come to this decision to remove most of the _Cabomba_. This plant has inspired wonder in me ever since I was a small child walking the magical fish markets of China. It was one of the driving forces inspiring this tank’s concept and scape. Alas, reality always sets in: this plant isn’t a practical choice for my original intent of having a fine-leaved, tight, green bush. 

However, hopelessly stubborn as I am, I will be keeping some. I cannot let go of my almost lifelong fascination with this plant. But I will also be smart about its inclusion, and will only feature it as a midground accent, addressing all three problems. If something goes wrong and it dies, I will still have plenty of other stems to fall back on and the overall plant mass will remain high. With only a small grouping, pulling it and replanting the tops every month or so is perfectly feasible instead of an impossible task as it would be if it were the main stem plant. Finally, a larger-leaved plant in the middle or sides will not ruin scale, and perhaps even enhance it when contrasted to smaller ones in the background.

Both_ Rotala_ and _Myriophyllum_ are classic ‘bush’ stem plants in countless scapes, so I am confident I will no longer deal with the same issues. Though I haven’t had as long as a fascination with them, they are still choices I enjoy._ R. sp._ 'Nanjenshan' was one of the first stem plants I wanted to grow (but failed at) when I was starting my planted tank hobby. _M. sp._ ‘Guyana mini’ is a plant I more recently discovered, but nonetheless immediately struck me with the attractiveness of its leaf form. 


May 5, 2017:

Since the plants are beginning to recover (less paleness in new growth) I only dose 0.125 ppm iron. 

The memory of amano shrimp decimating new tissue culture plants is still burnt into my head from December. I will need to convert my new acquisitions to submersed form first, protected from predation. I could place them in breeder boxes in the main tank, but given that medications are still circulating this is a bad option for maximizing my yield of converted, healthy plants.

I have two spare, sterile, small tanks. I add some fresh water (the same I make for this tank) and put them under lights. I will fertilize using Seachem Flourish (relatively comprehensive) as needed). These AFA tissue-cultures are much higher quality than Tropica ones I’ve dealt with before so I’m optimistic.


May 6, 2017:

Since returning, I’ve noticed the hairgrass in the front is a bit thinner than it was previously. I suspect this to be shading from the overgrown crypts, and a quick PAR reading confirms this. Compared to 35 back in December, it’s now in the low to mid 20s! Likely the planaria treatment also contributes.

The water surface is moderately clean. 

I perform a large, 60% water change. The glass is surprisingly free of algae - perhaps it was also inhibited by the medications?

I thin old fern leaves, cut the _Cabomba_ and only leave stems with new shoots (yet retaining the old rooted portions of these). I also pull many crypts, though not all, as I prefer to stagger to avoid too much shock to the tank. They’re beginning to dominate visually, and outcompete the hairgrass. I also trim the willow moss.

I clean the steel intakes and airstone (which is beginning to develop some mild bba). To my surprise the inside of the intakes is filthy! In retrospect this is reasonable given the high amount of shed plant leaves in recent weeks. Even with regular removal, there’s still many hours each day for them to begin decomposing.

The filters are absolutely filthy, taking multiples of the usual rinse number to clean. It’s been 1.5 months since the last cleaning (vs the usual one), but this can’t account for all of it. The past few weeks have been some of high organics, in between planaria and snails dying as well as plant leaf shedding. 

While vacuuming the tank there’s a lot of detritus, both big leaves and smaller particles. This starkly contrasts to March - a tank full of thriving plants had very little detritus upon siphoning. This gives me further thought for water change automation, one of my main future goals. Initially a concern was detritus extraction, but the level of detritus to extract seems directly related to the system’s health. If a tank is running healthily with no problems (a tall order, I know), automatic water changes could be a very feasible feature.

I add 510 g of activated carbon to one of the filters (the one driven externally by a Mag 7 pump and with the highest flow rate) to remove any lingering medication.

This maintenance is tough work, keeping me up late into the night well past my usual bed time, but it’s fulfilling. I’m excited to have the plants start growing well again, ending a nearly 3 week treatment. Twisted leaves on even usually hardy plants like the _Rotala _and crypts show how harsh the medication has been.





























May 7, 2017:










I’m curious as to what effects activated carbon will have, particularly on nutrients. Chelated trace nutrient compounds may be susceptible to removal. However based on the data from Activated Carbon and Aquatic Nutrients - I]this link my plants should be fine, as it takes a while (long after most nutrient uptake occurs) for levels to become significantly depleted.

The water surface is moderately clean but not super clear.

To gauge plant recovery following medication cessation, I turn to my old standby: pearling. Though the recent massive trim makes it hard to tell, the ferns seem to be pearling more. Stems (except _Cabomba_) are beginning to pearl again (after not doing so during treatment), though not as much at their previous peak.


May 8, 2017:










Now that the crypts are fewer, I retake PAR readings at the front. They’re still in the high 20s to low 30s - a bit higher but not as much as they originally were. This is to be expected. While many crypts were pulled, many more tall ones still remain.

There’s some more soft brown and green algae on glass. Presumably this has arose from the lack of otos, as well as the removal of medication. The water surface is still only moderately clean.


May 9, 2017:










More are microfauna (numbers and diversity) are observed, including ostracods and copepods. The surface is still the same cleanliness. Pearling over the last two days has been similar to the first day without medication, but has slightly progressively increased.


May 10, 2017:










The surface is slightly dirty, and there’s more soft algae buildup. The tank sorely needs new plants!

I do a 30% water change and remove the carbon. After four days it should have finished its job of removing medications. Surprisingly there’s no obvious spots or areas of bba to clean.

Only now do I consider net sterility - I hadn’t sterilized my net after using it in the tank while it was still contaminated with planaria! Could some eggs have survived in the mesh and been returned, rendering my past weeks of heartache for naught? Further research suggests this is unlikely. Planaria as a whole are noted for their lack of measures against desiccation (in one paper _Dugesia_ was specifically mentioned). While the literature suggests some species’ eggs may survive desiccation, this isn’t likely relevant to aquariums. These species are special cases, adapted to temperate climates with seasonal variations leading to water loss from their habitats. 


May 11, 2017:










The tissue-culture stem plants have been held in their small tanks for 6 days now, receiving almost daily fertilization and one water change to get rid of any residual gel or dead leaves. They’re still in decent shape, with some new growth and very little die-off. However now that the main tank is clear of medication I will transfer them there to really get them into great condition with the advantages of CO2 and higher light. I set up two breeder boxes, one with each species, to protect them from the amano shrimp as well as place them near the light. These are placed in the tank’s middle to provide the most direct light and avoid shading the heliophytic stem plants in the background (the ferns in the midground will be fine with less light for a few days). 

It’s unsightly but it works. Ideally I would have a separate holding tank where I could really crank the light and CO2, but alas I lack the equipment for this (my spare regulator is already tied up in the _Cabomba furcata _quarantine tank). Both types show slight pearling later in the day, a good sign.

Two amano shrimp end up in the _Rotala _box but I’m not too worried. They seem to be cleaning off decaying older growth rather than devouring everything.










After the photoperiod I raise up the _Rotala_ box. I was dreading having to fish out shrimp, but they left on their own! I figure they’ve done their job of cleaning decaying growth, and it’s best not to risk offering a salad buffet.

I also set up a new GHL slave pump, which connects to and is controlled by my original pump. Having all my dosing pumps integrated into the same system increases ease of use, and reduces the risk of my tank crashing from something as petty as a timer outlet failure are happened previously.


May 12, 2017:










I end up observing the tank for a while during the photoperiod ‘dawn’ (start) to ensure my newly set up iron pump is working, and notice some interesting faunal behavior. The shrimp are quite active and gregarious at this hour - I even catch a failed mating attempt between two tiger shrimp! The _Otocinculs_ also appear to be in much better condition this time around. While they were rather cryptic in the past, for the past few days they have been actively feeding and exploring around the tank.


May 13, 2017:










The water surface is clean. A gravid amano shrimp is spotted. 


May 14, 2017:










Once again the surface is clean.

I perform a 30% water change. I trim and pull some _Rotala sp._ ‘Yao yai’. Only now do I see that both species of _Cryptocoryne_ have begun to invade the back right area previously dedicated to stem plants! This isn’t surprising - as the_ Cabomba_ in the area began to languish, it would be ripe for colonization by invasive crypts. How far I’ve come! In the past I struggled to maintain even a few plants of bullated crypts in my tanks, yet now they’re virtually indestructible, surviving and even thriving with every mishap the tank experiences.

I further uproot and trim the _Cabomba_, discarding stems that once had promising new tops but no longer do, as well as languishing bottom stem portions. I plant all viable specimens in the left midground. 

I pull the rear-most _Rotala sp._ ‘Yao yai’ stems and trim the rest. Now there are clear areas in both the rear right and back, ripe for planting. I plant the _Myriophyllum _along the sides and _R. sp._ 'Nanjenshan' along the back, attempting to plant taller stem bunches along the sides and back. While planting I notice some air bubbles coming from the substrate, indicating potential anaerobic conditions. This would not surprise me given the long-term lackluster plant growth in these areas. 8 cups worth of stems is perfect the two areas, one 13” x 6” and the other 11” x 7” (total 155 square inches). This is the beauty of tissue-culture plants - one cup, if converted successfully, goes far!


May 15, 2017:










Water isn’t particularly clear after yesterday’s rearranging but the surface is rather clean. I notice the new_ Cryptocoryne bullosa_ leaves have developed a nice copper color.











May 16, 2017:










The water is still not too clear, and the surface is only moderately clean. I notice loose hairgrass leaves and plantlets along the inner rim along the water line, which could be the cause. With all the crypts pulled recently the hairgrass carpet was slightly disturbed.

The new tissue-culture stems are already increasing in size, particularly the _Rotala_. There’s more pearling from hairgrass and less from moss compared to yesterday.




















May 17, 2017:










In the morning the surface is only moderately clean, perhaps even slightly dirty. This could be from putting my hands in the tank in the morning, or from organics release from any lingering unhealthy plant growth. 

There’s no visible bba. However there’s more GSA than usual, probably from the low plant mass.

By the evening the surface is much cleaner, a relieving sight. It’s been a long journey, but on the last day of the tank’s first year, things are looking up.


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

*One year anniversary reflections:*

As with any challenging relationship the first anniversary comes with a lot of reflection. Be warned, this is long-winded, but to help you (kind soul that I am) key points are bolded. 

