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55 gallon dirted tank

3K views 27 replies 11 participants last post by  tiggity 
#1 ·
Planted 3 big red melon swords couple handfuls of pennywort and a large amazon sword. Have like 9 4-6 inch stem plants I need help I'd ing but my main question is will the water clear up? It's my assumption that the plants will remove excess nutrients from the tanks water column. I have emptied and remptied several times. It's fairly. Lear just want my water to be clear as do we all. Lol.
Filter- xp3
Koralia nano powerhead
2 bulb nova extreme t5 fixture.
 

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#5 ·
Will do. I have a ton of filter floss and ceramic filter media and sponge that come with it. Do u think that carbon would be beneficial in removing stuff from the water? Or any advice? It seems to be be a little clearer but then browner almost. The java fern looks perky and the melon swords look like there reaching towards light but it my just be me lol
 
#7 ·
It clears up after a while. My 10 is dirted and it took a while before the tank was clear. Mostly a bunch of water changes helped. Lots of dirt gets stuck on the mechanical filtration(sponges pads, w/e) in the beginning and cleaning those off helps get it clear faster.

I actually never really probed around in my tank to release the bubbles, but they did release themselves eventually and no harm was done to the fish or inverts I have in the tank.
 
#8 ·
Thanks. Ya it is clearing up.

Next question- I have all the fish which I wish to transfer into the 55 in a pressurized co2 29 gallon. Point is will this stress them out going from a regulated balanced aquarium into this dirted tank?

Any tips
Fish include
GBR
Angelfish
Apoctogamma
That I'm worried about
 
#11 ·
I'd transfer them like any other fish I get from the LFS a slow drip acclimation so as not to shock them at all.

I just started up my first dirt tank a few weeks ago I used flourite black sand as my cap didn't rinse it first and Oh man was it filthy even after several water changes and about 4 weeks there is still a cloudiness to the water, it's almost crystal clear but not quite. Just make sure you clean the filter at least once a week till things get settle down I used filter floss to get the really fine particles out and it's worked so far but really slows down the water flow when it needs to be changed.

Feel free to check out my thread and let me know what you think.
 
#13 ·
GH, KH, TDS and temperature all being close values ignore pH shifts and transfer the fish.

As long as the temperature is matched I routinely swap fish with a flip of the net between tanks with 5.9/6.2pH and 7.4/7.6pH.
Temps the same, the TDS is very close and fish don't care about pH differences in any experience I've had here. Shifts (rapid swings or changes) in GH, KH, TDS and the resultant osmotic pressure that's the yada yada that causes our critters issues not pH changes per say.

Tank looks like a great start.
 
#15 ·
Thanks for the kind words and advice. I haven't switched the ish yet cause the temp is 71-73 and the high tech tank is 79-80 stable. Will be purchasing a heater today. Also any input on cleaning crew? I plan on putting 4-5 Cory's 2-4 angels 3 rams and some apicograma. Might be a little full but think some sae's or a [censored][censored][censored][censored]load of ottos will do the trick
 
#21 ·
Transplanted a tiger lotus? I forgot the name but the bulb I bought is going ape sh@t in my 29 g co2 rig. So I moved a couple to the dirt see how it goes. Would love some plant I'd and scape feed back. Love you guys, all fish are in here and have been moved from the 29 g.

2 koi angels.
4 Amano shrimp
3 apictograma cocatoid. ****
1 clown pleco
1 rubber lip
1 cae
1 female gbr
3-4 ottocinclus
And lame goldfish from my cycleing that are thriving in 76 degrees. Looking to cl them.

Again show some love hope this tank comes in and starts blowing up. It was neglected over thanksgiving break. But showed it some love today.
 

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#26 ·
wow the water is still pretty cloudy but nothing a few water changes won't clear up, my tanks been running about 6 - 7 weeks so far and I still have tannins in the water and air bubbles floating out of the substrate every few minutes it's a process from what I've read it can take 2 - 4 months for the majority of the decomposition to finish up until then your going to have air bubbles percolating outta the substrate.

Might also want to try a fine filter pad or filter floss to help polish your water it will catch a lot of the really fine stuff that's in the water column. It helps catch a lot of fine debris but there will always be some until the tank ages a bit.
 
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