Sam's Nano Journal

[Glod]

Love the layout Sam The new one with the rocks is going to be even more special

 

[Themuleous]

Anyone got a suggestion for a name? Something like 'Lost Valley' or 'Jungle Kasam' or ' Sunked Valley'?

 

[George Farmer]

Anyone got a suggestion for a name? Something like 'Lost Valley' or 'Jungle Kasam' or ' Sunked Valley'?

I like to think about it while the layout is evolving, and come up with a name toward the end. I've still to decide mine. It's a personal choice, of course.

All those names sound good.

 

[Themuleous]

I might be getting paranoid and I know the HC has only been in there a few days, but I've noticed a disturbing trend on the older HC leaves, which appear to be dieing and its also happening to some of the new leaves to. Wondering if its a fert deficiency? Current dosing is PO4 1.5ppm and NO3 10ppm every other day after a 50% water change, then 1ml EA trace everyday. Any suggestions? Or am I just being silly and should shut up for a few weeks and let the plants settle?

Dont know the tank levels as stopped testing.

Thanks

Sam

PS - was playing with my sisters new Sony Cybershot 10MP camera and took this rather nice one of my dwarf rasboras, think it shows them off quite well

 

[lljdma06]

I might be getting paranoid and I know the HC has only been in there a few days, but I've noticed a disturbing trend on the older HC leaves, which appear to be dieing and its also happening to some of the new leaves to. Wondering if its a fert deficiency? Current dosing is PO4 1.5ppm and NO3 10ppm every other day after a 50% water change, then 1ml EA trace everyday. Any suggestions? Or am I just being silly and should shut up for a few weeks and let the plants settle?

Shut up and let your plants settle. My Goodness, you silly boys tweak with your tanks constantly! HC and HM have pretty fragile stems that often break when moved about. The broken stems could just be dieing off. I'd watch to be sure and continue with your fertilisation method. They'll bounce back.

llj

PS: great shot of the Boraras maculatus! You should really do a species profile on these guys and submit it to the Fish profiles at TFF. It would be nice to see them there. In addition, how's that lighting article coming along? Just me being cheeky.

 

[Themuleous]

thanks for that, I can always rely on you to give me a necessary slap and 'shut up' when needed, cheers

Might just do that fish profile.

As for lighting article, not done any of it. But keep nagging, I might get there one day!

Sam

 

[Jen]

I don't know how I kept on missing this Sam.... And 15 pages too! I have some reading to do.

I absolutely love the layout of this tank. Simple, yet eligant.

 

[Themuleous]

Haha hope its a good read

Its not going to well with the new layout, dam algae!

Sam

 

[Dave Spencer]

Anyone got a suggestion for a name? Something like 'Lost Valley' or 'Jungle Kasam' or ' Sunked Valley'?

How about:

LIGHTS, ALGAE........ACTION!

I stole that off someone else on this forum, but it seems appropriate at the moment.

 

[Themuleous]

Haha thanks for that Dave, you cheeky sod!

 

[zig]

Lots and lots of potential here, JUST DON'T MESS IT UP, ALRIGHT!!!!!!!!! cos im watchin you

 

[Themuleous]

Hi Zig, long time no chat

I'm desperately trying not to arse this one up but failing miserably, have you seen my other thread?

The pics speak for themselves, any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Sam

 

[zig]

Hi Zig, long time no chat

I'm desperately trying not to arse this one up but failing miserably, have you seen my other thread?

The pics speak for themselves, any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Sam

Sorry Sam only getting back to this now , any update on this? whats the algae situation like now? I think the hardscape in this tank is excellent, I ordered rocks earlier in the week and I Hope they are as good, I also won the same light fixture on ebay last Sunday, it should be winging its way to me right now, the only concern I have is not knowing the k rating of the tubes and wonder if this could be the cause of your algae, only a consideration mind, as they probably are a good k rating just speculation on my behalf, don't forget they are T5s so even running with 2 of the lights on is still quite a lot of light given the size of your tank, the ferts would wanna match the light output to quite a degree especially the CO2, although the algae looks more like new tank algae, maybe the addition of the rocks??

 

[~T~]

I might be getting paranoid and I know the HC has only been in there a few days, but I've noticed a disturbing trend on the older HC leaves, which appear to be dieing and its also happening to some of the new leaves to. Wondering if its a fert deficiency? Current dosing is PO4 1.5ppm and NO3 10ppm every other day after a 50% water change, then 1ml EA trace everyday. Any suggestions? Or am I just being silly and should shut up for a few weeks and let the plants settle?

Dont know the tank levels as stopped testing.

Thanks

Sam

PS - was playing with my sisters new Sony Cybershot 10MP camera and took this rather nice one of my dwarf rasboras, think it shows them off quite well

Just out of interest where did you get the dwarf rasboras?My lfs got them in and I got 12 and over the next few days they all died but one(params were fine, all other fish and shrimp were fine)and when I went back to the lfs they said their dropped like flies too and gave me the few that they had left which then also died.My little guy little guy(the misses calls him Nijel) seems healthy and hangs with the endlers but I really want to get him some friends of his own kind.

 

[Themuleous]

Sorry Sam only getting back to this now , any update on this? whats the algae situation like now? I think the hardscape in this tank is excellent, I ordered rocks earlier in the week and I Hope they are as good, I also won the same light fixture on eBay last Sunday, it should be winging its way to me right now, the only concern I have is not knowing the k rating of the tubes and wonder if this could be the cause of your algae, only a consideration mind, as they probably are a good k rating just speculation on my behalf, don't forget they are T5s so even running with 2 of the lights on is still quite a lot of light given the size of your tank, the first would wanna match the light output to quite a degree especially the CO2, although the algae looks more like new tank algae, maybe the addition of the rocks??

No worries mate I added another pot of HC last night and moved the tank so that it doesn't get any direct natural light during the day, which was never a lot but I want to rule it out completely now. I also added two ottos on the advice of someone else and a bit of hornwort. Certainly the brown thread algae type stuff isn't as bad as it was, but I wont say its not coming back as fast either as that's just tempting fate do have a bit if green thread algae now, but the shrimp seem to be enjoying that! So I don't mind so much.

Let me know what you think about the lighting rig, personally for the money I'm very happy with mine, easy to use and OK its not Arcadia but its a way of increasing the light without breaking the bank. Re the lighting, the K rating will depend on the type they were selling at the time I guess. My listing said daylight so assume mid range K which would match the colour when its on, so seems ok. Certainly the plants pearl, might considered getting some of the new arcadia plant pro ones at some stage but these are ok for now.

I happened to test the P and N of the tank last night, PO4 was at round 3ppm with NO3 at 20ppm, which would be spot on for EI given that it can never be more that 2x the dose rate which is currently 1.5ppm PO4 and 10ppm NO3. Have reduced the PO4 to 1ppm now though, as I think 3ppm is quite high. The plants cant be taking much in either I guess.

The only slight worry I have now is if the CO2 is actually 30ppm, its very difficult to tell even with the 1 point pH method. Hoping to get a pH probe at some stage which will help enormously, but that could be a tad low, no way of knowing. Am getting a solenoid soon so will probably have the rate a little higher but give the fish 'time off' during the night, that might sort the problem.

Glad you like the rocks, they took some finding the shop but think they give the right effect for the scape, which is a first for me

Your scape sounds nice, you joining the nano revolution as well hey?

Just out of interest where did you get the dwarf rasboras?My life's got them in and I got 12 and over the next few days they all died but one(params were fine, all other fish and shrimp were fine)and when I went back to the lfs they said their dropped like flies too and gave me the few that they had left which then also died.My little guy little guy(the misses calls him Nijel) seems healthy and hangs with the endlers but I really want to get him some friends of his own kind.

Not well I'm afraid, I am down to just one now. But my problem was not they getting ill but was them jumping out of the tank. However they are known to be very very very (did I say very?) sensitive to pollutants and being moved. Its a good idea to get them once they've been in the shop for a few weeks as they'll be nice and settled then and you should loose as many to illness as the weaker ones will have already died in the shop, harsh but true. I have heard of a number of people loosing them in the first few days after getting them. Dont think there is much you can do really. When I first tried to get them I spoke the gold fish bowl, a well established LFS and they lost two whole batches while in quarantine, so even the professions struggle!

Adding a UV might help as it'll keep free floating illness like ich down and I would only ever add them to a mature tank so there are no NH3 or NO2 issues. Then its just a case of hoping I guess!

Sam