Delapool's 150 gallon tank

[Delapool]

Very interesting! I had discussed this a little elsewhere and these were two threads I found on the subject. Hmm, food for thought. It is nice to see the tank on in the morning but not essential.




http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/10-lighting/142652-lighting-siesta.html#/forumsite/20495/topics/142652?page=1





http://www.barrreport.com/forum/barr-report/general-plant-topics/4901-split-photo-period-siesta-pros-cons

 

[Autumnsky]

The split photo is, in my experience a better method for preventing algae growth. Not really just for CO2 to build up, though I can see the thoughts behind that reasoning. Algae needs a longer photo period so the shorter length helps prevent it from multiplying/growing.

As far as the benefit for a high tech set up I can see it as a benefit for not growing algae. But as mentioned so eloquently by Caleb, if the levels are balanced with everything, maybe not necessary. Nice bit of info Caleb.

Siesta works great in a low to medium light, planted no tech tank set up with low to medium low use of ferts (letting the fish do a bunch of the work there with liberal feeding and good filtration) in my experience from the algae point of view. I can have my lights on for 12+ hours no algae issues. Though not the type of tank set up Delapool has.

 

[Delapool]

Keeps the cichlid people amused here I think There are just enough of us planted tank people to be dangerous.

Well, I'm pretty happy with algae being under control so I might keep that one in the back pocket for the moment. Re-test the ph probe first and chart the ph drop and rise perhaps.

Actually the Seneye Reef should do that as it has ph on it - I'd just need to find a power-point.

Also looking into underwater lights - anyone tried these?

 

[Caliban07]

The split photo is, in my experience a better method for preventing algae growth. Not really just for CO2 to build up, though I can see the thoughts behind that reasoning. Algae needs a longer photo period so the shorter length helps prevent it from multiplying/growing.

As far as the benefit for a high tech set up I can see it as a benefit for not growing algae. But as mentioned so eloquently by Caleb, if the levels are balanced with everything, maybe not necessary. Nice bit of info Caleb.

Siesta works great in a low to medium light, planted no tech tank set up with low to medium low use of ferts (letting the fish do a bunch of the work there with liberal feeding and good filtration) in my experience from the algae point of view. I can have my lights on for 12+ hours no algae issues. Though not the type of tank set up Delapool has.

Thanks Autumn but I haven't seen caleb on here for while now ?

Again I don't know how much truth is in the claim about algae needing longer photoperiods. I suppose they do in a way as light is the main driver for algae because they need so little of the other things. Like Mr Barr says. Plants use light to make food for storage and growth whereas algae are single cell organisms who live for the here and now...light.

All I know is that algae falls back when plants are healthy. If you have healthy plants then your success may have nothing to do with the siesta period. Or maybe your plants are healthier because of the higher levels of carbon? If you remove the siesta period, longer light exposes the lack of carbon, plants become unhealthy and so algae ensues so is this excess light or lack of carbon. I know what Tom would say and it would almost definitely be lack of carbon. People think that those of who blub on about carbon are exaggerating but we are not. The point is not that increasing carbon directly smashes algae in to oblivion but more so that it increases plant health which reduces algae.

There are hundreds of thousands of species of algae yet we only see the same handful in our aquariums, why? Because these are the ones that can exploit this niche where we have presented conditions favourable to algae and this is normally when there is lots of decaying matter that is broken down by bacteria releasing nutrients in to the water. Why is there lots of decaying matter? If your plants are dying they lose leaves decay. Algae ALWAYS attacks older dying leaves first. Keeping you tank clean and free of organic matter and debris and providing your plants with unlimited nutrients, ample co2 and adequate light in my opinion drives algae away and this can be done in low tech tanks without a siesta. But can be done with one too so is it necessary and are there any real benefits? Again there is no evidence to support it but no evidence to say it does any harm. Definitely not required in a co2 injected tank.

Edit: decaying plants releasing nutrients may not be accurate but rather chemical triggers during this breakdown that induce algae.


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[Delapool]

Checked the ph probe (last calibrated around Christmas) and was pretty much bang on for 7 and 4 used for calibration. Read a little low on a buffer solution of 10 but pretty happy there.

One guy I know that is against the siesta said he got more algae with it. Hard to know there if that was actual cause though I guess. His other argument was it doesn't happen in nature but I just came across another thread that talks about the skies going dark with midday thunderstorms. So I gave up. The consensus seems to be no impact either way for co2 injected tanks if I read everything correctly.

I agree plant health is key.

Under the LEDs I used to trim a stem plant and replant the top. The bottom would reshoot and I'd do that maybe once or twice more before the stem plant was lost to algae, rotting out, etc. Constant pinholes in lower leaves but growth was so rampant that I was throwing out handfuls of trimmed plants.

The new growth was fine. Old growth was attacked by algae but I had the plants thick enough to discourage that a bit as well.

 

[Caliban07]

Checked the ph probe (last calibrated around Christmas) and was pretty much bang on for 7 and 4 used for calibration. Read a little low on a buffer solution of 10 but pretty happy there.

One guy I know that is against the siesta said he got more algae with it. Hard to know there if that was actual cause though I guess. His other argument was it doesn't happen in nature but I just came across another thread that talks about the skies going dark with midday thunderstorms. So I gave up. The consensus seems to be no impact either way for co2 injected tanks if I read everything correctly.

