110 Gallon South American Biotope

[Ninjouzata]

Looking good, hope the rummys do well How soon do you think you'll be getting them?

 

[Blobfish]

That's a beautiful cory.  I like the tower of rocks at the left specially but the whole tank looks impressive, it will be great to see the plants growing in.

 

[greenmumma141]

Darn those bloodfins, what the heck?!
 
But congrats on the neons, Eagles!!! Progress is always good The tank looks really great!

 

[eaglesaquarium]

An update is long overdue.  Apologies...
 
Things are going well... the neons continue to thrive and I've bumped their group up to 21.  They look fantastic in the tank.
 
I've planted the tank now - just have to wait for the plants to grow in a bit and the look should be close to complete.
Still struggling with BBA, but I think that I have a handle on it now.  I have a few options available to me.  Here's how I see it...
 
 
#1 - CO2 - this is a tricky spot as the tank will be largely untended over the summer.  I'll be able to stop by a few times a week to keep it going and keep it beautiful, but it needs to be largely self-sustaining by then. 

• The easy way to increase the CO2, is to increase the bioload.  More fish means more CO2.  Not that the fish alone can provide the level of CO2 required, but they can help to keep the levels more stable, and stability is the most important thing, I believe.
• The next easiest way is to add a dose of liquid carbon daily.  I might even try to set-up some sort of daily drip dose which could work to add the dose without human input.  The question is... how does one set that up?
• The more reasonable method would be to add some CO2 via either yeast (don't think I need to get to 30ppm, but just higher levels than I currently have, plus hold the levels more constant than they currently are) or even some pressurized dosing.  I honestly have to say that the yeast method actually intrigues me more, because it will enable me a greater challenge to overcome.  Just injected CO2 via a pressurized system that's so bland... where's the excitement and the challenge?  (Realizing of course that doing yeast on a tank of this scale might be a fool's errand. But, sometimes those are the most fun, especially against all odds!
  
  )

 
#2 - fish - Fish that eat BBA would be a great addition...  Interestingly, black mollies are local to Mexico, and as far south as Columbia.  That's right Columbia... which means that they are 'native' to South America, and will fit in the biotope.  However, I think that they are going to be a short-term solution, until I get the CO2 corrected.  The mollys are one of my favorite fish, and were my favorites as a youngster.  These guys will be moved to another tank once the BBA is under control, because the water is softer than they would prefer long term.  I'd like to give them their preferred water option.
 
 
#3 - Lighting...  I've moved the light up a bit from about 2 inches above the level of the water, to about 6-8 inches above the water level.  The decreased light and the more stable CO2 levels should certainly help with the BBA.
 
 
 
Now for the fun part...

 
Right side:
http/www.flickr.com/photos/56876192@N03/10616024876/
 
Middle:
http/www.flickr.com/photos/56876192@N03/10615992675/
 
Left side:
http/www.flickr.com/photos/56876192@N03/10616267503/
 
 
Better shots of plants...
http/www.flickr.com/photos/56876192@N03/10615992145/
 
 
Cory:
http/www.flickr.com/photos/56876192@N03/10430102834/
 
Cory eating:
http/www.flickr.com/photos/56876192@N03/10430218273/
 
 
Video from before I added the extra neons to put the group up to 21...
[media]http/www.flickr.com/photos/56876192@N03/10430102794/[/media]

 

[Ninjouzata]

Gorgeous! Can't wait to see what it looks like when everything grows in.
Of course love the cories & neons.
 
Nice vid too! Can't wait to see the next one with the newest additions!
 
Hope the BBA clears up soon :c

 

[TallTree01]

Beauty!

 

[Ch4rlie]

 

[greenmumma141]

Looks grat Eagles!!!!!!!
 
Nice barbels

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Thanks.  I hope to have another update by mid-week.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Quick update:
 
I increased the circulation in the tank to try to get the liquid carbon better distributed through out the tank and better combat the BBA... The fish seem happy with the increased circulation, or at least, not fussed about it.  The plants on the other hand... have uprooted!
 
 
Not all of them, but the giant hygro is unrooted now, and so has a few stems of the cabomba.  The cabomba has been uprooting rather regularly... same silly stems just don't seem to want to be planted.  So, I will be keeping the higher circulation, and I will be replanting (again).  I'm hoping that they will stay in the substrate this time.

A few quick shots of the BN Pleco.  (Had some drama regarding the ID, but thanks to a couple of folks here: Paradise3, Tongue_Flicker, Wildbetta and TwoTankAmin, I feel confident now that it IS a BN.)
 
 
Anyhow, I figured I'd add them here for folks to enjoy:
[sharedmedia=core:attachments:71986]
 
 
More pics to follow, but I can't access my flickr account from work.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

http/www.flickr.com/photos/56876192@N03/10748056336/
 
Video link above...
 
So, this is the tank as it currently stands.
 
I've increased the circulation, as mentioned.  Reconfigured the powerhead from a powerhead to a circulation pump... rating went from 160 gph to 650 gph.  That puts the turnover rate at somewhere around 10x per hour.  The two filters are rated at 350 gph each, but probably are more like half of that in reality with the media...
 
I thought it was higher earlier in the evolution of this tank, but have come to doubt it now.  If the rating was accurate, the two filters plus the powerhead were at about 800 gph, but more than likely it was closer to 500gph.  Now its probably up to about 1000 gph.  That, with the drastically reduced water change schedule and the double dose of liquid carbon should cut back the BBA, and help to remove it.  If the BBA doesn't go away in the next two weeks, I'll be adding some CO2 in the form of yeast.  (Sure I could do pressurized gas container, but where is the fun in that.)
 
 
My goal with the CO2 would be, two fold carbon injections:

1. Partly in the form of CO2 from the yeast distillation.
2. Partly in the form of liquid carbon to help keep the carbon levels constant.

 
I don't think yeast can raise the CO2 up to 30ppm on a tank this size, but I think it can raise it (with the liquid carbon) sufficiently to knock out the BBA, and that's my goal.  I'm not looking for a jungle, just a nice looking planted tank.  Healthy plants and no algae.  I don't want super fast growth.
 
 
Thanks for keeping up with me on this journey.

 

[greenmumma141]

Sounds like a plan, Eagles
 
The tank looks great! The neons are schooling really nicely, gotta love it. I think you did a great job with your plant placement too, looks natural. And again, I still really love the substrate!!

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Thanks GM.  Always nice to have my efforts appreciated.

 

[Xzavier247]

Thanks GM.  Always nice to have my efforts appreciated.

 
I do have a question for you.
For Filter rated at 350gph with media half of that is flowing?
If so I was looking at a Can. Filter rated at 265gph and with media only half will be put out at 132.5gph?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

That's a rough estimate.  The truth is that the impeller and pump are usually rated based upon the filter when empty.  So, somewhere near that would be accurate - depending on the media, probably somewhere between 100 and 170 gph.