Trying something different

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
Thanks,it's getting there! The HC is coming along, would be doing better if I would just leave the tank alone and stop disturbing it!
mr funktastic, for my CO2 mix I don't think I do anything special. I use two 2-2 litre coke bottles and Fleischmann's traditional active dry yeast. I mix 2 cups of suger in 2 cups of the hottest tap water I can get. Suger first, then the water. Mix it till the sugar is completley dissolved. Add 2 cups coolwater. Mix a bit. Take a half spoon of suger in a small bowl or cup with a touch of cool tap water. Add in 1/2 spoon of yeast. I mix this up for a couple of minutes with a fork to dissolve the yeast. I'm to impatient to dissolve the yeast completly, usually mix it for a minute or two, dissolved or not. Pour this mix from the small bowl or cup immediatley into your 2 litre bottle. Turn the bottle a few times to mix it in, don't go to crazy! Top the bottle up to where it starts to taper with cool water, mix one more time, your done. This mix is still quite warm, but it fires for me everytime whithin 1 hour max, sometimes immediately. I have only ever had 1 batch of dud yeast mix. The water was probably to hot. I'm still using the original bottle of yeast so I know it's good. Oh yeah, I stopped using baking soda a long time ago as I didn't really see any difference in the performance of the mix, plus I don't care if the mix burns up fast. The bottles get changed out once a week, bubbling or not. This insures good consistant CO2 levels. Give it shot. I let the CO2 run out in a ten gallon once just to see what would happen. Within two days green algea was everywhere! Get your CO2 happening! Good luck.
 
when i ran out of the packages for my hagen system i tried my first DIY mix and it produced like the one in your pic non stop but when the batch died i tried mixing another batch the same but nothing happend. so i tried again... nothing happend. i tried premixing the yeast in some luke warm water then adding it to the sugar/water mix...nothing happend. so i tried again by just mixing it all at once and after over 24 hours i see a bubble forming like evevry 30 seconds of i am luck. i think it may just be the yeast i am using but it worked so well the first time. i am going to rig up a 2 litre bottle to supply it instead of the normal canister provided by hagen. its only like half a litre of something. for a diy bottle all u need to do is drill a small hole in the cap and silicone your airline tight into the hole right? then feed that to your diffuser? or do u need the fitting to attach the hose to? i will go give it a shot and tell ya what happens. thanks for the help.
 
the yeast was expired!!!!! i got it froma friend across the street and never even check the date on it. it was almosta full can thats why i didnt think about it. it expired in 2002 lol but that doesnt make sense since i did make 1 successful batch with it. oh well i went out and bought a new jar of it. the fleichmanns like u use(the same stuff that i had that expred) and mixed it all up. it was going in about 45 min. full blast like in your pic. my plants will be happy now. i can turn the light back up and see the growth!!
 
mr funktastic said:
the yeast was expired!!!!! i got it froma friend across the street and never even check the date on it. it was almosta full can thats why i didnt think about it. it expired in 2002 lol but that doesnt make sense since i did make 1 successful batch with it. oh well i went out and bought a new jar of it. the fleichmanns like u use(the same stuff that i had that expred) and mixed it all up. it was going in about 45 min. full blast like in your pic. my plants will be happy now. i can turn the light back up and see the growth!!
Click to expand...
How are you storing your yeast?
 
the stuff i got for free i threw on a shelf in my basement but i just bought a new one and i keep it in my fridge. i think it went bad becasue i left it out. stupid mistake u only make once. the system is working awesome now and i just mad e a 2 litre bottle i am going to hook up to make it even better.
 
Congrats mr funktastic! It dosn't take long for a tank to go south if your CO2 levels stay low for to long. I have read that on average yeast will stay good for about 4 months after you open it, providing you keep it in the fridge. Mine is almost gone, still good since Jan. Just bought my second bottle.
 
well there is a make your own wine place near me that i am going to go to after i run out of yeast and see what kind they have available. i might be able to get it real cheap and get good stuff. so when u gonna have some extra clippings??? huh huh huh lol jk. i am going to a few different stores this weekend in hopes of finding some nicer rare plants. my b-day is on saturday so i think i am going to treat myself to eco complete and a few new plants for my tank. how much eco do you think i will need for my tank? i may even get that ellusive h.cuba this weekend. i hope your tank keeps going well.
 
