"New" 55g Project

[rkilling1]

Do you have any specific suggestions?

Whatever you want out of all the plants I have. I would post a list, but I am on my iPad. I'm sure you can find my lists in my signature link. All plants except the Buce.

 

[Batt4Christ]

Yes, nitrates much higher in my 55g tank. In the smaller 29g tank, nitrates have been hovering at about 5ppm.

I struggle to keep the 55g under 40ppm.

 

[CorallineAlgae]

Yes, nitrates much higher in my 55g tank. In the smaller 29g tank, nitrates have been hovering at about 5ppm.

I struggle to keep the 55g under 40ppm.

That's what I thought. It's your bio-wheels. They constantly produce loads of nitrate. I'd take them off of the Emperor. Trust me. If you want you could add a couple of sponges inside the filter for biological filtration. probably isn't necessary but you have room in it (it's a big filter).

 

[HogFan]

Water clarity and water quality are not necessarily equal. More often than I care to mention, early in my aquarium keeping, I had clear water (for a time), with way-too-high ammonia or other water issues. But it rarely stays clear if you have such problems.

That all being said - regardless of tank size, my own rule is - filtration needs to be a minimum of 5X tank capacity.

So - a 10 gallon aquarium should have a minimum of (10x5=50gph). But that is only a baseline assuming light stocking and regular water changes.

I prefer 10 X tank capacity. So a 55g tank would be 550gph. The Emperor 400 is 400gph. The HOT Magnum is 250gph (all in rated capacity - reality is usually a bit lower) . So I'm running a rated 650gph on my 55g which explains why clouds from rearranging tank items doesn't last long.

My 29g - the AquaClear 50 is rated at 200gph, so I'm at a little under 9X.

I really wish I had an AQ70 for it - but things seem to be doing well as they are.

One thing I learned about filtration, with some help from right here on AA - I haven't had carbon in my filters in a long time. It serves a purpose, especially if you have something you actually need it for - such as removing medications or excess tannins. But otherwise, it really doesn't help (and is actually adverse to planted tanks, as it removes nutrients the plants need).

Yeah, I am a believer in more is better. When my 55 was running I was using a 600 gph overflow skimmer and a 700 gph return pump which was in my 20 gallon sump so the turnover was pretty good. Right now, since I am switching to FW I am trying to get an idea of the set-up I want to go with, hence the question about water clarity and filtration. I am thinking of keeping the sump so stuff like heaters or filtration can go there and stay out of the DT. I dont know, I am still scratching my head.

 

[CorallineAlgae]

You can still use your sump for a planted tank. You just need to make the overflow and sump air tight if you plan on using co2. If you don't use co2 you can run it as is. Most people prefer a canister and you can still hide the heater by using an inline heater.

 

[Batt4Christ]

That's what I thought. It's your bio-wheels. They constantly produce loads of nitrate. I'd take them off of the Emperor. Trust me. If you want you could add a couple of sponges inside the filter for biological filtration. probably isn't necessary but you have room in it (it's a big filter).

Ammonia-Nitrites-Nitrates. Isn't the end product (Nitrates) the same, regardless? My understanding is that biowheels are just more efficient... Am I misunderstanding?

 

[CorallineAlgae]

Ammonia-Nitrites-Nitrates. Isn't the end product (Nitrates) the same, regardless? My understanding is that biowheels are just more efficient... Am I misunderstanding?

You understand the nitrogen cycle very well. The only thing that tricks people up is how plants interact in the process. Plants actually use ammonia directly like a fertilizer. This means that the ammonia that plants absorb gets converted into new plant matter and not nitrite and nitrate like bacteria on the bio-wheels do. The bio-wheels are so efficient, most of the ammonia gets consumed by the bacteria before the plants can use it. End result... high nitrates and more algae. Does that make sense? lol I'm pretty distracted while typing this. That's why removing the wheels can help with high nitrates. Instead of letting the wheels make nitrate you allow your plants to use some of the ammonia grow bigger plants.You end up with less nitrates and better plants. Neat right? -_^

 

[rkilling1]

You understand the nitrogen cycle very well. The only thing that tricks people up is how plants interact in the process. Plants actually use ammonia directly like a fertilizer. This means that the ammonia that plants absorb gets converted into new plant matter and not nitrite and nitrate like bacteria on the bio-wheels do. The bio-wheels are so efficient, most of the ammonia gets consumed by the bacteria before the plants can use it. End result... high nitrates and more algae. Does that make sense? lol I'm pretty distracted while typing this. That's why removing the wheels can help with high nitrates. Instead of letting the wheels make nitrate you allow your plants to use some of the ammonia grow bigger plants.You end up with less nitrates and better plants. Neat right? -_^

That is not entirely correct. Plants still us the N from the NO3. Why else do we add NO3 directly to our tanks? Bio wheels are no more of a nitrate factory then the bacteria that's everywhere else in our aquariums.

