Phishkeepers Journey Thread

[Phishkeeper]

Decided I would start a thread to chronicle my 30 gallon planted freshwater aquarium. And to seek the advice of all you experts out there.

Tanks specs:
30 gallon (30wide X 12deep X 18tall)
2x 24 watt t5ho lights
Diy Co2 generator/diffuser
2 hang on back filters rated 30g each
Gravel/sand substrate 2.5-3 inches
Tank is over 4 years old well cycled
Recently upgraded lighting and
Added all plants but large sword
Fish:
10 red platies
1 angel fish
1 giant danio
2 albino bristle nose plecos(small)
6 Yamato shrimp
1 blue gourami

Plants:
Dwarf hairgrass
Dwarf baby tears (small cutting)
Ludwigia (can someone identify species?)
Rotata (one again, can anyone identify the species?)
Moneywort
Small and large amazon sword
Java fern (attached to driftwood)
Japanese moss ball (wedged in driftwood)
And a few others i don't remember the names of
All plants seem to be doing very well in this setup

I dose liquid fertilizers daily, will post more on that later....

Lights are on 14 hours per day currently.

this tank has had some minor algae issues recently, but has recently taken a turn for the better.



I included pics of the tank. Let me know what you all think, or any ideas / suggestions I'm open to hear them!

 

[Phishkeeper]

More pictures of the tank

Can anyone tell me what kind of rotala that is?

Also, my plecos are not doing a lot of glass cleaning, will this increase as they get larger? Never had bristle nose pleco before

Thanks!

 

[daileene]

Hello,

I am not an expert but I think as far as I have read in some of the experts postings, the light should only be on from 8-12 hours. Maybe that is why you have an algae problems because you have your lights on for too long. Just my 2 cents. I am not so sure but I just want to share what I have been adviced before.

Thanks.

 

[BigJim]

You could try cutting back your photo period a few hours to help prevent algae. You could break up the photo period into two segments. I have my lights on from 5:00AM-9:00AM and again from 3:00PM-9:30PM. That way the lights are on before I go to work and after I get home.

Some plecos like eating algae, some don't. They usually eat less as they grow. Try nerite snails for cleaning algae off glass.

Tank looks pretty good. Keep up the good work.

 

[Phishkeeper]

Having two photo periods doesn't confuse the plants? Or the fish? I'm sure you know what you are talking about but I'm curious. Thanks!

 

[BigJim]

My plants grow and my fish are healthy. I've even had Praecox rainbows and panda cories spawn in the tanks with the split photo period. I can't really argue with the results.

Never assume that I'm always right. That goes for any other advisor too. Always double check when you can.

 

[Phishkeeper]

I'll give that a try. Is there such thing as too big a gap in photo periods? For example If the lights ran from 9am-12pm and from 6-11? Any thoughts. And btw big Jim I'll keep trusting you until your advice doesn't work for me lol (and so far it has been quite helpful - thanks!)

 

[BigJim]

I think as long as the plants have a decent "rest" period, splitting the photo period is fine. With that proposed schedule, you'd have the same six hour gap in the afternoon and a little longer gap at night than I currently run. I don't see any problems.

Thanks for the vote of confidence.

 

[Phishkeeper]

Just swapped out one of my t5ho florasun 5000k bulbs (I had two) for a t5ho 6500k bulb. Fired them up and am very impressed with the improvement visually. This spectrum really brings out the naturally beauty of the plants and fish. Very happy with the result. Also added two large clumps of dwarf baby tears I picked up at my lfs, and replanted dwarf hairgrass in more spread out clumps so it will hopefully grow in better. ALSO added a 4" bamboo/wood shrimp and a nerite snail toy cleaning crew.

 

[Phishkeeper]

*Update*

Unfortunately after 4.5 long years of life my blue gourami seems to be succumbing to old age. He can almost always be seem sitting in the bottom of the tank of what appears to be his own free will, but then we he starts swimming it looks labored and after chowing down on some fishy food he makes a b line for the bottom patch of dwarf hairgrass he seems to enjoy resting in. Sad for this guy as he is my oldest fish in the tank by far and he just now has the best water conditions of his life as it's coming to an end. Sorry little guy.

Aside from an elderly gourami everything is going swimmingly (awful pun, just awful) in the tank, water is crystal clear, free of toxins and full of co2, nutrients and o2. Finally.

 

[daileene]

very good job phish....

 

[Phishkeeper]

Update as of 2-27-11

After reading a thread on algae i decided to give flourish excel a try for it's algae killing qualities. Id like to say the excel has done wonders killing/subduing the hair/beard/brush algae that was starting to get worse. It all turned bright red (see attached photo of java fern leaf) and then fell off or was eaten by my fish, who have taken a new interest in algae consumption themselves. Algae is losing the war!

I recently had to euthanize my senior gourami who just got too old to go on swimming. He enjoyed a peaceful death.

Recently reduced lighting to 12 hours a day, considering 10 after positive results of cut to 12. Any thoughts?

Still dosing liquid fertilizers daily and now added flourish excel to the mix, at least for now.

If I stop dosing the excel, will the algae come back? Or if it is subdued can I then keep it in check with natural methods? I inject diy co2 so the excel is really unnecessary, and it's melting my anarachis, which currently is not outweighed by the algae control it offers.

Overall tank is looking good IMO

 

[Phishkeeper]

Got some rotala windichii from my lfs today. It's in horrible condition I'm going to see if I can resurrect it. It would be nice to know I can grow more reddish plants in my aquarium for a little diversity.

Any tips on helping my new rotala flourish?

 

[Phishkeeper]

Made the switch to a black background today, I think once my background plants get a bit taller the contrast will be excellent.

 

[tornadonick]

your tank is right up in my favorites i have seen, and that is not an exageration. NICE!!!

 

[daileene]

wow phish, it is looking much more beautiful everytime I see it..great job..

 

[Phishkeeper]

I appreciate the compliments on the tank, I hope you will check back to see updates of the finished setup(I feel I'm only about 30-40% done). Thanks for the boost of confidence!

 

[daileene]

phish, may i ask where you got the black background? this might be a silly question, but i have been wanting to get either the blue or black..but seemed unavailable here in my area.

 

[Phishkeeper]

Got it at petsmart funny enough. Don't usually buy aquarium stuff there but the background was cheap

 

[daileene]

ohhh thanks..I guess I have to that online then. we don't have petsmart around our area. Only petco.