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Remember, if you get hold of some filter media from an established tank, or even some hardscape or plants from one, it will speed the process up a lot.
 
Just read some of this thread. Just so you know George I too have that CO2 art gauge/reg and the right hand pressure dial always read approx 500psi. Ive had 4 full bottles attached too it and it always read that figure from full. I did report this to CO2 art and i think they decided it was just an issue with that gauge, it should still function normally. Mine stays pretty steady at 500psi and starts to drop suddenly indicating that you'll need to change the bottle.

Good luck!
 
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good to know thanks, still getting blue green algae, this picture is after I siphoned out most of it, also my water is ever so slightly cloudy, this could be a bacteria bloom right ?
 
What is a Bacterial Bloom?There are 2 types of bacteria at work in our tanks:-

Autotrophic Bacteria - Bacteria capable of synthesizing its own food from inorganic substances, using light or chemical energy. Our beneficial filter bacteria are autotrophs.

Heterotrophic Bacteria - Bacteria that cannot synthesize its own food and is dependent on complex organic substances for nutrition. The heterotrophs in our aquariums mineralise the organic waste (break down the uneaten food, fish waste, dead plant matter etc into ammonia).

Contrary to popular belief, it is commonly the heterotrophs which are seen in our bacterial blooms, not our trusted autotroph nitrifiers.

It is the heterotrophs which are primarily responsible for creating the "bio-film" (slimy residue found on the tank walls and ornaments) which builds up in our aquariums.

The heterotrophs are generally bigger than the autotrophs and therefore don't attach themselves to surfaces with the same ease. They also reproduce much more quickly. Heterotrophs can reproduce in around 15 - 20 minutes, whereas autotrophs can take up to 24 hours to reproduce.

In a newly set-up aquarium, the heterotrophs get to work quicker than the autotrophs, causing the 'cycling bloom' we so often see. Blooms are almost certainly heterotrophic if they are caused by a build up of organic waste in the substrate, which most, if not all, are.

Bacterial blooms are common in tanks with apparently no organics present (for example, where all that is in the tank is water and ammonia for a fishless cycle). This is caused by the dechlorination of the water suddenly enabling the water to support bacterial populations. The heterotrophs immediately get to work on the organics in the water itself. The severity of the bloom and even whether a bloom happens at all is dependant upon the level of organics contained in the water supply.

Our autotroph nitrifiers are strictly aerobic (require oxygen), but the heterotrophs can be facultative anaerobic (they can switch between aerobic and anaerobic function depending on their environment). Therefore the heterotrophs in the substrate will be in their anaerobic state and breaking down the organic waste into ammonia, but if they bloom up into the water column, they will switch to their aerobic form and will start to convert the ammonia back to nitrite, although very inefficiently. The heterotrophs are around 1,000,000 times less efficient at ammonia oxidisation than our beneficial autotrophs as the heterotrophs are not true nitrifiers.
 
Sounds like you worked that question out for yourself George. Should be a sign that the changes are taking effect, hopefully in a few weeks your tank will be in a position to put some shrimp in, and hopefully you'll see improvements in general :)
 
Please do not take this as a criticism, I have noticed in a lot of your pictures your hardware appears to be very dirty, with many days growth of algae and detritus on them. It helps greatly I believe to maintain the hardware in the best condition possible, this may not stop your algae, but allow no place for it to flourish unchecked. Especially hardware where it is much easier to clean than plants themselves.
Your plants are improving though, perhaps some more plant mass is needed?
 
Your tank is far too small for SAE. They need at least a 3 foot when they are fully grown, and should be kept in groups of 3 minimum. My 125 was not big enough for them, and your 60 is less than half the size.
 
Take the filter outlet out and clean it with a brush. I just did that to my jbl outlet. should take you about 5 minutes.
 
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