UCBONES
Seedling
Hi,
I've been registered a while and just soaking up advice but thought it time to get involved.
I set up my first planted tank (my first aquarium of any sort in fact) at the beginning of august and its been running nicely. Minimal algae and good plant growth. It is heavily (over) stocked with harlequin rasboras, rummynose tetras, pentazona barbs, sterbai corys, amano shrimp and a couple of angels but I've had no fish losses or any with health concerns other than 2 ottos and a harlequin that went shortly after introduction so I've put those down to travel stress/fragility. I'm also aiming to upgrade to a bigger tank in the new year. I'll try and post a couple of photos at some point when I'm not at work.
The tank is a 30" x 15" x 18" tank giving 120 litres (before hardscape etc.)
I've been dosing EI daily using aquaessentials dry salts for macros and tropica plant nutrition for the micros - i'll get a trace mix powder for when this runs out.
Water Changes of 50%+ weekly.
I'm adding CO2 using 2 of the hagen nutrafin yeast cannisters and a daily dose of Excel easycarbo.
Filtration is from an Eheim 2224, flow is aided by a koralia nano pump.
Lighting is 2x18W T8s for 10 hours a day with a 24W T5 giving a burst over 4 hours in the middle of the day.
Now... here's where I need some advice...
I know that the flow from my filter is insufficient going on current thinking.
I know that my CO2 supply is inconsistant due to the nature of DIY production.
I know that my algae issues, slight as they are (small amounts of BBA and a bit of a fuzz type algae on sword leaves etc plus the inevitable green spot on some of the older anubias leaves) would be aided by remedying both of these situations.
I know that I'll be skinned alive if I go out and buy a new filter and a pressurised CO2 system.
SO... do I go for the filter or the CO2 reg etc as my next step?
I've been registered a while and just soaking up advice but thought it time to get involved.
I set up my first planted tank (my first aquarium of any sort in fact) at the beginning of august and its been running nicely. Minimal algae and good plant growth. It is heavily (over) stocked with harlequin rasboras, rummynose tetras, pentazona barbs, sterbai corys, amano shrimp and a couple of angels but I've had no fish losses or any with health concerns other than 2 ottos and a harlequin that went shortly after introduction so I've put those down to travel stress/fragility. I'm also aiming to upgrade to a bigger tank in the new year. I'll try and post a couple of photos at some point when I'm not at work.
The tank is a 30" x 15" x 18" tank giving 120 litres (before hardscape etc.)
I've been dosing EI daily using aquaessentials dry salts for macros and tropica plant nutrition for the micros - i'll get a trace mix powder for when this runs out.
Water Changes of 50%+ weekly.
I'm adding CO2 using 2 of the hagen nutrafin yeast cannisters and a daily dose of Excel easycarbo.
Filtration is from an Eheim 2224, flow is aided by a koralia nano pump.
Lighting is 2x18W T8s for 10 hours a day with a 24W T5 giving a burst over 4 hours in the middle of the day.
Now... here's where I need some advice...
I know that the flow from my filter is insufficient going on current thinking.
I know that my CO2 supply is inconsistant due to the nature of DIY production.
I know that my algae issues, slight as they are (small amounts of BBA and a bit of a fuzz type algae on sword leaves etc plus the inevitable green spot on some of the older anubias leaves) would be aided by remedying both of these situations.
I know that I'll be skinned alive if I go out and buy a new filter and a pressurised CO2 system.
SO... do I go for the filter or the CO2 reg etc as my next step?