Scottyhorse's 25 Gallon Community Build

[Scottyhorse]

Originally Posted by CharlieKlein

Haha wow! Can't wait to see your finishedtank! So what's your stock plan? And also, were those rasboras at petsmart and how much?

So far it looks like this:

5-6 Hatchet Fish
10 Pygmy Spotted Rasboras
2 German Blue Rams
2 Upside Down Cats

The rasboras are actually at The Wet Spot Tropical fish in Portland, Oregon. About 7 hours from my house, so I can get $15 shipping! They are $12.50 for ten

[CharlieKlein]

Sounds good! Can't wait to see it!

[Scottyhorse]

Me too!!!

[Scottyhorse]

I got my co2 built!!!

[DanTheGuppyMan]

Originally Posted by Scottyhorse

I got my co2 built!!!

Great! How's it work?

[Scottyhorse]

Originally Posted by DanTheGuppyMan

Great! How's it work?

Well, I have 3 2 liter bottles. 2 of them are the co2 'reactors' or gas refinery's as my brother calls them.... Then I have one as a gas separator. Each co2 generator is connected to the 3rd in the middle. So that one has 3 holes drilled in the cap where the silicon tubing goes. Then, one tube goes about 5 inches into a check valve, and then the rest of the way into the tank where is it attached to a bubbler.

So I have a question. Will a bubbler work until I get a co2 diffuser? Or should I put it in the filter intake?

I will try and post some picture tomorrow

[CorallineAlgae]

I'd use a bamboo chopstick for the diffuser until you get a proper one. It'll make finer bubbles than an air stone.

[DanTheGuppyMan]

Very cool setup! I'm AWFUL at DIY stuff and I'm also a bit lazy so I just ordered a pressurized one lol. (True American)

[mwampoki]

Originally Posted by Scottyhorse

Well, I have 3 2 liter bottles. 2 of them are the co2 'reactors' or gas refinery's as my brother calls them.... Then I have one as a gas separator. Each co2 generator is connected to the 3rd in the middle. So that one has 3 holes drilled in the cap where the silicon tubing goes. Then, one tube goes about 5 inches into a check valve, and then the rest of the way into the tank where is it attached to a bubbler.

So I have a question. Will a bubbler work until I get a co2 diffuser? Or should I put it in the filter intake?

I will try and post some picture tomorrow

A word of advice on a multiple bottle system. It is highly recommended to put a check valve between each of the bottles and your gas separator. This does two things, if you are using your gas separator as a bubble counter (as I currently am) by running the long tube under the surface of water it keeps the pressure difference from forcing water back into one of your containers. Secondly, it allows you to change out one of the bottles without totally losing all the CO2 pressure in your system. This will help even out the system flow and you can easily alternate one new bottle a week as was previously recommended earlier in the thread.

I currently use a DIY multi-bottle CO2 system and found all this out the hard way. If you don't have water in your gas separator to use as a bubble counter don't worry about it back-filling one of your bottles, but you will depressurize your system when you change out a bottle if you don't have valves in front of each bottle.

[Scottyhorse]

Originally Posted by mwampoki

A word of advice on a multiple bottle system. It is highly recommended to put a check valve between each of the bottles and your gas separator. This does two things, if you are using your gas separator as a bubble counter (as I currently am) by running the long tube under the surface of water it keeps the pressure difference from forcing water back into one of your containers. Secondly, it allows you to change out one of the bottles without totally losing all the CO2 pressure in your system. This will help even out the system flow and you can easily alternate one new bottle a week as was previously recommended earlier in the thread.

I currently use a DIY multi-bottle CO2 system and found all this out the hard way. If you don't have water in your gas separator to use as a bubble counter don't worry about it back-filling one of your bottles, but you will depressurize your system when you change out a bottle if you don't have valves in front of each bottle.

Could you post some pictures of that? I am glad you pointed that out!

[Scottyhorse]

Originally Posted by DanTheGuppyMan

Very cool setup! I'm AWFUL at DIY stuff and I'm also a bit lazy so I just ordered a pressurized one lol. (True American)

lol. This was actually super easy.

[Scottyhorse]

So I just got my ferts!



How do I use them? Do I just put the correct amount in there just as powder form, or do I mix them with water?

[Scottyhorse]

lol, why is the writing backwards?

[DanTheGuppyMan]

Are you doing PPS-Pro? And do you have a gram scale?

[Scottyhorse]

Originally Posted by DanTheGuppyMan

Are you doing PPS-Pro? And do you have a gram scale?

No, I am using EI.

[DanTheGuppyMan]

Originally Posted by Scottyhorse

No, I am using EI.

