TMC Sig 600 Twinstar 600s Sump build

[Something Fishy]

No not realy, but i have custom DIY overflows with a relative fine mesh... Adult shrimp can't get in.. Occasinaly i find a cherry in the sump, from fry the gets in and than slowly grows big in the sump.

That's the way to go to get to know your system.. It takes time and trail and error.. About each system has it's own induvidual issues and things.
In principle all the same, but still little things can make it behave differently.

Thanks Zozo yeah, makes sense!

I guess you’ve not used the weir type before then? Does that sound feasible with the water level evaporating from the tank too?

I think I’ll get a fine mesh as well - do you find that adds more resistance to the flow rate and higher risk of blockages?


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[zozo]

Thanks Zozo yeah, makes sense!

I guess you’ve not used the weir type before then? Does that sound feasible with the water level evaporating from the tank too?

I think I’ll get a fine mesh as well - do you find that adds more resistance to the flow rate and higher risk of blockages?


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No indeed i never used a wier type, i only used diy overflows made from tube and used excisting filter inlet baskets from canister filter. Since these go 360° round i never experienced any blockage. I regulate the pump according the overflow capacity, i have a relative low turnover, estimated at maybe 400 l/h but don't know excatly could be tad more or less. Since its low energy its not realy that important and with floating vegitation rather better than worse.

I also experience evaporation from the tank, it's open top.. But it doesn't fluctuate in water level, it is constantly topped of from the sump. That is where the water level lowers. The only reason i can think of why water level in an aqaurium with overflow changes is erratic fluctuating overflow capacity or erratic running pump. If overflow and pump are in perfect sync, the water level in the aqaurium should stay permanently unchanged.

 

[Something Fishy]

No indeed i never used a wier type, i only used diy overflows made from tube and used excisting filter inlet baskets from canister filter. Since these go 360° round i never experienced any blockage. I regulate the pump according the overflow capacity, i have a relative low turnover, estimated at maybe 400 l/h but don't know excatly could be tad more or less. Since its low energy its not realy that important and with floating vegitation rather better than worse.

I also experience evaporation from the tank, it's open top.. But it doesn't fluctuate in water level, it is constantly topped of from the sump. That is where the water level lowers. The only reason i can think of why water level in an aqaurium with overflow changes is erratic fluctuating overflow capacity or erratic running pump. If overflow and pump are in perfect sync, the water level in the aqaurium should stay permanently unchanged.

Thanks mate sorry for delay didn’t see this. Yeah I’m perusing it but I might change to a filter eventually still as the sump benefit isn’t all the great for planted as I water change 80% weekly anyway and it’s taken up the whole cabinet - ha.

Thanks though I’ve added a gauze mesh to the overflow so it’s not getting clogged now and not sucking fish in either!


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[Something Fishy]

Hi guys

Update on the tank.

Things progressing well but I’ve used mixed plants from sources and seen BBA and that black stuff still coming from the wood - as I’ve used moss to cover it’s all stuck and it seems the black is berried in there too, hopefully pics show what I mean. Worms and things inside the moss too as I guess it’s blocked the flow nearer the wood.

Even spreading to the carpet

Not sure what to do for BBA other than take out all infected plants and try and treat it externally? It seems to be just taking over and water changes water down the nutrients so the other plants won’t grow so well either and help get rid of the algae?

Also seeing some green hair algae and whiteish hair algae growing too.

Co2 constant and lime green checker, and auto dosing 2ml of all in one fertilizer which is likely not all being used right now and making algae worse? Again hard to tell.

Not sure what the best direction is. Advice welcome, is it worth trying to spot treat the algae as others have said didn’t work that well?

The plants growing faster are less infected but java fern isn’t going to grow fast as it was all already grown when put in, and the BBA spores are all around the tank so other plants that were fine are also being infected.

Thanks




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[Jayefc1]

I'm no expert but 2ml of ferts don't sound any where near enough to feed those plants allowing the alge to get the better of them I dose my 45p 4ml all in one a day and I think your tank is go get than mine

 

[Something Fishy]

I'm no expert but 2ml of ferts don't sound any where near enough to feed those plants allowing the alge to get the better of them I dose my 45p 4ml all in one a day and I think your tank is go get than mine

Could be Jay yeah?

I’ve noticed using others plants isn’t great as spore are coming I from them of course.

First time too using Lush Max from eBay, recommended dose on there for my size 100l was 2.5ml so I’m only slightly under according to that :/


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[Jayefc1]

Does it tell you the properties of the mix ie % of N or K and that .5 a day adds up if there hungry plants not enough nutrients would stunt the growth and weaken the plants allowing the alge to move in Ive never used lush mix so don't know anything about it

 

[Something Fishy]

Does it tell you the properties of the mix ie % of N or K and that .5 a day adds up if there hungry plants not enough nutrients would stunt the growth and weaken the plants allowing the alge to move in I be never used lush mix so don't know anything about it

Yeah good points.

Guys on here seem to rate it pretty highly but this one is the all in one mix.

I noticed the water was quite green during a change which looks like excess nutrients not been uptakes to me?


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[Jayefc1]

That could be green bust alge too that is making the water green no way 2ml in 100ltrs would change the water colour I wouldn't think

 

[Something Fishy]

That could be green bust alge too that is making the water green no way 2ml in 100ltrs would change the water colour I wouldn't think

Not even from stacking over the week?

Could be right there tbh. I’ve noticed more algae and hair algae and stuff since dosing frets - but, this could be still that they are not quite enough and just helping feed algae.

