# "Tous ces titres ?trangers sont stupides " 110L [I need your help with algae]



## tcampbell (Jun 8, 2006)

Hi and welcome.

I will start of with suggestions, as that is what you asked for.
One point, both pieces of wood are the same height, same sistance from the front and sides of the tank, and the same style (vertical). Try and angle them a little, 25 degrees, put one deeper into the substrate, moving one back further and one font a little (I mean a little) or closer to the centre. With atank you don't want it to be symetrical. It is not pleasing to the eyes. You want differences, natural, etc.

One thing you will find with a 29 gallon tank is that you would rather have small thin pieces of wood then large thick pieces. It takes up less space in the tank and makes it feel bigger, plus adds more dimensions to the tank. Bigger chunks of wood are usually used in bigger tanks and covered with moss to soften them. like this:










130 watts of light (2 * 65) is a lot for a 29 gallon tank. I am running this tank with 48 watts of light 8 hours a day and growth is very quick.

With high light like you have you might run into problems with algea. Usually high light drives the demand for CO2 and fertilizers. Since you are not using pressurized CO2 and DIY Co2 is usually inconsistant, you will find that plants growth will be affected and algea will develop. Suggestion, half the lights until you get CO2 and a proper dosing strategy.

Your filter, HOB, though not idea, is not really a problem. It will work well, just keep water level high so there is not a lot of surface movement and loss of the little CO2.

Substrate is not a problem. Using ADA Aqua Soil or better substrate only helps at the beginning, with the inital setup and growth, though after the tank matures and growth has settled, it makes no difference. and with moving plants around and rearranging the tank, standard sand is a lot easier and less messy to work with. 

You will have more problems with changing the substrate later on then keeping what you have as with time even an inert substate will become a mature and a fetilizer and bioloigal filtration system for the tank, as waste and bacterial develop and are broken down in the substrate. 

The most important will be your fertilizing schedule through the water column. Suggestion of PPS-Pro with a simple dosing of:

Bottle 1
90ml of water with 
5g K2So4
6g KNO3
1g KH2PO4
4g MgSO4

Bottle 2
90ml of water with
7g Plantex CSM+B

Recommended dose is 1 ml of each solution in 10 gallon aquarium every day before lights go on. So that would be 3 ml daily, so the bottles would last you 1 month each. Very cheap, at approx 1 dollar a month total cost.


Best of luck. Just play with the drift wood until you get it a little different, not so similiar on each side. Try moving your rocks just of center as well, to the left.


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Yeah, 130 W is super overkill for my needs. I am running one light for an eight hour photoperiod right now, and algae is minimal. I agree with your aquascaping ideas, this is my first go round with it, and a little tweaking will really bring this tank to life. Thanks for the input !! Anyone else got some ideas for me ???? :help:


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## mugirl08 (Nov 15, 2005)

I think this has potential! One thing I noticed is that it looks like your plant in the back, just to the left of the right piece of driftwood (it looks like moneywort to me) should be separated instead of clumped together. It will grow much better once you separate it and trim off the dead ends  I second tcampbell's suggestion about moving the driftwood. I think that once this fills in it will look nice  Good luck!
Rachel


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Here's a photo today.










The tank is a bit dirty, but I've rearranged a few plants a bit. Still a mess as far as aquascaping is concerned, but the plants seem to be growing pretty well. I've upped the amount of CO2 being added (added another bottle) yesterday, and hope to see more plant growth and less algae growth. The water sprite is growing some BBA, not surprisingly, little CO2 + lots of light = trimming infected leaves. Still avoiding moving the driftwood, it's gonna make a mess. The driftwood is currently mounted on a rock because they were floaters when I added them to the tank. Perhaps they'll sink now that they've been submerged for a month. Both pieces of wood are growing some rather strange algae, white in color, similar to BBA in structure. It isn't growing quickly, but is hard to remove. I may decide to use rocks instead of driftwood in the future. As always, more comments and suggestions are always welcome.


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## Roc (Mar 16, 2007)

the white stuff might be mold not algae and can happen on pieces of wood that are not good to have submerged


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

I was afraid of that. The wood itself is soft enough to scrape off with my fingernail. Would it be best to take the wood out? I got this wood from a local lake, not a pet store ( That crap's expensive around here !!!)


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

I suppose I'll answer my own question. Should have researched it before I asked  

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/general-planted-tank-discussion/16933-driftwood.html


> What's that fuzz on my driftwood?
> 
> Quite often after driftwood is added to an aquarium, a white almost transparent fuzz will grow on it. This fuzz can appear several weeks to several months after the driftwood is added to the aquarium. Popular thinking is this fuzz is either a fungus or a mold. Either way it's harmless, unfortunately it's not pleasing to look at. Some people have had luck just brushing it off. Others have had luck by introducing algae eating fish, as they will actually eat it. Neither technique will guarantee preventing this fuzz from recurring. The important thing is to have faith, as it will eventually disappear.


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

*Minor Update*

Today was water change day. I decided to move the driftwood before the water change. One thing leads to another and I begin to wonder if the driftwood will sink now that it has been under water for a month. Surely, right? Eh, no. So now the piece on the right is a floater!! I'd like to go to just one piece of driftwood, instead of two, since they are so similar, having the one just to the left of center a few inches to the right of where the left piece is now. However, I like the floating piece better than the other piece because the floating piece has a cool place for the Java fern and moss to grow, and both are doing pretty well there. Ugh. So for right now I've got the floater wedged in the corner of the tank. And I've spread out the red ludwigia. There were a LOT of stems in that bunch. The bottom leaves were beginning to melt (no big surprise there) so I broke up the bunch. Now the tank is just a mess of floating driftwood and random stem plants. Maybe some order will come about the tank soon.:redface:


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

maybe lean the wood against the tank. Straight vertical things seem unnatural like a building.


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

My original intent with this type of driftwood was to look a bit like an underwater swamp, with a few stumps sticking straight up.









However, this idea played out much better in my head. This wood floats, with amazing amounts of buoyancy. Leaning it isn't going to work, look at the piece on the right. Until I find some better driftwood, or this crap I've got sinks, it's gotta be vertical.


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Here is a pic after 40ish days. Growth in this tank has been phenomenal. I was trimming about 6 inches a week from the rotala before I reduced my photoperiod. Algae has been minimal, but water has been hazy. It looks like a bacterial bloom, but has persisted for about 2 weeks now. I am suspecting it is actually green water, but not exhibiting the usual green color. I am planning on a 3 day black out starting tomorrow to see if this will clear the water. I also suspect the filter (stock HOB) is insufficient and hope to replace it with a Rena XP2 in the next few weeks.


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## forddna (Sep 12, 2007)

Wow! That's some serious growth!