This tank has not been without its difficulties. When I first set it up, I thought I’d be home free after the tempestuous first month (based on Frank Wazeter’s writings). This has been far from the case. I’ve faced my fair share of struggles! *But through hardship I learn and reflect on what really matters to me as a hobbyist.*



On the importance of biosecurity:

The problem freshest in my mind is biosecurity. I’m currently at the tail-end of a tank recovering from devastation wrought by planaria and the resultant treatment, my second time with this problem in the past year. But this episode highlights that* I really do care about livestock as my first priority*, and am willing to go through setbacks to preserve this. Heck, I sacrificed my beautiful, beloved _Cabomba_ just to save my shrimp from planaria that I never saw with my own eyes! Many planted tank hobbyists end up going down the road gardening for the sake of gardening, seeking to collect the rarest, most difficult plants, without a care for the livestock they keep (or worse, not having any because they gas them to death!). Why do I like growing plants and scaping? To create a lush, beautiful world for fish and shrimp. One where they can school together above vast stretches of hairgrass if they please, or retire to the shady comfort of a thick patch of crypts or stems should they grow weary. One where all elements of an aquatic world - microbes, fungi, microinvertebrates, plants, shrimp, and fish, exist in perfect harmony. Our livestock our are guests - it’s up to us to treat them right. 

Thus, while the average hobbyist doesn’t give a hoot about it, *biosecurity is of the utmost importance*. You work hard on your display tank, putting in time, money, and soul. Are you willing to throw it all away by letting some pest get into your tank? Your tank is a temple; treat it accordingly.

Sometimes I start thinking that this emphasis on biosecurity can suck the fun out of the hobby. Gone are the youthful days of impulsively buying a fish at the local store (one reasonable for my tank setup of course), or planting a plant that just came in the mail in that special spot you set aside for it. But then I realize that *the problems that arise from improper quarantine are actually the most fun-draining parts of the hobby*. There’s no joy in ripping out handfuls of hair algae every few days and watch it slowly choke over your plants until it is the tank’s sole photosynthetic survivor. Nor is there any in watching your precious shrimp attacked and killed by planaria, withering away their population to almost nothing over time, knowing that to treat in the display is to watch you precious plants disintegrate before your eyes. Seeing your fish get sick after a new addition is another gutshot. Such problems can be our darkest hours as hobbyists. It’s worth the extra effort and planning to avoid them.



On learning about planted tanks:

Throughout all this, *journaling has been an invaluable tool *for noting patterns and learning. Now that I look back, I see so many instances where I thought one thing was a causing a problem, and was either completely wrong or had a nagging suspicion but was afraid to make a change in the right direction. It’s also been great for noting the visual effects when something is amiss. I’m amazed that even with my limited time at home with the tank, I’ve developed a much keener eye for aquatic plant health than I had just a year prior. 

A few miscellaneous observations have really been hammered home over the past few months:

1. *Observation is key*. Sadly ironic since I’m unable to partake most of the time, but still true. In particular leaf coloration, pearling extent, and water surface cleanliness are good markers for plant and overall tank health. 

On a related note…

2. *The leaves tell the tale*. What leaves are being shed (the ones you find on your intakes or floating around) strongly indicate what plants aren’t doing well. It’s strongly in your interest to fix this, because…

3. *BBA is the result of unhealthy plants*. There, I said it: one root cause of bba! One caveat though - this is assuming reasonable stocking and bioload. Previously I’ve mentioned bba as resulting from high organics and general uncleanliness. In a reasonably stocked tank, this will always result from plants being unhealthy. Other supposed causes are just factors that cause plants to be unhealthy. I’ve seen it many times - when plants aren’t doing well, the tank gets dirty, and bba starts to appear. This was especially severe back in months 6-8. How do you get rid of bba? Make sure your plants are thriving (and an army of amano shrimp certainly doesn’t hurt!).



On life lessons:

Perhaps this is from my young age and limited perspective, but the aquarium hobby has certainly taught me a lot of life lessons and developed my character, which has in turn enhanced other areas of my life such as my studies. No matter your stage in your life I hope some of these will resonate with you:

1. *It’s about the process.*

Goals are important. Having a concrete vision is what gets us off our butts and actually taking action toward what we want in life.

Yet *it’s still important to appreciate the journey*. It’s easy to get caught up by your desire to reach your goal, that you feel frustrated when you still aren’t there. Compared to some others, my tank has progressed almost glacially. Things are pretty stable but I’m nowhere near where I want to be with plant groupings and livestock. I don’t know many others who haven’t added many fish to their tanks even after a year!

On the day after I finished the planaria treatment and did a huge water change, I spent a good half hour just staring at my tank, with all its imperfections - the stems and hairgrass ravaged by medication, the overgrown crypts, the lack of fish. Yet it was still a relaxing, even captivating experience. Watching the fern leaves blowing gently in the current, or shrimp jetting around the tank, gave me the connection to nature that I seek through this hobby. Yes goals are important, but even before we’ve reached them we can still be happy. Happy that we’re on the journey to the final destination, and that the view on the road isn’t too shabby. Happy that we’re taking the right steps. Until teleportation is invented, no trip is instantaneous. Enjoy the journey there.


2. *It gets better.*

There’s no way around it - this hobby has a very steep learning curve. But tackle the summit without fear! *Things get easier as you go on. *

A year ago I entered this project with trepidation. I felt wholly unprepared and not knowledgeable enough, spending inane amounts of time on research and maintenance. In the airport lobby waiting for my flight home, I was manically opening up various threads and websites in new tabs so I could read them on the plane even without Internet access. I remember spending nearly every waking hour at home obsessively researching and reading, sometimes fasting until the afternoon because I got caught up in researching a topic! Even in my busiest academic times I’ve never stayed up past 11 (rarely past 10), yet I was up until almost 2 am the night I initially planted this tank. 

Oftentimes I was afraid. Afraid that the tank would fail. Afraid that my plants would all die and algae would take over. Afraid that I would never be able to keep any livestock alive for more than a few days because of CO2. Afraid that all my heart and soul would be for naught. When I first saw even a single strand of Spirogyra in the tank it launched me into an hours-long research frenzy late into the night.

My first few weeks at home on summer break this year couldn’t be more different. Despite the tank’s recent troubles, I haven’t spent too much time on it daily. I know what the problems are, how to correct them, and that I’ll just need to ride out the course of effects stemming from the latest planaria incident. I don’t worry too much, confident that my systems design will over time restore the tank to its former glory, and in my ability to spot, identify, and correct problems. I know how to treat algae, or fix ailing plants. I know how to prevent the most insidious pests from ever seeing my tank. On a usual week I spend no more than two hours on maintenance, and I expect future tanks will require even less as I learn more about automation and plumbing.

Does this early manic knowledge acquisition phase have its use? For sure! This hobby is not for those who don’t love continued learning. But it’s not comfortable to sustain at a high level for the long term. The good news is you don’t need to.


3.* Keep a healthy perspective.*

Perspective - an essential element of both life and a compelling aquascape.

Problems and setbacks happen; it’s a part of life. But it’s easy to get overly worked up by them. A couple of weeks ago I was looking at my tank, ravaged by the aftermath of planaria treatment, while processing photos from its peak in March. It had me feeling down that the tank had deteriorated so much within a month, and that I never even got to see its true peak (in late March).

But later I realized how fortunate I am, and that *I have a lot to be grateful for.* I’m blessed to have a family that supports me (both financially and time-wise) with this tank, to allow me to gain this invaluable learning experience despite being a busy college student with an erratic schedule. 

It’s amazing how far I’ve come. *My problems at this point are pretty minor*, especially compared to what I dealt with in the past. My tank is overgrown by rare crypts that sell for a nice chunk of change, when in the past keeping a few specimens alive long-term was a struggle. I’ve had to deal with planaria twice, but I’m able to keep shrimp alive and happy in a CO2-supplemented tank instead of having them all die within a week. There’s still a bit of bba and bga in my tank, but I’m not having to bleach my tank because bba thicker than the nastiest nose hairs you can imagine coats every surface. My plants were really hit hard by the medication, but I’m no longer grasping at straws as to why plants aren’t growing well.

When things aren’t going as planned, it’s important to step back and take a moment to reflect. Things usually aren’t as bad as they could be, and the only way from here is up. 


4. *Focus on taking the right action, not being right.*

Be open to revising assumptions and known ‘facts’ - experience is the best teacher. I alluded to this previously, but was reminded by the whole bps and bubble counter size issue. Trust your observations rather than chasing numbers


5. *How big your life is is proportionate to how uncomfortable you’re willing to get.*

Despite the joy this tank and hobby brings me, I would be remiss to say it’s been effortless or frustration-free. 

A bit over a year ago, I faced two choices. Did I want to set up a display tank at all (given my extensive travelling), or just wait until some later time? Did I want a tank with stem plants, or an easy-maintenance one with epiphytes? By now it’s obvious I went with the harder options. 

My situation being away from home most of the time often leads to some agony. Setbacks and intermittent disasters are already frustrating, and even moreso when I’m not around to spot and correct them immediately. But perhaps because of this, I have a developed a very good eye for spotting plant or tank health issues as a result of seeing their most extreme manifestations after a long time period. Now I’m able to spot many issues almost instantly, instead of grasping at straws and considering a handful of possible suspects like I almost always had to in the past.

There have been many stalls. Cheap equipment fails, certain plants are more finicky than expected. Sometimes ended up questioning myself - should I really be putting myself through all this? Should I have just gone with a tank of mosses? 

In the case of plant selection, availability was certainly a factor - there aren’t enough plants on the market to fill a tank this size at once, and it would take years to grow my own out. But more important was the desire to learn, even if it’s not easy.* I’m willing to endure the hardship my choices may have brought for the learning experience.* Equipment issues have greatly refined my knowledge of which equipment to purchase (more so than reading ever could). Challenging, finicky plants have taught me invaluable lessons about plant husbandry (such as optimizing nutrients, avoiding medications, and spotting deficiencies), ones I never would have learned had I stuck to slow-growing plants that don’t as obviously display physical symptoms when grown in suboptimal conditions. I’m much better at troubleshooting, and have better knowledge of plant growth habits (something the online profiles rarely tell you).

Conquering struggles is how we improve and grow. And just like plants, if we are not growing we are dying. By now I’ve learned to embrace problems as they come, confident that once they’re resolved the tank will come back bigger and better than ever. 

Has it been a challenging journey? Yes! Do I regret undergoing it? Absolutely not! Had I not made that leap a year ago, I may have saved myself some frustration but would be nowhere near as knowledgeable a hobbyist as I am today. *Knowledge, forged from experience, trials and tribulation, is invaluable*. I’m so much closer to my childhood dream of a beautiful nature aquarium. And I’m developing skills and knowledge for my newer life goal of having my own aquarium gallery. To have all this progress in just one year is truly something I’m grateful for. It’s what makes the hard times worth it.


