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What can you tell me about my tank from these photos

tovtm

tovtm

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2 Jan 2011
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249
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I have very slow growth slight browning/dirty look only just starting to form on foreground plants. I think I have enough flow as I have a fx5 going into a spray bar on the width of the tank and as the circulation goes around snd comes back towards the spray bar on the bottom of the track is leaning all my background plants over. I have the inlet to the filter the other end of the tank.

Co2 is pressurised going into a ceramic co2 diffuser under the inlet of the filter but wondering if to move the co2 diffuser to under the spray bar?

I have a tanks of 48" by 12" by 18"
2-3" cat gravel
Dose ei mon-friday
Two 48" t8 bulbs on from 3-10pm
Fx5
Co2 from 11-5
 
I know it looks a mess but Im not concerned what it looks like for the moment just getting to the point I every month or so I change something or buy new plants and don't seem to get to the point im getting results. Co2 seems to be to its highest point where I think the fish can take it.
 
Are you using a single diffuser for the whole tank? I get the idea that maybe the CO2 isn't being distributed properly, and although your plants are swaying and fish gasping, perhaps it isn't getting around effectively.

It might be worth investing in an inline diffuser, or a splitter with individual needle valves to put a diffuser at either end of the tank.
 
Daz2162 said:
Hi mate,
Set your co2 to come on at 1 and go off at 9, plants will use it when lights are on. Also do you use a bubble counter, if so how many bubbles per second are you dosing?

How much ei ferts are going in?

Cheers

Darren
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Not trying to say no to what you've suggested but I thought the DC had to be lime Green on lights on and turn off a hr before lights off is a waste as plants use less and less As day goes on?
I dont have a bubble counter just use DC and fish as a guide.


the mixture i mix up is as follows and i do a weekly 50% change.4 tsp KNO31.25 tsp KH2PO49 tsp MgSO4Put all this in one bottle and add 600mlI dose 50ml of this on days 1, 3 & 5Add 1.25 tsp Trace to 200ml warm water, in a different bottle,I dose 25ml of this on days 2 & 4

I would love to have an unlike diffuser but on the fx5 the pipes are 25mm way to big for inline diffusers :( do you think by moving the diffuser to under the spray bar could make much of a difference?
 
It reads like your turning co2 on 4 hours before lights on and turning off co2 5 hours before lights out? Or is that a typo?
 
No thats correct that gives me lime green on lights on and co2 on for 6hrs or am I going about it all wrong
 
I might be wrong but I would expect you are turning off co2 to early, the norm is to have it turn on a few hours before lights and maybe off a hour before lights off. I would think all of the co2 would be out gassed during the 5 hours it's off but your drop checker is telling a different story!
 
Hi tovtm,
what is your water change and filter maintenance routine?
Does your tank receive a lot of natural light/direct sunlight?
4 hrs pre lights on is a long time, but i know how tricky it is to balance co2 and fish comfort. Maybe try ensuring good surface agitation for gas exchange (especially whilst your plant mass is relitively low and they are not thriving and photosynthesising to their full potential), increasing your injection rate to compensate, and reduce the time from 4hrs pre lights to 2hrs pre and run co2 for a little longer during the photoperiod. Say gas from 1pm until 8pm with your current photoperiod. Your assumptions of plants easing off on use throughout the photoperiod, and the critical time being for lights on are correct, but you may need some more tweaking to hit the sweet spot. Currently you only have gas injection for 2 of the 7 hour photoperiod, you must be suffering a shortfall due to off gassing before the plants are reducing their uptake.
Cheerio,
Ady.
 
I would say you need to adjust your co2 times. Also flow is very important for distribution so putting it under your spray may be benficial, do you have a powerhead or anything?
Also like mentioned above, filter maintenance and water changes are very important at controlling algae as un eaten food etc will cause algae blooms. Adding some shrimp and snails will help contol it somewhat but water changes are key. For a while try doing 2x 50% water changes per week to try and bring it under control.