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

I agree. I never imagined that plants could grow so fast. Lots of people over complicate planted aquaria unnecessarily. Good steady CO2, proper fertilization ( I use EI method) and quality lighting is all you need. I don't use overpriced ADA soils, or fancy ADA diffusers ( I use limewood). My fertilizers aren't given some silly name like "brighty K". Those things are all nice and undeniably beautiful, but not needed.

Lighting is the throttle behind growth. The only thing that changed between the tank that you see on 8-30 and 9-30 is 1 month's time, and I went from 65 watts to 130 watts ( I also upped CO2 a bit to compensate). While seeing your plants grow out that fast and fill up your tank is fun, the trimming is a nightmare. So, I now run only one bulb for 3 hours, and both bulbs for 3 additional hours. Growth has diminished greatly. I still get pearling after the 3rd hour. Algae is almost nonexistent. Couldn't ask for more.

Now if I can just keep some shrimp alive I'll be happy.


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

It's been about three months since my last update. The rotala background grew too dense, and had lots of roots on the bottom half of the stems exposed, so I topped about six inches and replanted just those, throwing away the bottom half. The marselia minuta foreground had also become overgrown, growing up the sides of the glass and held a lot of hair algae. I ripped it up, kept a few healthy runners and replanted just those. I am growing dwarf hairgrass on the left and right side of the foreground, just to see how it looks. I'd like to add some different plants in the background to break up the rotala, any suggestions?


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## mrbman7 (Mar 22, 2007)

Looks good man. You have mucho endlers  Mine have exploded in population in a 20H. Silly Wabbits.


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Thanks. I have a couple of the little guys  They're worse than 16 yr old kids in the back seat of a station wagon. I originally bought six, and I've got fifty or so now.


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## forddna (Sep 12, 2007)

I like the update! What is the sword type plant in the left front?


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

It is an aponogeton bulb, one from the pack you can get from Wal-Mart. I got about six bulbs, four sprouted, and that one had the nicest looking growth. Almost every sprout had different looking leaves on it, which really surprised me.


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## forddna (Sep 12, 2007)

Cool. I like the look of them. I think I have one, but it's smaller (younger?).


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Update time!!! Tank has been chugging along, no big news. I added some cardinal tetras earlier this week in a trade for some endlers. Here's a picture from this morning.









The tank was stable, and that is boring. So I decided today was the day to add that big hunk of a stump I found last week. I washed it in the dishwasher (don't tell my wife) and screwed it to a piece of plexiglass I picked up from the Home Depot.

















Then the fun part. Netting out forty or fifty quick little fishes, none of whom want to be netted out. Here they are wishing they were somewhere else:








Here's about half the plants I yanked out:









Moved all the sand to one side of the tank, put in driftwood, leveled sand back out:








I then planted the foreground, added back in the fish, and finished planting. I've got four new species of plants coming in probably tomorrow. I'm a little undecided on how the plants in the back of the tank look, I'm planning on keeping them trimmed into neater bushes this go around, instead of heaping messes. Here's some shots of the plecos in their new home, and the cories under theirs. Enjoy, and comments are welcome.


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## BiscuitSlayer (Apr 1, 2005)

Saweeet! Man, that is a nice piece of driftwood.

I might have a fairly decent anubias rhizome soon that needs to be cut in half. I'll bet it would look pretty decent growing out of where that awesome looking pleco is in the pic. I might have a few assorted stems too.

What kind of pleco is that?

Edit: Saw the BN post from cobra guppy. I thought it might be a BN, but I haven't seen an albino though.


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## CobraGuppy (Sep 23, 2007)

i like the new tank!

your bn plec is so cute lol.
Is that dwarf sag you have on the right forground of the tank?


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

BiscuitSlayer said:


> Saweeet! Man, that is a nice piece of driftwood.
> 
> I might have a fairly decent anubias rhizome soon that needs to be cut in half. I'll bet it would look pretty decent growing out of where that awesome looking pleco is in the pic. I might have a few assorted stems of stuff too.
> 
> What kind of pleco is that?


Thanks!
Can you bury anubias rhizomes? I'd like something growing up from underneath the stump, probably some nana species. 

I've got some awesome stuff coming from Wasserpest tomorrow, as well as some blyxa japonica from another member that's going in there. That should satisfy my collectoritis for a while  What kind of stuff might you have?

The pleco is an albino Ancistrus spp. , or a bristlenose pleco to the common folk. I've got a male and female, and hope they get to crankin out some babies soon!



CobraGuppy said:


> i like the new tank!
> 
> your bn plec is so cute lol.
> Is that dwarf sag you have on the right forground of the tank?


Thanks!
It is dwarf sag on the right side, and may be replaced by b. japonica soon.


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## frozenbarb (Dec 16, 2006)

Wow where did you get that driftwood? Its amazing!!.

and.....I though I was the only crazy one who would stick all my plants into little buckets while rescaping.


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

frozenbarb said:


> Wow where did you get that driftwood? Its amazing!!.


The ground!! Isn't that a crazy place!! Oh, and it's free from there too, so my total cost for this project was three bucks, for the plexiglass. Take a little trip around your area, maybe find a river or a wooded area where some old hardwood trees may have fallen. You'd be surprised the beauty you'll find in mother nature.


frozenbarb said:


> and.....I though I was the only crazy one who would stick all my plants into little buckets while rescaping.


Ha, certainly not. I even put the HC and hairgrass in a wine glass


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## BiscuitSlayer (Apr 1, 2005)

eyebeatbadgers said:


> The pleco is an albino Ancistrus spp. , or a bristlenose pleco to the common folk. I've got a male and female, and hope they get to crankin out some babies soon!


If you get some babbies, I have dibs on at least one of them. 

You really shouldn't burry the rihozomes. They need to be able to get some light to send out new leaves. Thats why I suggested putting it into that hole. They do better attached to driftwood. I have a small piece of driftwood where it is growing out of a hole like the one you have. It looks pretty cool.

Good call on the blyxa. I was going to suggest some. Great plant! I'm interested to see what you get from wasserpest. Should be some good stuff.

One plant that I am really starting to like is hygro. I have some sunset and another species that I don't know the name of. It kind of looks like bamboo with really long green leaves. It is one of my favorite plants as well as my fishes. They love the cover it provides. Your tank is going to look awesome man. If you check out my tank thread towards the end and see anything you like let me know. I am about to do a major trim to thin it out.

I don't know if you like the jungle look or not though.. lol


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

BiscuitSlayer said:


> If you get some babbies, I have dibs on at least one of them.


Sure thing. They tend to eat through broad leaved plants, like swords and aponogetons, but their looks make up for it. If you keep them well fed they chew up the big plants a lot slower.


BiscuitSlayer said:


> If you check out my tank thread towards the end and see anything you like let me know. I am about to do a major trim to thin it out.
> 
> I don't know if you like the jungle look or not though.. lol


I was checking out your tank earlier today actually :smile: I am going to try to keep this tank from turning into a jungle again, but I really appreciate your offer.