----------



## puriance (Feb 19, 2017)

There is a whole lot of wisdom here. Thank you for sharing


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

*Month 13: May 18 - June 17, 2017*


May 18, 2017:










The tank’s second year is off to an uneventful start. The water surface is relatively clean.


May 19, 2017:










The water surface is quite clean (more so than yesterday). The filter intakes are also the cleanest they’ve been in a while, with only a few leaves. 

Previously there had been a small amount (probably less than a square centimeter) of bga right at or slightly above the substrate line, but this appears to have receded.

I plant some loose _Cabomba_ stems and remove a few that are on their way out. Once again there’s occasional bubble release as the substrate is disturbed.


May 20, 2017:










I feed some Repashy Soilent Green for the first time in a while. I’d ceased the weekly feedings ever since discovering planaria, but am starting again because I notice some amano shrimp damage on new_ Bolbitis _and _Cryptocoryne_ leaves. Crypt leaf damage could also be from snails, but this is not the case here because the planaria drugs rendered them extinct in my tank.










Six hours later the only remnant of food is one amano shrimp hogging a small chunk. The water surface is still clean. This makes me more comfortable with feeding other Repashy foods to other future livestock.

I’m noticing more plantlets from both_ Cryptocoryne nurii _varieties. It’s a happy sign that a year later they’re finally recovering. I originally had these in this tank’s previous disastrous incarnation. When I tore that tank down, they were heavily weakened by poor growing conditions and bba. I was left with only a frew frail plantlets. I kept them in a dark closet for almost two weeks to get rid of the bba, which further weakened them. I’m glad to see that now they’ve not only grown back to good condition but are finally starting to reproduce.

There’s some minor bba and other algaes. I need to get the plant mass back up, but now it’s just a matter of time. With the new emphasis on biosecurity it’s less easy to just stuff the tank with a bunch of submersed plants ready to take off. 


May 21, 2017:










Once again I must leave the tank for a summer internship. However this one is only 6 weeks, 2 less than last year’s. I’m confident that with my improved planted tank knowledge and skills, combined with visiting home on the weekends, the tank will fare well. I can just let the tank do its thing and have the plants grow in and recover from planaria treatment, becoming more stable. I’m almost glad - each time I see the tank it will have progressed substantially instead of me looking at it every day watching grass grow. After these 6 weeks are up, I will be doing a minor rescape and finally adding more fish!


May 25, 2017:











May 26, 2017:

I come home for the weekend after almost a week away from the tank. It’s doing quite well! The water surface is clean, and plants are showing good growth. The_ Cryptocoryne nurii_ runners seen a week ago have blossomed into plantlets. The glass is relatively clean of gsa, and the substrate bga has further receded, suggesting the tank is becoming more well-balanced. 

The only issues are some loose dhg leaves at the surface, and that the_ Rotala sp. ‘Yao yai’_ and _Bacopa colorata _originally in the tank are still not pearling as much as they used to. I suspect that even though the treatment has been over and drugs removed from the water for almost 3 weeks, these plants are still detoxifying. I think it’s just a matter of patience in waiting for them to recover and restore their prior glory. 


May 27, 2017:










I feed the tank again. There are still some signs of amano shrimp damage on the _Bolbitis_, though given that the plant mass is still relatively low I don’t feel comfortable moving them out yet. I probably will after June when my internship is over and I’m once again home daily to observe.










When I returned last night the tank was in the dim ‘sunset’ part of its light cycle, so I did not see the colors well. Looking at the tank today it’s clear the plant colors are much improved, with the _Bacopa _once again showing more orange/pink color and many plants having a verdant green glow.

After ~4 hours there’s no visible remnants of food. Perhaps there’s less low-level algae in the tank than there used to be?

I perform a big 50% water change. There’s not much obvious gsa, but quite a bit of other encrusting algae. All the _Otocinclus _are out and about and very plump. I notice small flat ramshorn snails have returned. Any adults were killed by the planaria drugs, but these must have survived as eggs during that time. 

I pull a lot of crypts, relocating some_ C. bullosa_ and_ C. nurii _runners beginning to invade the hairgrass. The latter will be a big priority for propagation now; runners will be relocated as soon as they’re big enough to survive independently.

I remove a few_ C caroliniana _stems that aren’t looking particularly great and relocate them towards the left side.

I add some new plants that have gone through quarantine. _Limnophila aquatica _has some reddish leaves, and some has grown emersed while floating, but is in overall good condition. The _Cabomba furcata_ has lower portions in rough shape, and the tops are slightly weak. I’m not sure if this is from the fenbendazole or suboptimal conditions (the tank was quite dirty after a couple weeks, and never received a water change). In future quarantines I will change water to keep things clean and only dose fenbendazole every 3 days at most, instead of every 2. In retrospect dosing every 2 days for over 3 weeks straight was a bit of an overkill. I only need to kill any adults at the beginning, and dose again some weeks later to kill any hatchlings.

I pull out some _Rotala sp. ‘Yao yai’ _to make room for the _Limnophila_.


May 28, 2017:










The surface is not particularly clean, perhaps even slightly dirty, but this is to be expected with all the planting that happened yesterday.

The _C. furcata _doesn’t do much but shows nyctinasty at night, a good sign.

I add a portion of AFA tissue culture Belem hairgrass directly. My experience with this brand’s plant is that they are much sturdier than Tropica’s. I’m more confident that they will survive. So far the amano shrimp have left them alone.

I spot a pond snail for the first time in a while. Presumably they also survived the planaria drugs as eggs. I remove it, though this likely won’t do much, as I’m sure there are many more waiting to hatch. In the grand hierarchy of _pests pond snails are pretty low: they only munch occasional holes out of Cryptocoryne_ leaves and may eat a few fish eggs.


May 29, 2017:










I find and remove another pond snail.

The surface isn’t clean at the start of the photoperiod, but is by a few hours in.


June 1, 2017:










The new _Cabomba_ is slow to transition but seems to be doing alright.


June 2, 2017:

I return home late at night only in time to catch the end of the photoperiod. There are some good signs. The tissue culture and new stem plants are already displaying nyctinasty, and the_ R. sp. _‘Nanjenshan' is pearling. _R. sp._ ‘Yao yai’ is showing much better color and robust form; this species was hit pretty hard by the planaria treatment some weeks prior. The _Limnophila_ is showing new submersed-form growth. The TDS is 128 ppm, very similar to what it has been for months, which suggests the tank is at least clean as it was before the planaria treatment and that fertilizers are at a good level. 

However I do notice less pearling than before in some plants (especially compared to before planaria treatment), as well as odd twisting of a few new _C. bullosa _leaves (which is unprecedented). I am not sure if this is lingering effects of medication, or something else.

When I first found out ADA doses potassium using potassium bicarbonate, I was a bit uncertain - wouldn’t the KH eventually shoot up? Using this compound works because ADA’s source water has very little to no KH, and Aquasoil binds carbonates readily. Whenever I had tested in the past, the KH was quite stable at 3 degrees. However, I test it today to find it at 3.5-4 degrees. Aquasoil’s hardness binding abilities to diminish over time, which I am seeing the beginning of. 

To prevent the KH from creeping up further (probably not good for the C. bullosa or my future livestock), I will start replacing some KHCO3 with K2SO4. After talking with some international hobbyists, it seems that the KH from KHCO3 dosing never rises to extremely high amounts enough to cause issue for the majority of plants/fish, but as someone who keeps soft water plants and will be keeping soft water fish the KH creep is of concern and must be halted.

There are a couple of pond snails, which I just leave in the tank.


June 3, 2017:

I cut KHCO3 dosing in half, from 3.23 ppm to only 1.53 ppm. I make up the difference with Seachem Flourish Potassium.










I notice two berried tangerine tigers, which is very exciting. 

I perform a 30% water change. I decide to leave the encrusting algae there instead of scraping it. It’s relatively benign, and may help outcompete other less desirable algaes, given that the plant mass is still relatively low. 

Most of tank is relatively clean, with little debris. However the _Cabomba furcata_ has shed some old leaves (presumably out of transition stress). Once again, it seems I likely overdid it with the fenbendazole, and should dose less frequently during quarantine (which wouldn’t sacrifice worm-killing efficacy).

The _Myriophyllum_ along the left back corner glass isn’t doing as well, with old leaves in rough shape (chlorosis, falling off), so I will test NO3 later this week.

I’m starting to consider the need to add 2nd light. For the past few weeks a frustrating phenomenon has been that the hairgrass in the front of the tank has been sparse, with plantlets frequently growing out of the substrate and floating. At first I thought this to be an effect of planaria drugs, especially since it was pretty thick when the tank was doing well before treatment. But around a month has passed and it continues, even when other plants have largely recovered, so I suspect light to play a role. I also notice there’s less bba on old_ Cryptocoryne_ leaves in bright regions of the tank - perhaps more light allows them to better sustain more growth. Furthermore, more even lighting may help languishing stem plants in odd spots, such as the left back corner.


June 4, 2017:











June 6, 2017:

Nitrates are 3 ppm.


June 9, 2017:










Nitrates are almost 5 ppm.










The _Limnophila_ is really starting to take off. The_ Rotala sp. ‘Yao yai’ _and _Bacopa_ are demonstrating good colors (washed out in the photo). However the _Cabomba furcata _is mediocre. There are quite a few shed leaves, and some dying stems, but some others appear to be hanging on.

The water surface is relatively clean, and there are no visible bba tufts except on one or two old leaves.

The _R. sp. ‘Nanjenshan’_ and_ Myriophyllum _on the left side are slightly languishing (with smaller, slower growth) compared to those on the right. Perhaps there’s too much current, or the brighter light is driving nutrient demands beyond what’s present in tank.


June 10, 2017:










The KH is now 3 degrees. 

I switch my bubble counter (Cal Aqua Double Counter) to use large bubbles. These are easier to count and probably closer to the ADA beetle counter (the counter used on ADA’s large tanks with low bubble rates) in size. I was just shy of 3 bps, and turn this up to 3-3.5 bps. I will see if this helps improve the disparity between the stems on the right (first two pictures below) vs left (third picture) sides of the tank.




























The pH is 6.6-6.8 5.5 hours into the photoperiod (ADA says to check at 4-5 as this is when photosynthesis is most rigorous), suggesting CO2 around 20 ppm.

I see a third berried tangerine tiger. The tigers have really started doing well after the planaria treatment, becoming much bolder. I even see a male tiger shrimp and amano shrimp flying through the tank, both clutching onto and fighting over the last chunk of Repashy food I had fed a few hours prior. Of course he gave up as soon as I grabbed my camera…










I fiddle around with a second Micmol Aqua Air fixture (I’d originally purchased two and only used one) to get more even lighting. A PAR test reveals the front of the tank has become quite dim, more so than it was when I set up the first Micmol fixture. Perhaps taller stem plant growth in the tank blocks a significant portion of light from reaching the front. This is not unlikely for a relatively narrow source of LED light (which already have poor spread).

