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  1. ThePlantedMedic

    Starting from scratch 72G Dirted

    I have had the CO2 running for two weeks now as well as running EI ferts and I am noticing quite the change. My dwarf hairgrass and other carpet is taking off well. The crypts are also producing a large amount of new growth. I have cropped down the aromatica, bacopa and ludwigia to see if I can...
  2. ThePlantedMedic

    Fishless cycle problems. Advice needed.

    That sounds to me like the cycle is moving along. The Nitrate spike is the longest part of the process by far. This phase will last a while. Keep ontop of the ammonia and those nitrites will vanish shortly!
  3. ThePlantedMedic

    Algae problems 55g

    can you post once you have started the EI regimen and let us know how its working? I just started with EI and am curious how this will work. The only comment I have is I had that almost purple "algae" that is on your drift wood there when I first started my tank. People told me it was a sap that...
  4. ThePlantedMedic

    Sulfur Smell

    only change the water during a cycle to get your Nitrites or Nitrates back down to a readable level. A water change will not remove any BB from the tank, just the ammonia you added along with the bacteria byproducts (Nitrite, Nitrate). The sulphur smell is from what is going on in the substrate...
  5. ThePlantedMedic

    Fishless cycle problems. Advice needed.

    Ok it's definitely not done if it's only been a week. I bet you see the nitrites show up around the 10 day mark after the first dose of ammonia. Keep it dosed to 4ppm and it will get there just check daily or every other day and top up the ammonia. Let us know how the levels check out each week...
  6. ThePlantedMedic

    Fishless cycle problems. Advice needed.

    The ammonia does not just evaporate. There is one thing that can get rid of it without live plants and that is the first bacteria. This is suggesting your cycle has restarted maybe? Again, I would suggest keeping ammonia at 4ppm. Check daily or every other day to make sure there is ammonia still...
  7. ThePlantedMedic

    Fishless cycle problems. Advice needed.

    That as well as increasing the temperature. I had my tank in the mid 80's during the cycle, bacteria love warm.
  8. ThePlantedMedic

    Fishless cycle problems. Advice needed.

    You can only add too much if you dose the tank over 5ppm at any point. Add your ammonia and then test the water an hour later and see exactly what you are doing to your water. That way you can fine tune it instead of trusting the bottle that says one drop per gallon or whatever. I used household...
  9. ThePlantedMedic

    Help on choosing equipment for 35g tank

    The SunSun runs whisper quiet and holds a ton of media. The flow on my 304b has a 525gph rating on it. I know that is way too much for your tank but compared to the flow of canisters its same size and for half the price it is worth a good look. I have no regrets with mine currently. It also has...
  10. ThePlantedMedic

    Sulfur Smell

    Nils told me about this also and is exactly right, mine melted too. I waited it out and they are now looking good. I ge the sulphur smell as well with my dirted substrate capped with blasting sand. I poke the substrate about a quarter section of it each day to relieve the building gas. No effect...
  11. ThePlantedMedic

    New to planted tanks

    I cannot answer your algae question as mine is just developing its first layer now, I can chime in about the glass. I have a flat top with removeable glass on both sides, I keep one side covered and one not to control the temperature and I find no difference in plant growth on either side. I was...
  12. ThePlantedMedic

    My new setup. What do you think?

    This tank is gorgeous, I like the way it almost frames the middle of the tank where the fish will hang out. Super nice, planted well and that path is unreal! Make sure to update with pics!
  13. ThePlantedMedic

    cycle 40gal freshwater tank

    I would dose to 2ppm as a test and see what the result is at 24hrs. Hopefully the nitrites and nitrates do their job and gobble that up.
  14. ThePlantedMedic

    Help on choosing equipment for 35g tank

    I run a SunSun canister filter on my 75G. It was the cheapest one I found and had a few good reviews so I gave it a shot and the thing works awesome, I have no complaints. Remember that you cannot have too much filtration, no matter which way you decide to go lean towards the higher capacity and...
  15. ThePlantedMedic

    Fishless cycle problems. Advice needed.

    I am also not an expert, however I did just finish with my fishless cycle on my 75G and now I have it at 60% stocked living happily ever after... There is a great article on here about the fishless cycle I would imagine you have already read it, if not here it is...
  16. ThePlantedMedic

    20g long build: "JJ&J's Seafood Buffet"

    Looking forward to seeing the plants on this one, those driftwood pieces are super nice, that layout has a ton of potential!
  17. ThePlantedMedic

    My 45 gallon

    Very nice looking set up. I agree a couple rocks would pop well in there. Nice work on the canopy and stand!
  18. ThePlantedMedic

    Starting from scratch 72G Dirted

    DIY Reactor with Pics I watched a couple of youtube videos to see what other people were up to with these CO2 reactors. It seems like people were placing them on large tanks, much bigger than my 75G. The idea of them is to inject your gas into the bottom of a section of tubing in your output...
  19. ThePlantedMedic

    Starting from scratch 72G Dirted

    Stepping it up a notch! CO2 is here! So it has been a bit longer between posts because nothing much was going on with the tank and there was not much to say... Everything is going well currently. I had a small freak out and thought the bubbles from the substrate was going to kill everything...
  20. ThePlantedMedic

    Starting from scratch 72G Dirted

    I am using a Mac and i cant figure out how to make them right. I will be posting some in the next half hour and will make sure they are upright haha. There will be alot I have a huge update coming!
  21. ThePlantedMedic

    Starting from scratch 72G Dirted

    So it has been a bit since I updated... We added two angelfish to the pile, we have not found a clever name for the duo just yet. I am waiting until next week when a shipment of turquoise rainbow fish come in at which point we will add 6 of them which will complete the stocking. We may also add...
  22. ThePlantedMedic

    Starting from scratch 72G Dirted

    The black diamond blasting sand that I am using has seemed to be good for this. It is only around 1-1.5" in depth (more in some areas, less in other) and due to its composition, it allows the hydrogen sulfide gas to release as it builds as necessary. I often see small bubbles randomly pop up...
  23. ThePlantedMedic

    Starting from scratch 72G Dirted

    I wet the potting soil to compact it, kept it 1" away from the edges all the way around, made it 1" deep and capped it with 2-3" of the black blasting sand. The light is automated it just comes on for one set time period, I cant have it turn on turn off turn on turn off kind of thing. It runs...
  24. ThePlantedMedic

    Starting from scratch 72G Dirted

    Hey and thanks for posting and the comments on the tank! -The dirt substrate that I put in and capped is more of an experiment than anything, not a ton of people had information on it so I figured I would give it a go, I got the organic potting mix and will see how it goes down there. I have...
  25. ThePlantedMedic

    Starting from scratch 72G Dirted

    Thanks for the reply, I scrapped the shrimp idea with the addition of the Angels and changed from cardinals to Red Phantom Tetra's due to the expensive snack thing haha. I didn't know that about the otto's, makes sense as to why they're super cheap at the pet store. I will find something else to...
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