The red plants etc respond fine though and mosses etc. I think the java fern being so bad and not growing fast could be helping to cause it rather than anything else.

Seeing lots of new seeds growing on the JF which indicates it’s dying in my tank?


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[Jayefc1]

I don't know when you think I put double in my lil 35ltr tank and it's green ferts too and the water is perfectly clear just don't add up your ferts at half the amount would turn your water off colour what clean up crew do you have how high are your lights

 

[Something Fishy]

I don't know when you think I put double in my lil 35ltr tank and it's green ferts too and the water is perfectly clear just don't add up your ferts at half the amount would turn your water off colour what clean up crew do you have how high are your lights

Good point yeah.

I could be very picky in saying it’s green and it’s just noticeable that’s all compared to fresh water. Not massively green though...

My small tank has immense growth and I can tell the colour in that too so bit confused by it all really!


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[dw1305]

Hi all,

Seeing lots of new seeds growing on the JF which indicates it’s dying in my tank?

If you mean new plants growing from the old leaf? It can be that the fronds are dying off, but it could also be that they were emersed grown leaves or that the fronds have sufffered some mechanical damage, or drying, all of those tend to initiate plantlet formation. Have a look at @Mick.Dk's comments in <"Why do Java Fern develop plantlets?">

I’ve noticed more algae and hair algae and stuff since dosing frets

That possibly suggests that lack of one of the essential plant nutrients was limiting growth before the fertilizer addition. Green algae are <"physiologically close to the green plants"> (so what is good for your plants is also good for the green algae), but will show a <"quicker response to some nutrients">, particularly ones that aren't mobile within the plant, like iron (Fe).

cheers Darrel

 

[Something Fishy]

Cheers Darrel.

This is the colour coming out currently

Algae is better since adding Glut but still got balance issues here I think with the plants amounts and light and ferts. Maybe the frets are not being used which is why the water is green?

Carpet also not responding well.

Co2 is a bit extreme and then average on and off so maybe that is not helping either? Both my solenoids are not now turning off with the timer switches - anyone else having that problem?


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[Something Fishy]

I’m using the Lush Max mix in there - all in one. It seems like it maybe separates in the container and maybe causing the dosing to be a bit off.

Anybody else using this?

Noticing my weeping moss that was super thick is getting thinner and most plants generally not looking that lush.


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[Something Fishy]

So another fish today after a couple of weeks was showing signs of swimming upside down again.

Ammonia is fine after test but using ferts.

Anybody know if that might cause a problem? Fish are seeming a bit shy as well, neons are hiding and Rummy nose are mostly under the branch.


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[Kalum]

ferts won't cause issues with fish unless you go to extremes (as in empty the whole bottle in) so i'd look elsewhere if you have fish dying (random fish now and again can be normal but a pattern obviously shows something is wrong), precautionary large water change never really goes a miss

the lush max ferts are quite similar to TNC complete but with more magnesium (x4) but nearly half Phosphate, saying that the TNC dosing for high tech is 30ml a week

if you read up on EI dosing then you'll realise excess ferts are not your issue and i'd try 4ml daily and see how you get on

 

[Something Fishy]

ferts won't cause issues with fish unless you go to extremes (as in empty the whole bottle in) so i'd look elsewhere if you have fish dying (random fish now and again can be normal but a pattern obviously shows something is wrong), precautionary large water change never really goes a miss

the lush max ferts are quite similar to TNC complete but with more magnesium (x4) but nearly half Phosphate, saying that the TNC dosing for high tech is 30ml a week

if you read up on EI dosing then you'll realise excess ferts are not your issue and i'd try 4ml daily and see how you get on

Cheers Kalum.

I thought it was stupid really the ferts but I’m baffled what else it could be.

It’s like I’ve read online when you look at the tank and know something’s just not right. Temps are down to about 20 now but that’s not ‘low’ and I’ve had them swimming around very energetically at 18 before now too.

I’ve noticed they hide a bit more too which is strange. I notice that bladder problem ever since I brought home Ottos and one died the day after - they other fish started to go more after that which is why I dosed the water column with anti bac and anti fungal.

It looks like the fish have the swim bladder issue when they swim around in circles and lose balance, but can’t work out if that’s due to a bacterial infection or otherwise.

I noticed one or two go about 2 weeks ago so used water treatment and thought I’d fixed it as not had anything since and done some big water changes. But last night a Rummy Nose started to swim about all over the place.

Have had a few issues with co2 being on all the time, but the drop checker doesn’t seem to get very yellow even so as I’m using a sump so oxygen should be very good.

Noticed little worms and that in the substrate and the woods I used leaked as above in pics and grew BBA - I’ve been cleaning them but they still seem ‘dirty’ nearer the middle where the moss stops circulation where it’s rooted.

Cheers


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[Something Fishy]

You think 4ml then to try dude? I noticed it doesn’t mix that well either currently with residue at the bottom - if it’s dosing uneven amounts due to not staying mixed well then the ferts could just stay in the water column right?

Plants need the whole lot to absorb and if wrong they could remain - and the water could be the greeny/darker colour because of that?


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[Kalum]

Your temp is a bit on the low side and if it was me i'd bring it up to about 22deg, each temp extreme will probably make the fish a bit lethargic, co2 could also be a reason for them not being as active with some needing time to adapt in my experience so far (ottos especially)

Concentrate on doing a pH profile to get the co2 spot on and dose 4ml ferts and see how you get on, rule out 1 by 1 and you'll sort it

Try to forget about excess ferts being an issue mate as it'll just hinder you addressing the problem, many of us dose EI which is well over what you're dosing with no green water or algae issues