I end up on the following settings (white, blue, special), all numbers are percent intensity.

Back fixture: 67, 12, 67
Front fixture: 75, 8, 19

The front fixture is brighter because the substrate is shallower at this level, leading to more water depth. This gives me an even 50-60 micromols of PAR across the entire tank.










I also have the blue channel start ramping up and stop ramping down 15 minutes after/before the rest of the lights, as this gives a nice dim ‘sunrise’ and ‘sunset’.

I perform a water change. The filters are quite dirty, which is not surprising. Since they were last cleaned the planaria drugs were still in the system/plants, and the tank was still recovering. I trim old crypt and java fern leaves, and remove some of the latter’s rhizome (it was becoming overbearing).


June 11, 2017:










After the water change there’s 2.5-3 dKH. The pH 4 hours in is 6.4. I will leave CO2 alone for now, and let the plants adjust to the new injection rate.


June 16, 2017:

There’s no noticeable bba increase after almost a week with higher light (maybe a few more spots on back glass), but the glass is quite dirty with gsa and overdue for cleaning.

But the tank looks ‘off’ - something is amiss. The_ R. sp._ ‘Yao yai’ is pearling, but some stems have twisted new leaves. A few _R. sp._ ‘Nanjenshan’ tips look stunted, even in the right side bunch which usually grows well. This species is clearly not growing as well as it was. Perhaps this odd stem growth is from gsa buildup leading to nutrient competition?

The bga at the front of the substrate has increased in spread but is still mild and below the substrate line. I need the hairgrass to get going to outcompete this. 

Fewer tangerine tigers than usual are spotted. I’m not sure if this is because it’s ‘dusk’ or if they’re hiding because they’re berried. My worst fear is that the CO2 is too high and has killed some off, but the ones that are out are acting normally, as are other fauna.

The microfauna are still doing well. I see ostracods, copepods, and some detritus worms returning. I see one very small flatworm, which is hopefully a _Rhabdocoela_. It has no triangular head, stays in the substrate, and constantly changes direction unlike the smooth directional movement of planaria. 

The TDS is 144 ppm.


June 17, 2017:










The pH after a night of aeration is 7.0-7.2. 

I test some parameters to gauge what could be causing the odd growth and the tank looking ‘off’. The KH is still 3 degrees. Nitrates are ~10-20 ppm. Perhaps this is why the shrimp are hiding. I’ve noticed sudden reclusiveness in them when nitrates have been high previously (like at the start of planaria treatment). I can stop dosing KNO3 for now. 

Phosphates are 1-2 ppm. I’d suspected PO4 deficiency given the gsa buildup, but this doesn’t seem likely now. The lack of lower leaf loss further implicates this is not the issue.

It turns out the problem was not a nutrient issue at all! I find an error in the light schedule for my second fixture.The special channel starts ramping up half an hour early. This likely explains negative effects such as increased gsa and _Rotala_ twisting. Potential mechanism are that this extra half hour of light pushed plants to grow for a period with low CO2 and nutrient availability
Could mediate twisting by forcing to grow for some time w/ low CO2/nutrients, or that it inherently encouraged gsa to grow, reducing nutrient availability.

It’s interesting that there’s no noticeable bba increase resulting from this egregious error. Perhaps my strategy of keeping the gsa on the glass worked.

The tangerine tigers are out and active as normal, which is relieving. 

The_ R. sp._ ‘Yao yai’ has some mid-level leaves showing downward twisting, suggesting potential trace deficiency. The _Limnophila_’s new leaves on taller stems are pale. I’m not sure if this is because of transitioning from emersed or from iron deficiency. Oddly enough the _Myriophyllum_ on the left is looking better.

I suspect a need to increase iron or other traces. Old APC threads suggest _R. sp._ ‘Nanjenshan’ is susceptible to deficiencies of these. Something is definitely amiss, with symptoms such as blackening of lower leaves and stunted new growth.



















I do a 30% water change, cleaning off as much gsa as possible. I pull a few _Cabomba _stems. A few may survive, but most aren’t going to make it. In retrospect iron deficiency could explain their death. When they were added they weren’t in rigorous condition, and as an iron-hungry plant _Cabomba _is very susceptible to deficiency (conversely handling excess rather well).


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

*Special report: 7/2/2017 Rescape with Kevin Kelly*









The tank on July 3, the day after the rescape.










The tank on July 10, a week after the rescape. The water is much clearer!


*Introduction:*

Back in 2005, when I was 8 years old, I started subscribing to _TFH_ magazine. Upon receiving my first issue (October 2005), I was immediately struck by a thumbnail of one of Takashi Amano’s nature aquarium scapes on the cover. This was around the time Amano began writing a monthly column for_ TFH_, a tradition that continues to this day (though now by ADA editorial staff after his departure). I briefly skimmed as I began reading through the pages, but when they turned over to his column, this quick glancing over slowed to an in-depth analysis. I was absolutely captivated by the idea of nature aquariums; it was completely novel to me. Before I had thought of a fish tank as a vessel to hold a few fish, but now I saw what it could be: a canvas for a living work of art, a world of its own. This inspired me to start keeping planted tanks, rather than a standard non-planted community aquarium.

Unlike some other hobbyists, who just focus on gardening or collecting various plants, my primary goal with my planted tanks remains to create aquascapes, captivating little worlds for my fish and shrimp to live in. It hasn’t been a straight path. Like everyone else I’ve fallen victim to collectoritis, and had my fair share of difficulties with running a healthy tank and getting plants to grow. These stages are essential for an aquascaper to go through. It is like a painter learning to mix their paints. But once the basics are largely mastered, one must move on to the artistic aspects.

I am at the cusp of this transition stage. In the past year, I’ve learned tons about tank management and plant husbandry. While I’m not perfect by any means, I have a much better idea of things than I used to, and even when issues pop up I can deduce their cause and resolve them pretty quickly.

When I first set up this tank, I had the goal of learning more about tank management and plant growth in mind. Furthermore I had a imposing time constraint of only being at home for around a month before having to leave for a summer internship, rendering me with a sense of urgency to get the tank going as soon as possible (knowing that the first month makes or breaks a tank and is the most demanding for maintenance). Thus the scape was not particularly complex or thought out, constructed only with the few driftwood pieces that I had on hand that were unused and thus came without fear of contamination. Additionally, I sought to avoid too much hardscape for fear of obstructing flow and creating dead spots. Finally, without much experience with scaping (rather than trying to grow plants and beat incessant algae), I greatly underestimated the impression my hardscape would provide once plants had grown in.

Lack of experience with specific plants was another factor. You can read as much as you want, but until you’ve actually grown out a specific plant yourself you can never know for sure how it will look or behave. For example, I had no idea that the _Cryptocoryne affinis _or _bullosa_ would get so large, or that the _C. nurii_ ‘Pahaang mutated’ would grow so small and bright in color. Thus while my plant placement still showed my plants nicely, it wasn’t the most conducive to creating a great sense of depth. All of these factors have led me to an aquascape that while pleasant enough, isn’t particularly compelling or captivating.


*Genesis:*

Some months ago, during one of my few off days during the semester (probably unwinding after a big exam), I found myself discussing ways to improve on my aquascape with some other hobbyists on Facebook. One of these was Kevin Kelly, a professional aquascaper (of Brooklyn Hardscape and Kevin Kelly Aquadesign) and founder of the northeast US aquascaping club Aquadesign Alliance. Kevin went beyond my expectations and actually offered to come help me with designing my tank (he lives relatively close to me). Naturally I took him up on his offer, but given our busy schedules and my internship earlier this summer (ended June 30) we were only able to meet on July 2. 

When we first talked, I discussed this tank’s inspiration with Kevin, describing and sharing photos of the locale (Brazos Bend State Park). In particular there are occasional large, burnt tree trunks that are quite striking landmarks. I also discussed the pine forest aesthetic I desired for the taller plant sections. While this is not necessarily present at that locale (though it still is in localized spots), such settings have inspired me in the past. This explains the selection of fine-leaved stem plants. 

However, I did not intend to have a 1:1 scale replica of a forest, complete with huge trunks going through the entire water column. Nor did I intend to have an exact copy of a terrestrial landscape. Though they may sometimes do well in competitions, I am not a fan of diorama scapes. They can be pretty to look at, but it is quite jarring to see aquatic livestock in them! 

A good way to explain it is Chinese landscape painting. At one point in the past semester I stumbled across someone’s abandoned printed report on the subject in a computer lab. Chinese landscape painters sought not to paint from the exact view of the landscape, but rather the impression it left on them. This happens to be my thought process when I am conceptualizing an aquascape.

I also discussed my maintenance goals and situation. I did not want an overly intricate hardscape that is difficult to work within or that heavily obstructs circulation. 


*Pre-game:
*
I knew I would need more hardscape to create a stronger, bolder impact once the plants grow in. The first order of business was to order some smaller pieces. These would add a level of detail and intricacy to the scape, resembling roots or fallen logs. I ordered these from Rachel O’Leary (Msjinkzd), and soaked them for a couple of weeks. This serves several purposes:


Sinking - Nothing is more frustrating than filling a tank only to have the carefully arranged wood float away. 
Tannin reduction - I will avoid running carbon if I have to (more out of a desire to avoid fussing too much with the filters), and do not want a yellow tank for weeks afterwards
Organics reduction - Driftwood actually contributes organic compounds to the water. ADA published some tests in old Aqua Journal issues where fresh driftwood soaking in water raised the chemical oxygen demand (COD), a good indicator of organics levels, rather significantly. Rescaping will be a perilous time for tank health, with moving so many plants around and disturbing the tank. Thus it would be best to minimize organics that can fuel algae.


I also had some larger pieces I’d used in previous tanks. The issue with these is they were in tanks with hair algae, including _Spirogyra_. This is not something I want to introduce into my tank, for reasons I’ve elaborated before in this journal. This is even more so now that I have shrimp in the tank and cannot freely use Algaefix. Thus I took great measures to sterilize these pieces. First I soaked them in pure 3% hydrogen peroxide for 30 minutes to one hour, depending on size. I then sun-dried them for several hours. Finally, I soaked them overnight in water with a strong overdose of Algaefix. One of the pieces had previously been a favored nesting spot for some nerite snails. I attempted to scrape off the egg remnants while the wood was dry with a razor blade and dental picks, but even this didn’t get rid of everything.

Finally, I had some used lava rocks that were in a similar situation. These I simply soaked in pure hydrogen peroxide overnight, as they had been dry for years.