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

*Collectoritis is acting up agian...*

It seems as though members Badcopnofishtank and Wolfenexxx are hell bent on this tank becoming a jungle. I had four new species of plants ordered, small quantities of each, and received 5 total (a bonus of bacopa pink from Craig) and quantities were crazy big. So... in a month, this tank will again be a jungle, but with a stump in the middle of it!









The huge aponongeton bulb may soon be finding a new home, and probably some blyxa japonica too.

Whaddya think?:smile:


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## jinx© (Oct 17, 2007)

Looking great. roud:

That stump is a nice find.


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## James From Cali (Dec 15, 2006)

I LOVE THAT STUMP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

Tank is looking great.


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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

the stump is great, it reminds me of bald cypress stumps lookin good


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

jinx© said:


> Looking great. roud:
> 
> That stump is a nice find.





James From Cali said:


> I LOVE THAT STUMP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11
> 
> Tank is looking great.





clwatkins10 said:


> the stump is great, it reminds me of bald cypress stumps lookin good


Apparently I have the king of all stumps.:hihi: I will be selling tours of central Tennessee in the future, and for $2000 I will take you on a guided tour of where you can hunt your own driftwood, and I'll guarantee one keeper! Any takers can just reply here with your time frame, and I'll setup the rest.

EDIT: here's a new pic after a week's growth. Didn't think it warranted a new bump, but the plants are all growing in their new homes nicely!! Also, another thanks to the members who share their plants on the S-N-S!!


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## TheCryptKeeper (Mar 9, 2008)

I love this tank setup.. awesome driftwood! nice alterthera!


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Torpedobarb said:


> I love this tank setup.. awesome driftwood! nice alterthera!


Thanks so much, it's finally growing into what I had envisioned all along. 

I don't think I have any Alternanthera, the bright red plant I have that is similiar looking is Ludwigia Glandulosa , awesome stuff I bought from Wolfenexxx.


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## ikuzo (Jul 11, 2006)

i like the stump, but i think you have to make up your mind for the foreground. i'd go for hairgrass there instead of HC. if you do both, i guess the hairgrass will eventually overtake your HC.

what are those small grey fish?


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

ikuzo said:


> i like the stump, but i think you have to make up your mind for the foreground. i'd go for hairgrass there instead of HC. if you do both, i guess the hairgrass will eventually overtake your HC.
> 
> what are those small grey fish?


heh, yeah, I am a little undecided there. For some reason, the hairgrass doesn't really thrive in this tank, but the HC does. I think both foregrounds would look very nice, and I think if I can get the hairgrass growing better once I get to misting the CO2 in the tank next week, then the HC might go.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

ikuzo said:


> what are those small grey fish?


Look like guppies or other wild-type livebearers?


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## blazeyreef (Mar 17, 2008)

Did you get that awesome pics of driftwood at Aquatic C? They never have anything when I go in their...


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## BiscuitSlayer (Apr 1, 2005)

EBB -

How are you injecting CO2 into the tank now? I noticed you said misting next week. Just thought I would ask.

If you find you don't like the misting, let me know. I'll get a reactor built for ya and ship it asap.


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## blazeyreef (Mar 17, 2008)

BiscuitSlayer said:


> EBB -
> 
> How are you injecting CO2 into the tank now? I noticed you said misting next week. Just thought I would ask.
> 
> If you find you don't like the misting, let me know. I'll get a reactor built for ya and ship it asap.


well if you are just handing out reactors I will take one :hihi:


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

ikuzo said:


> i like the stump, but i think you have to make up your mind for the foreground. i'd go for hairgrass there instead of HC. if you do both, i guess the hairgrass will eventually overtake your HC.
> 
> what are those small grey fish?


The grey fish are female endler's livebearers, and juvi males. I guess I got about 40 females these days 



blazeyreef said:


> Did you get that awesome pics of driftwood at Aquatic C? They never have anything when I go in their...


Heck no! That crap is expensive in there!!! I got it from Percy Priest lake near Antioch.


BiscuitSlayer said:


> EBB -
> 
> How are you injecting CO2 into the tank now? I noticed you said misting next week. Just thought I would ask.
> 
> If you find you don't like the misting, let me know. I'll get a reactor built for ya and ship it asap.


I'm using a reactor now, but I just dont like it's performance. With the stump in the tank now, I'm getting some GSA and still have a few spots of clado in the lower flow areas. I'm using an XP2, so I should really have enough flow, but I'm just not impressed. I'm putting about 3+ bps in the tank, which is way too much for a tank this size I think. Any more than that, and it just sits at the top of the reactor. I don't have a venturi loop, so after a few hours, the extra CO2 just sits there, making noise. I'm hoping that by doing both reactor (at a slower bps rate) and misting via a Gen-X pump per Tom Barr's advice, I can rid the algae and reduce or maintain the amount of CO2 I'm pumping into the tank, and just use it in a more efficient way. It's not that I care about "wasting" Co2, I just want the algae gone, and all the plants thriving, not just the ones that are getting good flow!


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## blazeyreef (Mar 17, 2008)

No joke! The only thing I get their is plants... but I didnt know if you were crazy (j/k LOL)
Oh ok, I know what your talking about. I will have to check it out


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Hey- EBB- Happy BDay!


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

lauraleellbp said:


> Hey- EBB- Happy BDay!


Thank you so much!! I'm 21 finally!! Time to go get a beer or six :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## blazeyreef (Mar 17, 2008)

eyebeatbadgers said:


> Thank you so much!! I'm 21 finally!! Time to go get a beer or six :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:


LOL, you can now legally buy beer LOL


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Six pack for pre-game outing: $6
Cover to get into the club: $8
Bar tab at the end of the night: $74

Being able to legally do what youve been doing since you were 15: 
Priceless.......


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Since I've added the stump to the tank, the far right side hasn't been getting enough flow/Co2, and I've been getting some GSA and clado. Well, low flow no more!!

Per Tom Barr's recommendations, I purchased a Gen-X needle wheel submersible pump. I bought the 1000/lph model, and it provides some very nice flow, a bit more than my XP2. I bought it from Addictive Aquatics, 30 bucks shipped to my door, which is a super sweet deal. The pump is quiet, very quiet, and seemingly well made. The impeller looks like it can chop up some serious gas, and it does! I've got the pump inside the tank now, but it is a little too big to hide in my setup, so it'll be inline with my filter next week more than likely. 

Here's the needle wheel, and then the pump in action:



















I haven't had time to see its' effects yet, but I'm hoping to see a decrease in GSA. Plants started pearling in about 10 minutes.


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Needle wheel misting is awesome. Algae is next to non-existent. Tank is coming along well. Here's a new pic, enjoy. Comments and questions welcome.


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## Adhlc (May 4, 2008)

I don't know how I missed this one up until now, I love the layout, that stump-like piece of wood is very unique. Well done!


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Beautiful!

I'm strugglig a little with scale between the right and left side of the tank... might resolve itself once the plants have filled in though.

