Dave`s Pre Journal Journal

[George Farmer]

Looks promising, Dave.

 

[spankone]

looking good dave.... what solution are you using in your drop checker

 

[lljdma06]

looking good dave.... what solution are you using in your drop checker

It does look good, however, I am concerned that you have removed all the weeds at once. I tend to go for a more gradual approach, but I can understand if the HC was suffering. I doubt I would have planted HC from the get go. Probably would have done weeds first with the hardscape and then gradually add the plants I wanted. But again, that's just me.

Good luck with the EI. I'll be monitoring this tank closely, as I like the layout quite a bit. Rocks look great.

llj

 

[blue acara]

Love the hardscape Dave, looks good now even now-even ure hard/glassware looks good. Im sure this tank will be really excellent when fully grown in.

 

[Dave Spencer]

Thanks for all the encouraging comments.

To answer a few questions:

Afro: The AS is very easy to scape with (I have the powder variety). If you want steep slopes or the like, you would be able to achieve it with this stuff. As for the Ammonia spike, I would have some Zeolite in your filter at the beginning. Apparently, the ADA AS and EI combo is the best around, so I am hoping to find this to be true.

Spankone: I use my own made up 4dKH solution in my CO2 dropper.

Llj: The weeds were in a bucket next to the tank when I took the photo. I tidied them up a bit and they are all back in the tank. Taking them away gradually isn`t something I had thought of, so thanks for that.

Dave.

 

[lowee]

Its looking good Dave, How are you finding the Eleocharis?

 

[Themuleous]

Love the hardscape Dave, unfortunately the HC really doesn't look very happy. It might be worth re doing some of it into smaller clumps, I've tried both ways and single stems give a much better carpet that doesn't die off nearly as much.

On a bit of a side note, when you do the final shots, it might be worth cutting a few inches off the top of the tank, it looks very tall in that pic. Just a thought

Sam

 

[Dave Spencer]

Thanks for that Sam, I think I needed somebody to comment on the HC.

I have taken out one of the sorrier looking clumps for closer inspection. There is some brown diatoms causing the discolouration, as I suspected, but I am also wondering whether having the Ammonia off scale for so long has caused some chemical burning. Planting had to be a rushed job one evening, so I was a less meticulous with separating individual plants than was necessary. Die off has been fairly minimal to be honest and there are still quite a few individual plants in the substrate.

The Ammonia is now down to around .3mg/l and I have noticed a big improvement in my temporary Rotala since starting EI. If the HC doesn`t pick up dramatically in the near future, I will definitely take your advice and separate out a little more.

Cheers, Dave.

 

[Themuleous]

No probs, I hope it does pick up it takes ages doing it individually!

BTW how you finding the D&D tubes? Or are they on the other tank? Do you get the HC pearling? My HC has been in two days and not a single pearl yet, but it is early I guess.

How you finding doing EI on two tank? How often are the water changes on this tank?

Sam

 

[mlawson]

Looks great! I have found that HC takes a while to get started, so it should start growing soon.

 

[Dave Spencer]

BTW how you finding the D&D tubes? Or are they on the other tank? Do you get the HC pearling? My HC has been in two days and not a single pearl yet, but it is early I guess.

I use one D&D Aquaflora, one D&D Midday and one standard EQJ tube. I am using an EQJ alongside the D&Ds because of the overall colour rendition using this combination. Since starting EI dosing the HC is pearling more and more each day, and it has hopefully turned the corner and will really start to carpet.

How you finding doing EI on two tank? How often are the water changes on this tank?

Personally, I find EI a doddle. At the moment, I change 50% of the water every third day, but the Ammonia is at zero now. I will see how the algae goes and modify things accordingly, but hopefully I will be able to get the dosing and water change in synch with my original EI tank to make things even easier. I still think I will have a go at running a water column lean on N and P when all the weeds have gone. Having said that, if using EI alongside ADA AS proves too successful, I might leave things well alone.

Dave.

 

[Dave Spencer]

I have just added thirteen of these guys: Rasbora dorsiocellata. Thay are a little understated, plus they are torpedo shaped, both of which make them ideal for what I wanted for this tank.

Dave.

 

[Themuleous]

More nice fish however I didnt think you were ready for fish, thought they were going in at the end?

Sam

 

[Dave Spencer]

More nice fish however I didnt think you were ready for fish, thought they were going in at the end?
Sam

So did I Sam, but this tank has been running for about six weeks now, which was as long as I could stand without fish. Once the ADA AS Amazonia started behaving itself, I knew I would crack. The fish were originally going to be Boraras maculata, but I saw these and decided to buy them on the spur of the moment (zero research done on them). They are great little fish and full of energy. The moment I put them in the tank they were at the surface looking for food.

Patience is a virtue I do not possess.... now who else do I know that is like that?

Cheers, Dave.

 

[arif_93]

i seen the rasboras u bought will they stay that colour of will they get nice and colourful like other rasboras i think u should get some galaxy rasboras they nice