 

[CorallineAlgae]

That is not entirely correct. Plants still us the N from the NO3. Why else do we add NO3 directly to our tanks? Bio wheels are no more of a nitrate factory then the bacteria that's everywhere else in our aquariums.

True, I add NO3 every day. I struggle to have any nitrates. I never suggested plants didn't use nitrate. We were on a different problem.
Bio-Wheels are WAY more efficient (faster) at converting ammonia to nitrate than the bacteria in the tank or inside a filter. I used them for years and always found a huge difference in nitrates in the same tanks with them on and with them removed. Nitrate factories. It's not a coincidence that OPs tank with the wheel has much higher nitrates than the one without it. It's a matter of good design and function. Bio Wheels are designed to do exactly what they do so well, nitrification.

EDIT: In our tanks, bacteria colonies have to deal with obstacles that trickle filters and bio-wheels are purposefully designed to overcome. These filters have a huge surface area, maximum exposure to water flow and direct contact with the atmosphere for an inexhaustible oxygen source. These are all limitations for in tank bacteria. The effect it has on ammonia is very efficient conversion to nitrate. My only point is that, in a planted tank, biological filtration THIS efficient is a detriment unless the bio-load is very small.

 

[TankMan]

Batt...

What type of light fixture do you have as well as the bulbs? Also, what was the price?

 

[TankMan]

Batt...

What type of light fixture do you have as well as the bulbs? Also, what was the price?

For the 55g

 

[Batt4Christ]

For the 55g

Odyssea 3xT5HO
1- 10000k
2-6500K
Has built-in timer

Price was around $90 or so

 

[CorallineAlgae]

Odyssea 3xT5HO
1- 10000k
2-6500K
Has built-in timer

Price was around $90 or so

Wow, that's a LOT of light. Sorry if you've stated this before but you're running co2, right? The good thing about that fixture is that you can run it with either 1, 2 or 3 lights. Very controlable. How long have you had the light on that tank?

 

[Batt4Christ]

That fixture has three "on" settings:

#1 is one of the three bulbs
#2 is the other two bulbs
#3 controls the blue LED moonlights.

It can operate in any combination of the above three, or even all three on at the same time (kind of pointless).

I currently have the first to come on in the morning and run until evening. #2 comes on right at mid-day for a couple of hours (thus all three tubes go for just a couple of hours - a lame attempt to simulate the high mid-day sun).

Lights out in the evening, blue LEDs come on for a few hours (no contribution to plants).

 

[Pleco11771]

I was told I couldn't put angels in a 55 gallon....

 

[CorallineAlgae]

That fixture has three "on" settings:

#1 is one of the three bulbs
#2 is the other two bulbs
#3 controls the blue LED moonlights.

It can operate in any combination of the above three, or even all three on at the same time (kind of pointless).

I currently have the first to come on in the morning and run until evening. #2 comes on right at mid-day for a couple of hours (thus all three tubes go for just a couple of hours - a lame attempt to simulate the high mid-day sun).

Lights out in the evening, blue LEDs come on for a few hours (no contribution to plants).

That's a not-so lame attempt! Lots of people do that.

 

[Batt4Christ]

I was told I couldn't put angels in a 55 gallon....

There is absolutely no reason I can think of to be told you can't keep angels in a 55gallon aquarium, unless you were planning on keeping several of them.

I have three and have no issues along that line (also have a school of rummy-nose tetras and a school of Harlequin Rasboras who are never chased or bothered by the three angels. All three angels are at or very close to full-adult size.

 

[Batt4Christ]

Some new plants, thanks to rkilling1.

 

[Batt4Christ]

A picture of the 55g after the new additions

 

[Batt4Christ]

Some updated pictures: