New Aquascape

[Sk3lly]

Recently ripped out everything from my tank and created a new scape. I think it now looks much nicer but I have thrown out all my rock in favour of slate. I've lost a lot of beneficial bacteria. I'm now getting high nitrite levels. Is it possible that the ammonia converting bacteria have recovered faster than the nitrite converting bacteria? If so how long do you think it might take for it to recover?

 

[mrvincent]

Ammonias bb's are the first ones to develop. You won't see nitrites bacterias while you don't have nitrites. Nitrites BBs will develops when you'll see nitrites spike.

There's no problem in a FW tank to replace all substrates/decorations in same time if you have good filter. 90% of the ecosystem is built in the filter bio media. If you replace everything, MAKE SURE YOU DON'T KILL FILTER BBs. Never rinse filter under tap, as you'll probably see ammonia/trite spike after.

You can add "Nutrafin Cycle" directly in the filter bio media to boost the nitrifiying process, or make water chance to drop nitrites levels, or only wait the time nature do the things for you. If you currently have fish in your tank, then do an 50% water change for preventing fish gills burn (irreversible)

What's your nitrites readings ?

 

[Sk3lly]

I only use rodi water so dont need to worry about tap safe. Filter sponges get a good wash every water change. Tank was fully cycled prior to change. Unsure of the exact reading as i dont go by numbers. If my nitrite sample has even a tinge of purple i do a partial WC. I use the api liquid test kit

 

[mrvincent]

That's ok. But with RODI only water, you will have PH swings... The best is to buffer the RODI water. RODI water tends to absorb air CO2 and dropping PH overtime...

 

[Sk3lly]

That's ok. But with RODI only water, you will have PH swings... The best is to buffer the RODI water. RODI water tends to absorb air CO2 and dropping PH overtime...

I get mineralised rodi water. Does that make much of a difference to pH swings? I monitor pH, kh and gh closely but no change at all

 

[mrvincent]

I get mineralised rodi water. Does that make much of a difference to pH swings? I monitor pH, kh and gh closely but no change at all

What's your KH value ?

 

[Sk3lly]

What's your KH value ?

8 drops with the api test kit. Whatever that is in ppm. I think its around 160ppm but that may be incorrect

 

[mrvincent]

8 drops = 8dKH°. That's correct and the PH won't swing. At 2dKH° I have no swings (except because I have high CO2 levels).

You'll be fine without acclimating if you go with same temperature. Pure RODI water have 0dKH°, so it's unbuffered and PH may huge swings In your case it's ok.


The most important thing in aquariums is stability.

 

[Sk3lly]

8 drops = 8dKH°. That's correct and the PH won't swing. At 2dKH° I have no swings (except because I have high CO2 levels). You'll be fine without acclimating if you go with same temperature. Pure RODI water have 0dKH°, so it's unbuffered and PH may huge swings In your case it's ok. The most important thing in aquariums is stability.

Cool i like the look of your tank by the way. Had a look on your photos. Mine is in transition. Trying to decide on plants at moment

 

[mrvincent]

Choose your plants according to your light/co2.

If you have a stock low light canopy, then focus on Java ferns and anubias, they need low light and no ferts.

Java ferns must not be burrowed into substrates, you can glue them with cyanoacrilate (super glue) on a wood piece.


Thanks for compliment my tank ! I just bought a 20g hightech SW tank recently (1000$ total without fishs), I'll post pictures as soon I get my corals.

Note that my 29g wide (the one you like) is hightech setup with CO2 injection (via reactor) and high light.

 

[Sk3lly]

Choose your plants according to your light/co2. If you have a stock low light canopy, then focus on Java ferns and anubias, they need low light and no ferts. Java ferns must not be burrowed into substrates, you can glue them with cyanoacrilate (super glue) on a wood piece. Thanks for compliment my tank ! I just bought a 20g hightech SW tank recently (1000$ total without fishs), I'll post pictures as soon I get my corals.

Standard canopy with 2 t5 tubes on a 90litre tank. Got an anubias already








Thats where im at so far. Im after some nice carpeting plants to go around the slate beds up near the anubias

 

[mrvincent]

If you're able to make a carpet with your dwarf hairgrass, you'll be fine to grow almost everything.

Did your cryptocorynes on the left back had green or brown leaves when you bought them ? In my case I bought them green, and new leaves are all brown...

 

[mrvincent]

Kit that come with 2x fluorescents are good. I started with a single T8 bulb... I wasn't able to grow anything

 

[Sk3lly]

If you're able to make a carpet with your dwarf hairgrass, you'll be fine to grow almost everything. Did your cryptocorynes on the left back had green or brown leaves when you bought them ? In my case I bought them green, and new leaves are all brown... 2xt5 lighting... You sure it's not T8 lighting ?

Is the hairgrass known to be hard work to carpet?? Ive had slow spreading of it but my upheaval has slowed it again. Im looking to get the co2 setup in the new year to help it out. Well they were mainly green, i thought it was diatoms at first but they are growing a brownish/red now. What does that mean? Because id prefer green lol

 

[mrvincent]

Yeah, I have DHG in my tank, and I have a lot of difficult to spread it... You can cut them, and it will spread a bit more.

I have 2x39W T5HO on my 29 gal and it's hard to carpet. I have a lot of success with my hemianthus callitrichoides. It spread very quickly.

In the first two month I've put the HC carpet, it was dying looking, but now, it's spreading a lot !

I think I'll get rid of my DHG and keep only HC.

 

[Sk3lly]

Yeah, I have DHG in my tank, and I have a lot of difficult to spread it... You can cut them, and it will spread a bit more.

When i see it spreading again then i'll trim it. I need to find some cool driftwood for the tank as well

 

[mrvincent]

When you go to the LFS, the wood look smaller that they'll be in your tank. Take cool pieces that'll fit your aquascape. I did this error, I bought a piece a wood, and in my aquarium it look ugly. So I replaced it with a better one.

 

[Sk3lly]

When you go to the LFS, the wood look smaller that they'll be in your tank. Take cool pieces that'll fit your aquascape. I did this error, I bought a piece a wood, and in my aquarium it look ugly. So I replaced it with a better one

Snap!!! Lol. Im looking for some thin branchy stuff that has some shape to it. My lfs has big clumsy logs that look boring

 

[Stewy]

I just ordered some from manzanita-driftwood.com and was impressed with the selection...and its smaller branches.

 

[Sk3lly]

New plants in today and im very happy with how my tank looks. BB levels look to be replenished as ammonia and nitrites are consistently 0 again now. Ive decided to invest in a co2 setup. I feel confident setting it up but im not sure how to use a drop checker. Can someone please take dome time to explain it please? Oh and if theres any very important things to do or not to do regarding co2 setups.
Thanks