I had also acquired a good amount of Cameroon moss (_Plagiochilaceae sp. _‘Cameroon Moss’). I have long looked to replace my willow moss. There was a level of misunderstanding behind my acquisition of it. Originally I’d read for years of ADA using ‘willow moss’, scientific name ‘_Fontinalis antipyretica_’. When shopping for this tank a year ago, I found a tissue culture of willow moss (_Fontinalis antipyretica_) and decided it would be perfect, since I am a fan of ADA. Little did I know that the true_ Fontinalis antipyretica_ is entirely different from the moss that ADA uses, which is likely Java spring moss (though I’m still not entirely sure on the exact identity). 

This alone wouldn’t be enough to drive me to replace it (especially since it has done so well), but the growth habit is difficult to work with. It looks pleasant enough, but barely attaches to the wood, behaving more like_ Riccia_, relying on string to keep it from floating. I much prefer my moss to attach to wood on its own. I chose Cameroon moss because it has a fern-like look, which when planted on driftwood would be reminiscent of the resurrection ferns (_Pleopeltis polypodioides_) that grace the oak trees so common on my university’s campus. I have been quarantining it with fenbendazole for a bit over 2 weeks, which is sufficient at 78 degrees Fahrenheit (the temperature I maintained in the quarantine tank). I dosed on the first day, after 3 days, then at the end of the second week. The moss has handled this revised treatment schedule quite well. On the day of the rescape, I soak it with a small amount of Algaefix for several hours. Though I have not seen hair algae, it is better to be safe than sorry. The short duration should be enough to kill any minimal algae without too strongly affecting the moss (mosses and worts tend to be rather sensitive to Algaefix).


*The process:*

We used almost entirely my current plants (plus the new Cameroon moss). I already have enough, and this avoids introduction of any undesirables. Right off the bat Kevin commented on the good condition of the foliage and root system growth, which was very flattering.

The first step is to pull all the plants, except the hairgrass. Yes, this even includes the crypts! The hairgrass is left because it acts as a guiding path for the hardscape (and would be very difficult to replant in a timely manner). The plants are held in plastic bins, securely wrapped in damp paper towels. Plant species are kept separate in storage. Kevin is 6’ 4”, so works very easily in the tank. When pulling the crypts, he actually looks sideways towards the ceiling, instead of down into the tank through the glass. This way he feels the root systems and can pull them more effectively, rather than being constrained by optical illusions through the glass. This clouds the tank quite a bit! We end up draining almost the entire tank, leaving only a few inches of water. 

At this point, we take a quick breather to review the scape and intended directions for it. I have two large driftwood pieces that lend themselves to the image of opposing trees. These will emulate burnt trunks, with only a minimal covering of moss at the tips and ferns on the base. On the right side is the main ‘forest’, while the left side will consist more of shorter growth.

Kevin adds height to the right large driftwood piece by stacking it on some lava rocks. It’s a testament to his experience that he’s able to create a stable structure without any gluing! Some of the smaller pieces I purchased are tucked into the large piece’s nooks and crannies, giving the impression of tree roots.

The first plants to go back are the stems - _Bacopa, Limnophila, Rotala_, then_ Myriophyllum_. The_ Rotala_ bottoms are trimmed off. Then the ferns are added. Given that many are currently growing on rocks this is rather straightforward. 

Next up are the crypts. Each species is planted at once, working from smallest to largest. Before planting, the roots are cut to leave several inches. This makes planting easier and stimulates the plant to start growing once planted. The_ C. nurii_ ‘Pahaang mutated’ makes a nice midground plant along the right side, extending until the driftwood ‘roots’. This will nicely show off its vibrant colors and give it enough light to propagate well. Next is the bullosa, which inhabits some of the more shaded areas in the left midground. This plant takes shading well so is a good fit. The_ C. nurii _‘Pahaang’ occupies some areas in the back left midground. It grows slightly taller, and has some interesting patterns that will draw the eye to the back of the tank. Finally the _C. affinis_ ‘metallic red’ is added to the right side of the tank. It will make a nice contrast to all the green java fern nearby.

Finally, some hairgrass is moved. The previous path isn’t perfectly maintained by the new scape design, so now some plantlets are directly shaded by the wood ‘roots’. There’s much more open space for hairgrass, so any pulled clumps are replanted thinly. I will likely need to purchase more so I have a full carpet before adding any _Corydoras_.

I don’t have it on hand yet, but some open spaces are left in the fore and midground for _Littorella uniflora_. This is a short plant that takes shading relatively well, and will make a good addition in more shaded areas where hairgrass cannot survive but where crypts would be too tall and give too dominant an impression.

After the planting in substrate is complete, I start filling the tank back up. While this goes on, Kevin adds some of the Cameroon moss to the right large piece of driftwood. This ‘moss’ is actually a wort, so he finds the ‘root’ end and organizes the strands to align these, having them face the wood to help speedy anchoring. The attachment method is completely novel to me - dental rubber bands! They are the right size and elasticity to provide a secure fit, and will supposedly degrade over time. As the tank continues to fill any stray floating hairgrass plants are replanted.

I turn the filters back on as soon as the water level is above the intakes; they’ve been off for several hours. As the tank fills, I take some time to step back and look. The right driftwood seems rather centered at first, but this should be okay. The plants on the right side will add a strong impression once grown in, and there’s still plenty of open space for hairgrass. I think my future _Corydoras_ will really enjoy the spaces between and under the driftwood ‘roots’.


*Takeaways:*

I learned a few key lessons from this entire process.



Scape by envisioning what things will be, not what they are right now. This is something I failed to consider when first setting up this tank, leading to the hardscape providing a much weaker impression once the plants had grown in. As Kevin assembled the hardscape, I occasionally found myself unsure of whether the placement and angles gave too bold of an impression, especially the central placement of the right driftwood. However, I realized once the plants grow in this impression would be diminished, so it is best to go with a hardscape arrangement that seems overly dynamic or bold at the initial planting.

Compelling hardscape is not about using any single piece, but putting parts together as a whole. When I was younger, I used to think aquascaping was about finding the most attractive wood or rock, and simply placing these in the tank. Now I see it’s more about using a lot of different pieces, which on their own may not look like anything special, to create a dynamic image. I recently read in an ADA Aqua Journal that when selecting hardscape pieces it is much more important to consider size relative to the tank than it is to pick solely based on shape or appearance. This is especially obvious in the right driftwood structure. None of the base ‘roots’ are special on their own, but when combined with the large piece (already pretty awesome) they create something more spectacular than any single driftwood piece could be.

Good tools greatly speed up the process. So far I’ve only had a rudimentary set of aquascaping tools, which are at times difficult to work with. Short tweezers require me to reach deep into the tank, and blunt scissors slow down trimming. Meanwhile Kevin, with his 12” tweezers that were still sharp at the ends, was reaching nooks and crannies between hardscape I could have never imagined. Trimming stems or old leaves was quick, decisive, and precise. I will definitely be investing in better tools in the future.


*The aftermath:*

There were quite a bit of crypts (especially_ C. affinis_), ferns, and willow moss left over. I hadn’t realized how extensively these had grown! One crypt had even anchored itself firmly on a lava rock chunk meant for ferns.

The only casualty was one tangerine tiger that got crushed. I don’t blame Kevin for this, as he was basically working blind in very murky water. Otherwise the shrimp and fish seemed okay during the process. In retrospect, it would have been best to remove all the shrimp first, but with over 100 shrimp in the tank this isn’t really feasible. 

There was an accident in which Kevin accidentally stepped on a glass canopy that was left on the floor. Luckily he was uninjured, but the canopy was cracked into pieces. Lesson learned: for you and your equipment’s safety, don’t keep glass on the floor where it can get stepped on! Thanks to the magic of Amazon Prime a replacement arrived within a few days. Until then I covered the hole in the lid with saran wrap to prevent any shrimp escapes.

Afterwards, most shrimp went into hiding, but they should pull through. The tank is quite cloudy from the substrate getting stirred up. The high filtration capacity and good substrate design (fostering microbial populations) should help maintain balance.

I can’t express enough how thankful I am to Kevin for coming out to work on my tank. The new scape definitely better fits my vision of creating a little world for my livestock. Seeing a professional in action and the lessons I’ve learned from the process are something I will carry with me for the rest of my hobby. For any readers in the northeast US (states around New York), I’d recommend checking out Kevin’s pages. He’s starting to get serious about his professional aquascaping service, and is a name I expect we will be hearing more of in the future. I must also thank Justin Spall of H2O Plants, a fellow New Jerseyan who came out to live stream most of the process. If you want to watch several hours of rescaping and plant talk, the stream is viewable on YouTube.


----------



## Francis Xavier (Oct 8, 2008)

Not bad Axelrodi, I like your passion and dedication!

I would say, your next step: work on studying plant compositions and arrangements. Find some of the more inspiring pieces to you and just study why those plants are clustered together and used together. You've also got a big tank for the amount of driftwood you have - so save some pennies to get a few more larger pieces to add to it, and with your study of plant arrangements and combinations your next scape will be great. 

In the mean time, just keep focusing on growing the plants, getting good at seeing how they grow together and going from there!


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

Francis Xavier said:


> Not bad Axelrodi, I like your passion and dedication!
> 
> I would say, your next step: work on studying plant compositions and arrangements. Find some of the more inspiring pieces to you and just study why those plants are clustered together and used together. You've also got a big tank for the amount of driftwood you have - so save some pennies to get a few more larger pieces to add to it, and with your study of plant arrangements and combinations your next scape will be great.
> 
> In the mean time, just keep focusing on growing the plants, getting good at seeing how they grow together and going from there!


Wow, what an honor to hear from you, Frank! Your old journal was basically my gospel last year when setting up this tank. It would not be an exaggeration to say without the information and principles I learned from you this tank would have crashed and burned by now. A year later I have a much better knowledge of tank management and plant growth skills. How great it is that now I get to explore arranging and combining plants, instead of having them always get smothered by algae!

I definitely agree, studying the artistic side of things is my new frontier. My initial hardscape was definitely too little. With the new one I will wait until the stems grow in to see what impression is rendered, and go from there. I do have some more wood on hand if needed. A challenge for me is that even with available funds, it's difficult to find pieces that match the texture of what I have.


----------



## Francis Xavier (Oct 8, 2008)

I'm glad you were able to get a lot of value out of it! That was it's original purpose!

In this layout, because you have a limitation on available hardscape, I would study layouts that emphasize more usage of plants like stems and such (I wouldn't use two species of wood since that'd throw things off, unless one species was totally covered in mosses / epiphytes and not seen at all and just as support) and try to make it a more softscape oriented layout. The basic formula would be carpet giving way to taller carpet plant / crypts to java ferns to stems in back. 

