PFK Olé - My first Journal

[aliclarke86]

Its the stone most likely mate. My high tech goes way up in a week. It will be find for any neocaridina species. I have TDs of 700 odd with cherries breeding away happy

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[Four50]

Its the stone most likely mate. My high tech goes way up in a week. It will be find for any neocaridina species. I have TDs of 700 odd with cherries breeding away happy

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Many thanks Ali, greatly appreciated

Looks like there is a good amount of CO2 bubbles flying about in there, which puts my mind at ease too. There is a fair 'mist' of bubbles in mine from the diffuser and i was wondering if it was too much for shrimp - my drop checker is green (like yours) so i guess that's okay and what I'm aiming for?

ps gorgeous cherries and amano's in there - i must get a photo of the ones in my daughters tank

 

[aliclarke86]

I changed the drop checker fluid that day after lights on so usually closer to yellow and all are fine. The plants give plenty of oxygen back to the water

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[Four50]

I changed the drop checker fluid that day after lights on so usually closer to yellow and all are fine. The plants give plenty of oxygen back to the water

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it's a good rich colour ... i loaded mine up for the first time and got an airlock i.e. no 4dkH in the orb bit, then only added enough Bromo to turn it a pale blue (and get a pale green, funnily enough!)

how often to you refill your drop checker?

 

[aliclarke86]

Once a week at water change if I remember it will probably run a lot longer but I want to stay in controll

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[Four50]

ok thanks once again Ali, i will pencil mine in for a change of solution this weekend then!

 

[Four50]

Day 3


Added a bit more Eleocharis Parvula and the Eleocharis Sp. arrived today too - bit bigger than i had seen a good few weeks back and thicker? hmm ... planted it anyway also, no idea how, but some bits of bogwood and spiky moss etc somehow managed to get into the box that was delivered today?!?!

so a full tank shot it is then ... please ignore the thread, elastic bands, lines of water change bubbles and generally poor shot ... i must dig the tripod out and do a proper one but it's too late and very tired, this planting malarky is hard work!

2 Litre (25%) water change with de-chlorinator
Temp - 25 Degrees (no change)
TDS - 185
PH - 7.3 (immediately taken after water change)
1.3ml (one pump) Vimi All in One Fert added
1ml Nutrafin Cycle Bacteria Supplement added

Cheers, Bob

 

[Four50]

Day 4 and not much of an update - work gets in the way of all my fun and the usual routine of water change etc carried around 11pm last night!

Quick question though, what's the best time to add ferts? I have been dosing of an evening as that's when I get in from work and do the water change ... Would it be better to dose in the morning before I leave giving the plants time to feed when the lights and CO2 are on?

 

[Four50]

Day 5 and same routine carried out - not sure when i will step down the daily water changes, current thinking is moving to every 2nd day after 2 weeks, then down to every 3rd day from week four. possible overkill?

The MC is taking off at the moment and, in the 5 days or since planting, the clumps have doubled in size. i'm quite happy with that and keeping a close eye on things when i can - no sign of algae yet, give it time though. Sorry the image is more than a little grainy, it's again hand held at ISO 1250. this is one of the shoots of the MC that is also pushing down roots as it goes


thanks for looking guys

 

[Four50]

Hi, day 6 and 7 were too busy and late in on day 8 (mon 24/2). Usual routine carried out tonight and my PH is 7.7 Seems to be rising a little? TDS is 197

I have spotted the dreaded algae too! Got diatoms of brown algae on one anubias leaf and the mineral stone ... Really not much and a good sign as there is I think ammonia / nitrates and the tank must be cycling? Will keep an eye on it

Cheers

 

[Four50]

Hi all, day 9 (Tues 25/02) and another rushed effort last night, I carried out two 2 litre water changes (the tank is only 8 litre!) as the diatoms (brown algae) appear to be spreading ... It's by no means a major outbreak and I'm not worried ... yet! I hope it will sort itself out as the tank stabilises - are more water changes the answer currently??

My PH is still fluctuating and hopefully this weekend I can record an hour by hour record of the day as the CO2 will be having an effect. The PH has dropped to 6.8 compared to 7.7 the day before? This could be due to the differences in time readings taken? Is this quite a large swing?? The TDS dropped a little too and was 185 last night (was 197). The only constant appears to be the temperature!

Sorry for all the questions and on the bright side, the Monte Carlo is growing very well with plenty new growth ... The clumps appear bigger each day!, the Xmas moss has definately started to expand with shoots starting to branch out and both Anubias Petites are again starting to throw out another leaf each (that's two each in just over a week!)

Will be another couple of weeks and I will be on the lookout for some shrimp, really can't wait! Still undecided on Yellow or Orange Sakuras ... Orange still ahead though

Again, thanks for looking, cheers

 

[Four50]

Hi guys, would appreciate your thoughts on yesterday's questions if you get the chance

Another two 2 litre water changes done tonight (day 10) as brown algae spreading onto a few more anubias leaves ... Had a go with a toothbrush to see if it would shift and it comes off quite easily.

TDS lower tonight at 144, was 187 yesterday and PH has gone back up to 7.7 ... Scratches head and wonders what and why?! Tap water is a fairly constant 7 to 7.2

Additionally some of the Eleocharis Sp at the back is dying off, going brown ... Have upped the lighting by an hour to see if that helps, although the bits that are fading as the bits I trimmed from the very long stems so maybe it just can be planted back into the substrate like others I have done in my daughters tank?

Cheers, bob

 

[tim]

Hi bob, just having a quick read through your journal, very nice your ph fluctuations could well be coming from your co2 injection the only way to determine this for sure is to take hourly ( I'd suggest half hourly in such a small volume of water) readings from co2 on until lights on then through the photoperiod to chart how your co2 is affecting the ph. Your Tds fluctuations will happen as you assumed from the landscape rock mineral stone addition of ferts and water changes will reset this, unfortunately in such a small volume of water changes can happen fairly quickly. None of this should be an issue for your plants but maybe worth charting the changes/ fluctuations over a weekend before adding shrimp they don't like large fluctuations IMO. Hope this helps.

 

[Four50]

Many thanks Tim, appreciated
I suspected the rock and mineral stone (as per previous posts) and hoping it will settle out a bit as it's all new rock etc, water changes are the answer here.
The PH is my main concern as livestock (shrimps) and their welfare are my top priority, their needs will come first. As I have read on these forums, CO2 is usually the root of most problems and it's my 1st attempt with a pressurised system (very small fluval set-up) and had to change the cyclinder this morning. I hope to get more than ten days out if this next one (no more waste when switching on and just about blowing my tank apart!!!). The CO2 currently has no solenoid and I'm finding it hard to control as it's either on hard or not at all, plus manual on / off morning and evening ... bit of a balancing act finding the point of sensible gas flow and a green drop checker! I am hoping to sort this with a bigger better system very soon
Again, thanks for you note Tim and I will certainly do a half hour reading day or two when I can, will probably have to be next weekend
Cheers, bob

 

[aliclarke86]

Bigger system is needed as a solenoid will not work on these disposable systems... I found out the hard way.....

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[Four50]

Bigger system is needed as a solenoid will not work on these disposable systems... I found out the hard way.....

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Thanks Ali, I'm aiming for a Sodastream setup as there is an Argos near me so refills won't be an issue under their replacement / refill scheme.

 

[Four50]

Morning, day 16 and sorry for the lack of updates - not much happening apart from a battle with brown algae and one half of my Eleocharis sp completely melting PH last night was at its highest (8) and the TDS was up at 223, this is in part due to a lack of water changes. Back on track with the routine and the brown algae is very easy to brush off.
Starting to think about shrimp now after adding some super red Sakura to my daughters tank at the weekend - lovely wee critters and very dark red, one is bordering on chocolate/wine
Any suggestions on where to get some good orange Sakura? That said, I do still fancy some Taiwan bees with the hope of the odd bolt or King Kong etc! Again, decisions decisions!! Also, looking to fill the gap after the Eleocharis melt ... Any suggestions for a background plant that's possibly 'grass' like? Vallis for example is too big as it's a tiny tank.
Thanks guys, bob

 

[aliclarke86]

Have a look at blyxa I'm sure one so will fit. As far as the hair grass goes I have always suffered an initial melt but it grows back in lovely

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[Four50]

Have a look at blyxa I'm sure one so will fit. As far as the hair grass goes I have always suffered an initial melt but it grows back in lovely

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Thanks Ali, I will look the plant up ... Is blyxa it's full name? The hair grass (Elecocharis sp mini) is going great as is the Elecocharis Parvula, it's the tall Eleocharis sp that has melted? It's meant to be the 'easy' plant too per Tropica! Maybe it was its location (back left corner) but flow is good, co2 reaches there and the light is even ... One of life's mysteries I guess, maybe I planted it too deeply, yet the clump at the back right is fine. Onwards and upwards eh and at least the MC and Anubias are thriving. Must get some update photos on here too. Thanks again

 

[Four50]

Found the blyxa Ali! Blyxa japonica and Tropica label it as 'advanced' eek! Might give it a go, but also like the look of Lilaeopsis Mauritania ... It's listed as medium and fits the bill height wise (5-10cm'ish!)... Bit more research required on my part I think! Anyone any thoughts on the Blyxa or Lilaeopsis?