High Tech Planted 50L Nano

[SLIM]

So I've installed the Ph controller, very pleased with it. Quite easy to set up and calibrate and I think I'm using less Co2 than before!My KH is 10 so my Ph needs to be 7 to reach 30ppm which I've set accordingly on the controller.
 
Before the controller, I used to have the Co2 on for 9 hours a day (lights on for 10). I honestly think now that even with the controller running 24/7 the Co2 is on for less than what it was before.[/size]
 
The hysteresis on this thing [/size]is +/- 0.1 so the lowest the Ph gets to is 6.90, at which point the Co2 shuts off and Ph is allowed back up to 7.10, then switches back on the Co2 and lowers Ph to 6.90 again, etc etc. I still need to confirm this but to get the Ph down to 6.9 (from 7.1) takes maybe half an hour or less. For the Ph to go back up to 7.1 takes maybe 2 hours. 
By those estimations and if I've calculated this right, Co2 is only on for 5 hours a day, even if I leave it on over night![/size]

Wow yea thats pretty impressive. Are you still using a drop checkers? Is it staying that nice green all day now??

Yep, green all day baby! The fish look noticably happier. They used to swim in tight formation most of the time, but now they all branch off and do their own thing. I guess they're just more comfortable. Thats great news. Money well spent then. Got any updated pics of your tank? How is everything doing?

 

[Blondielovesfish]

Just a dumb question...what does the pH controller use to change the pH?

 

[TallTree01]

Just a dumb question...what does the pH controller use to change the pH?

That's not a dumb question. I want to know too!

 

[SLIM]

It doesnt change the ph it monitors the ph and injects co2 to keep it at a steady 30ppm.

 

[jaeger5]

Just a dumb question...what does the pH controller use to change the pH?

The controller monitors the ph of the water, if the ph gets too high or too low, it turns on/off the solenoid valve on the CO2 bottle accordingly. I'll add some pictures in a min!

 

[jaeger5]

Last week(ish) 04/05/13:

 
This week: 16/05/13:
 
I've re-arranged things a little bit. Removed some of the Ludwiga as the Dwarf Hair Grass (rear right, not that you can really see it) wasn't getting enough light. Can't remember the name of the long grassy stuff but it begins with R... that needed to be moved as well as the current was too strong and it was just flapping around all over the place, it started to grow all weird and spirally.

I've also had an outbreak of diatoms, this hasn't really happened to me before so I can't say for sure. It's pretty much everywhere though but I'm hoping it will clear up soon, you can see a slight tint of brown on the HC at the front, also on the glass. The rocks are coated in it, it's not too bad but I don't want it to get worse. Can anyone confirm that's what it is and give me any tips on how to speed up getting rid of it? More pics below:
 

You can see some green algae on the rocks here, should I be worried about this? It isn't anywhere else that I can see, just on the top of the rocks that are close to the lights. May need a good scrub.

 
Hopefully this little fellow should help!

 
This is the CO2 controller, I really love having this thing. I haven't spent as much time as I'd like to test this yet but it manages the ph so well that I don't have to use up so much CO2 throughout the day, even if I leave it on 24/7! The total time my CO2 is on in a 24 hour period is roughly 5-6 hours.

 
Which keeps my drop checker looking like this all day long!

 

[jaeger5]

Also, I've been toying with the idea of adding another light unit... The one I have already is recommended for tanks up to 50L (this tank is 55L). Could it be justified with the amount of plants I have along with EI dosing to double up on the lights? I'm not experienced enough to know if this is a really bad idea... although most of my ideas usually are..!

 

[SO19Firearms]

If you double your lights things can go wrong twice as fast. That coupled with your reliance on a pH controller is a recipe for disaster IMO. I'd leave it a while.

 

[jaeger5]

Had to sign for something this morning, courier shakes the box looking puzzled and asks what's inside... His face when I point at the label which reads "LIVE TROPICAL FISH"!!

Ordered 5 Otto's from ebay as none of my LFS's sell them. Despite the journey they must have had with that god awful courier, they arrived alive and well. I spent the next hour acclimating them properly as I know they are extremely sensitive fish.
 
They must have been pretty hungry, as soon as I let them loose they went hunting for food! I've heard these fish have a reputation for making a good clean up crew, but I've never seen anyone actually document it so I decided to have a go my self. I've had a bit of a diatom problem recently so I've purposely neglected to clean a patch of glass on the front of my tank to see what the Otto's will do to it:

Will post another pic in a day or 2!
 

 

[Blondielovesfish]

Wow he's an idiot. Lucky they were alright though they must have been wondering what on earth was going on.
Make sure you feed them some algae wafers as with it being a small tank they will most likely eat all the algae fairly quickly.

 

[SLIM]

Loving th tank. Growing in nicely!

 

[techen]

I had otos in my 200L tank. One died in the space of a few days in a very mature tank. The others went around eating my green algae off my wood and got fat from it. I think you need to watch as they like to eat a lot and will rarely touch flake food or algae tabs etc. So if they run out of algae you can expect them to die.