I love the balance of color. :thumbsup:


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Adhlc said:


> I don't know how I missed this one up until now, I love the layout, that stump-like piece of wood is very unique. Well done!


Thank you. Without this forum and others, it wouldn't have been possible.


lauraleellbp said:


> Beautiful!
> 
> I'm strugglig a little with scale between the right and left side of the tank... might resolve itself once the plants have filled in though.
> 
> I love the balance of color. :thumbsup:


Thanks! 

Have you ever seen one of those silly tanks where all the big stuff is on one end, and it slopes downward towards the other end, almost ending at something like a "river bank"? That's kinda what I'm looking for. Big plants on right, gets shorter towards left. Works with the shape of the stump that way too.


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## BiscuitSlayer (Apr 1, 2005)

EBB -

Tank is looking awesome man! It will look really good when you get a 75 gallon going.


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

BiscuitSlayer said:


> EBB -
> 
> Tank is looking awesome man! It will look really good when you get a 75 gallon going.


As soon as funds are sufficient, it will begin. I've got a budget for about 600 dollars, for stand (that's where you come in), tank, filter, lighting, etc.

So far, the 75 gallon fund is at about 150 dollars. The money from sales in the 29 gallon is paying for it's big brother.


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## BiscuitSlayer (Apr 1, 2005)

eyebeatbadgers said:


> As soon as funds are sufficient, it will begin. I've got a budget for about 600 dollars, for stand (that's where you come in)



Ah man, it isn't going to cost that much just for the stand. Hell, at the rate I am going with mine, maybe you should just go with mine. Not like I am going to be using it anytime soon. 

Since you just want the stand, it will be a snap. The canopy actually is taking longer. If I had to do it all over again, I think I would do it quite differently.

I am actually saving up for a jointer and a planer so that I can build the frames completely square and level. Should help cut trim costs as well. I can't imagine what you would do with a 75. Your 29 looks fantastic!


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

BiscuitSlayer said:


> Ah man, it isn't going to cost that much just for the stand. Hell, at the rate I am going with mine, maybe you should just go with mine. Not like I am going to be using it anytime soon.
> 
> Since you just want the stand, it will be a snap. The canopy actually is taking longer. If I had to do it all over again, I think I would do it quite differently.
> 
> I am actually saving up for a jointer and a planer so that I can build the frames completely square and level. Should help cut trim costs as well. I can't imagine what you would do with a 75. Your 29 looks fantastic!


I was planning on 600 for the whole setup. If you were going to charge me that much for just the stand, then we'd have to have a talk :hihi:

Time is no issue, it'll take me a while to pile up the cash for this tank, and I'm in no rush.

Aw, shucks.:icon_redf I've already got my driftwood picked out [of the woods] for the 75, I think it'll look pretty nice.


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## BiscuitSlayer (Apr 1, 2005)

eyebeatbadgers said:


> I was planning on 600 for the whole setup. If you were going to charge me that much for just the stand, then we'd have to have a talk :hihi:



The stand won't cost you anywhere near that amount. I thought you were just saving that much for the stand.


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## ZooTycoonMaster (Jan 2, 2008)

Update?


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## TheCryptKeeper (Mar 9, 2008)

that tank looks awesome! I debated on doing a tank like that.. huge focal point on right side and keep the left open and low! great job!


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

eyebeatbadgers said:


> Have you ever seen one of those silly tanks where all the big stuff is on one end, and it slopes downward towards the other end, almost ending at something like a "river bank"? That's kinda what I'm looking for. Big plants on right, gets shorter towards left. Works with the shape of the stump that way too.


Nope, not a clue!

(Yours is gonna look a whole lot better than mine :hihi: You'll probably be able to resist giant "theme-wrecking" swords much better than me! :thumbsup: )


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

ZooTycoonMaster said:


> Update?


No?

Give it another month or so. I don't see much sense in posting a picture of the tank every three days. Not much happens in such a short span of time. I am trying a couple of new plant varieties, so the next picture will really be an update, not just another picture of the same thing:thumbsup:



Torpedobarb said:


> that tank looks awesome! I debated on doing a tank like that.. huge focal point on right side and keep the left open and low! great job!


Thanks! I like the setup myself, I'm actually pretty surprised at how well it turned out. I'm about ready for another reincarnation already though :icon_roll Probably something with rocks, and cichlids!


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## jackh (Jul 2, 2008)

your tank looks great man. any updates since the last pic? 

i think i needa add a submersible pump in my tank also. im gettin some algea growth on the side opposite my filter


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

I'll be doing a 1 year update, on the 22nd of this month, assuming I buy some AA batteries before then 

Nothing radical happening with the tank, just growing along. Added a couple new plants, a little of Rotala Wallichi, Rotala Viet Nam, Mayaca fluviatilis, and Murdannia sp. 'Red'. The tank's really come a long way since day one !! The tank's got a trio of German Blue Rams now too, they're pretty fun. I'm still trying to catch all the Endler's Livebearers. I'm 'fraid I will have to tear the tank down to totally get all of them.


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Well, the tank has been set up for just over a year now. It's come quite a long way since then. I tore it down a week or two ago, just to do some major trimming, rearranging of species, replanting, and some clado killing/ endler catching. I think the endler population had overcome the biological capacities of my filter, and the ammonia presence was the root of my algae woes. Now that they're gone, the tank is unbelievably cleaner. HC is also gone, in favor of hairgrass. Hairgrass may be replaced by UG or Lilaeopsis brasiliensis in the near future, as it's a pain for me to keep clean.


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## Bk828 (Mar 11, 2008)

Very nice. ludwigia looks marvelous


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Bk828 said:


> Very nice. ludwigia looks marvelous


Thanks, always appreciate the kind words!

Well, I finally got around to getting that big ugly pump out of the tank, and into the stand, as well as some other tidy-up things that needed to be done. Since the Rex Reactor houses my heater, I'm going to keep it, but I shortened it so that it actually fits under the stand. 

The pump is fed through a bypass loop that is T'd off before the canister and T'd back in after the reactor. Can anyone here with plumbing experience tell me if I'll need a ball valve before the pump to keep the canister fed? Or, any other things I've overlooked (other than feeding the Co2 into the line). I'm going to drill a small hole in the tubing before the pump and squeeze in the CO2 feed, sealing the deal with some E6000.

Feedback appreciated.


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## BiscuitSlayer (Apr 1, 2005)

EBB -

I am a little puzzeled as to why you have the pump in your configuration. It seems that it might mess with the flow of the canister. I am racking my brain trying to figure this one out. 

It looks like it is pulling water from the reactor return to the tank and pumping it back into the feed to the filter. Am I correct in this assumption?


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Well, lemme explain...










This new config is just a way to use the needle wheel pump out of the tank, but I'm worried that it will starve the canister, since it's flow is much greater than the canister's. I may have to fabricate a larger diameter intake and outtake to compensate for the additional flow, or use a ball valve.


