12g Nano Cube w/ Current Truelumen Pro LEDs Retro-Fit Upgrade!

[MyanRan]

I used strictly heat as my treatment, and I can assure you it did the job! The only thing worth mentioning is that if your fish have had ich for a while, then a few may die even during the treatment. It depends how sick they are. If you catch it early enough you could potentially prevent all your fish from dying!

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Well I don't see any more ich guys... bad news is I lost all but one neon and oto to this battle... I'll wait a good while before restocking, just in case those little vermin are still clinging to life somewhere.

On another note, I've enjoyed the Current Satellite LED plus fixtures so much on my 26g, I decided to emulate the RGB lights into the retro fit here to work along side the Current Truelumen Pro lights. So I got this little RGB LED light kit in the mail today

 

[Kimlafeiet]

Ohhhhh, new toys! Jealous! Lol
Glad to hear the ich is clearing up for you, bummer about the fish though.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Update Sunday!!!

I'm on a roll.... finally got around to installing the RGB strips last night. So now I have a little more control on color output and getting in more reds in the spectrum. I'm a little disappointed in the intensity of these RGB lights... they totally get drowned out when I have the Truelumen stips on full -- I'm assuming there's still a "supplemental" component though... like the extra 'reds' are added to the spectrum, albeit not being seen that much??? LOL

FTS:

SIDE VIEW:

 

[Rivercats]

Is the L. Glandulosa keeping it's color with the pink center veins?

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

It's staying red for the most part... definitely not as deep dark red as you sent them. I've been away for a while visiting my parents so I've neglected the tank in terms of ferts. So it might be that or it might be the lighting... or both? Not sure... LOL

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

I think the extra red in the spectrum is working!

 

[MyanRan]

That's awesome! Must feel good

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Haha... yes! I love it when a plan comes together

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Anybody know why the leaves on this ludwigia are twisting?

 

[Rivercats]

I think if I am remember right it can mean a calcium deficiency or too much potassium or magnesium. Check into those. I know some plants have a tendency to have leaves curl or stunt when they aren't happy or should say their needs aren't met but twisting is something different. Maybe Aqua would know.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Thanks Janis! I'm pretty sure you're right. I have a confession... I came across some Osmocote Plus Tabs and decided to be a hypocrite and try them -- despite bashing on them previously. Guess I wanted to experiment on my own and see what all the hype is about.

I put a few in my 12g and buried them deep, at least 2 to 3" 2 weeks ago. I decided to see if I had enough phosphates so I tested the other day, when it's usually between 1 to 2ppm. To my surprise, it was a whopping 10ppm! So in shock, I decided to test everything else. Ammonia was 0 but nitrates jumped from <10 to an astounding 80ppm! So I did a huge water change. I seriously don't know why some hobbyist swear by these..they seem problematic. I guess they might release nutrients slower in compact sand substrates buried real deep. But in looser stuff like Floramax, it just releases faster. Oops! Haha

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

FYI....

Here's the guaranteed analysis of osmocote plus:

Guaranteed analysis:
TOTAL NITROGEN (N)*.......................15.0%
Ammoniacal Nitrogen............................7.0%
Nitrate Nitrogen......................................8.0%
AVAILABLE PHOSPHATE (P2O5)*........9.0%
SOLUBLE POTASH (K2O)...................12.0%
MAGNESIUM (Mg)*................................1.0%
SULFUR (S)*...........................................2.3%
BORON (B)*.....................................0.02%
COPPER (Cu)*.................................0.05%
IRON (Fe)*.......................................0.45%
Chelated Iron (Fe)*..............................0.23%
MANGANESE (Mn)*...........................0.06%
MOLYBDENUM (Mo)*.........................0.02%
ZINC (Zn)*.......................................0.05%

 

[Rivercats]

Well chances are they are the root, no pun intended, of your problem. Once you get your water right, which could be a long time depending on how fast those release, new growth should eventually go back to normal. If there is any regular, non twisted leaves on the lower portion of the stem I would be tempted to top them back that far.

 

[maxwellag]

How heavily did you use them? I used the in sand (lightly) and didn't have any issues. I think the idea is not adding then to change levels in the whole tank, but rather placing them under the roots of specific plants. Usually I only add 3 to 4 every few months. I wouldn't try to use them to raise levels of the whole tank. Leave that to the other fert dosing.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Trust me... I didn't intend them to raise the levels in the whole tank. I only used 3 O+ root tabs. I placed 1 in the front right, 1 in the middle under the ludwigia, and 1 in the back left between the rotala and l. aromoatica. The stuff is leeching out, I'm assuming, between the substrate. Oh well.... my fish seem to be okay. I just have to do large PWC's more than once a week.

 

[maxwellag]

Trust me... I didn't intend them to raise the levels in the whole tank. I only used 3 O+ root tabs. I placed 1 in the front right, 1 in the middle under the ludwigia, and 1 in the back left between the rotala and l. aromoatica. The stuff is leeching out, I'm assuming, between the substrate. Oh well.... my fish seem to be okay. I just have to do large PWC's more than once a week.

Were you continuing to dose other ferts in addition?

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Yeah I was, until I discovered the elevated nutrients. I've been trying to get some stem plants more red by dosing more micros and phosphates. So I tested the P04 to see where I was at... which led to the discovery of the problem.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Here's a quick video I uploaded to YouTube. Don't mind the awesome YouTube soundtrack! Lol

Lights were dimmed to 30~40% for the video. The betta is the queen of the tank! And I only have one neon survivor from my encounter with ich. Will restock once I get a control of these O+ tabs.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Added some embers last week... just didn't post a picture yet