mjd271169 Posted June 15, 2008 Report Share Posted June 15, 2008 Hi So I decided to set up a 40L planted tank, made the effort to try and get it going but it was failing and still is miserably, started to move plants around into my bigger tank and everything just seemed t grow better so I picked up a few more plants and filled it up, 40L still kicking on but not very well, will need to work out why, think lighting is big issue and the filtration. Anyway here is a pic of the 95L, now just need to let it grow Back row Val (new)- not sure if I spread this out to much when I planted and the water flow is pushing it over hygrophillia polysperma (new) hygrophillia difformis (been in tank for about a month)- this goes behind the rock and round the side fills in the back right corner a treat and I have had to take heaps out as it just grows so much. Middle Green leaf plant-(new) not sure what this is just bought it - anyone ID? Red leaf plant (1 week) not sure what this is again just bought it - ID?. growing roots but colour is very drained think either not enough light or low iron? Ambulia (1 month) - struggling to grow this one can't actually see if very well in this pic follow the DW to the right hand side and it just visible there sticking up. it is growing now but very fine and delicate. Left hand side middle to front Rotala Waliichi (taken from other tank) in front of DW pink baby tears worried I may have to trim this very often to keep it from being too tall) right hand side of DW in front of rock didiplis diandra ( from other tank) front right corner - bacopa of some form I think ( from other tank) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anasfire Posted June 15, 2008 Report Share Posted June 15, 2008 Have you got a CO2 set up in there? What ferts are you using? Can you give us a little info on the lighting? What kind is it and how many watts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjd271169 Posted June 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2008 DIY CO2 ferts currently all Seachem - only started today using them based on the seachem dosing schedule on their website flourish nitrogen potassium iron below is the ML recomended based on tank size, see how it goes Saturday 50% WC Sunday FLOURISH 1.9 NITROGEN 1.4 Monday IRON 2.3 Tuesday IRON 2.3 POTASSIUM 3.8 Wednesay IRON 2.3 NITROGEN 1.4 Thursday IRON 2.3 POTASSIUM 3.8 FLOURISH 1.9 the only things I am not using from them are excel, trace and phosphate. I did not want to add phosphate until I was sure I had too in case I got bad algae. don't know yet if I need the trace as I am using flourish and that may be enough. I have done some reading on making up ferts too using dry powder and that seems 10 times cheaper so I may consider that, or buy from aquagreen they have the dino pee that seems to be all you need along with the dino poo. couple of drops each day is easier than several bottles to juggle. I currently have 2 x 20W T8 tubes 10,000K running for 7 hours a day. I dropped the photoperiod as I was getting some green spot algae which is either from too much light or lack of phosphates from what I have read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bettarazzi Posted June 15, 2008 Report Share Posted June 15, 2008 Let me get this straight. The picture is of your 95L which you're not having problems with. You're having problems with the 40L. Right? And the lighting that you mentioned is that for the 95L or the 40L? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjd271169 Posted June 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2008 pic is of 95L and lighting is for 95L the one I did not make much effort with, the 95L , is far better than the one I actually decided to have a real go at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anasfire Posted June 15, 2008 Report Share Posted June 15, 2008 What delivery system are you using for the CO2? Just thinking maybe it's not diffusing into the water properly. That's the problem I had with mine but mind you mine wasn't just DIY is was a crude DIY and didn't work well. I've since been researching DIY CO2 systems and decided I'm gonna have to get a diffuser from ebay as a delivery method to get as much CO2 into the water as possible. You could always just add algae cure to the tank to control it and leave the light on for 10hrs a day. I've been told that it needs to be on at least that long for the plants to get the benefit. Also a few BN catfish would make light work of the algae. Is Glenfield on the northern coast of NSW? Coz I know of someone who sells BN catfish for $3ea, he's located in the Tweed area. We're planning on buying a few soon and I think I might put up a classifieds post if anyone wants some and is willing to pay for shipping I'll facilitate it and send them off. PM if you are interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjd271169 Posted June 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 CO2 is running through an airstone but I have seen diffusers on line for $6.80 "guppys online" algae is gettign better, the stone wears most of it but I have 3 ottos and recently put in an SAE. SAE is getting through the green algae on the stone and the ottos clear all the soft type away so the tank is looking OK. I will increase lighting to 10 hours to assist growth I am not nothern coast,, Glenfield is near liverpool in Sydney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghengis Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 I've since been researching DIY CO2 systems and decided I'm gonna have to get a diffuser from ebay as a delivery method to get as much CO2 into the water as possible. Check my "EvilBay Diffusor" thread, on this topic. Having difficulty getting the pressure up to operate the diffusor properly (it's one of the pretty glass one's). Woke up yesterday morning, after leaving the system set-up for twelve hours+, and there were (finally) bubbles... By about 8pm last night, the flow had virtually stopped. Still playing with some ideas on how to fix this, but just be aware that despite them being advertised as being OK for a DIY system, these things need a fair whack of pressure to run properly. I'm thinking of shelving these glass units and purchasing one of the plastic "spiral" or "ladder" diffusors... Not nearly as attractive, but we do what we must. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjd271169 Posted June 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 Hey Ghengis read your thread, sounds like a PITA I have not seen the ladder diffusers for sale, have you seen them on line somehwere? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghengis Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 Sorry, didn't want to put the massive downer on using the glass diffusor's. It could well be that I'm just an idiot and can't get it to work... These ones only cost $2.99 ea, plus post from Malaysia. I got three, landed, for $22. When it was running, it looked to be working great. I just wanted people to be wary, before laying down hard earned like I did, is all... As to the "ladder" diffusors; that's the only way I can describe them. Have you seen them before? It's a rectangular box shape, about 120x50x10mm, with angled "rungs" inside. A bubble will enter from the bottom and float through the unit, rung by rung, dissolving as it goes. I guess the idea is just to delay the bubble reaching the water surface and prolong it's exposure to the water. Despite much, continuing, searching I've not yet found any online. I am sure they are out there though, possibly under a name other than "diffusor" (?) EDIT: There's this thing, which describes what I meant. It uses the tablet system (which I have no idea as to it's worth), but you can see the ladder thingy (they call it a "counter/diffusor"). Just a matter, now, of finding this device sold separately someplace... http://www.theaquariumshop.com.au/shopexd....