Be Prepared for the wall of text to come! Pictures are on its way.
I've been managing this tank off and on for a couple years now, its been through some tough tough times, rescaped, replanted, lighting changes, co2, non co2, moved homes, kid messing with it etc. pretty much i'd get into it, then get lazy and the poor tank suffered. The fish always made out fine atleast.
Thats all changed now, im putting my foot down and gettin this tank stable so 1 day a week upkeep and daily dosing regime will make it easy. My goal is to get it balanced and i figure it was the lighting making it such a pain before. Plus my 2yo is in love with the tank and i owe it to him to show some responsibility with it.
For starters (updated dec 26th)
Tank: 29 gallon
Substrate: Tahitian Moon Sand
Lighting: 2 bulb sideways Twister CFLs, 21W 6500K 2 inches above the water.
Filtration: Rena XP1 (biowheels/crushed coral/course,fine,micro sponges/filter floss)
Decor: Drift wood x4 pieces ; Pebbles and a piece of slate. I tried to make it somewhat random looking.
Misc: heater set at 25.5
Plants:
Red Tiger Lotus (background)
windelov (driftwood right side)
java fern (middle driftwood)
Anubias nanas (right foreground)
Flame moss (left driftwood)
glosso (center foreground)
Crypt willisii (center-right)
Crypt wendtii (left back corner
Livestock:
6 black phantoms
5 cardinals
several dwarf otoc
1 Calico BN
Macros: standard ei
Micros: CSM+B - 5ml
Changes: 50% on monday
Co2: metricide dosing
Now onto the journal
-----------------------------
Progress:
Fail is an understatement at this point. To fight the BBA's growth i've reduced the lighting and then the light period. That didn't work so i tried Micro nutrients only, That made plants more lush but more BBA growth but not as rampant. next i went back into full EI dosing, macros and micros alternating. Dosing reduced a bit to limit growth rate. BBA went even faster. Which made me believe my DiY was too inconsistent, i was using a hagen canister changed weekly. Researched and found the Jello method and a 3L jug, Co2 is definately up to pace now, i might need to airstone the tank at night, will wait and watch the fishies, could just be the burst of getting it started. Now im at the wait and see (and pick out) for my BBA battle. If growth reduces, i'll excell treat, then wait and see some more.
The plants, i've pruned well, gutted the non recoverable (3 full handfuls of java moss included) and am generally depressed at the species i have left, but i deserve it since i never balanced the water chemistry well, and that is my primary goal now. The spaces are reserved for new plants, shuffled around driftwood (added a piece too).
The fishies will be introduced asap, the current stock are enjoying the water more now, being much more active during non feeding time. The lack of water upkeep led to a KH spike to 11 dKH, in two weeks i've changed 30%, 30%, 30% and now 50%. will test kh in a couple days.
I apologize for the wall of text, but i am long winded... pics to come
I've been managing this tank off and on for a couple years now, its been through some tough tough times, rescaped, replanted, lighting changes, co2, non co2, moved homes, kid messing with it etc. pretty much i'd get into it, then get lazy and the poor tank suffered. The fish always made out fine atleast.
Thats all changed now, im putting my foot down and gettin this tank stable so 1 day a week upkeep and daily dosing regime will make it easy. My goal is to get it balanced and i figure it was the lighting making it such a pain before. Plus my 2yo is in love with the tank and i owe it to him to show some responsibility with it.
For starters (updated dec 26th)
Tank: 29 gallon
Substrate: Tahitian Moon Sand
Lighting: 2 bulb sideways Twister CFLs, 21W 6500K 2 inches above the water.
Filtration: Rena XP1 (biowheels/crushed coral/course,fine,micro sponges/filter floss)
Decor: Drift wood x4 pieces ; Pebbles and a piece of slate. I tried to make it somewhat random looking.
Misc: heater set at 25.5
Plants:
Red Tiger Lotus (background)
windelov (driftwood right side)
java fern (middle driftwood)
Anubias nanas (right foreground)
Flame moss (left driftwood)
glosso (center foreground)
Crypt willisii (center-right)
Crypt wendtii (left back corner
Livestock:
6 black phantoms
5 cardinals
several dwarf otoc
1 Calico BN
Macros: standard ei
Micros: CSM+B - 5ml
Changes: 50% on monday
Co2: metricide dosing
Now onto the journal
-----------------------------
Progress:
Fail is an understatement at this point. To fight the BBA's growth i've reduced the lighting and then the light period. That didn't work so i tried Micro nutrients only, That made plants more lush but more BBA growth but not as rampant. next i went back into full EI dosing, macros and micros alternating. Dosing reduced a bit to limit growth rate. BBA went even faster. Which made me believe my DiY was too inconsistent, i was using a hagen canister changed weekly. Researched and found the Jello method and a 3L jug, Co2 is definately up to pace now, i might need to airstone the tank at night, will wait and watch the fishies, could just be the burst of getting it started. Now im at the wait and see (and pick out) for my BBA battle. If growth reduces, i'll excell treat, then wait and see some more.
The plants, i've pruned well, gutted the non recoverable (3 full handfuls of java moss included) and am generally depressed at the species i have left, but i deserve it since i never balanced the water chemistry well, and that is my primary goal now. The spaces are reserved for new plants, shuffled around driftwood (added a piece too).
The fishies will be introduced asap, the current stock are enjoying the water more now, being much more active during non feeding time. The lack of water upkeep led to a KH spike to 11 dKH, in two weeks i've changed 30%, 30%, 30% and now 50%. will test kh in a couple days.
I apologize for the wall of text, but i am long winded... pics to come