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n00dl3's 180G Rare Crypts Collectoritis Journal - New Update 4-7-2013

43K views 348 replies 48 participants last post by  jerrytheplater 
#1 · (Edited)
Hi Everyone,

This is my first journal. Just rescaped today so I figured, I will start a journal to document the growth and development of the tank. I love low maintenance tanks because I do not have time to manicure and rescape every week.

Filter: 75 Gal Sump

Light: 2x 80 Watts T5, Finnex Rays 2 LED for 8 hours

Water Change: It is hooked up to my automatic water change system so it gets 8% water change per day.

Fert: Modified IE through my auto dosing system.

CO2 : Pressurized CO2 system, it goes on 1 hrs before the light is on and off 30 minutes before the light goes off.

Substrate: ECO Complete mixed ADA Aquasoil Amazonian

Fish: Few Ginga Rubra guppies, few cardina tetra, a few otos (started with 30 of them), a couple of cories.

Plants Updated 1-18-2013:
  • C. Uenoi
  • C. Keei 'Jambusan'
  • C. Keei 'Bau'
  • C. Nurii 'Rompin'
  • C. Bullosa 'Pakan'
  • C. Bullosa 'Sarakei'
  • C. Bullosa 'Bario'
  • C. Nurii Pahang Mutated
  • C. Kota Tingii
  • C. Auriculata Betong
  • C. Auriculata 'Tiger Stripe' Pakan
  • C. Cordata KR01
  • C. Hudoroi
  • C. zukalii
  • C. sp Bukit Ibam "Yellow Ring"
  • C. Cordata 'Rosanervig' with veins
  • C. Minima 'Gasser'
  • C. sp rompin
  • C. aponogetifolia
  • C. Affinis 'Red'
  • C. Purpurea
  • C. Ideii
  • Alternanthera sp. 'variegated'
  • Jumbo Trident Java Fern,
  • Taiwan Moss
  • Fissiden
  • Microsorum pteropus sp. 'red'







 
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#257 ·
A quick update. I have not finished all the piping yesterday since we had companies last night. I finished the drain piping from the overflow box to the sump. Finished about 50% of the return piping. Still need to make the connection to the spray bar and built the spray bar.

The work seems much easier in my head but it is taking a little longer to do. I think it is the perfectionist in me that is making me go slower.

I have not taken as many pictures as I thought I would've. Here are a few.


Overflow box rough in :


Return rough in:


Overflow box installed:


Return piping installed:
 
#258 · (Edited)
Spray bar pictures:






Here is the completion of the installation.


The conversion is completed but I still have a bunch of fine tuning to do. I ran out of time this weekend to wrap up the project. The sump is up and running. It is a huge different from canister filters. The rate of filteration and turnover is night and day. But it is a bit noisy with my overflow box. That is part of my fine tuning.

So far, what I don't like is the overflow box sticks out a bit. I thought it would be recessed back more. I will just to work around right it. Maybe tie some moss onto it so it will somewhat cover it up.

I wanted to try something new with my light bulbs. And I read lots of review if you mixed 6500k bulbs with Giesemann aquaflora that plant growth is better because you're providing a full spectrum for the plants. Now I have one bulb is 6500k and other is Giesemann aquaflora. The aquaflora made the aquarium a little pink. We will see what it will do.

Tonight, I will take pictures of the sump with everything hooked up to it. It definitely made the tank cleaner looking.
 
#267 ·
I tried to mess around with the overflow box to reduce the noise level. Unfortunately, I did not succeed. It is still noisy as heck. I googled for a DIY silencer. It came up with a few designs.

It seems like Hofer Gurgle Buster is pretty good so I will try to make two these this weekend. Hopefully this reduce the noise level.

Anyone have experienced with making one?
 
#269 ·
I think the bristlenoses in my tank are developing a taste for new growth leaves. I would see a new leave one day on my crypt and the next morning they are gone or half eaten. It might be my fault as I don't have any driftwood in there for them to munch on. So I'm in the process of trapping them. Tough little booger to catch in a tank this size. I have caught 1/2 of them so far. This morning I checked the trap, I didn't see anything in there except for snails. Could they be that smart to learn to avoid my trap?
 
#270 ·
Quick update

It has been a little over one week of running the sump and finished tweaking of the tank. The sump filteration is very impressive. I'm getting 2-3 times the filterations that I was getting from two Eheim 3 filters. My water is crystal clear, less mums/poops on the substrate, water movement is much better with the spray across the entire back of the tank, and surface film is gone. I did a pin wheel co2 injection from the pump, the co2 distribution is very evenly and thoroughly in the tank.

