New Tank Build Thread

[Gerryd]

That's terrific that you get great dispersion with just one!

Are you going to hook the other one up on this aquarium or use it on another aquarium?

Not sure atm.. the 57 gal used an atomizer so need another reg setup for the 220 I only had 2 brand new reg/setups after all

[Gerryd]

Hey all,

Well, I have done a few things this weekend so far getting the 220 whipped into shape.. It was nice neglecting it for the most part the last 2 months and watching it grow, but I can now see some issues coming to light, a bit of BBA, and some less growth than before...

The clover esp has taken a beating, mostly due to shading and bio mass....It is like sod now, when you pull it up, the root mat comes with it, and ADA attached! So, this really needs to be thinned out esp against the front glass where it has piled on top of itself...

So, to get back on top of things...

1. I did an 80% water change today.

2. For the FIRST time I used an algae scraper on all the inside of the glass. I then used white vinegar and a soft cloth on the entire inside and out. Rims, edges, everything. Looks nice and clean...

3. I removed all of the java fern from the eheim outlets so I could see what the heck I even had back there....

This really made a HUGE difference and I can really see how big the tank is again...the ferns had really taken up a LOT of swimming area...

Now that I can SEE what is going on, the stauro also suffered a bit and the tank needs some TLC...

I like now that it is opened up again....I will use the java trident in the eheim tubes as these are shorter and will take less space...I have lots of the java needle..

Next week I will trim the clover in sections as I need to mow and edge heavily....I did a lot this week already and will let it settle for the week and attack again next week. The clover will look like crap for 2-3 weeks but I am okay with it, now that company is gone

I see I have lost a lot of the diptails that I thought were in the java ferns...I never saw any bodies but many were quite small < 1/2" when I got them...The remaining look healthy as do the rummies...

I think I will get something else as a schooler for the middle range...the rummies stay down low and the pencils high, so lots of mid room for fish...

I will post a pic or two later..Big difference from how it looked last month and I will do a side by side pic....

I need to go through all of the java fern and see what I have. Two full buckets of it to sort out Some for Left C for sure..
Later...

[Left C]

Not sure atm.. the 57 gal used an atomizer so need another reg setup for the 220 I only had 2 brand new reg/setups after all

Could you put another needle valve assembly on one of your regulators so that you can run two devices from a single regulator? This way, the 57g will have its own regulator assembly and the 220g will have a regulator assembly with two needle valves. Is something like this what you need??

[Gerryd]

Could you put another needle valve assembly on one of your regulators so that you can run two devices from a single regulator? This way, the 57g will have its own regulator assembly and the 220g will have a regulator assembly with two needle valves. Is something like this what you need??

Yep, I am just to lazy to order the parts and put it together is all

That is what I will/should do and I hope that you have inspired me to follow up...

Thanks.

[Gerryd]

Hey,

Got a shipment of pencils today, but again less than expected...and almost 30 DOA....the rest seem fine. I nabbed 30 ottos as well and they are schooling with the others....

I will be trimming the clover this weekend and the stauro and that should complete the major work...

****

I am going to pull the trigger (finally) on the ATI lights.. I have been busy and put this off...I am going to use a bit higher light but for a shorter period....Perhaps >80 micromoles at the substrate in some spots..with the dimmer I can really adjust the lights over specific areas, so the ferns and clover can get less light, but the blyxa and stauro can get the sun!

I want to see the effect of this and want to trigger a bit of growth with the trim done...I can increase the light now easily until the ATI come in...

Other than that I have lost a few rummies recently, good sized ones, bodies seem 'healthy' except they are dead, no wounds or things obvious...no signs of c02 stress from any other fish or shrimp....the rest seem fine and I am keeping an eye on things....

I am still mulling a mid tank fish...a smaller school of a bit larger fish than the rummies or pencils....the serpaes and phantom tetras come to mind but have to be careful not to freak out the pencils at feeding time...I will look at barbs and rasboras as well..

Later.

[Tom Barr]

Serpae have been rather mean and intense in my recent experience.
If you lose pencils due to jumping, you will not likely see many due to the cats.
I think you will really like the ATI fixture.

I'm quite smitten with mine.

[Gerryd]

Serpae have been rather mean and intense in my recent experience.
If you lose pencils due to jumping, you will not likely see many due to the cats.
I think you will really like the ATI fixture.