Ah. Sorry I have no knowledge on the EI method. Here is what I found tho


General Dosing Guideline for High Light and Well Planted Aquariums
(wolfenxxx)

10- 20 Gallon Aquariums
+/- 1/8 tsp KN03 (N) 3x a week
+/- 1/32 tsp KH2P04 (P) 3x a week
+/- 1/32 tsp (2ml) Trace Elements 3x a week
50% weekly water change


20-40 Gallon Aquariums
+/- ¼ tsp KN03 3x a week
+/- 1/16 tsp KH2P04 3x a week
+/- 1/16 tsp (5ml) Trace Elements 3x a week
50% weekly water change


40-60 Gallon Aquariums
+/- 1/2 tsp KN03 3x a week
+/- 1/8 tsp KH2P04 3x a week
+/- 1/8 (10ml) Trace Elements 3x a week
50% weekly water change


60 – 80 Gallon Aquariums
+/- 3/4 tsp KN03 3x a week
+/- ¼ tsp KH2P04 3x a week
+/- ¼ tsp (20ml) Trace Elements 3x a week
50% weekly water change


100 - 125 Gallon Aquarium
+/- 1 1/2 tsp KN03 3x a week
+/- ½ tsp KH2P04 3x a week
+/- ½ tsp (30ml) Trace Elements 3x a week
50% weekly water change

EI target ranges
CO2 range 25-30 ppm
NO3 range 5-30 ppm
K+ range 10-30 ppm
PO4 range 1.0-2.0 ppm
Fe 0.2-0.5ppm or higher
GH range 3-5 degrees ~ 50ppm or higher
KH range 3-5

[Scottyhorse]

Originally Posted by DanTheGuppyMan

Ah. Sorry I have no knowledge on the EI method. Here is what I found tho


General Dosing Guideline for High Light and Well Planted Aquariums
(wolfenxxx)


20-40 Gallon Aquariums
+/- ¼ tsp KN03 3x a week
+/- 1/16 tsp KH2P04 3x a week
+/- 1/16 tsp (5ml) Trace Elements 3x a week
50% weekly water change

EI target ranges
CO2 range 25-30 ppm
NO3 range 5-30 ppm
K+ range 10-30 ppm
PO4 range 1.0-2.0 ppm
Fe 0.2-0.5ppm or higher
GH range 3-5 degrees ~ 50ppm or higher
KH range 3-5

Yeah, I found that, I but I am not sure weather you put it in powder form, or weather mix it in water? Or does it make a difference?

Okay, so how do you test the levels of co2?

This may sound stupid, but what is K+, PO4, and Fe? NO3 is Nitrates, right?

[DanTheGuppyMan]

Originally Posted by Scottyhorse

Yeah, I found that, I but I am not sure weather you put it in powder form, or weather mix it in water? Or does it make a difference?

Okay, so how do you test the levels of co2?

This may sound stupid, but what is K+, PO4, and Fe? NO3 is Nitrates, right?

My best bet would be you mix it in the water. I don't think there is any dry fert that you just pour the correct amount of powder in the tank. If you want to test how much C02 is in the water, get a drop checker. You will also need a 4dKH solution with that and use the pH testing liquid from your test kit to get the methenamine blue. Here is a link to the one I got Aquarium CO2 Glass Drop Checker Test 4oz 4DKH Liquid Optional | eBay
It comes with the 4dKH solution so all you have to provide is the pH solution. Here is a part of the description of the drop checker: It is made of glass, very durable. It comes with a suction cup, AND a 4dKH standard reference solution IF YOU CHOOSE. The 4dKH is 4 liquid oz. and the bottle has a flip squirt top. You cannot get correct readings unless you fill it with this 4dkh liquid. DO NOT use aquarium water.
The 4 oz bottle will last a VERY LONG time. It is almost as big as a pop can as you can see.
You will also need pH drops, I do not sell those. You must use drops from a regular pH liquid test kit (normal range 6.0-7.4). API test kit is a good one.

INSTRUCTIONS:
To get the liquid into the bulb, partially fill the horn with liquid, 5 ph drops, and hold the suction cup tight against the top, and shake it vigorously, until some liquid gets into the bulb. Do NOT let the liquid touch your skin, or it will affect the pH and you will get inaccurate results.
Wait a few hours then check the color. If it is still blue, CO2 is low; if it is green, CO2 is good; if it is yellow, CO2 is too high
It is much easier if you use a curved syringe, just like the ones they give you when they pull your wisdom teeth.

K is potassium, and K+ may be some potassium ion, PO4 is your phosphates and Fe is Iron. Yes, NO3 is nitrates.

[Scottyhorse]

Okay, cool. Do I need that right away, or can it wait a little? Also, if the colors are off, how do you raise or lower the co2 level? One more Q, do I need to buy any other test kits besides the api master freshwater test kit that I already have?

Thanks!! Happy new year too

[CharlieKlein]

Hey there!! Any picture updates?