Crazydaz's Square 200G RIPARIUM Strikes Back! NEW PICS 4/19-4/21!!!

[h4n]

Originally Posted by DogFish

Pretty weak when people use one's ideas but don't give credit. I believe I was the 1st to use a track light system for PAR38LEDs. Would it kill ya to give some credit? Throw the dog a bone people

Ya throw the dogfish a bone!!!!! Hahha

-Sent from my Samsung Note, a "Phablet"

[Tajaba]

Originally Posted by crazydaz

Thanks Tajaba! I do run pressurized CO2 at about a rate of three bubbles per second. A 20lb CO2 cylinder usually lasts me about 8 months, maybe a little longer.

have you ever tested for your pH? I'd like to know what it is with all those plants and substrates?

[HD Blazingwolf]

8 months? Jees. Lasts my 75 gallon 6 weeks
Thats 0.48 pounds of co2 per day

Dog dont be surprised if a few bones arrive in the mail over the next few weeks

[crazydaz]

Brandon, I'm totally kidding! Actually, I approached Devin with the question of what might be able to grow on Manzy branches that would be low maintenance and hardy. I believe he actually deserves the credit for first bringing up the idea of "Tilly's" to me. I MAY be one of the first to have used a "square" tank for a freshwater set up four or five years ago, but that really isn't too creative as they already had cube tanks around.

And, "yes," we need to give Frank his due props, Han! Well done, Frank!

Tajaba--No, I don't do any testing. I can tell by what's growing well in the tank what the pH and hardness is around. It's a good enough for me. I'm not sure what you mean by "what is with" the plants and substrates? It's a very, very high light system that is well fertilized using mineralized top soil, some GroSoil and GroHumate tabs from Hydrophyte, and some EI as needed. I also use peat granules in the substrate, filter my water through peat granules, and don't change out any more than 5-10% per week with new water. There isn't anything that I'm doing that would be considered a "trick" or have some sort of secret to what I do. Truly, the only thing incredibly unique about this system may just be the amount of lighting and the bulb choices. Otherwise, it's a soft water, nutrient-rich system.

Yikes, Brandon! That's a LOT of CO2 your pushing through that system. I use a needle wheel impeller+spraybar which is incredibly efficient for spreading my CO2 around in the tank in "mist" form. If it ain't broke, though, right?

[HD Blazingwolf]

My main return chops up my bubbles quite nicely. But sump, plus high flow, lots of agitation. Yeah i waste some

[crazydaz]

The sump! There it is. Still, a half-pound per day of CO2? Seems like that would get expensive. Would it make more sense to simply grab a needle wheel pump and inject it separately? Just straight into the tank? It would pay for itself in about 14 months just in CO2 refills alone.

A buddy of mine was going to use this system and force the water and CO2 mist through a water filter in order to achieve 100% dissolved CO2. I have to check in with her to see if she was successful. A system like that would be, theoretically, "sump-proof," agitation-proof, etc. and a 20lb CO2 cylinder would probably last someone like me for a year and a half. I would love to see that in action!!

[zzrguy]

You are awsome this tank looks better then the one you rip down to move. I wish my humble tank looked half as good as yours did when it was just starting. Dam

[HD Blazingwolf]

oh i can make it last longer, im now running 800 gph through my tank and sump
if i drop that down to 500 fish get stressed in about 15 minutes so i'd say it'd last a lot longer if i didnt want such high flow

[10gallonplanted]

Amazing tank. I never thought a dirt tank could be so clean. I will be setting up a55 with soil capped with ecocomplete. No co2 though :P just micro and macro nutrient dosing. Hopefully mine will be half as good looking. Any tips for the soil?

[crazydaz]

zzrguy....thank you very much! Please remember that we all come from humble beginnings. Your current set up reminds me a lot of how I started off, and how much fun that time was! Reading all about plants, the impact of different ferts, trying different scapes and looks, and just having fun with it all. I just ended up putting it all together over time, just like everyone else. You'll get there too! And, I still have a ton more to learn and try!

Brandon, wow! Why do they get stressed out? That still seems to be plenty of flow to me.

Thanks 10gallon! I would watch the water column dosing without CO2.....you can get algae (and freakishly epic) issues very quickly! Especially cladophora. Be sure to run very, very lean!!

Tips for soil? Get, or make, MTS. I paid Frank to make me some and it's been outstanding. I also used a layer of kitty litter beneath that, and mixed in some peat granules. Before capping with sand, I added some of Devin's GroSoil and GroHumate tabs. I just added another pack of GroSoil just about a week ago as well. So I think that the trick is to start with a rich substrate, and keep it nicely supplemented so it stays nice and rich!

[10gallonplanted]

Hmm cause I've been dosing my 10 gallon that doesn't run co2 either without any problems for months and the plants love it. But then again the tank isn't dirted! I have always heard of people adding cat litter but I don't see why. I know it is clay but what nutrients does it provide? Thanks.

[crazydaz]

How thickly planted is your 10 gallon, how bright is the light, and is it full of fast growing stems? Do you dose Excel? Depending on your answers, it is entirely possible to dose the water column without CO2 and be fine. My current set up wouldn't handle that very well for long.

Kitty litter is a cheap and wonderful way of adding iron to the substrate, which really benefits my crypts and Buce's.

[Tajaba]

Fine! I'll just be straight.
How many apistos can u fit into this thing

[HD Blazingwolf]

Brandon, wow! Why do they get stressed out? That still seems to be plenty of flow to me.

Wet/dry filters when properly setup don't waste much co2. Matching flow to drain tubes is essential. If I had a one inch drain line it would last about 3 weeks because of the amount of air being pulled through the siphon. Bigger drain lines reduce this. Or less flow.
So by reducing the flow I'm reducing the amount of air being pulled into the media chamber. If I don't adjust co2 down. Fish get crazy stressed fast.

My plant beds are also very very dense at this point so having the extra flow distributes co2 better throughout the plant beds.
Really a good trim would solve that it the fish love to play in them so much it's hard to justify thinning things out.
My blyxa is my shrimp haven, it's the only thing that keeps them alive. Without it everyone else would tear them to shreds

[crazydaz]

Tajaba--Well, you could fit plenty of them! Apistos alone, with the current filtration, and all other species that are currently in there removed, I would guess that you could comfortably have at least 150 Apistos in this tank. IF your goal is to breed, that I probably wouldn't put any more than 15-20 pairs in there, but that's an educated guess. You could make this Apisto Heaven though!

HD-- Now I see Thanks for detailing the O2 issue!