What's up everyone. Well, it's officially 2 months since I rescaped and planted. Once the UG settled in, it just took off! I haven't trimmed the UG at all since I planted it. I did, however, trim this tank at least twice.
It hasn't been a perfect ride with this, however. I did have a CO2 leak a couple of weeks ago and although the BPS was set high, I wasn't getting much CO2 coming out the diffuser. I have the diffuser in the back middle so it's hard to see. To top it off, my drop checker has been acting weird in that once it hits yellow, it never goes back to green. Even after I turn off the CO2 for over a day. I'm not sure if it's the reagent or what. As a result, I didn't even realize my tank was getting less CO2 and I did have a little run-in with BBA and some green fuzzy algae in the Mini Fissidens. I fixed the CO2 leak by ditching a faulty cheap plastic check valve. I also spot treated the BBA and algaefixed the fuzzy stuff.
On another note, my Elatine Triandra has been turning yellow with pin-holes in it. I guess it's a deficiency but I'm too lazy to bust out the test kits. I know it's a N hog, so I probably need to dose more N. But I'm thinking of just yanking it out and replacing it with S. Repens or something. I think it would contrast well against the AR mini.
Okay... too much text and no pictures! Here we go....
2 Months of growth... Before and After!
FTS:
------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------
Just some notes and reflections here:
- The Eheim Skim 350 works really well at keeping the surface clear. The only drawback is that it has a tiny sponge inside and it clogs up real fast. So I find myself having to rinse and squeeze out the sponge weekly. It's not a bid deal because I'd rather have a scum free surface... so I just chalk it up as just another thing added to the "labor of love" mindset.
- The 2x Sat+ lights have impressed me with the way it grew this lush UG carpet for me. My only gripes are: one, I can't suspend the lights over the tank due to them not being the highest output out there. And two, the red plants could get deeper red if I had more intensity. On the "bright" side, I think the Ecoxotic version of the Sat+ on steroids should be out soon. Might upgrade to that, we'll see...
- Still need to install the Ramp Timer Pro and test it out. It's just been a combination of school and laziness. But I'll get the ball rolling very soon.
- The BESTA stand. Well, what can I say. It's a great stand for this tank! I don't have access or the DIY skills to build an ADA-Style tank, but this sure is a great compromise, IMO. I'm glad I bought the Besta Legs as well. I like how they're adjustable so that you can get the tank level. Also adding several inches to the overall height is great.
Thanks for following along... and comments or critiques are welcomed.