- Joined
- 11 Apr 2015
- Messages
- 34
Day 56: Time for an update!
I'm thinking this journal could be called '144 liters of I've changed my mind'... I have made a lot of changes to the setup. I'm a tinkerer I guess.
As mentioned in an earlier post, I've added co2, so this is not a low tech anymore. Co2 is distributed via a jbl proflora direct. To get the co2 properly distributed I have also put in a Koralia powerhead. The increased flow means the sand in the foreground is shifting a bit, but it's not too bad.
I've also put up a 2x24w t5 lamp, as the first light simply wasn't enough. Lights are on 6 hours a day.
I am dosing Tropica Specialised Fertiliser, but only half dosis.
I've added a few more plants. Valisneria Nana pretty much melted away and have only just now turned around - Only 1 out of 5 plants have started growing - so in order to get some more plant mass I added som Limnophila sessiliflora in the background. I am planning on eventually removing it and replacing it with Valisneria Nana, now that it has begun putting out runners.
I also added Limnophila hippuridoides behind the Microsorum pteropus 'trident'. The Microsorum is slowly putting out new leaves and some of the old ones have melted. Really beautiful plant.
Helanthium tenellum 'Green' haven't filled in yet, but started putting out a lot of runners a week or so ago, so it will get there.
Some livestock have also been added. I have 7 otocinclus, 6 corydora paleatus and an ever growing flock of crystal shrimps. I am thinking of getting another 6 corydora paleatus as it is a really nice fish, very active, and doesn't grow too big.
I have some bba on some of the rocks (in a spot with a lot of flow) and I'm scrubbing away with a toothbrush to remove them. I hope they will be outcompeted by the plants eventually. I also had a lot of biofilm on the surface - because of the melting plants perhaps - but that is not an issue anymore. I had to remove the biofilm daily, so I'm really happy it's gone.
I am doing two water changes a week. 25% on Wednesdays and 50% on Sundays. I am doing two wc's because of the bba. Sundays is also the big maintenance day with glass cleaning, pruning and so on.
I'm thinking this journal could be called '144 liters of I've changed my mind'... I have made a lot of changes to the setup. I'm a tinkerer I guess.
As mentioned in an earlier post, I've added co2, so this is not a low tech anymore. Co2 is distributed via a jbl proflora direct. To get the co2 properly distributed I have also put in a Koralia powerhead. The increased flow means the sand in the foreground is shifting a bit, but it's not too bad.
I've also put up a 2x24w t5 lamp, as the first light simply wasn't enough. Lights are on 6 hours a day.
I am dosing Tropica Specialised Fertiliser, but only half dosis.
I've added a few more plants. Valisneria Nana pretty much melted away and have only just now turned around - Only 1 out of 5 plants have started growing - so in order to get some more plant mass I added som Limnophila sessiliflora in the background. I am planning on eventually removing it and replacing it with Valisneria Nana, now that it has begun putting out runners.
I also added Limnophila hippuridoides behind the Microsorum pteropus 'trident'. The Microsorum is slowly putting out new leaves and some of the old ones have melted. Really beautiful plant.
Helanthium tenellum 'Green' haven't filled in yet, but started putting out a lot of runners a week or so ago, so it will get there.
Some livestock have also been added. I have 7 otocinclus, 6 corydora paleatus and an ever growing flock of crystal shrimps. I am thinking of getting another 6 corydora paleatus as it is a really nice fish, very active, and doesn't grow too big.
I have some bba on some of the rocks (in a spot with a lot of flow) and I'm scrubbing away with a toothbrush to remove them. I hope they will be outcompeted by the plants eventually. I also had a lot of biofilm on the surface - because of the melting plants perhaps - but that is not an issue anymore. I had to remove the biofilm daily, so I'm really happy it's gone.
I am doing two water changes a week. 25% on Wednesdays and 50% on Sundays. I am doing two wc's because of the bba. Sundays is also the big maintenance day with glass cleaning, pruning and so on.