NanoJack's Photo Journal 2014

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Yeah i like mine, too. I haven't had any jumpers due to the gradual ramp up / down. Fish aren't freaking out as they used to do with sudden lights turning on/off. That's certainly a plus in a shallow tank.

Nice picture. That hydro Japan grows fast. I like how it's crawling over that stone.
 
I'm preparing to flood the tank this Sunday! When do I start dosing ferts?

Here's 3 weeks of DSM:

ImageUploadedByAquarium Advice1394887823.622046.jpg
 
I'm not sure when to start dosing, probably after your tank is cycled. I know Amazonia has a lot of nutrients in it, so there would be plenty of cushion for not dosing immediately. But if you see any signs of deficiencies, you can always test and go from there.

Joey and Bill here have experience using Amazonia. I've used it before but it was mixed with another substrate.

Anyways, looking forward to the flood.
 
About cycling, I've read that multiple WC's per week is suggested to dilute the leaching ammonia from the AS. Is not the ammonia food for plants or Is too much ammonia detrimental to plants? I'm confused. Why can't I just leave the tank be with co2 blasting and let it cycle without WC's? What could go wrong? So I ask, what is the best way to cycle a DSM tank with Amazonia and stocked plants with co2 supplementation with drop checker at yellow? Also, would the saturation of co2 hinder the production of BB?
 
I believe sudden ammonia spikes have been attributed to cause certain types of algae. Usually, I just do a 50% daily water changes for the first week, then 50% once a week from there on out. It really depends on what the water tests at, how much aquasoil was used, water volume, etc... For the co2, I believe you should run something like 7-8 bps for the first week, then slowly decrease that number over a few weeks until your drop checker is a nice lime green. Don't worry so much about the cycle, after DSM, your main focus should be converting the plants over to submersed growth with minimal die off. The cycle is your second priority.
 
Thanks Bill. Would you advise leaving co2 on during lights out to aid in the transition?
 
Yeah, I've heard of a few people doing that, so it should be fine. I know some people who throw in or float some fast growing stems too during the first few weeks to help suck up the ammonia, aid in stabilizing the tank, and to reduce the chances of any algae out breaks.
 
After 24 Days of DSM, the flood!

Plans:

First Week
50% WC every other day and once a week there after. Co2 on 24/7 and lights on 8 hours. ImageUploadedByAquarium Advice1394979157.744733.jpgImageUploadedByAquarium Advice1394979208.755379.jpg

Can anyone chime in on what to expect of my HC, Hydro Japan, HM, and SR in the coming transitioning stages?
 
Question about co2. When someone says 3 bps or 6 bps does the volume of water make a differences? For instance, does 6 bps for a 55g the same as 6 bps for a 5 gallon? Wouldn't the 5 gallon be super saturated or is it all relative?
 
When I did DSM, my HC didn't do anything but keep growing after I flooded. I only used 3 BPS but ran it 24/7. After a month i started using the timer. I think the BPS would be dependant upon how well your diffuser's co2 dissolution efficiency is.I just monitor and get the drop checker yellowish lime green. Your tank is even more shallow than my 60F so the higher BPS might be warranted.
 
"No two tank setups are exactly the same. It's therefore impossible to suggest with any accuracy what initial bubble rate each individual should set. Different regulator/bubble counter combinations produce different sized bubbles. Many other factors affect the tanks absorption rate. The following arbitrary initial rates have been offered and should be used carefully in conjunction with the procedures above:

40 to 60b gallon 1 bubble per second
20 to 40 gallon 1 bubble every 2 seconds
10 to 20 gallon 1 bubble every 5"

(This article was written by UKaps member - ceg4048)

I put my co2 on a timer, so I did not run it through the night. However, when I woke up this morning, co2 having been off for 8 hours, the drop checker was still yellow. Perhaps, it was still yellow because plants don't consume co2 during the night. Theoretically, if I turn the light on with co2 off, the drop checker should be turning green to blue within a few hours give or take? I'm trying to understand what's goin on with the volume of water I have. I'm leaning towards since I have a small tank, high bps and co2 dissolution would plateau
And therefore I would be wasting co2, so I need to dial it down.
 
Thought it was. Im sure i remembered reading it in this thread.

In that case id like to say how impressed i am with your knowledge of everything you have done so far. Clearly spent a lot of time reading/researching. I can only hope that one day my knowledge of this hobby reaches the depths yours has. I know theres hundreds of other very knowledgable people on here, but its the diving straight into a difficult setup thats impressed me.

Will defo continue to follow
 
I appreciate the comment Sk3lly. All I can say at this moment, as Lao Tzu once said: "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step."
 
After seeing how much research and effort you've put into your FW id love to see some pics of your reefs, if you have any?
 
Planing on 7 CPDs, 1 oto, and some shrimp. Still haven't decided on what species of shrimp. I'm liking the fire red cherry shrimp or crystal but hesitant in shelling out $7-$10 per. Don't want an expensive mistake. Suggestions?
 
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