I agree plant health is key.

Under the LEDs I used to trim a stem plant and replant the top. The bottom would reshoot and I'd do that maybe once or twice more before the stem plant was lost to algae, rotting out, etc. Constant pinholes in lower leaves but growth was so rampant that I was throwing out handfuls of trimmed plants.

The new growth was fine. Old growth was attacked by algae but I had the plants thick enough to discourage that a bit as well.

Haha. That link with the thunderstorms causes such a furore over on ukaps. It's a company trying to sell something apparently.

I think some of the problem can be caused by where the plants come from and how they are kept. If the plants you buy are kept in high light high co2 conditions then the chances of them taking lightly to conditions lesser in terms of co2 and light are slim. I have some alternanthera reinekii that I placed in my tank when I got the co2 injection system. Because of the leak I had with the regulator it was about 6 days before I could get co2 in properly. It's been just over a week now with co2 injection and the plant has only just recovered, sometimes it can take longer. All the bottom half leaves of the plant are dead but the top is healthy. Soon enough I will trim the stem and replant the top discarding the bottoms. I would then expect new grow to grow without fault. I'll post some pics tomorrow of pre co2 post co2 growth. Hairgrass is now sending up new shoots. My co2 comes in 3 hours before lights on and goes off 5 hours in to a 8 hour photoperiod.


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[Delapool]

Yes, getting plants off to a good start helps but I find mine all have to adjust. The red alt here is still trying to get going.

Now I'm more fussy on what I buy and try to pop in when the latest plant delivery has arrived (or at least that is my excuse to bounce around fish shops on the weekend ).

 

[Delapool]

A couple of the latest snaps after weekend water change.

I filled up the kids pool first, then did a tank water change. I'm not sure if it was that or a pipeline repair somewhere but the tap water had a lot of gas in it. And maybe a bit of scum as well. The tank went quite cloudy for half an hour but even after clearing there were fine bubbles all over the tank.

Fish were all fine that night. I've never seen anything like it here.

 

[Delapool]

Some more shots with the T5HO tank light lowered onto the tank. That reduces a lot of the glare coming off the tank top even though the drop is only 4 inches or so. Will be interesting to try with the light meter to see if any difference in PAR on the weekend.

 

[Fishobsessed7]

It looks great!


Fishobsessed7

Money Can't Buy Happiness, But It Can Buy Fish Which Is Pretty Much The Same Thing

 

[Delapool]

Thanks! Not much algae so I can't complain too much.

The aquarium society meeting is on tonight so I'm hoping to win a light in the door prize

It's interesting watching the angelfish lurk around now. When they squabble they have enough room to sink into the plants and then pop up the other side of the central ornaments like a lurking submarine (unfortunately to be run over by the loachy speedboats).

 

[Autumnsky]

That looks really good! Hope you won the light!!!

 

[Delapool]

Sadly got home just on midnight(!) with no light. Two great presentations on cichlids of West Africa. I'm also the proud owner of a book on the subject which was autographed by one of the authors.

I always thought our tap water was fairly good but talked with a few people that had issues in the past. Not often but guess you only need once a year to be a problem.

 

[Caliban07]

At least you won something! How's the tank holding up? I keep meaning to update my thread but I can't add pictures any more.


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[Delapool]

I tested the small dual t5ho and that is adding about 15 PAR one foot down so something extra. I'm tempted to get the cheap underwater lights to try - will probably order this weekend after testing how much par has increased after lowering the light onto the tank.

Usually at Easter time I'll buy more fish so starting to think on what I could get. The bumblebee catfish is still in the tank but I hardly ever see it so a bit of a waste. Still tempted on maybe danios, hatchet fish or some sort of barbs. Tetras and my tank don't seem to get along. Could get some more loaches too.

 

[Delapool]

With the light lowered 4inches or 10cm to sit on the glass tank top, I'm picking up about an extra 20% PAR. I assume it was just getting reflected off before. Which was why the family were saying the light was bright whereas I knew the LED lights were brighter.

I count just about any bubble as pearling but I could see this extending across about two thirds of the tank tonight (from CO2 reactor). So even though a small drop in light height, it seems to have a big difference.

However I found I had to shift the light right over the light meter otherwise it actually read lower! So I'm not getting the spread of light that I was. Hmmm, no such thing as a free lunch unfortunately.

 

[Caliban07]

Well if you're at 40 par substrate level Tom Barr would argue that that is plenty for all. If it is not uniform you may be better placing the plants that require higher light in those areas?


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[Delapool]

Well if you're at 40 par substrate level Tom Barr would argue that that is plenty for all. If it is not uniform you may be better placing the plants that require higher light in those areas?


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Alas another foot to go down to get to substrate .

I guess this water change I should lower it down to substrate and test. Long weekend so a bit more free time here.

 

[Delapool]

Finally after several months I've managed to get some pictures of this bumblebee catfish. I don't know what it has been eating but it looks fat and happy. Whole algae wafers disappear in a second but it is very shy even though bigger than most other fish in there.

Here it is coming out to check out what the bn catfish have (much to his disgust ).

 

[KingKoopa512]

Nice have 4 of them i think still lol only seen 3 so far an hardly see them

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