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My first Iwagumi

Swordplay

Member
Joined
17 Nov 2012
Messages
82
Location
Ipswich,suffolk
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This is my first go at an Iwagami using a Superfish Home 40 more pics to follow if this has worked.
 
Drop checker has just turned green and system seems to be running at 1 1/2 bubbles per second. Not sure if that's too much or the right amount?
 
Found my drop checker still green this morning after turning yellow yesterday afternoon. Co2 adjustment needed I think!
 
Scape looks great, what plants do you have?

Some surface agitation via filter outlet or air bubbles through the night will help to gas off excess carbon dioxide and replenish the water column with oxygen. Following with interest, good luck!

Joe
 
Thanks guys...

I planted it with 8 pots of Eleocharis Acicularis ( dwarf hairgrass) and a tropica 1-2-grow Sagittaria Subulata. Thanks for the advice re the agitation. I have since discovered that my bubble count was too high for my size of tank and have now adjusted it to 1 every 4 to 5 seconds which appears to be keeping the drop checker a lime green colour.
Have just dosed with first macro ferts today. Having never used EI before will see how these work out.
 
Have found today that trying to get the regulator to consistently put out 1 bubble every 5 seconds results in it slowing down to nearer 1 every 6 or 7 seconds. This has resulted in my drop checker turning blue so have am now trying it at 1 every 3 seconds to see if it will do this consistently. My only worry is having the co2 level too high to then add fish or shrimps.
 
This is not really relevant to present discussion buut I keep wondering where the white internal filter is ... I thought these tanks sold as complete kits (tank, filter, lighting etc) - I suppose this keeps coming at me as I think I'd prefer the white version I've seen in the promo video (though that fish load was absurd) :sorry:

Re bubbles per second, don't get too caught up in this as bubble size is highly variable, just watch your plants & your drop checker - note time delay on the checker may be an hour or more.

If you cant get your needle valve as precise as you'd like, just add more surface movement/agitation to lower CO2 to fish/shrimp safe levels

When adding new fish/shrimps, do so in a lights off period with lowered CO2 - run tank for a few days - week with gradual increase in CO2 as this will allow livestock time to adjust (actual biochemical changes occur ... not all species of fish/shrimp are equally capable ... and inbred color etc lines are generally weaker than "wild type" lines)

Nice scape :D
 
Thanks Alto that is very helpful advice re the co2 levels. It is hard not to get to caught up in getting the levels exactly right. I have kept fish for many years and also have had heavily planted tanks but this is the first time I have taken the plunge into the world of Co2.

With regards to the tank, you are right to think that this comes with a built in internal filter section. My problem was that prior to setting this scape up I started to mature the Aquaflow 100 which came with set in my other tank but found the flow rate very slow and the filter very noisy. I did exchange the filter for a new one which started off quietly and then after a few hours became noisy again. At this point I was ready to start my scape and did not want to change the tank as I was v pleased with the lighting etc. I then realised that the filter box housing like the Juwel tanks is held in by silicone so I removed this and bought an Eheim Aquaball which has proved to be quiet and has a much better turnover.
This has put the cost of the tank up but I had managed to get the tank online for £68 so can't complain really:)
 
Thanks for the explanation :)
Make sure you get another replacement filter though! - perhaps share your experience with the manufacturer/company rep, ask that they test out the replacement before sending it on to you ... you can always use the filter is a hospital or quarantine tank etc
 
Tank has now been up and running for seven days. Grasses are growing slowly but I expected this as they are of the dwarf variety. Really pleased with the growth of the Sagittaria Subulata I have not used the Tropica 1 -2 grow plants before but would definitely order them again as they seem to be very healthy plants.

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Two cherry shrimps added today. Seem to be a good size and pottering around happily. Not really any algae to speak of.
Just wondering when to give my grasses their first trim as I have noticed a couple with a few brown ends.

The only other thing I've noticed which I'm not sure about is an opaque thin film/jelly like substance that was on the top of my heater and also on my drop checker.

Drop checker seems to be reading lime green and still adding the EI ferts.

All thoughts and advice welcome.
 
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Latest picture of my set up.

Have given my grasses a haircut as there was plenty of visible roots.

Bit disappointed that quite a lot of algae has appeared on some of the grasses and quite a lot is now covering the rocks.

I'am still dosing with EI ferts and my drop checker is showing lime green for most of the time now.

I think I'm going to reduce my lights to 6 hours a day and adjust the CO2 accordingly.

Grasses appear to have lots of roots but do seem to have lot some of their greenness.

Does anyone have any other ideas of how to help combat this?
 
I would move that thick grass behind the rocks, as it is somewhat hiding them by being at the front.

Also, if you don't mind the opinion; I'd definitely try and source even a tiny turtle external filter, or corner one on the cheap, perhaps a sponge? This would then allow you to air off some co2 in regards to your issue with overdosing, while providing a relatively hidden, capable filter :)
 
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