For instance, I would move the stems that are in front of the java fern right now on the right hand side (looks like a rotala, hard for me to see from picture) to the back and fill that space with crypts. As is now, the stems will grow up tall and block the java fern from view and create a weird break in the transition of the layout. I'd almost say that the layout you had before towards completion had a better overall composition to it (but not yet fair to say because that was more mature in growth), but you certainly had some of the right ideas. 

It also seems to be lacking a bit of slope in both layouts - I suspect this is probably because of a budget limitation on soil. But the no slope is also one reason why the layout appears to "flatten." when looking straight at it. 

I'd also say it's hard for me to judge overall also because I can't see whats in the back either.


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

There's a bit of slope (1" in the front to 4" in the back). Originally there was more but I didn't account for it flattening out over time, even with the flow cell supports. And like with hardscape I overestimated the impression the moderate slope would have once plants had grown in. 

Good point on the group of stems in front of the java fern. It's Myriophyllum sp. 'Guyana mini'. Though a 'mini' variety, already one of the stems is shooting up quite a bit. I think I'll end up putting some Cryptocoryne bullosa there. I do have some awesome stems in the back, just starting to shoot up. Hopefully in a few weeks things will be looking quite different!


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

*Month 14: June 18 - July 17, 2017*


June 18, 2017:










I increase Fe to 0.06 ppm daily, and traces to 14 mL (from 12). I will have to track nitrates - previously high levels could have been from other nutrients being limiting. They are currently 10 ppm. There’s increased pearling 5 hours in, but the _Limnophila_ tips are still pale. The _Rotala sp._ ‘Yao yai’ is beginning to recover. The water surface is very clean.


June 19, 2017:










I increase Fe to 0.08 ppm daily. There’s improvement in the _Limnophila_; all but one stem have recovered color and form. A few_ R. sp._ ‘Nanjenshan’ stems are starting to recover.


June 22, 2017:






































June 25, 2017:











June 26, 2017










Most _R. sp. _‘Nanjenshan’ stems have recovered. The _Limnophila_ shows good color and pearling. However nitrates are still 5-10 despite not dosing for over a week. One _R. sp._ ‘Yao yai’ stem shows stunting, suggests micronutrients are at a marginal level.











June 30, 2017:










About half of the _R. sp._ ‘Nanjenshan’ stems are good; the other half are still problematic.

Once again there are signs of iron deficiency. Some _Limnophila_ stems have lost their tips altogether, the _R. sp._ ‘Yao yai’ is a translucent pink, and the _R. sp._ ‘Nanjenshan’ has stalled in its recovery. However the latter is still showing nyctinasty, a good sign. I’m not too worried about the _Limnophila_. It’s a robust plant, and has sent out a healthy side shoot.

The tank is now 75 degrees Fahrenheit, even with a fan blowing next to it. At some point in the prior week it had climbed to 77 F, but a fan brought it down to 74 F. The summer heat is starting to kick in. I will be looking to cooling the basement the tank’s in for ease of management.

I receive 50+ tangerine tiger shrimp to bolster my current population. In a tank this large, it takes shrimp very long to find each other and breed. I have not seen any berried shrimp this time around. Perhaps they’ve already hatched their eggs (or if I’m less fortunate dropped them, as first time mothers are wont to do). I want a larger starting population before I add fish. Ideally I’d start with hundreds, but this is not really feasible without breeding them out myself in another tank for years first. I add these new shrimp to a 20 gallon long I’ve set up as a holding/quarantine tank, where I can monitor their condition and target feed them before transferring to the main tank.

Today marks the conclusion of my summer internship. I’ll be home for the rest of the summer to work on the tank. Though I won’t be too hands-on (the MCAT won’t study for itself) at least observation will be much easier. No more playing plant doctor from small, blurry smartphone pictures!


July 1, 2017:










The KH is still 3 degrees or slightly above. Iwould like to get it lower because this may help the _R. sp._ ‘Nanjenshan’. This plant is likely a hybrid of_ R. wallichi_i and_ R. rotundifolia_; the former notoriously dislikes carbonates.

I was previously dosing 1.53 ppm of K from KHCO3, for a total of 3.51 ppm K. This may be unnecessarily high. Many other hobbyists I know dose as low as 2 ppm daily, and even ADA only doses 3.4 ppm. Higher potassium could potentially interfere with uptake of other cation nutrients (such as trace metals) by cation competition). 

This current dose adds 0.11 dKH daily. I will cut it to 0.68 ppm K from KHCO3, for a total of 2.63 ppm K and 0.05 dKH daily. I’m starting to question the need for KH at all, but think at least a low level would be beneficial. I will have to see how plants respond.

I also split my trace and iron dosing into two half doses during the day, one in the morning and one in the evening. This helps meet plant demand while avoiding acutely high concentrations, reducing potential for toxicity to invertebrates or leaving excess nutrients available to algae. In the case of iron, a lower concentration added at once also slows the rate of precipitation or other side reactions. I increase the total daily iron dose to 0.1 ppm. I am realizing that iron gluconate, due to its quick uptake and degradation, may require higher doses than other chelated forms of iron which are more stable and remain in the tank longer. The plants seem to respond well to this change. Pearling is perhaps slightly increased if not at least the same as before.


July 2, 2017:

Today is a big day that forever changes the face of the tank. See my special report post for details.


July 3, 2017:










The tank is still quite cloudy. The livestock seem okay, with no obvious deaths. However ammonia is somewhere between 0 and 0.25 ppm. The API test kit shows a slight hint of green. Thus I do a 30% water change.

During the photoperiod I add 20 drops green gain to help the plants recover from trimming. With the lights on, it appears the haziness is more likely a bacterial bloom than from stirred-up detritus (it has a white appearance)

By the end of the day a few cameroon moss strands are pearling.


July 4, 2017:

The tank is still cloudy from bacterial bloom, though somewhat less than yesterday. The livestock are doing very well. The shrimp are actively exploring, and the otos are schooling together, which was uncommon in the past. Perhaps this behavior is triggered by a sudden reduction in plant cover?

I test ammonia to decide if I should perform a water change tomorrow. The first test is quite concerning, displaying a vivid green!

However this can’t be right. If it were, my livestock would be telling a very different story. I look over the instructions again, and it turns out I was conducting the test improperly, turning the vial several times after the addition of each reagent (this is not called for). A second test using the proper method shows an unequivocal 0 ppm. I will not do a water change and hold off until the weekend as usual to avoid disturbing the tank any further. 


July 5, 2017:

The tank is still cloudy, and is slightly greenish when the lights are off (suggesting some green water). The temperature is now 76 F. I will have to start cooling the basement soon. This is a marginally acceptable temperature; I wouldn’t be comfortable with much higher for the sake of the shrimp.

I am finally making some progress on getting fish for this tank! Tomorrow I have 19 _Corydoras similis _coming in. Thus it’s time to move the shrimp to the main tank to clear out the holding tank. Though I don’t anticipate the _Corydoras _predating on the shrimp (anecdotes suggest they primarily eat shrimplets if they happen to stumble on them, lacking a high prey drive to actively hunt them down), medications or other therapies like high temperature the fish may require are not good for the shrimp. 

Initially I net out a dozen shrimp without removing anything, but this is too slow. Taking out all the plants (primarily extra plants from the rescape, or ferns I’ve been hoarding) speeds up the process substantially. Yet after I put the plants back in I notice one straggler shrimp left (it must have clung to the plants). I’ll have to get it out tomorrow before adding the cories.


July 6, 2017:

In the morning I net out two more shrimp to transfer to the main tank. This should be the last of them!

I replace the broken glass canopy. 

I receive the cories. Immediately upon opening the bags the water emits a very foul smell. One of the fish doesn’t look too well. It’s so pale and skinny I initially thought it may be dead! I go with my tried and true plop and drop acclimation. In the case of_ Corydoras_, it’s best to avoid netting so their spines don’t get stuck in the mesh. Instead, I pour excess bag water into a bucket, pour the remaining water with the fish into a dip and pour, and then hand catch them into the tank. 










Later on in the day I note some have white edges around fins. The weakest one I noted earlier seems to have growth on skin. Overall they seem to just hang out, without much social behavior besides resting in groups.

In the evening I feed them some bloodworms to help them recover from the stressful shipping process. I finally have enough fish where 1 whole cube isn’t ridiculous overfeeding! I notice there isn’t much activity initially, so I turn off the tank lights, which encourages feeding. After a while about half the cube is eaten. After several hours, all but 10 worms have been eaten. 

I add 5 small indian almond leaves (IAL) to the tank. I also insert some Acurel ammonia reducing pad into the HOB to act as a safeguard. I add a heater set to 78 F, and will ramp up the temperature to 80 or above to help fight off potential infection.

With the cories I also receive some Tropica tissue-culture plants: 4 cups of _Littorella uniflora _and 2 cups of _Rotala wallichii_. Unfortunately this brand is notoriously dicey, so I am not sure what my final yield will be. They arrive alive, a good start. I clean them off slightly and place them in hanging breeder boxes in the main tank so they’re not decimated by my amano shrimp.

The water is starting to get clearer, though still rather cloudy. The surface is somewhat clean.


July 7, 2017:

The tank is still somewhat cloudy. Most stems have started to show signs of new growth. The shrimp, even the new additions, are once again active and foraging out in the open. I scrape off a small tuft of bba growing on the left large driftwood piece (originally in the tank). I think the cloudiness has stalled everything, both plants and algae, in their growth. 

The Tropica _Littorella_ is doing quite well. Unfortunately this is not the case with the _R. wallichii_. It’s not dying, but it’s not thriving either. I’ll be happy to get a few viable stems.

None of the _Corydoras _have died yet. I’m starting to see more social behaviors and activities from them. I keep the tank light off since they seem to enjoy a dim environment. The tannins from the IAL are beginning to appear. I add a 6th leaf for good measure. Low pH will be helpful for fighting infection and favoring chemical equilibrium of ammonia towards the less toxic ammonium. A cube of bloodworms is devoured within an hour. I add some black sand to a small area of the tank and set the bloodworms here to allow for more natural feeding behaviors (previously the tank was bare). The temperature is now 80-82. Ammonia is 0 ppm. I will likely perform a water change on their tank tomorrow. 


July 8, 2017:

The _Corydoras_’ tank is much more tannin-stained. The weakling is still alive. His skin is looking better but initially he’s still inactive and is clamping his fins. Once again a cube of bloodworms is quickly eaten within an hour. 

I perform a 50% water change. There are still some uneaten bloodworms left in the various nooks and crannies created by the plants. It seems their foraging behavior is still not very strong. After the water change I turn the lights on. They are less afraid of the light now and becoming more active, schooling in larger groups. The weakling is looking better still and beginning to engage in social behaviors. Now that they’re showing less signs of infection, I turn the temperature down to 78. I’m not sure about_ C. similis _in particular, but most cories generally don’t take extended periods of warm water well.