Cheers

Darren
 
I currently do about 50% of the tanks water volume a week and filter clean out about every month half where the fx5 has such a big canister.

Ive changed the co2 times for as you suggester 1pm on and 8 pm off and slowly adjust it back up to what I feel is max.
Il also move the co2 diffuser under the spray bar tonight see gow that goes for a week or so.

Surface agitation I've read clive say that minimum is key to a stop gas off so if I purposly add surface agitation and increase co2 to conteract the gass off what benifits will this give? Sorry if I've missed the point if already been stated.

The track is hit y a little sunlight during lights of in the morning but it's other side of the room from the window and to the side of it so its only minimal
 
That's good mate, up that to twice weekly for a few months to see if that helps with the algae.

During day, yeah thats true minimal is better, simply because the plants will saturate the water with oxygen during the photoperiod. But when lights of, oxygen is depleted very quickly, a fish use it, plants will use as will the biofilter, so surface agitation is very important dure lights off. Either air stone or slide tour spray closer to surface at night.

Uv from sunlight will of course create algae but normally on glass and maybe on any plants that are hit, but it will normally just be dust algae that should wipe off pretty easy, bare in mind that even when dusted off its still in the water so dust it off just before a water change.

See how it goes.

Cheers

Darren
 
Hi tovtm,
I appreciate the low surface agitation theory on a thriving tank, the plants will saturate the water column with oxygen quickly like Clive says and Darren suggests above. Currently you are having issues with algae and have a fairly lean plant mass so the agitation is purely to ensure good oxygen levels for the fauna whilst your adjusting your co2 and getting your plants in optimum health.
It also has the benefit of breaking up and allowing filtering of any scum which can build up when plants are struggling.
The main thing is to get the co2 right, and as Darren suggests I'd increase your water changes to at least 2x 50% per week for a few weeks to see if you get an improvement. I realise your running a large filter, but I'd be inclined to clean that more regularly too to reduce the breakdown of wastes. Prevention is better than cure and pre-filters/sponges primarily are there to capture large debris for easy removal. There will be plenty to keep the bio media going without allowing everything to break down :)
Cheerio,
Ady.
 
Thanks ady what time of day do you guys do wc. I usually do them late at night 8-9pm but with co2 on up to around then would doing a wc just be getting rid of co2 that I want to keeo in the tank? I work from 7-5 so mornings are a no or on clean out days just do them on lights off 10pm?
 
tovtm said:
Thanks ady what time of day do you guys do wc. I usually do them late at night 8-9pm but with co2 on up to around then would doing a wc just be getting rid of co2 that I want to keeo in the tank? I work from 7-5 so mornings are a no or on clean out days just do them on lights off 10pm?
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Hi,
I tend to do mine at around 8/9pm for the same reasons, and once the kids are in bed. It's right in the middle of the photoperiod. Im unsure as to whether it is good or bad, but convince myself its ok due to any lost co2 being replaced with concentrations in the tap water and the exposure to air for the plants.....I know one thing, my plants only ever pearl vigorously after a water change.
Cheerio,
Ady
 
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tovtm said:
Thanks ady what time of day do you guys do wc. I usually do them late at night 8-9pm but with co2 on up to around then would doing a wc just be getting rid of co2 that I want to keeo in the tank? I work from 7-5 so mornings are a no or on clean out days just do them on lights off 10pm?
Click to expand...
Do mine around 9ish on weekdays kids work life etc dictates that is when they shall be done turn my lights off before I fill back up cause I've had enough of bba, just don't forget to turn em back on before bed or gassed fishes next day.
 
I was speaking with clive a little while ago about co2 and he said when you pit fresh water in you add tons of co2 into the water so it doesnt really matter when you do it really, cos what you take out you probably just replace it all if not more.

Cheers

Darren
 
Also don't forget that late at night (late in the photoperiod) the plants will be easing off their uptake of co2 so its not so critical to maintain concentrations.
 
Thanks for all the input I will see how it goes within the week and report back unless I find something else to rack your brains about :)
 
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