Tom's Mini M

[Tom]

Re: Tom's Mini M - rip out and try again

Looking at the water quality report for last year, the Mg sample from only one test was 6.9ppm. That's the most accurate and up to date sample I can get. That should be plenty if it's the same still. K and N are also reasonable, around 3-4ppm.

I've just given the HC another trim - it is growing quick enough, just covered in stringy diatoms. Another P@H impulse buy has lead to another slight redesign of the back/midground. I've got to stop doing this.

 

[Tom]

Tank went through a 3 day blackout to try and clear the rest of the algae on the HC - slight improvement, but not much. Ferts changed back to just ADA Brighty K and Step 1. Let's see if this improves anything. There was a surprising amount of growth during those 3 days though - the stems are about an inch taller.

Quick shot of the Staurogyne


Tom

 

[bigmatt]

I found this with a blackout! ceg4048 told me that stems grow as they are trying (basically - his explanation was a lot longer and more comprehensive!) to strive upwards to find light - can't find the thread unfortunately!
Cheers, and lovely little tank BTW - love how it evolves a little every time you go to LFS!
Matt

 

[Tom]

In that case I'll do a blackout once a fortnight! Haha! Cheers One of these days I'll find a set of plants that survive in here and try not to change things!

 

[Tom]

Quick full shot

 

[Steve Smith]

Nice!

Can you remind me what glassware that is?

 

[Tom]

Cheers Steve. Its the old aquaessentials pipes. I think i bought the last pair
Tom

 

[Piece-of-fish]

Looking good. Getting there. Very natural feel.

 

[gregalon]

Hi Tom I'm loving the tank! what is the brand of that lily pipe and what are the dimensions (10mm, 13mm?) ?

 

[Tom]

Hi Greg, they're AquaEssentials own brand, but I think they have been discontinued. They are like the ADA nano pipes, but the intake holes are quite roughly cut. They are very nice for the price I got them for. The inlet is 12mm and the outlet is 9mm as I assume they are designed for the smaller Eheim Classic filters. You'll notice this is what the Mini tanks run off in the ADA Gallery.

Tom

 

[gregalon]

I just checked and it looks like they've been discontinued, there's a 12 and 17mm but its 50 pounds so I'll go for a chinese brand. Thanks anyway and I'm loving what you've done with the mini m. regards, greg

 

[Tom]

Thanks Greg. Have a look at the Cal Aqua Nano pipes at The Green Machine. They are much nicer pipes, but are a little more expensive. I had them before, but I managed to break them both - I still have a painful finger over 6 months later where one of them snapped and got me.

Tom

 

[Tom]

I've just trimmed the HC back pretty hard on the left - that's the worst affected area, so I've thinned it out and replanted some in the hope that it re-grows back a bit more smoothly.

And a nice shrimp picture - Click for bigger image in Flickr



Tom

 

[Anonymous]

Nice shrimp pic, excellent quality . Hope your algae issues end soon.

Cheers,
Mike

 

[Tom]

Well things are getting progressively worse, and the diatoms are back now alongside Spirogyra, BBA and Staghorn. I haven't touched the CO2. Spyro is now covering most if not all of the moss too, and all the lower parts of the stems. The plants are growing reasonably well and pearling heavily (didn't used to), but then get covered in algae Spiro and Diatoms.

Why is it that every tank I do now does this? I'm starting to think there's something wrong with my water. I know people will tell me it's my fault, but this is getting ridiculous. The last several tanks I've done have ended up like this. At least this time plants are growing under the mat of slime and hair. 3 years ago, my tanks didn't have a speck of algae using the same system I have now.

 

[Steve Smith]

I guess you could try ruling out your water and switching to RO for a while?

 

[nayr88]

Ro is alot of effort, have you contacted your water board? Get the low down whats going on and some details on the water and post them up,

It's a shame because it looks like a nice little nano, can be disheartening but stick at it mate

 

[LondonDragon]

Very strange Tom, you sure you have adequate flow all around the tank?

 

[chump54]

Tom, you could try rain water too, it's free and sometimes loads of it, although not at the moment

Chris

 

[Tom]

I guess you could try ruling out your water and switching to RO for a while?

I have thought about it, but the cost of driving to get it and the amount I would need put me off! Even if I stuck to just two or three water changes a week, it's over one container per week plus 30 mile round trip to get it.

Ro is alot of effort, have you contacted your water board? Get the low down whats going on and some details on the water and post them up,

It's a shame because it looks like a nice little nano, can be disheartening but stick at it mate

The online tests for 2010 average don't seem to show anything dodgy, but I suppose it could have changed more recently. Can't think what might have changed to cause problems like this though. If there is something wrong, it doesn't affect fish.

Very strange Tom, you sure you have adequate flow all around the tank?

The problems started in the area of most flow (HC opposite the outlet), and has gradually spread to the whole tank. The HC in the middle of the tank (very low flow) is the healthiest and best growing by far. I can't really lower the flow though, as the opposite end of the tank will be still water. A spray bar along the back may be my next move.

Tom, you could try rain water too, it's free and sometimes loads of it, although not at the moment

Chris

Yep, but we've run out at the moment. The water tank was fairly nasty recently though, so it might not have been good to use it anyway. All my successful tanks so far have been exclusively on rainwater with the ADA system I use now, and these are the results - barely a speck of algae, and using the same system except more powerful lighting.

Tom