+Natural+System Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anasfire Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 I think you'll find that the bubble stone isn't allowing the CO2 to diffuse into the water adequately. I used a bubble stone in mine too and it had no effect on the plants what so ever, they all still died and didn't grow at all. The bubble stone doesn't allow the CO2 bubbles to have enough exposure with the water to diffuse, they just float to the surface, intact, and pop so all you are really accomplishing is filling the surface air with CO2 and little to none of it is actually being dissolved into the water. You really do need to find something to allow the Co2 to diffuse into the water better, eg one of those glass or plastic diffusers from ebay. Good Luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjd271169 Posted June 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 while I was researching DIY CO2 one of the things I saw was a CO2 bell. Just a container that the CO2 can bubble up into and then get disolved in to the water column. I had suction cups and grabbed an old baby bottle top and knocked one up, I am testing it as I type this is it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjd271169 Posted June 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 didn't like the backing, changed it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghengis Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 Had one of those made from the upturned bottom of a water bottle, made pretty much like what you have there. I don't know how effective it was, though... I need to scratch up a drop checker, so I can assess the effectiveness of different methods. All I am doing just now is blindly spending money. Have an idea for an upturned pH test tube, with some sort of funnel shaped inlet (currently a cake decorating nib is the best candidate). Then I need to mix up some 4dKH (still learning all this chemistry mumbo...shoulda paid attention in school) water for it and I should be sweet :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjd271169 Posted June 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 I made one out of a childrens syringe but it is not working great http://ausaqua.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=5869 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghengis Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 Saw that. I like the look of it, small, easy to read, cheap. Why do you think it isn't working?? Have a read of this Thread http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumap...op-checker.html It's about 32 pages, but there are some great ideas and deep discussion about the whole chemical process (read the whole thing on Friday night while watching Essendon smash West Coast! W'hoo! ...sorry, off topic). Gave me something to think about with building my own. Mind you, the proper glass units are about $9 on ebay...but there's not much fun in just buying stuff is there?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjd271169 Posted June 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 the solution is yellow which means too much CO2, from what I have read though DIY does not produce enough CO2 to actually do this especially as I only have one bottle running my mixture. I also run an air stone at night to degass the water and bring O2 levels up PH ranging from 7 to 7.4 first thing in the morning dropping to around 6.4 later in the evening through CO2 addition I am buffering my tank KH to 6 fish are showing no signs of too much CO2, again from the net it seems like they would be gasping at the surface for oxygen. then again it could be working and something else is wrong with the tank, KH/PH tables I may take it out for a night and see if goes back to blue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghengis Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 For the ultimate in DIY, I just set this thing up... As told to me by an LFS bloke. ...take one bamboo skewer and break/cut/semi-cut then break the point off it. About an inch long. Force the point into a kinked Co2-line and whoosha. Not too sure about effectiveness as yet, as many bubbles still make it to the top. But it's a good start. For dollar value, I really don't know if one can get any cheaper than this. (An attempted) pic of lotsa little bubbles... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lpiasente Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 I just use dino pee and dino dung and my plants go off. When I first started with dino pee I was adding it each day but now I only do it few times a week. I lasts for ages. The plants that have anchored their roots to the dino dung do exceptionally well. I have to trim and throw plants away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghengis Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 Where do you buy this? Online? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjd271169 Posted June 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 hey Ghengis dino pee and dinopoo you can orfder from aquagreen.com.au they are the ones that make it I have not used it but seen heaps about it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjd271169 Posted June 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 I just use dino pee and dino dung and my plants go off. When I first started with dino pee I was adding it each day but now I only do it few times a week. I lasts for ages. The plants that have anchored their roots to the dino dung do exceptionally well. I have to trim and throw plants away. yeah it looks good as it is one application but I have 250ml bottles of the seachem stuff that should last me about 3 or 4 months. Once that is gone I am thinking I may give the aquagreen stuff a go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lpiasente Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 Oh and I forgot to say your tank looks great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckie Posted June 19, 2008 Report Share Posted June 19, 2008 Genghis, are you using CO2 gas or DIY (sorry, I don't get time to read all threads ) ? I would be worried about DIY exploding using the bamboo method. To get my Co2 (DIY) to contact the water for longer, I used to put the end of the outlet tube under an upside-down terracotta pot set on an angle. It's not until a fair bit of it builds up in there that the gas bubble makes its way to the hole and escapes, meanwhile there's been a fair while for it to contact the water surface. Here is the tank where I used this method: The plants in the picture behind the AAQ logo are from this tank ( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghengis Posted June 19, 2008 Report Share Posted June 19, 2008 I had a similar idea, until recently, where I used the cut off bottom of a water bottle, upside down, to trap the bubbles. I have read though that this method is at the lower end of most recommended/effective methods... So I ordered the diffusors. Why would you think the system would explode with the bamboo skewer? Too much back pressure? Nice tank, btw :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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