Switching Tanks and Misc Advice please

[richslaney]

Hi all.
I’m a relatively new fishkeeper (since Nov 2007) and a member of Practical Fishkeeping Forum and a magazine subscriber.

Now I’m looking for both advice and inspiration, here’s some background and a bit of history.

My current Aquarium is a Fluval Vicenza 260 (120x46cm 260L) which has a Fluval 305 External Filter. Since having the Aquarium, I’ve upgraded the Tank to have a JBL Proflora Profi CO2 System with the JBL PH computer as the tank is quite heavily planted.

I was also rather disappointed with the Fluval 305 Filter, so I have now replaced this with a wonderful Eheim Professional 3 2180 Thermo Filter (the internal Heater version of the 2080). I also have a Korallin Sulphur BioDenitrator as my tap water can be anywhere from 30ppm to 50ppm of Nitrate. The Denitrator keeps the Nitrate down to around 25 – 30ppm and that’s with weekly 70 – 80L water changes. I may consider going to RO water soon, but I’m not keen on the amount of waste it produces especially as I’m on a water meter.

The aquarium is heavily planted with a nice central ‘U’ shaped chunk of Bogwood. I’ve 4 Clown Loach, 3 Blue Rainbowfish, 3 Boesmani Rainbowfish, 12 Cardinal Tetras, 3 Trilenea Cory’s, 6 Black Phantom Tetras, 2 Redline Torpedo Barbs , 2 German Blue Rams and 3 Panda Garra’s.
All the fish are healthy and the plants are doing well (early thread Algae problem gone). Water parameters are PH 7 (Co2 controlled from 7.5), Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 25 – 30.

Problem is the Fluval tank has developed some leaks due to manufacturing problems and is going back to the LFS . Due to this I've pushed the boat out and I’ve commissioned a custom 5ft Bow Fronted tank (150L x 50W x 61D) with Solid Oak Cabinet and Hood from Wharf Aquatics which I should take delivery of very soon.

Now this is where the help comes in.

I’m starting again with a new tank and need to move over my fish and some plants as I intend on buying lots of new plants.

The new tank is 5ft Bow Fronted tank (150L x 50W x 61D) which has a slotted corner weir in both rear corners which extract through base of the tank into the cabinet to feed the twin inlets on my heated Eheim Filter (So no ugly filter pipes and heaters in the tank). Here’s a list of the hardware:-

• 2 x Twin D&D Razor 80W T5 Lights with 2 x Aquaflora Tubes and 2 x Midday 6000 tubes (320W in total).
  
  Moonlight Blue Led System with Lunar Controller.
  
  Eheim Professional 3 2180 (Heated) Filter (rated to 1200L Capacity) which maintains a steady tank temperature.
  
  JBL Proflora System with 2kg Co2 Cylinder, PH Computer and Probe, Solenoid Valve and JBL In tank Spiral type Co2 Diffuser.
  
  Korallin Sulphur BioDenitrator.
  
  55w Aqua Medic Helix Max UV Steriliser.

I have also considered buying an additional JBL Cristal Profi e1500 filter (rated for 600L) as this contains lots of mechanical filtering (sponges) and would be used to house any treatments such as Phosphate or Nitrate Removers or Carbon. This would save messing with the biological media in the Eheim, provide additional mechanical filtration and provide a backup for the main filter. It would also allow me to have one filter running when maintaining the other.
I’m planning on staging the lighting as follows to simulate Dawn, Morning, Midday, Afternoon and Moonlight:-

• 8am – 8pm 1st 2x80W Main Lights on (1 x Daylight and 1 x Plant Grow Tube)
  11am – 4pm 2nd 2x80W Main Lights on (1 x Daylight and 1 x Plant Grow Tube)
  8pm – 7:30am 4 x Moonlight LEDs on Moonlight Phase Control.

The Co2 runs continually controlled via the PH Computer set at 7.00 and the Solenoid valve controlling the Co2 release. I also daily feed with JBL Ferropol 24 and use a dose of JBL Ferropol during water changes.

Now for some questions.

Now, I want to get rid of the bulky JBL In tank Spiral type C02 Diffuser with something neater and either considered something like the ADA Beetle 50D Glass Diffuser or the Rhinox 5000 copy or an external reactor such as the Aqua Medic 1000. Any comments :?:

As I’m moving things over I’ve got the scary and risky problems such as New Tank syndrome to worry about, at least my filter media is mature and I can start of the new tank with ½ of the water from my original tank when I do a water change when the new tank arrives. If I source the additional JBL Cristal Profi e1500 filter soon, I could run that on the current tank to mature the media and build up the bacteria.

Then when the new tank comes, move the Eheim over to the new tank to help settle the water parameters, and leave the JBL looking after the old tank and fish whilst the new tanks levels are good (or visa versa).

My current setup has Colomba Flora Grow NutriPlus substrate covered with light coloured pea gravel. I’m not keen on this and would like to go for something darker as I think it would look more natural and I’ve read that Rainbowfish show better colours with a dark substrate. So, the substrate will not be transferred to the new tank (and therefore not any of the good bacteria too).

I was thinking about either Seachem Flourite Black or ADA Aqua Soil Amazonia, any thoughts on these and how much would I need for my 150x50cm tank as its expensive stuff :?:

Do they need a substrate under them such as JBL Aquabasis Plus or Tropica Plant Substrate, and if so, how much of this would I need :?:

Also would ADA Aqua Soil Amazonia be ok for my bottom feeders such as cory’s and clown Loach who like to dig around abit :?:

All help, thoughts and advice appreciated.

Warmest regards,
Rich.

 

[richslaney]

Hmmmm..... No advice..... ...

Anyway, I went for a Rhinox 5000 and ADA Powersoil Amazonia.

 

[ceg4048]

Rich,
Apologies that this one got lost in the fog. In any case Amazonia is a good choice and does not require any supplementary sediments. Additional advice as follows:

1. Korallin Sulphur BioDenitrator: Completely useless since plants need nitates

2. "...may consider going to RO water soon..." Why? So that you then have to add nitrates? If your tap water is high in nitrates you should be happy because there is one less thing to buy.

3. CO2 controller is asking for trouble. Instead of attempting to stabilize the pH you may wish to consider stabilizing the CO2 concentration instead and to forget about pH. Stable pH is not required for either flora or fauna.

4. Unless you think Aquaflora tubes produce the most beautiful light in the world you may wish to consider buying bulbs from Lampspecs at 1/4 the cost. See JamesC stickly in the lighting section.

5. A 5 ft tank with 320 watts of T5 and reflectors is going to devour a 2kg CO2 tank in no time flat.

6. Yes get more filtration. I reckon it's impossible to overfilter a tank (but I'm an extremist). In fact why stop at a measly crystal profi? Why not get another 2080?

7. Daily feeding of Ferropol is unnecessary and is of no advantage since this is just a trace mix and can be dosed twice a week. You need to consider dosing of NPK (or at least P&K) which are about 1000 times more important.

8. "...Phosphate or Nitrate Removers..." Utterly useless as they remove (if they actually work) the most important elements necessary for plant growth.

Cheers,