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## BiscuitSlayer (Apr 1, 2005)

By using that configuration aren't you bypassing the filtering process with the majority of the flow available, even if you aren't starving the canister flow?

I am having trouble seeing the end goal of placing the pump like that unless it is just to increase overall flow in the tank.

Forgive me for my ignorance.


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Well, my main concern was cavitation of the filter, which was explained to me over on Tom Barr's forum. 

The purpose of this setup was to get junk out of the tank. I got tired of looking at the big pump sitting in the corner of the tank, so I moved it! 

The water coming into the pump will be unfiltered, yes, but that's no different than when it was set up in the tank before. I've only had to clean it out once since I bought it back in April, and that was when I had a bunch of riccia floating around.

The overall flow in the tank won't be any different, it's just all going through the in/out pipes of the filter now. The filter itself should still get about the same amount of water going through it, since it'll be running the same way, there will just be more water going through the inlet strainer now.

Everything will be dry and cured tomorrow, and I'll post up the results. Keep your fingers crossed for no leaks!


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## BiscuitSlayer (Apr 1, 2005)

Ahh... Now it makes sense to me. I'm anxious to see you post your results.


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## colinthebassist (Nov 30, 2007)

Your design should work ok. One thing you will have to do is have a larger hose size for the main intake and outtake of your plumbing system to allow for adequate flow to both pumps. Otherwise you'll get cavitation on your pumps and eventually overheat and destroy them.


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

I'm using 5/8" tubing, and I think it I may increase the diameter of the intake tubing from tank to "T" to 3/4". 

Another member on another forum posted this about cavitation in my situation:

"Mag drive type pumps, canisters, and powerheads that have the pump housing that allows the impeller to spin either direction in order to create flow can never really create enough intake vacuum to cause cavitation. You really need to get into the true centrifugal pumps that have a housing and impeller design just like an automotive turbocharger before the design is efficient enough to cause that issue. Even then, you also need to have a higher head style pump before the issue can become significant enough to start causing any actual pump damage.

In relation to supersaturated oxygen levels that can occur in aquariums from vigorous plant growth during the day. Pretty much anything that forces water around can pull that extra oxygen out of solution and form bubbles or mist in the tank. Even though that is technically cavitation if a pump is doing it, pump intake design and/or starvation are not causing it, and that created gas will never be enough to damage anything."


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Today, I got schooled by common sense. I've been planning this layout for some time now in my head, but failed to think of one thing: water travels the path of least resistance. Let's go back to my painting.










Those dark blue arrows show the water's actual path when things were hooked up. The water coming out of the filter would rather go backwards through the pump and back through the intake side of the filter than way up to the tank, duh:iamwithst. The water was traveling really, really fast through that loop though :icon_lol:.

So, instead of the return "T" being so low in the layout, I moved it to just below the spraybar, to reduce the amount of water coming through the short loop. Um...:iamwithst

The result was a stream weaker than Bob Dole's.









So, I racked my brain, digging deep to figure out why this pump has no ability to overcome head! I gave up, and just ran it inline after the reactor/heater holder. Easy enough :icon_redf.

Note to self, when moving plumbing attached to pump that has a twist off faceplate, don't twist off said face plate. If you do, you'll get an instant 10% water change, on your lap:iamwithst









So, lessons learned, and now you know how to run a needle wheel pump with your can filter. My plants are rejoicing!


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

I would've kept the filter loop separate and run a closed loop with a NW pump just for the CO2 itself. Solves a lot of the problems, plus you get an extra set of input/outputs for additional flow without having powerheads in the tank.

But that's just my 2 cents. Shows that there's many ways to get something done.  

Your plants are happy...that's what counts.


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

I would have added another set of input/outputs, but my main goal is to get crap out of the tank! The tank looks much better now that it's done, and the flow is more even throughout the tank, whereas before the pump would obliterate anything withing one foot of it, and the opposite side was borderline too still.


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## Crystalview (Aug 10, 2007)

I guess I will try a nano in tank first. My head is not yet into the plumbing lesson.
Do you have a plan, pic or link of your DYI heater cover?


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

DIY: Do It Yourself 

Here is the link. 

It's a super easy and cheap build, as is plumbing in the pump, once you get the right information. Apparently, no one has actually tried doing what I was planning on before, just a bunch of opinions. And you know what those are like


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## Karackle (Dec 11, 2007)

Wow gorgeous tank! That's a really beautiful interesting and different stump and I really like the way you've used it in the scape!


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Thanks! The plecos and my otto all like the stump quite a bit as well. Here's a picture from today, the plants have really started growing a lot faster with the new Co2 setup, and I increased the photoperiod to 9 hours a day.


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## Crystalview (Aug 10, 2007)

I like the change and nice up feeling to the scene.


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## Karackle (Dec 11, 2007)

Glad to hear the fishies like the stump too, that's important! And the tank looks great, amazing growth! I really need to start thinking about some DIY CO2......


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

I'm learning to prune (I _am_ doing it weekly:icon_redf)! The Rotala Colorata actually gets a chance to turn red when it's pruned right, and I cut the lights back to 8 hours a day. At 10 hours, the plants were growing so fast they didn't seem to turn red until they hit the top. I also have no GSA at all with an 8 hour photoperiod. 

I finally got around to getting some of the plants where I wanted them. I'm thinking about ditching the two Bacopa species in favor of just Rotala and Mayaca in the central background. I'm also planning on thinning out the Blyxa to just a couple plants, and letting the hairgrass fill in. Finally, there will be a Downoi field in front of the wood, but it's a slow process. I finally seem to have it growing nice and healthy though.

The tank's still a little busy, but my collectoritis isn't flaring up every week like it used to  Once that happens, this tank might be done!


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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

Your plants are very healthy! I love the moss


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## Black Hills Tj (Jul 19, 2008)

Your tank looks great. I love the driftwood!


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Thanks guys. The moss is actually growing again, now that I got the stupid cladophora under control. The 100+ endler's I had in there a while back weren't helping things at all. Looking back over my old pictures, I realized that the moss is the same scraggly crap that was floating around in my first picture! That stuff is impossible to get rid of, and planted itself on the driftwood in those two places. When it gets too big, the plecos knock chunks of it off and my filter takes care of the rest, so it trims itself  

Another thing I wanted to mention was how well the Co2 setup is working. All of my tanks in the future will have a similar rendition of the setup. I'm running about 2-3 bps (can you guys really count that fast?), and in the morning, most of the bubbles from the needle wheel pump are completely diffused when they exit the spraybar. At night, there are a lot more bubbles visible, but it's still a very fine mist, much moreso than when the pump was in the tank. When looking head on into the tank from a standing position, you can't see the mist at all. The added boost the pump gives the XP2 filter really puts an ideal amount of flow throughout the tank. The substrate stays clean of poop, and loose leaves get sucked into the filter. The pump is darn near silent out of water too, much more quiet than the fan on my lights.