Filter is cleaning is very easy and takes 1/10th of the time. All I have to do is change out 6 filter socks and put new one in. Then thrown the dirty socks into the washer. The process takes about 5 minutes or less.

When I had my eheims it would take about 1 hour to clean which I hate the most. I would have to shut off the eheims, disconnect the hoses, pull out the canisters underneath my tank, drag them to my sink, clean them, place them back underneath the tank, and reconnect them. The canisters are not that easy to move because they hold 5 gallons of water which is about 40 lbs.

Things I would improved in my future built would be to use clear acrylic on the spray bar instead of the white PVC and make less holes in the wall. It is suppose to be measure twice and cut once. I cutted twice and measure once!
 
#273 ·
1-23-13 update

I've decided to do the update today because I just inserted pfertz root tabs last night. I wanted to document the tank growth with using the root tabs.

The tank is still under recovering and grow out status. It will probably be like this for one or two more months. I still have a few crypts that are not ready to move such as c. uenoi, minima 'gasser', aponogetifolia, and others.

I have to say c. aponogetifolia is the most finicky crypt ever. If you look at it the wrong way, it will melt. Since I got them in October, it has melted on me 3-4 times already.

FTS:


C. Rosanervig: Still exhibiting good growth and color.


Field of c. Hudoroi: Another robust crypt. It has filled in extremely well.


Bunch of Bullosa 'Bario': Awesome growth and coloration. Extremely robust crypt.


Field of c. KR01: They just kept going...


Auriculata: The tiger stripped is doing really well. It already has two new leaves. 'Betong' was doing well until some ate the new growth. Now it is stunted.


Alternanthera sp. 'variegated' : Still showing good growth


Bullosa 'Sarakei': They are recovering very nicely.


Unknown damage: I think the culprit is the bristlenoses that I've introduced last month. I have been trapping them for the past few days, I got about 3 left in the tank. They are difficult to catch without ripping the whole tank apart.

 
#274 ·
I finally was able to catch all the bristlenoses in the tank. After removing a majority of the bristlenoses, I've seen less leaves damages.

Also I read an thread over APC that high nitrate can cause new leaves to deformed which I have discussed in the following thread:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=206473&highlight=
 
#281 ·
Last month I changed out one of my 6500k bulb to Giesemann aquaflora to see if I can bring out more red and give the plants a full spectrum. Giesemann aquaflora reduced my PAR rating by half. I went from mid 50 PAR to low 30 PAR. The plants didn't like that as much!

The plants seem to be not responding well with lower PAR. I wanted to add more light and I wanted to try LED lighting for my bigger future tank. I purchased and installed Finnex Ray 2 DS 7000k yesterday. The fixture is super bright. With this fixture and two T5s, my PAR rating is doubled. My lowest PAR rating in the tank is mid 50 and high is over 100!

This could potentially cause some algae grow so I have increased my co2 and redo my fert to accommodate the increased in PAR. Let’s see how this will do!

Overall, the tank recovery is going really well. All the crypts are growing really well and always throwing out new leaves, and the body is very robust. Even some of the crypts are sending out runners!

Onward to some pictures.

FTS:


C. ‘Rosanervig’: I love the coloration and veins!



Crypt patch! I have quite a few crypts in there: Bullosa ‘Bario’, KR01, Hudoroi, Purpurea, Keei, Pygmaea, Kota Tingii.


Auriculata: Tiger stripped is doing really well. I think it has fully acclimated to submerse growth. My ‘Betong’ is in poor condition. The bristlenoses really damaged the plant and I think it is stunted. I hope it will recover because I really really like this crypt! It took me almost two years to acquire it!


Patch of Bullosa ‘Sarakei’ and Affinis ‘Red Metallic’: If you look very closely at the bottom right bullosa, you’ll see a little plantlet!


C. Zukalli: I haven’t seen this crypt, throw out a new leaf like this awhile. It must like the new improved condition!


Alternanthera sp. 'variegated': It got stunted from the reduced PAR. This plant definitely like the higher light!


Downoi:
 
#283 ·
emersed update

The UG is doing really well. While the other mosses in poor condition except for the mini fissiden.

UG: I have UG in two ways! I wanted to try two different subsrates to see which one will do well. One in aquasoil and other in sphagnum. Actually both are about the same. Except the sphagnum has broken out with some cyanobacteria. I haven't have time to read up on how to treat it yet. I have just been airing it out everyday to keep the condition dry. It seem to stop the spreading.



Mini Fissiden: Still alive but not growing that much. Actually it is super slow. At least it is alive.


Mini rose: I see some green... hopefully it will convert to emersed grow!


mini xmas: same condition as the mini rose...


Moss setup:
 
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