I'm quite smitten with mine.

Hey Tom,

Yeah, serpaes tend to be a bit intense...pencils are much more shy and will not feed if too disturbed... Yeah, I don't find many jumpers, but these diptails IME jump less than the espeis or even the beckfordi....

Yeah, I had a feeling you would like the ATIs...I can't wait to get mine...

To tell the truth, I want to give away the rummies and the pencils and get a school of larger fish such as bleeding hearts, congo tetras, or rainbows.. this tank is really too big for the smaller fish I like to keep.

My neighbor came over the other day and didn't believe there were 250 fish in the tank...she was like 'where?'

I am used to them, so is easy for me, but when I sit back, they do tend to get overwhelmed by the size of the tank...

I will keep them for now as I want to see the diptails do well, but I will keep in mind for the future...

[DukeNJ]

My neighbor came over the other day and didn't believe there were 250 fish in the tank...she was like 'where?'..

That's funny. Lol

[Gerryd]

Hey all,

Well, the diptails seem to have turned the corner and appear to be doing well. I have them eating scrambled egg and roasted chicken for the most part, with some flake food as some like it.. their bellies, even the smallest are now nice and rounded and they are shoaling more. The egg and chicken are good as they break into all sorts of sizes and diptails have VERY small mouths...I even create a cloud and you can see the smaller ones taking really tiny bits, but they fill their bellines with it...

The only problem is while they stay in the water column, they don't float well, and pencils like to surface feed. They are built for it..So, it takes patience and time to generate multiple clouds of food that drifts towards them. they move into the cloud to feed.

Still quite a few remaining down low as individuals or 2-3 together..some of the larger ones actually like the lower and mid-water areas, and many will graze the manzy wherever they can...

I would say I have about 130 or so that should be good to go..I got about 100 less total than I ordered/expected, and the batch prior to this were REALLY small and losses were high the first week and tapered off over time..but lost a lot of that batch unfortunately...this last batch is much larger in size, but had a high DOA count which is unusual for Rachel....but the survivors are real nice and are doing well now.

Not even sure how many I have Between 125 and 150 at a guess...But they are feeding well and behaving normally. Color is really nice on them and they are adapting well. Get lost in that huge tank, but they should at least double in size from where they are now and that will help a lot.. Some of the older ones have a nice size now after 2 months...

Despite Tom's dislike of me covering the trees with plants, this is much better suited for the pencils especially, and I personally like the look

So, the larger pennywort he sent awhile back is now doing really well on the surface, with many nodes, good roots at the nodes, and large leaves...I am going to use some of this instead of the smaller hydrocotyle I have and that may be better...they really appreciate the floating plants and many have homes in the dense blyxa (mid water) or under the lotus leaves...

*************

The ludwigia that JJ brought over has now almost reached the surface and will be trimmed this weekend. It has many side shoots, and the leaves are quite large. Color is still very green, but starting to see some reds..healthy for sure...so will top and replant the tops to lengthen the line, and wait a few weeks, and trim again. Might take 2-4 trimmings to angle it and get it nice and full/lush.

***

I am really bad at dosing so am now going DAILY, 6 days a week, as follows for the 220:

2 tsps kn03
1.25 tsps kh2p04
1/4 tsp of csmb

Water change of >75% on Sunday.

For the 57 gal:

1/2 tsp of kn03
1/4 tsp of kh2p04
1/8 tsp of csmb

50% or so water change weekly.

So, I think this will improve things, as I do a very large water change, plus I underdose, plus I have good growth so far, so need to keep up the levels. I just trimmed large, so I should be good to go.

Later.

[Gerryd]

Hey all,

Hope all is well out there....

I FINALLY trimmed/mowed the right 2/3 of clover today Looks quite different!

I simply did a large water change. Then used long common scissors and tried to get them as flat as possible and made several cuts. I then had a large net ready in my other hand (easier with 2) and netted the cuttings. This worked really well and cleanly...I then made more cuts, netted, etc.

I would take a little break between several cuts for more netting.. it really depends on what else is in the way....I got snagged by the trees many times, Charlie Brown LOL

I have a small section in the back to do and will do in the next day or two again with a large WC. I like to do a big one two days after a large trim anyway, in addition to the large WC from the trim itself..