The tank is still somewhat cloudy, though by this point I think it’s more from green water or tannins. The hairgrass is looking quite green. Unfortunately some of the Tropica _Rotala wallichii _has started dying. A few stems are pearling, so maybe there’s hope. Like I’ve said before, I’ll be happy if I get just a few viable stems from two cups. It’s a sad testament to Tropica’s tissue-culture plant quality, but alas they’re the only brand to carry this species as a tissue culture.


July 9, 2017:

The _Corydoras _continue to improve. Though they still show fin infection symptoms, they’re schooling and eating freeze-dried brine shrimp.

The ferns are pearling again, the first instance of pearling following the rescape. However the amount is less and the onset is later. I see a berried tangerine tiger shrimp.

Given the tank was almost completely drained during the rescape, I’m curious to see where the KH has settled. The remineralized RO/DI water has no KH; it all comes from KHCO3 dosing, which would have added 0.35 dKH this week. Despite this, the tank water has 2 dKH! I suspect carbonates previously uptaken by the Aquasoil are now releasing back into the low KH water. I’ll stop dosing KHCO3 for a week and see where the KH ends up. I’d like to maintain it around 1-2 dKH.

I perform a 50% water change. Both filters get cleaned. They’re filthy, but the actual biomedia is rather clean. Rather the gunk is in the chamber, mechanical media, and outside of the biological media mesh bags.

After turning the filters off there’s a noticeable oily surface film, quite rare for this tank. A dirty filter could cause this, by reducing biofiltration efficiency or causing to microbial death (the bodies then end up comprising the oily film). Quite a bit of the tissue culture _Rotala wallichii _is starting to die, which could also contribute.

I clean the _R. wallichii_, and remove about half of the stems which are on their way out. 

Originally some_ R. sp._ ‘Nanjenshan’ was planted in the right center near the hairgrass, but I decide I’d like more open space here. I move this bunch to the right back side, displacing some _R. sp._ ‘Yao yai’. The former species will much better handle the shading at this location. 

I trim some old growth. Some _Cryptocoryne bullosa_ leaves are starting to wane, becoming a pale yellow color. This plant can have yellow tones to it normally, but once the entire leaf and stem starts to pale it’s a signal for removal. I also trim the unhealthy bottoms off the Bacopa _colorata_. These are the leaves that were growing when the planaria medication was in effect. I remove these unhealthy portions entirely to prevent continued leaf shedding. 

One _Cabomba caroliniana_ stem is really starting to recover, which is exciting. These have been barely hanging on ever since the planaria medication treatment.

While netting loose leaves, a minor disaster strikes - I knock over the large right driftwood piece! I try to rearrange it but it’s not an exact replica of the prior position.


July 10, 2017:










The tank is much clearer after the water change. In the morning I again rearrange the driftwood, getting it closer to the original positionThe surface is relatively clean. Plants are beginning to increase their pearling, though time of onset is still later than before the rescape.










Nitrates are between 0 to 5 ppm. I will test again in a few days.


July 11, 2017:

I come down first thing in the morning and notice things moving a bit slowly around the water. I realize I’d left one of the filters unplugged again! I turned it off last night to better see into the tank from the surface while planting some floating _Bacopa_ (location is near that of the outlets). I know what to expect - cloudy water, and a small increase in nitrates. Plant growth shouldn’t be affected much, and everything should be back to normal in a few days. I’m curious how the effects will scale to time left unplugged - this time it was only for 11 hours, vs 2 days previously. Indeed the tank is slightly cloudy, and there’s a mild surface film (presumably from dead bacteria). 

I refill the CO2 tank. It’s been about a year, but the tank pressure is now reading at 400 psi, the critical low mark the regulator builder told me one should refill the tank at. However the tank still had quite a bit of air left, emptying without the regulator for about 2 minutes at the shop.

I take a close look at the plants for the first time in a while. Overall, they’re doing quite well. The _R. sp._ ‘Nanjenshan’ is starting to pick up, displaying faster and larger growth than before the rescape. I’m starting to think split dosing of micronutrients has really help this plant. The crypts, instead of melting to nothing as a small part of me feared, are beginning to show new growth. Pearling onset time is similar to before the rescape, though the amount is still lower (this may be confounded by the recent filter disturbance).

However I do notice that some plants have old leaves in poor condition, reminiscent of potassium deficiency. I increase the potassium to 2.5 ppm total, and will bring it back up to 3-3.5 ppm. Some of the _Limnophila aquatica_ tips are looking slightly twisted, but I’m not sure if this is from a lack of iron or just transition stress. I’m starting to find that many people successfully dose levels of iron gluconate well beyond my current 0.1 ppm daily dose, so am willing to increase if needed.

The tissue culture_ R. wallichii _is stalling. Most of the older growth is slowly dying, but there are a few new stems that are promising.


July 12, 2017:










There is still a slight surface film. I strongly suspect the languishing portions of _Rotala wallichii_ have something to do with this. In the evening I take it out for a good cleaning. Luckily some portions have started to show new buds, some even red! I keep these and discard everything else, give them a good wash, and put them back in the breeder box. I’m hoping I’ll be able to get these up in size soon!

The _Limnophila_ is still stalling, showing some odd tips. I dose a total of .125 (vs 0.1) of iron to see if this helps. Maybe it’s a placebo effect, but the tips do look better (shape and color) later in the photoperiod.


July 13, 2017:










Pearling is still less than before, but the _Bacopa _is showing some huge bubbles. The _Rotala sp. _'Nanjenshan' has responded well to the change in dosing frequency, showing full-sized growth even in previously problematic areas.



















There is still some noticeable surface film. I think the breeder box is significantly impacting flow. I can’t wait until the _Rotala_ is ready to transplant into the tank. I’ll have to reassess things after this weekend’s water change. I figure it’d be useful to include a photo of what surface film actually entails. It's difficult to see, but note the sharp divide between the clear water in the back (where the filters provide more surface agitation) and the more opaque water surface towards the front.










The old leaves of a particularly large _Cryptocoryne bullosa _individual (think outstretched hand size) are starting to struggle, so I trim them. A few plants of this species (generally the larger ones) are showing slightly deformed new growth, but should recover as always. Upon closer examination, these are the ones with their roots less deep in the substrate and more exposed to open water. 

I notice the tank isn’t quite right. The plants seem to be stalling slightly, and gsa is starting to appear again (up until now there’s been almost no algae). I test the nitrates to find they’re zero! I guess by providing more iron, and switching to a split dosing schedule for micronutrients (plants are able to uptake nutrients better when concentrations are low), the nitrates produced by the minimal livestock are no longer sufficient as they were when the tank was suffering from trace deficiency issues. I’m not sure how scientifically valid this is, but given that iron has role in chlorophyll production, and nitrogen is used in chlorophyll production, there could be a direct relationship between the two. I will resume nitrate dosing tomorrow.

I install a portable air conditioner. In the past I’ve consistently seen this tank get up to 80-82 Fahrenheit in the hottest days of the summer. Such high temperatures are deleterious to ease of management, hampering growth of certain plant species and increasing algae growth, and are also much too high for dwarf shrimp (raising the risk and severity of bacterial infections). Since I’ll continue to be very busy this summer studying for the MCAT, I don’t have time for the more conventional methods like ice packs or evaporative cooling (and constantly topping off). The unit has an added bonus of dehumidying as well, so I can cease running the basement dehumidifier. 

I set the unit very low (to 66 degrees) to get an initial burst of cooling. It’s on the opposite side of the basement (limited by window availability) so likely I’ll have to set it a bit lower than my desired room temperature (72-73 degrees) to get the air around the tank at this temperature. The tank runs a bit hotter than room temperature because of the various pumps and lights. By the evening the tank is about 75.5 degrees, having cooled about a degree from 76.5 in the morning. Seeing this, I turn a room fan that’s been running next to the tank for the past several weeks off.


July 14, 2017:










I resume dosing 1.21 ppm nitrate daily. I decide to split also split this over the day, into three doses, to minimize the acute concentration immediately following dosing and reduce any impacts on livestock. 

Another potential reason for the tank looking ‘off’ lately reveals itself - I’d left the airstone unplugged! I must have unplugged it 3 days ago when I also unplugged the filter, to get a calmer water surface so I could look down and plant some loose stems. I really need to be better about replugging devices after unplugging them…

The surface film is less today. All the mishaps this week have presumably hurt the microbial balance but things are starting to recover. Towards the end of the photoperiod the tank is beginning to show a bit of the sparkle that a healthy tank should. 

During the day I turn off the ac unit and open the windows since the outside temperatures are in the 60s due to rain. However, this backfires, as the tank temperature starts climbing back up into the 76 range! I suspect the humidity from the outdoor air contributes to this. I close the windows, turn the unit back on, and resume running the fan, though this time a bit farther from the tank. I think simply running it to help draw cold air across the basement towards the tank is enough.


July 15, 2017:










Finally the tank is at 74 degrees! I set the ac unit to 70 degrees and lower the fan speed to the slowest setting.

The KH is still 2 degrees. This supports my suspicion that the Aquasoil is leaching carbonates bound over the past year and my decision to stop dosing KHCO3. Lately I’ve been seeing some interesting controlled experiments where a lower level of anions (like HCO3) leads to better plant growth (at least in _Rotala wallichii_). 

The surface film is less, but still present. The tank is starting to get a yellow tint. I suspect the new driftwood still has some tannins left to leach. Next time I’ll have to be more rigorous about changing water during the soaking process.

I do a big 50% water change to clear up the tank. This presents a chance to adjust the plant placement. On plantedtank.net, Frank Wazeter brought up a good point (which some other hobbyists I talk to ended up concurring) that the bunch of_ Myriophyllum _in the right midground disrupts the transition of plants and would require frequent trimming to keep presentable. I move this to the left back corner, which was previously rather sparse. What’s added in its stead? More_ Cryptocoryne_! I’ve been hoarding the excess _C. bullosa _runners from the rescape anticipating something like this. I plant them, along with another very large individual that currently throws off the perspective by being too far back, where the _Myriophyllum _was. This arrangement looks much better, and shows off some_ Bolbitis _that was previously hidden by the tall stems.

However I’m not yet done with this area of the tank! Recently I’ve been noticing my java fern has been looking rather large. Instead of the fine delicate impression of needle leaf java fern (or ‘ribbon leaf’ as the store sold it), the wide leaves were actually quite overbearing, visually dominating other nearby plants. Originally very narrow, in the past few months some bunches of it have been growing very large. At first I wondered if I’d gotten the wrong plant and actually had mislabelled narrow leaf java fern. But then I realized two things:


A fair deal of the java fern I have still had very skinny, thin, leaves.
The same rhizomes showing the wider leaves had also thrown out some trident form leaves.

