It definitely is better these days for obtaining information, back in the day I read a lot of books on the subject and a lot of them contradict the current thinking. So not only was it hard to find info a lot of it was wrong
I did a 30% change today in my couple of hours off
and gave the filters and its housing a good clean, there was a lot of brown staining on it. I have been trying to achieve a couple of things with the tank looking at it from a semi EI type tank based on my lowish lighting 50watts over 165ltrs and the moderate planting. I mix my macros as per James site PMDD+PO4 formula but dose 6mls in the morning before work and 6mls when I get back usually about an hour after the lights come on. That puts roughly 13/14 ppm of nitrate in the tank, I appreciate that formula is low in PO4 but my tap water is riddled with it going of my tests, water board and other peoples experience. I believe I probably will get corrected on this one but I think EI is 24ppm for kno3? Considering no 50% changes and the lowish lighting I'm hoping this is ok.
As for CO2 I think I have circulation covered, water from the main body filter comes in at the back right which travels across the back glass and middle, this then gets picked up by the Koralia and pushed along the front low level. There was one dead spot in the back right corner at low level which I filled with a small internal canister filter. I checked this out with a Myxazin test
I put a few drops in the tank and watch how it speads a bit like a wind tunnel test
Because my trickle filter is very effective at de-gassing I bought a larger than needed glass diffuser and a solenoid for timing when I'm not about for stability which diffuses directly under the koralia giving it a bit more diffusion time.
Now previously I had aimed for the yellow DC both of them I have 1 in each corner by lights on time, with the co2 set to switch on 2 hours before the lights I don't get lime green till about 9 in the evening after the lights have been on for 4 hours. First thing I should probably look at is setting the timing well before the lights on maybe 3/4 hours but I also have to take into account delay time on the DC.
Another problem I have is with the out flow of the filter, when the tank is full to the brim it gives a gentle ripple on the surface but as the week goes on due to evaporation this can start breaking the surface a bit too much possibly causing my mid week bad co2 readings. I top up the tank but again another problem when I'm not here. There is an extension unit that can go on taking it 2/3" below the water surface but I found that this sucked air bubbles into the tank and the energy from the in flow was dissipated dropping down so gave worse circulation all round, catch 22 I guess.
Like you say just tackle one thing at a time, I don't know how much co2 is required by my particular set up, I could probably get away with not as high co2 which was me just being fail safe but as long as it's stable. The filter does contribute heavily to the stability issue. I have been keeping some floaters in the tank to try and reduce the surface area which also trap co2 bubbles under the leaves while trying to not let them affect flow.
On the subject of lighting this had also been reduced to 6 hours per day, it's fair to say though all of these measures have only happened in the last 3 week so I would have to do all of them religiously for three week to see how it pans out, too early to tell.
Thanks for the support and anything that I think is right turns out to be wrong again please let me know
I've come to the conclusion that all this wealth of information is dangerous in the wrong hands and that it's only right for 1 particular tank one mans poison and all that.