Bert's 60g Planted Tank

[flchamp89]

I use seachem products. I think filamentous types spread with the flow. I think bba does like flow too but wondering if it not the flow directly but the organics it likes that get trapped in areas like corners.

 

[Bert2oo1]

Just remember that green is 30ppm not so much lime green [emoji846] if you look at your DC and it's green the chances are the co2 is higher since it takes time for the DC to respond. I aim for green at lights on. Then I know I probably have a touch more. Liquid carbon as a complimentary helps quite a bit.

We all know how we shouldn't take these test results as gospel though. I had the best success in the 46 when my dc was lime/yellow.

Yea see I think if I was to make further adjustments I'd set my timer back another hour so it comes on 2 hours before. That may let me bring it back down to 4bps. It's generally just starting to go a shade of dark green when the lights come on.

I guess if it's yellow at the end of the photo I don't really need to worry too much. I think co2 is the least of my worries to be honest.

Balancing the nutrients is more my focus for this tank. In the 30 I was just going for extremely rapid growth, but in this tank I'll settle for good growth and a healthy environment. I'm over chasing algae around the tank every day lol.

Lower light, consistent ferts, plenty of co2. Algae beware! Haha

 

[Caliban07]

I use seachem products. I think filamentous types spread with the flow. I think bba does like flow too but wondering if it not the flow directly but the organics it likes that get trapped in areas like corners.

Definitely organics.

Hey Bert remember the picture of that dead fish with the rainbow of algae behind it on the glass. At lower PAR the algae grew. Did you see anything similar on the glass closer to the light? [emoji6]

 

[Bert2oo1]

Im rated at 219gph in my 10. Im familiar with your comments. Its interesting though because I have small area of bba in my parva in an area with most flow. Ive always been a flow and over filter guy. I am also fairly sure thats where my hair/string start. It started near surface maybe 60 par im guessing. I spoke with hoppy one time who like me agreed flow is not a negative only a positive. Im not really sure any more. I will say that the little bit of algae I have has not seen to spread. Looks and stays the same. Bba may be little better with constant bps now. My macro and micro have tripled since August yet no real change either way with algae. Light went from 6 hrs to 9 and back down to 7 during that time. So much science. Gotta love it lol

That's a fair turn over! I've got 2100lph in the 220 litre so I'm bit under 10x. I'm a preacher for flow also haha

 

[Bert2oo1]

Definitely organics.

Hey Bert remember the picture of that dead fish with the rainbow of algae behind it on the glass. At lower PAR the algae grew. Did you see anything similar on the glass closer to the light? [emoji6]

Now now don't crush my medium light dreams! Haha I forgot all about that! However at that point I was at 140 par at substrate think I was running my lights at 90%.

That was pretty cool now that I think of it. Cory Dora bomb of algae! Haha

 

[flchamp89]

So refreshing to have beneficial dialogue. Love working the brain with you guys so enjoyable.

 

[Caliban07]

Now now don't crush my medium light dreams! Haha I forgot all about that! However at that point I was at 140 par at substrate think I was running my lights at 90%.

That was pretty cool now that I think of it. Cory Dora bomb of algae! Haha

So if you were at 140 PAR at sub what must you have been up top? Still no where near as obvious an algae bloom than around that fish. Obviously light is the driver we all know that but whatever the fish was releasing was triggering the algae on the glass. And it was a perfect arch. [emoji39]

High eutrophication. Less organics which = more water changes.

My new mantra [emoji851]

 

[flchamp89]

I was going to say without seeing the picture had to be the fish.

 

[Bert2oo1]

So if you were at 140 PAR at sub what must you have been up top? Still no where near as obvious an algae bloom than around that fish. Obviously light is the driver we all know that but whatever the fish was releasing was triggering the algae on the glass. And it was a perfect arch. [emoji39]

High eutrophication. Less organics which = more water changes.

My new mantra [emoji851]

Agreed. Like I said a while back I really do question this 50% weekly business considering the pro's run overflows and drip systems. I bet they change almost 100% weekly.

Oh how I'd kill to ditch the bucket and hose and have a drip system lol

 

[flchamp89]

I bet the majority do change over a 100 weekly. Tomorrow I get a tds meter from amazon. Im going to start learning more about this

 

[flchamp89]

Agreed. Like I said a while back I really do question this 50% weekly business considering the pro's run overflows and drip systems. I bet they change almost 100% weekly.

Oh how I'd kill to ditch the bucket and hose and have a drip system lol

Ive done it on small tanks. Im actually considering doing it again. Not too hard.

 

[Caliban07]

The pros tanks are immaculately clean. Most who skip water changes for a week can suffer using high light.

 

[flchamp89]

The pros tanks are immaculately clean. Most who skip water changes for a week can suffer using high light.

Whats the total percent you change a month?

 

[Caliban07]

Whats the total percent you change a week?

40litres in my 85. So by the time substrate and everything is taken in to account about half. There is a notion on another forum that plants undergoing intense photosynthesis are releasing organic waste much faster. Therefore the 50% water change is not only to reset nutrients in an EI tank but to reduce this potentially algae inducing cocktail.

 

[flchamp89]

I remember Barr saying that his goal was never for everyone to jump on the 50 percent wc forever. But recommended it at the beginning and as the tank mature less would be needed. I was actually just reading this last night.

Funny Im 47 I remember the maturation. It was 10 then 25 now 50 has become that number. Ironically the older I get the more water im changing lol. Water change theories are very interesting to me and like nutrients light and co2 its not a one size fits all. Source water is huge. Majority of my tanks have been spring water. In fact I've never had a tank ran off city water. Obviously ground water quality greatly differs but logic would say that ground water should have more stability of content and higher amounts of certain traces.

 

[Caliban07]

According to a member on UK forum there are few who will have water as soft and clean as mine. My water is very good actually for drinking.

I agree that WC can slow down after time to a certain extent but I'm not sure if I see the point with my tank. 40L a week is nothing. Even twice a week. At one time I was manually changing 200L of water weekly.

 

[flchamp89]

According to a member on UK forum there are few who will have water as soft and clean as mine. My water is very good actually for drinking.

I agree that WC can slow down after time to a certain extent but I'm not sure if I see the point with my tank. 40L a week is nothing. Even twice a week. At one time I was manually changing 200L of water weekly.

I know nothing about your country sorry for my ignorance. I assume your on a well to correct?

 

[Caliban07]

I know nothing about your country sorry for my ignorance. I assume your on a well to correct?

No it's city water. The reservoirs here have pretty soft water whereas in London the water can be very hard.

 

[flchamp89]

Very fortunate to have good quality city water for drinking. Maybe its me but in the states (especially cities) alot of the water is suspect to say the least lol

 

[KingKoopa512]

Very fortunate to have good quality city water for drinking. Maybe its me but in the states (especially cities) alot of the water is suspect to say the least lol

Haha ur right about that flchamp. In Texas the drinking water sucks.has all kinds of crap in it.