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## @[email protected] (Oct 24, 2007)

tank looks great!

you may want to stick a fern in the hole on the left side of the wood (up and a bit to the right of the downoi) and see how that looks.


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## Tex Gal (Mar 28, 2008)

I enjoyed reading your entire thread. Boy what a difference from the beginning. I love these long thread. It's like you can actually get in someone's head and see their learning curve. Your tank looks great. I do miss being able to see your rotala indica (is that what it is?) in the back. It's such a nice compliment to your tank.

Watch out for the blyxa. It can sure take over....


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

@[email protected] said:


> tank looks great!
> 
> you may want to stick a fern in the hole on the left side of the wood (up and a bit to the right of the downoi) and see how that looks.


It's just a knot, not an actual hole, so a java fern would look kinda silly just propped up there. I've got a small narrow leaf fern back there somewhere, I check it out every few months and sell half of it 



Tex Gal said:


> I enjoyed reading your entire thread. Boy what a difference from the beginning. I love these long thread. It's like you can actually get in someone's head and see their learning curve. Your tank looks great. I do miss being able to see your rotala indica (is that what it is?) in the back. It's such a nice compliment to your tank.
> 
> Watch out for the blyxa. It can sure take over....


Thank you, this tank has come quite a way over the past year. The Rotala Rotundifolia, Colorata, and Green are nice plants, and I plant to make them more prominent in the future, but the L. Brevipes grows so fast it's hard to keep the rotala ahead. I also want to get rid of the "green" and "rotundifolia" species and just have Colorata, but it's gonna be a pain.

Eh, Blyxa doesn't do too hot in my tank. For some reason it won't take root, and the plants that do, lose their leaves over time. It does make lots of side shoots, but it never gets much height. Kind of frustrating. Maybe if this tank had some aquisoil it would grow better :thumbsup:


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## Tex Gal (Mar 28, 2008)

This is the plant I was referring to. What is this plant? I think it looked good back there.


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

That is Bacopa Monneri, or "moneywort". I like the color of that plant, but it doesn't lend well to forming a bush. The stems are very thick and look funky when chopped in half.


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## aquaticmaniac (Nov 10, 2007)

Great tank! Your skills have definitely improved since you started this project


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## Tex Gal (Mar 28, 2008)

eyebeatbadgers said:


> That is Bacopa Monneri, or "moneywort". I like the color of that plant, but it doesn't lend well to forming a bush. The stems are very thick and look funky when chopped in half.


That's what I liked about it. Looked kinda like a pine forest growing straight and tall. They are in the "bamboo" look category to me. You'll never get a bush - just a stand of stems with leaves. An interesting grouping! I wondered if it was Bacopa Monneri. I was looking through my new little plant book last night. 101 Best Aquarium Plants. It's a nice book. It's says downoi is in the top 10 of "easy to grow". I have to disagree with that. It hates to live at my house!


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

It can be a very finicky plant. I had a time with it for a while, I believe my success with it now is due to good Co2 and consistent fertilizing. Blyxa Japonica is easy for most folks too, but I can't get it happy in my tanks.


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## BiscuitSlayer (Apr 1, 2005)

Your tank is looking awesome EBB. I think you have done a great job with your placement of everything. It has a very pleasing look with your clean layout. The way you have things set up, the tank looks larger than a 29.


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Thanks, it still has a little ways to go, but I've been very pleased with it's growth. It _will _be larger than 29 gallons before too long


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

New pics for this month:


















Plant list is finally dwindling, and has been whittled down to:

Foreground: Dwarf Hairgrass, Downoi
Midground: Blyxa Japonica, Ludwigia Brevipes
Background:Rotala Colorata, Mayaca Fluvitalis, Limnophila Aromatica
Random Accent plants I can't let go:Taiwan moss, Ludwigia Glandulosa, Narrow leaf java fern.


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## @[email protected] (Oct 24, 2007)

well, the only thing i can think of is:
I WANT IT!!!!
it amazing. i love your tank.

and good photoshop effect to make it looked sketched (i doubt you actually sketched it to such persicion).


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Thanks! It's just the "negative" of the first picture. No artistic ability here


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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

The tank really looks nice EBB :thumbsup:


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## roybot73 (Dec 15, 2007)

Nice, healthy, clean and simple! The stump reminds me of "Close Encounters of the Third Kind"


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Thanks guys. I'll have to check out "Close Encounters" :thumbsup:


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## mizu-chan (May 13, 2008)

Amazing tank. It looks beautiful!


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## brion0 (Sep 28, 2008)

Just read both your 10 an 29 gal. threads, very impresive. Your driftwood looks great, I think its cool when someone goes out and collects stuff to scape with. With every update the 29 got better an better. Its realy nice. The tetras look good to.


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Thank you very much. There's a good chance the next update on this tank will either be less nice looking, or just a long time from now  I think the tank had peaked when I took those last set of pictures, and it will take some time to get it back there.

Just after those pictures, I ran out of Co2 for a few days, which wasn't good obviously. Then I let the plants overgrow, which isn't good for any of the plants. Once I chopped them back, the light starved knubs at the bottom looked pretty pitiful, and still have a long way to go. Being in the dark hurt the hairgrass some, and when it got weak the cladophora moved in. So, I'm battling clado in this tank again, which I haven't done in probably six months, there is consistent BBA on the driftwood, and I've been a little lazy with water changes and fertilizing, so the plants have suffered some there too. Maybe I'll get it together one of these days


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## ZooTycoonMaster (Jan 2, 2008)

WOAH I just looked at this tank and it's awesome!!! What's the plant on top of the wood? Moss?


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Thanks, it's taiwan moss.


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## gsmitchell (Feb 11, 2007)

That is a great tank. The placement of the Downoi is perfect. Who would have guessed that such a large piece of driftwood would look so good right at the front of the tank? The stems are trimmed very well also, and I like how the slope of the stems mimics the slope/slant of the driftwood.

It is cool how the focal point here is really more the downoi, dark spot in the wood (just before it starts rising completely vertically) and the greener rotala. All of that lines up right on the "golden ratio" line.

I am doing something very similar to you with my pump/canister as well. The output from the tank runs into my canister, then I have a Danner Mag Drive 500 after the canister, pumping into a mazzei injector. I have to use th eextra pump to get enough pressure to make the mazzei work well while keeping flow up. I haven't had any problems running them in series like that either.

Greg


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

gsmitchell said:


> That is a great tank. The placement of the Downoi is perfect. Who would have guessed that such a large piece of driftwood would look so good right at the front of the tank? The stems are trimmed very well also, and I like how the slope of the stems mimics the slope/slant of the driftwood.
> 
> It is cool how the focal point here is really more the downoi, dark spot in the wood (just before it starts rising completely vertically) and the greener rotala. All of that lines up right on the "golden ratio" line.
> 
> ...


