New 29 Gallon Help & Questions

[toolman]

Check our NilocG I use their DIY pps-pro, but they also have a product called thrive that's all in one. One pump per 10 gallon each day, gets very good reviews.

 

[jfhrtn]

Thank you @toolman I just found some thrive on Amazon and think I'm going to pull the trigger on a bottle of it. Was debating between Thrive and Aquarium Co-op's "Easy Green". Heard much on the Easy Green fert?

Been seeing this slowly growing in the tank especially on the circulation pump. Not much of anything on the glass. Anyone have any idea what it may be? I don't see any algae on the substrate, rocks, or on any of the other equipment. I've been using Seachem Stability along with Dr. Tim's Ammonium Chloride to help aid the cycling process

Temp: 80.6
pH: 7.2
Ammonia: 4ppm
Nitrites: 0ppm
Nitrates: 2.5-5ppm

 

[jfhrtn]

Once I get the tank established and get used to dosing ferts likely after this first bottle of Thrive I'll get the PPS-Pro kit from Nilocg. Start out slow and step up after a few weeks or the first bottle

 

[jfhrtn]

Does anyone else forage for their own driftwood? If so do you just boil it to try to get the tannins out or would you treat with hydrogen peroxide to kill off some of the nasties?

 

[jfhrtn]

Do y'all think the white substance is just a bacterial bloom which is also leading to cloudy water?

 

[jfhrtn]

Going to keep an eye out at PetSmart for any Malaysian drift wood but if anyone knows of any mom & pop stores in Eastern NC please post up. Found a couple good candidates by the river this afternoon after work but after a good cleaning most turned out to be cedar or pine. Cut an end off on the table saw and the small ones I took some wood working knives to get down near the center to see what I was dealing with.

 

[jfhrtn]

Got one piece of Cypress out of it all that I will use for display at the coast maybe or on the mantle once it dries. Will sand it and see how it turns out. Kinda disappointing with it all turning out to be the wrong kind. Might have to order some. The one piece of Cypress I found is below. The rest went in the compost

 

[jfhrtn]

Got the Anubias replanted this evening. Used black thread to attach to the rock to the left and it is in a crevice on the right. Nilocg's Thrive is arriving tomorrow so hopefully the plants will look a bit better in a week or so.

 

[jfhrtn]

Past couple nights after work I have messed around in the tank. Experimented with some of the S Repens. Took a couple bunches and spread it out into more of a carpet. Not sure if this is a good thing to do or not?

Got Nilocg's Thrive in the mail and half dosed it Friday evening.

Also noticing something that looks like brown algae. I'll post up parameters and pics below. Maybe someone with trained eyes could tell me if it is brown algae or not. It is between the rocks near the intake for the filter.

Also anyone have any ideas for a center piece for this tank?

Ammonia: 4ppm
Nitrites: 0ppm
Nitrates: 5ppm
pH: 6.8 (should it be higher?)
Temp: 81.9

 

[toolman]

Most likely diatoms, they're brown and common in new tanks but go away after awhile. Never had them but many have.

 

[jfhrtn]

@toolman I appreciate. I have been reading up on diatoms and Judy don't want to start out with an algae problem haha.

I've got to get a center piece and some Java Ferns or Amazon Swords to help balance out low and high plants. Still trying to find a good mid ground plant. Once I get a center piece for tank I may adjust the slopes and scape a bit. Not too sure since it's not finished yet though. Got a lot ideas and thoughts still floating around

 

[Coursair]

Look up Golden Ratio and Rule of Thirds for Planted tanks. Off center looks more natural.

Here is one article
https://www.thegreenmachineonline.c...osition-the-golden-ratio-creating-perspectiv/

 

[jfhrtn]

Great read right there. Makes a lot of sense. I think "The U-Shape" is something I might go after. I don't think "The Island" would work to well without a tall center piece rock or some driftwood in the mix. What do you think I could do to better "The U-Shape" technique?

I'm running the 30" Beamswork DA Pent .50w 6500k light. I think rotala and bacopa might be out of the question but I'm not totally sure on that. Maybe Swords, Wendtii Red Crypts, and pigmy chain swords for mid/foreground plants? Open to suggestions on plants types. My tank will be a low tech tank without Co2. I have Osmocote Root tabs, Nilocg's Thrive, along with plenty of flow in the tank. Wondering if I need a carbon source

 

[Coursair]

Try Bacopa ... it grew for me.
Ludwigia repens grows for me as well.

Or Crypt balansae for something tall in the back.

Chain Swords grew great for me and Dwarf Sag has taken over one one my 10g tanks.

 

[Coursair]

A Carbon source is a good thing. But you can try without.

 

[jfhrtn]

Was looking at wetplants site for some plants but also thought about trying to get some from some fellow members once I can get a PayPal up and running.

Thank you for the suggestions @Coursair I will look for some bacopa or maybe Crypt Balansae if it pops up. Would like to try to experiment with dwarf sag and chain swords though. Be nice to have something to transfer to my 10g tank

 

[jfhrtn]

Did a small bit of adjusting to the scape this evening. Thought it could use a little more contour. Any opinions are welcome [emoji106]

 

[jfhrtn]

Noticed there was some nice root growth on the Repens when I broke up the bunches into separate plants

 

[jfhrtn]

Not a whole lot of change but I did a 50% water change then dosed Thrive again. Do have what looks like quite a bit of diatoms. Got a little root growth on the Anubias and plenty of root growth on the Repens. I will test again tomorrow night to see how everything is 24hrs after the water change but the current results before the water change are below. Tomorrow will make 2 weeks since I began the fishless cycling.

Ammonia: 4ppm

Nitrites: a hair lighter than .25ppm but not 0 either

Nitrates: 10ppm or a little higher

pH: 6.8

Temp: 81.6°f

 

[TMaier]

New 29 Gallon Help & Questions

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