In a moment of serendipity I realized these wide leaves too are likely a result of mutation! I ruthlessly cut them all. Usually it’s hard to trace fern leaves down to their base, but this is much easier when the tank is half empty and you can look down and handle them from above. As you can see, the ones I removed are clearly wider than needle leaf! I also trim some excess rhizome to leave more room for stem plants. 










Unfortunately during this process the rock structure supporting the ferns shifts slightly, leading the right large wood piece to tumble again! Once again I rearrange it, trying my best to replicate the original position. I may have to get some more lava rocks to provide additional support. Ultimately this alarming experience is worth it: now the java fern, while still making a strong statement, is much less overbearing. 

I also relocate some hairgrass that is marginally shaded by the wood structure to brighter areas that are still relatively bare.


July 16, 2017:










The tank has held at 74 degrees so I turn up the ac unit to 71.

Before filling the tank back up I plant some plants that have come loose. In the morning there is a very slight, almost indiscernable, surface film, but this could be from me putting my hands in the tank. The tank is much clearer. 

1.5 hours into the photoperiod I suddenly realize I forgot to plug back in the CO2 after last night’s water change! Once again my poor working memory is showing itself... 

I see a few small strands of bba starting to grow, and pick these out in the evening. Perhaps due to the CO2 timing mishap, the usual nyctinasty is not observed. 

I transfer some _Cabomba furcata _I’ve been quarantining for the past 3 weeks to the breeder box to help it acclimate. It’s done okay, and has very intense color, but is looking a bit lanky. Hopefully now that I’m dosing much more iron than I was when I unsuccessfully introduced the last batch it will do better. I expand the patch of_ Littorella_ in the right foreground with some extra plants I’ve been holding onto since initially planting this species. This helps add a sense of perspective and movement to the foreground.


July 17, 2017:










The surface film is almost indiscernible if present at all. I notice some paleness in new _Rotala wallichii _buds so dose an extra 0.025 ppm iron (for a total .15 ppm). The_ Cabomba furcata_ seems to be doing alright and is pearling.

I notice some substrate bga starting to spread. I strongly suspect the breeder box is disrupting the flow pattern and tank health. This spurs me to take it down and just plant the stems it’s been holding. Given that most are very short, I temporarily place them in empty spots along the hairgrass where they’ll receive bright light. I also shift over some _Cryptocoryne bullosa_ that was planted a bit too close to the central hairgrass path, resulting in larger leaves directly obscuring the hairgrass.

The temperature is now around 74.5 degrees, varying by a tenth or so depending on time of day. I think I will keep the ac unit at its current setting for now.


----------



## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

*
2017 End of year reflections:*

2017 was a very rough year for me, perhaps the toughest I've ever faced in my short two decades on this planet. I had some very serious health scares that changed my view of the world and threatened to overturn my life plans. Thus I have not been keeping this journal updated lately. Thus some of the points in this post may not make perfect sense at the time of original posting. I have been keeping notes of my observations, but as of yet I don't have the motivation to format all the text and upload the images. I will some day in the near future, when my life has calmed down some more.

Through all this my love for the aquarium hobby has been even further entrenched. When life gets tough, the aquarium hobby provides refuge to get one's mind off the trials and tribulations of life in the "real world". 

I am glad to say that 2017 has been another big year of growth for me as an aquarist. As I progress, my goals have shifted. Originally, I just wanted a simple tank with healthy clean plants. But now that is not enough. The plants and hardscape need to be arranged in a visually appealing and striking manner. The plants need to not be just clean and growing, but in superb condition. It is not enough for the animals to just survive, but they must thrive (and breed if possible). Fortunately I have met most of these goals. I have learned a lot more about aquascaping principles and practices, even being fortunate enough to have someone come over and help me rescape. I have acquired much more knowledge on plant nutrition, and while I still have hickups now and then am able to bring out better condition in all my plants. I went from having never bred a successful dwarf shrimp colony to having a thriving population of tangerine tiger shrimp in my display tank.

But the tank has not been without its struggles! Perhaps the biggest was this tank's second battle with planaria, the treatment of which devastated the plants and set back the tank quite a bit. As saddening as these are in the moment, they are invaluable for learning and growing.

With all the struggles this year has presented it has been one of rapid learning. Here are seven key lessons:


*1. Prevention is key. *We like to think our tanks are simple. Add plants and fish, provide them with what they need to grow, and all will be well. Sadly the real world is much more grisly. Pests can execute genocide against your animals. Diseases can render your tank and all its contents a biohazard. The treatment is no better, often devastating your plants.

One of the most heartbreaking things I've experienced in this hobby is seeing shrimp populations whittled down to nothing by planaria. Thus, when I saw this possibility back in April with the reintroduction of planaria to the tank, I was eager to take action. Alas, the planaria treatment was not without its consequences. Every plant suffered at the hands of the drugs. My poor _Cabomba furcata_, my most prized plant, died in a matter of days. The tank has never been the same since, with the plants being much less resilient to minor problems or insufficiencies. In the end, it was worth it: the planaria were eradicated and my shrimp were saved, able to go on and populate the tank further. But it would have been better if I had prevented the problem in the first place with proper plant quarantine.

Often quarantine or other prevention measures seem like a hassle. You doubt if you'll actually get insidious pests like planaria or_ Camallanus _worms. Everything looks fine, and I've never needed to take measure in the past, so why bother? It's true - introductions of very severe problems are rare. But rare does not mean impossible. And if it happens to you, you'll be wishing you took further steps to prevent it.

*2. Compassion is king. * With all the focus on the overall tank aesthetics and gadgets, it can be easy to lose sight of the core of the aquarium hobby: the animals! Often these are an afterthought and given low priority - just see the common advice for optimizing CO2 as increasing it until the fish start gasping out of asphyxiation. It's important to remember that these animals are our guests, and it is our duty to ensure they lead thriving lives. Especially in the case of wild animals, if it were not for us, they would still be out in the wild. Thus, it is our duty to ensure our animals have a better life than they would have had they remained wherever they came from. Why should we pull them from their former lives only to stress or kill them? For this reason, I ultimately was at peace with the long-term detriments to plants posed by my planaria treatment. While the tank would be less pretty for a while, I was securing a better life for my shrimps and their descendants. This has made all the subsequent struggles with plants worth it.

*3. Don't be afraid to experiment. *It's one thing to have a large knowledge base in a subject, but it's another to put things into practice. Our tanks are unique, individual entities, and will differ. Thus to find whats best for a particular tank, you'll need to experiment and try different things out.

Sometimes this goes well; others it does not. But if you are not willing to take risks and do something different, you will always be stuck with what you have at the present. If your tank is set up well, even negative changes should not outright kill plants. You further reduce the chances of a negative outcome if you will...

*4. Anticipate that changes in one factor will cause changes in others.* A prime example of this when the _Cabomba furcata_ started declining after increasing trace nutrient levels. This was not from toxicity, but rather optimized trace levels increasing phosphate uptake, leading to the previous phosphate dose being insufficient. Another is a once-ideal CO2 injection rate becoming overly stressful to certain fish after the flow pattern was improved.

Tank variables do not exist in a vacuum, but are intricately linked. Light levels, nutrient availability, CO2 concentration, plant density, and microbial activity all interact with each other. Thus when changing one variable, be on the look out for changes in others that may cause problems.

On a related note…

*
5. Be observant and consider changes over time.* When tinkering with the tank, it is key to observe everything closely to gauge the efficacy of your changes. Key areas are plant growth and pearling, livestock behavior, snail population, and water cleanliness. If you don't see a good response, reverse the last change you made!

A keen eye also helps you catch changes in the tank that occur from general aging. For example, the sight of feces where they hadn't previously accumulated and a change in fish shoaling pattern tipped me off that my old Mag 7 pump was slowing down with age. As much as I'd like to have a "set it and forget it" tank, our aquariums are dynamic systems with many moving parts. Inevitably some will change or fail over time. It is up to us as aquarists to see the warning signs and act appropriately.


*6. Learn from diverse sources.* So often it is easy to fall into the trap of seeking information on tank questions or problems from solely within the planted tank sphere. I've entered countless Google searches with my query followed by the phrase "planted tank". But if you look to the same sources as everyone else always has, you will never be able to innovate. For example there was basically no information on proper quarantine procedures to eliminate the possibility of new plants introducing planaria. All I could find was people saying they had treated plants with various products for a few days, and gotten lucky that they never saw any new planaria. This is exactly what I was doing before my planaria infestation! A search of the formal, scientific literature revealed that planaria, the famous asexual dividing organisms, in fact also lay eggs, that standard treatments do not act to kill these eggs, and that the eggs take 2-3 weeks to hatch!

Furthermore, sometimes certain spheres of the hobby miss technological advances altogether! For example, talking to a reefkeeping friend taught me that activated carbon in a canister filter is very ineffective unless used in very large amounts, and that a carbon reactor is magnitudes more efficient. This was over half a year after I had assumed based on all freshwater hobby information sources I'd read that running a little bit of carbon in the canister filter for a few days would be sufficient to rid my tank of the plant-inhibiting planaria medication. In retrospect the carbon I added immediately after the medication course likely did nothing for removal, hence why the tank never seemed the same in respect to plant hardiness afterwards.


*7. Don't settle.* Too often I see people settle for less in this hobby. They give up on certain plants because they are unable to grow them. So common is the advice, "If a plant doesn't grow well for you, forget about it and stick to the ones that do well in your tank."

Life is too short to settle for less. You only get one shot at it, so go for your dreams and vision and don't give them up easily. If you're stubborn enough, you can usually find a way to overcome the struggles that rise during this journey. I went through at least 3 batches of _Cabomba_ this year. I was greatly surprised that this supposed beginner plant was so sensitive and quick to die as a result of environmental insufficiencies. It was heartbreaking to see this beautiful plant die and have to be replaced so many times, all while every other plant in the tank stayed the course and did fine. It was tempting to give up on the plant altogether and settle for a tank without it to save myself the effort of growing it well long-term. But I was not ready to leave behind my favorite plant, the one that had inspired me since childhood. Thus after much trial and error I finally found some strategies to grow it well.

Settling deprives us of what we truly want and of opportunities to learn. While I still sometimes struggle with _Cabomba furcata_, I struggle content inside knowing that these struggles contribute to my learning and knowledge in order for me to achieve my dream (an aquascape with beautiful red_ Cabomba_). At least I'm much closer to it than I was a year ago.


Here's hoping 2018 will be a better year all around. I have some big things planned for this tank and my broader hobby.


----------