Thanks very much! Who would have guessed a gigantic piece of wood would look so nice in a 29? Me! This layout took a lot of planning, and obviously months of plant rearranging, selection, and deletion to get just where I wanted it. Keeping the Downoi as it looks in the picture is a challenge, as it isn't a plant that lends well to trimming, or replanting. Keeping the rotala trimmed so that it gives a triangular aesthetic is something of a challenge, especially keeping it from looking like a topiary. And finally getting it all to work on the "golden ratio" line took some grunting and lots of staring into the tank. 

The filter/Co2 setup is perfect. There really are no drawbacks to the setup I have, other than the microbubbles. They don't bother me, and from the angle you see the tank while standing, they're basically invisible. The needle wheel pump is silent, no malfunctions, and I haven't cleaned it in three months or so now. Now I have no extra lines or pumps or diffusers in the tank, no algae to bleach off the disk every week, just simple efficient stuff.:thumbsup:


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Yesterday, I fed the fish and noticed that the flow from the output had diminished greatly. I also quickly noticed no mist coming from the spraybar. Not good.

Opened up the cabinet, and put my hands on the needle wheel pump to see if it was running. No vibration, but it was pretty darn hot. Super. 

I shut everything off, block the flow from the XP2, drain the hoses, and start to pull the faceplate off the needle wheel pump. Instead of the whole faceplate coming off, I get about 1/2 of a hose barb. Not good. 

The hose barb wasn't the cause of the problems, but I would like everyone to know that the factory supplied hose barbs with the Gen-X pumps are garbage. The part that snapped off wasn't much thicker than a piece of paper. Thankfully I had another spare hose barb in my bucket of fish tank crap, and modified the pump a bit to get it to thread in. 

The actual problem I set out to fix was that the ceramic shaft in the pump had not seated properly a week or so ago when I took it apart to get a couple pictures. The faceplate has a rubber receiver for the shaft, much like a canister filter, and the shaft did not go in the hole, but started it's own. The extra pressure kept the impeller from spinning, causing the pump to overheat. No damage done though, the pump still works fine, and the shaft was fine too. Just a word of warning, if you take the faceplate off your Gen-X pump, put the ceramic shaft in the faceplate side first, before screwing it on.


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## krtismo (Sep 23, 2006)

If you could buy another NW pump, what would you buy? Another Gen-X? Or something else?

I'm considering running a Gen-X GX 1500 inline with a XP3 on my 55g.


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

krtismo said:


> If you could buy another NW pump, what would you buy? Another Gen-X? Or something else?
> 
> I'm considering running a Gen-X GX 1500 inline with a XP3 on my 55g.


Guess I missed this question. Yes, I would buy another Gen-X pump. My only complaint with it as I have said before is that the threads for the hose barbs are just a little too far recessed into the pump. This is fine for the barbs that they provide you, but if you run this pump inline, you will have to buy another barb, or change hose size after the pump. The poly barbs that you can buy from Lowe's or HD do not have a long enough threaded shank to get a good secure grip on the pump. I did a little filing on the pump, and used some silicone, and everything is leak free. Plumber's tape worked for a while, until I took the pump apart to do some cleaning (very clean!). The best part about this pump is its' silence, it is more quiet than my Rena Xp2. 

And since I haven't posted any pictures in a while, here are some from today:


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## brittanyb157 (Feb 24, 2009)

Love it! It's gorgeous. :thumbsup:


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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

That grass is awesome. What sp. is it?


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## Ashok (Dec 11, 2006)

Wowie! Great looking tank!


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Thanks guys :thumbsup:



clwatkins10 said:


> That grass is awesome. What sp. is it?


Eleocharis Parvula I believe. I got it from member anthonysquire a long time ago. It won't grow more than 2" tall, and grows in very low light conditions, contrary to what most folks say. I have some growing underneath my stump, which is very dark (obviously).


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## Hungry Wendigo (Oct 3, 2008)

Such a curious mixture of awe and jealousy. This looks gorgeous, but I sure wished my 29 gallon looked anything like that. I especially like the patch of downoi; any trouble with this plant? Also, I think you said you run 65W above the tank. What kind of bulb is it? The tank appears to have a pinkish hue, but maybe that's the camera settings.


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Thank you very much. I've put a lot of time, effort, and research into this tank, and am very proud of the results. The downoi is not a very difficult plant, it just needs good Co2. Without it, it will melt on you pretty quickly. 

I have a 2 x 65 watt PC fixture over the tank. I usually just run one bulb to keep maintenance easy and the tank algae free. I can run both bulbs together for 10 hours a day, but I have to crank up the Co2, and stay on top of fertilizing, keeping the tank super clean, and trimming meticulously. Doing that sucks, so I just run one for 8 hours, and have slower growth and no algae at all.

I have a 9325K bulb (the one I was burning when I took the picture), and an 8000k bulb which is my favorite. It still highlights the red colors, but is not pink looking. Once the 9325k bulb is old and gone, I'll be replacing it with another 8000k bulb.


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## Hungry Wendigo (Oct 3, 2008)

Ah okay, I assume the bulbs are 22"? Does the tank have that pinkish hue when the 9325K bulb is burning, or did that just happen in the picture? I've seen a couple of tanks with that sort of color, and I'd love to replicate it above the 55 gallon tank I'm setting up.

When you next take pictures, maybe you'd snap one with the 8000K bulb instead, for comparison? Thanks for letting me know, I appreciate it. I'll be keeping an eye out for updates to this.


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

I will take a picture with just the 8000k bulb tomorrow if I can remember to. 

There is a slight pinkish hue with just the other bulb burning. And it does measure about 22" long.


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## BiscuitSlayer (Apr 1, 2005)

EBB -

Your tank looks great. I find it truely inspirational what you have done with your 29. My 29 is a complete disaster compared to yours, but hopefully I can find a way to get mine to look as good as yours.

I might also be switching out my bulbs soon.


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

BiscuitSlayer said:


> EBB -
> 
> Your tank looks great. I find it truely inspirational what you have done with your 29. My 29 is a complete disaster compared to yours, but hopefully I can find a way to get mine to look as good as yours.
> 
> I might also be switching out my bulbs soon.


For three easy payments of 99.99 I will come to your house, drink your beer, eat your food, and then fix your tank! :hihi::hihi:

You just have to spend time on it every week, if you let things go too long without attention, they will inevitably go to crap pretty quickly. You just need to set your priorities man. Like, instead of going to work on Monday morning, call the boss and tell him your fish need your attention today. Or, on Friday night when the wife wants to go out somewhere romantic, tell her to go ahead, and you'll catch up once the tanks are clean. Stuff like that keeps the tanks in good order :thumbsup:


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## BiscuitSlayer (Apr 1, 2005)

eyebeatbadgers said:


> For three easy payments of 99.99 I will come to your house, drink your beer, eat your food, and then fix your tank! :hihi::hihi:


LMAO! I can live with everything except the $99.99.