Glenc said:
Congrats mr funktastic! It dosn't take long for a tank to go south if your CO2 levels stay low for to long. I have read that on average yeast will stay good for about 4 months after you open it, providing you keep it in the fridge. Mine is almost gone, still good since Jan. Just bought my second bottle.
Click to expand...
It will last even longer in the freezer. Old yeast isn't necessarily no good, it's just going to take longer to get fired up. Using old yeast has the same effect as not using enough yeast.
 
i made a 2 litre bottle reactor that i am going to substitute in place of the hagen one. i am going to put the hagen one on my 10 gallon and actually start working with it. before now it was simply the tank i threw clippings in so it is wildly overgrown and full. i think i will start a log on here about it. like evevryone else seems to be doing and getting so much response. i am going to buy 2 bags of eco complete for my 20 gallon and if i have any left over i will put it in my 10 gallon mixxed with another substrate(black sand that i have) i am not really into a deep substrate 1.5 - 2 inches is more than enough for me. thanks for the tip about the freezer i will go do that now :)
 
Two bags of Eco should be fine. I used 2 and a half in my 20 gallon high. 2" substrate at the front to 4" at the back. If your not after that thick a substrate two bags will do. Post pics when you get it going. Happy b-day by the way! The HC is doing quite nice and is starting to catch. I added a single 15 watt 6700k T-6 fixture to the 36 watts CF already on the tank last week, the plants are loving it, no problems so far. :D CO2 is cranked at 40 ppm.
 
that cuba is filling in pretty quick!!! i canty believe how fast it is going. i am adding a 20 wattts more to my tank this week and adding another 2 litre bottle of co2 to the system untill i get the pressurized going(having ahard time filling the bottle) i am going to like 5 different store to find some plantsi like then redoing the whole tank. thanks for the happy birthday!! i am 18 wohoo lol u cant doanything at 18. i can vote buy l9ottery and ummm... adult entertainment magazines lol big step for man kind there. got lots of money to support my fishy needs to. its gonna be a party!!!
 
Just an update shot. Tank is coming along well. Added a few neons to the tank, love the colour of those little fish, I think they really compliment a planted tank. I am learning that the two hours spent planting the HC with tweezers and spreading it out was definitely worth the effort. In just over three weeks the HC is now covering more than half the substrate and spreading fast! Great little plant. When I get enough of it I'll post some on barter-trade for those that can't get it. mr funktastic, you get the first batch! With good substrate, light, and CO2, it won't disappoint.
 
nice....

With the HC filling in so well, the rocks have nicely contrasting edges now that before were a bit lost against the dark substrate.
 
Absolutely breathe taking! This tank is an excellent example of how good hardscape combined with the right selection of plants creates a wonderful image. Everything balances nicely. I think that it will be absolutely stunning one the HC finishes filling in. Definately one of my favorite aquariums right now.
 
looking amazing as always glen. i cant get over how fast the cuba is filling in its rediculus. i hope it works just as well for me. i am as always jealous but i just redidi mine and it is looking nice. i am going this week to get a few new plants and should be content for a while. i cant wait to start the cuba though. i am going away till the 17th so if u pm me and wonder why i dont respond its becasue i am gone. i am leaving friday!!! going to pei for a nice holiday. i cant wait to see my tank after not looking at it for a week.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

L
substrate mix
Replies
4
Views
506
lumpo
L
S
Am I doing something wrong?
Replies
5
Views
509
Andy Sager
Andy Sager
D
CO2 Injection with Fluval FX4
Replies
2
Views
465
dayolddonuts
D
R
Substrate layering in amazon style aquarium
Replies
0
Views
400
ramtsi
R
theiris1002
Good heater for 5 gallon quarantine tank
Replies
1
Views
247
ADsnail
ADsnail

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom