• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

something bigger, now even bigger

Thoroughly impressed that I haven’t yet gone more than a few weeks without forgetting to update this. It’s in grow out mode and I’ve since started dosing APT 3 which seems to have perked things up. No idea why, but most of the Ludwigia white has gone to the grave. It was fine and growing, albeit rather slowly. After I did the partial rescape, it just never went back to growing, so I’m thinking I have some sort of CO2 vacuum where it was placed, or due to shading, it was wasn’t getting enough light, which is the most plausible idea. Hoping to get my hands on some L. Meta next weekend at a swap - haven’t grown it in a long time, so we’ll see if I’m up to the task. Otherwise, just letting all the stem groups thicken up and grow out.

We were very fortunate to be in a position to buy a house, and within about a month of looking, we managed to find one. Keys will be in hand 4/15, so I have quite the move ahead of me. Had I considered this only a month or so sooner, I likely wouldn’t have set this up yet. So, here’s to a whole day spent getting this moved across the city. This will be fun.

I have some better photos on my mirrorless to upload later. Forgot to download them to my phone. This photo is from 2/27 post trim. Excuse the mess, we’ve started packing and I don’t know where to put anything in my already cramped house.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_5851.jpeg
    IMG_5851.jpeg
    3 MB · Views: 69
Finally, through many little re-scapes, I’ve settled on a layout that I feel is the most pleasing within the general constraints of the scape. I haven’t wanted to make any major changes and just wanted to kind of roll with it until I re-scape at the end of summer. However, I have to move this entire thing across the city in two and a half weeks. Any pointers? Ha. Should I break it all down or try to keep it all in place w/ plastic wrap on the top? Luckily I have a whole day to do it. My plan was to try to remove the fish and get them into a bucket with an aerator, drain all the water (trying to keep about 1/2 the water,) move, refill, and hope all goes well and I don’t knock things terribly out of balance. I’m hoping it’s a smooth transition - I haven’t had more than inconsistent, very little filamentous algae on the sand bed and occasionally on some old leaves. I attribute this to the couple times I forgot to turn the gas back on after a WC. Otherwise, not a speck of algae to be seen. I could probably go a month without cleaning the glass and not notice much difference. Here’s to hoping it remains easy and low maintenance post moving. View attachment IMG_3715.jpegView attachment IMG_3720.jpeg
 
Well, after an eventful couple weeks, we’ve finally moved and the tank is in its final place for a long, long time. Remind me to never move a running tank again - it was a huge inconvenience at best. Ha. But, it’s done, and nothing died. I’d be neglecting trimming the past few weeks so I basically had to rip all the stems up and thin them out. Things are settling in again and hoping to avoid any mini cycles or further disruptions. Luckily, we found out our tap TDS comes out at 30ppm. I’m going to keep using RO for the most part, but good to know it’s very soft in a pinch. Once things fill back in I’ll get some better photos - still need to do another water change to get some dust off the plants
IMG_6349.jpeg
 
hydrophyte said:
Congratulations for the new home!

Tank is looking great!
Click to expand...
Thank you! Hoping this is the last move for at least a few years. Tank is doing okay, but my negligence allowed a lot shading - I hacked it back aggressively to give everything a bit more light. Fingers crossed.
bazz said:
At least your membrane will have a good lifespan.
Click to expand...
Here's to hoping - I made it about a year on the last one w/ water coming in at 360 ppm!
 
I swear, it is always something in this hobby.

I looked in my cabinet to check my top off reservoir and noticed my pH controller was reading 6.3. This was well into the PP, so it should have been down at 5.5. Checked the pressure gauge on my regulator and saw it was reading 0 or close to it. Went to turn the knob so I could remove my regulator, and low and behold, it was tight. So, somewhere in the move I guess I forgot to reopen the tank. Oooops. Kind of explains the rather poor growth and little bit of filamentous algae I've seen pop up the last few days.

Just curious, how long do you get out your CO2 tank? I've been running the same 9 kg tank since December. I feel it getting close to the end, but who knows. The investment in a large tank is so worth it - 2.2 had to be filled every two months on my 60cm. 5 mos (who knows how long) on this 9kg tank (and 90cm aquarium) is well worth the inconvenience of filling the tank as well as the cost to refill. I've already paid for it in savings, especially as my local place charges $18 for a 2.2 fill and $24 for a 9. Don't get me started on the fuel my Toyota drinks to get there.

Another benefit is the pH controller. For the first seven years I was in this hobby I relied upon a DC and pH profiles. I never had much issue, but it did require occasional adjustments and certainly more attention, especially at the beginning of a set up. Spending $100 on a pH controller has made my life immensely easier. Set it and forget it, just recalibrate every few months. It uses less gas and keeps things nice and stable. While an investment, I think definitely a nice tool, especially for beginners, who are delving into CO2. There is inherent value in learning to tinker, create pH profiles, etc., but it makes the world much, much easier.

For someone who travels very frequently, spends a lot of time in the backcountry, and weeks away from home, certain pieces of kit make this hobby immensely more convenient. Hell, I spend less than an hour a week maintaining my tank. I can leave for a month and not bat an eye thanks to ATO, doser, and pH controller. While I hate the extra equipment and the upfront expense, it is well worth it in the long run.

And for anyone who might be new to the hobby and wondering if more expensive equipment is worth it, I say: Buy once, cry once (or twice).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top