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## mache62 (Aug 10, 2008)

Wow! Great thread! 

Until this thread I was going to return my 2x65w light, but instead I think I will keep it now. I just put water in my 29g tank today and was worried I was in for a lot of algae issues because of too much light. Now maybe with some insight from yours I will be ready to handle it.


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Haven't done much to this tank in a while. Java fern is getting big! Most of the cardinals have died, and I added in about a dozen neon tetras. Now, I have about 3 cardinals, and about 7 neons. Most have committed suicide. Cories and plecos still are doing well, and going on 2 years old. 


mache62 said:


> Wow! Great thread!
> 
> Until this thread I was going to return my 2x65w light, but instead I think I will keep it now. I just put water in my 29g tank today and was worried I was in for a lot of algae issues because of too much light. Now maybe with some insight from yours I will be ready to handle it.


2 x 65 watt is pretty strong, especially when the bulbs are new. I go back and forth between using just one light, and burning both. Now that both of my bulbs are over a year old, I can run them both for 8 hours without worrying about catastrophe. Good luck with your tank, and don't catch high light disease !!!


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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

The tank is looking as good as ever! It looks great filled in. I like the java all bushed out like that! The moss on the wood looks fantastic as well


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Thanks!!

The moss is slowly spreading to cover the entire stump. I wish the picture showed the detail a bit better. Maybe I need some more light !! :icon_twis


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Still slimming down the plant selection. Going lower tech, slower growing. I'm tired of trimming.

I fertilize about once or twice a week. I feed the fish about five times a week. Other than the BBA on the driftwood, no algae to speak of. Plants are growing well, in the week since I took that picture, the Ludwigia has doubled in mass.


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Things are about the same. I got some new plecos, four calico bristlenose, and two that are black with white spots. I'm not sure what they are, they just came in the shipment. All my cardinals and neon tetras died during the move last month. I killed my male bristlenose pleco with a H2O2 overdose. Not excited about that.

I finally named the tank, as is apparently the vogue thing to do these days. Plants are now just hairgrass, Bolbitis, Java fern, anubias, and L. Arcuata. The fern is about to outgrow the tank, and trimming the thing is next to impossible. It has a death grip on the stump, so it'll probably come out all together sooner or later.


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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

Those plants are crazy big now.
Yes, naming tanks with some foreign language makes you cool nowadays.


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Most of these plants are crazy big because they're crazy old! I've had that java fern for over two years.


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## yikesjason (Jul 2, 2008)

It is funny that 2 years is old in our tanks. You can tell that most people on here can't leave their tanks alone. About the time we get the tank to the point we like it, we start messing with it and change plants around. This is a great hobby, and you have done a great job with your tank.


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Thank you very much, that's quite a compliment. I finally found a general setup that works well for this tank size, and the past year or so has mostly just been tweaking plants and shaping plants. I've found out which plants grow well, which grow too well (fast), and which just aren't happy in my home (all soft water plants, blyxa sp., etc.)

Some here like something new every week and that's fine. I've found my stride and enjoy the tank as it matures. I am getting the itch to replace it with a bigger tank though


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## pinkertd (Jun 17, 2007)

Enjoyed your journey, and that is an awesome tank with an awesome stump! Great job!


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## danepatrick (Jul 17, 2006)

nice afro stump you got going there. :hihi:

the tank looks great! :thumbsup:


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Ya know, it does look a bit like a 'fro! 

Thanks for all the kind words guys!


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## khanzer22 (Jan 14, 2008)

eyebeatbadgers said:


>


From your modification on this image, the pump was inlined after the reactor going to the tank... Though how will the pump push water w/o taking any water? And where did you place the co2 line? Maybe another diagram? 

Sorry for asking such s2pid questions, just trying to figure it out! :icon_redf


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

The image you posted was not a functional setup. Basically, all you have to do is cut the return line in half, and stick the pump in the splice. I was trying to make things very difficult. This picture was simply me showing you how quickly I could dump 10 gallons of water on the floor.


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## khanzer22 (Jan 14, 2008)

Haha, silly me, it would really make sense (no brainer)... Thanks for clearing it up!


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Well, I need help. The past 6-8 weeks have been very bad for my tank. Although lighting, fertilization, and flow are very consistent, I've had a horrible outbreak of BBA. 

Things that have changed: 
-I removed the giant java fern, but this was after the problem popped up
- I added six small plecos to the tank, which only has three cories and one other pleco
- Bulbs are getting near 2 years old ( I think)
- I took off the spraybar, leaving the "jet". Water circulation is plentiful, the whole tank has movement. Last week I replaced spraybar, BBA is still infecting new leaves. 
- The stump is getting old. The BBA started there before covering all the plants. 
-I removed almost all the stem plants in the tank. I have been letting them thicken and grow back, and now L. Arcuata fills about 1/4 of the tank. However, the new growth is quickly covered by BBA.
- I'm using the ebay special inline diffuser. It works very well, before I was using a glass diffuser inside the tank, and the CO2 is better dispersed now than before. I'm getting very similar results to when I was using the needle wheel pump.


Short of dosing Excel, or H2O2, does anyone have any suggestions. I swear, don't tell me to check CO2. I've been doing this successfully for a while now, the CO2 is fine. 

Thanks for your thoughts.


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## JennaH (Sep 28, 2009)

i just read through your journal and i love the changes that your tank has gone through. you have a great setup right now! sorry about your algae issue, you can bleach dip the stump, but then it may be pain in the butt to remove it from under the substrate since it's attached to the plexi glass.
i read online that someone drained the tank to a low level, then put stress coat directly on plants with bba and let it sit for an hour and that worked.


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## Karackle (Dec 11, 2007)

Sorry to hear about the algae issue! Maybe the new plecs are adding more "fertilizer" to the system than the plant load is handling? Though you have fast growing stems so perhaps not. 

Other than that, I have no suggestions other than I can attest to the fact that spot treating with excel is very effective against BBA. I know you asked for OTHER suggestions, I wish I had one!

Good luck!


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

3 day blackout and Excel has worked any time I've had BBA issues.

Any idea what your nitrate/phosphate ratios are running?


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

JennaH said:


> you can bleach dip the stump, but then it may be pain in the butt to remove it from under the substrate since it's attached to the plexi glass.


I had thought about some kind of way to treat the stump. I would have to tear down the whole tank though, which I'm trying to avoid.



Karackle said:


> Sorry to hear about the algae issue! Maybe the new plecs are adding more "fertilizer" to the system than the plant load is handling?


It is possible. Although, they are all young, so I don't know how much they're putting out. The current in the tank is strong, and I stir up the bottom of the tank when I do water changes. Poop just comes along with plecos.


lauraleellbp said:


> Any idea what your nitrate/phosphate ratios are running?


I dose EI, so about 2:1, not accounting for food waste and fish waste breakdown.


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