Unfortunately some of the plant areas got taken over by algae where the water level was too high so I saw diminished growth in those areas.. My tank glass is very nasty at the moment but here it is at day thirty!.
I may use the stuff I grew on the rock as a transplant for some of these thin areas, but still I have no co2 or a light or lily pipes or fish so I might as well keep waiting.
You should try to tilt the tank back since you have a high slope, this way the hc at the top will be wet but the ones in the front won't be underwater. I had the same issue as you when I did an HC dry start.
Sadly, I am seeing a drastic reduction in growth and a lot of browning and melting.
What could be causing this?
Anyway, here are the pics at.. Day... well who cares anymore its been a long time.
At the time of posting this photobucket isn't showing me any of my pictures. =[
Let me know what you think, and if you have advice for my odd melting let me know.
EDIT: pictures aren't loading, hopefully they will by morning
I'm glad to see they are up, and thank you! The stones have really grown on me, and the tank sits on my desk right next to my computer monitor which I am at nearly all day, so It has been difficult to be patient;
But the wallet rules the want.
The earliest I could fill the tank would be after the arrival of my Solar Mini M from ADG in Texas. I am attempting to sell a nice Medium Format Film camera a pair of True Religion High Top black leather shoes as well as a VIS Carbon Fiber Hood for an 02-05 Honda Civic Si
If I can get any of these items sold I should have the cash to set up a Paintball Co2 kit.
I'm leaning towards the paintball kit for size reasons, but its possible I could go with a 5lb tank and make my own regulator and stuff, but I'd need someone to give me an itemized list because I don't know what I need. But I am completely positive I could set it up correctly; I am a mechanical engineering major and my roommate is one as well so I think we'd figure it out.
Also I would be able to buy some glassware for my filter.
Then the flood gates would surely be open!
But then I would need to find 2 nice Japonica Multidentata (Amano shrimpies!!!!) and some Celestial Pearl Danio/Galaxy Rasobora(Same fish, the first name is the correct one)
I know the cpd maxes out at about an inch, do you think 6 of them would be comfortable in a Mini M?
I am very animal rights sensitive and I feel bad for putting any fish in a Mini M, but I have to because I want to see something moving around between these rocks.
If you go by the old gallon per inch of fish rule, then I'd need 6 gallons for 6 of these guys. I'd be okay with 5 I guess.
I would NOT add any fertilizer during a dry start. The HC can get all the nutrients it needs right now from the Aquasoil. Anyways, the browning doesn't look like it's caused by a nutrient deficiency. It simply looks like dehydration. Start by raising your water level so that it's slightly above the substrate.
And just to make sure, are you adding dechlorinator to your spritzing water?
I began by using water from my fish tank, and then I guess that just slipped my mind and I started using tap water.
I had my water level higher, but that resulted in algae covering the HC, killing it.
Grr..
The thing is its been a bit over 2 and a half months - maybe my aquasoil is feeling depleted. I have browning in the very moist parts of the tank too..
I would NOT add any fertilizer during a dry start. The HC can get all the nutrients it needs right now from the Aquasoil. Anyways, the browning doesn't look like it's caused by a nutrient deficiency. It simply looks like dehydration. Start by raising your water level so that it's slightly above the substrate.
And just to make sure, are you adding dechlorinator to your spritzing water?
Just ordered dry ferts from GLA... waiting on yikesjason to get back to me about a post body kit... and then next month I can afford a co2 Regulator and a co2 tank!
And then the month after that I can afford a drop checker, a test kit, lily pipes, and 6 CPD's
Yikesjason is assembling my Post body kit, thank you!
Also got a co2 regulator in the mail, and my fertilizers
Waiting on cash for a co2 tank and then im floodin the hell out of it.
Im having regrets though - I wish I had a bit more of a slope, and I wonder if I could do something better with my hardscape...
I dont want to mess up the HC thats finally getting established though..
Any thoughts?
i would go with a microrasbora over the cpd's. Cpd's are bigger bodied and more active whereas the microrasboras (boraras brigittae, boraras merah, etc) are more torpedo shaped and much smaller.
I love the coloration of the CPD as well as the body shape.
Do you think they are too large to keep around 6 of in here, though?
Just wondering if thats why you mention the smaller size of the microrasboras. I don't mind active fish, unless they aren't going to feel comfortable in this small tank.
The microrasboras all have weird tails and I don't like that you can see their skeletons and organs in the front of the body, just not too attractive to me.
I do Like bororas brigittae though the most out of all of them, as well as some rasbora I think called emerald something or other.
CPDs all the way man.
and please please please comment on my tank in my sig! Please? I'm begging you! I mean you have 4 pages of posts! HOW? Alright, good luck...
My Regulator came in the mail today, so I assembled it with my post body kit from Yikes Jason - I am satisfied, its starting to all come together!
Also, I've been trying out a new method to combat algae and drying at the same time.
I do a 30 minute flood every day. At worst its not doing anything, at best its saving my plants and helping to fertilize.
Its not a complete flood, just enough water to come to right below my highest patch of HC.
This completely submerges most of the HC
I then use my ghetto mini vacuum to siphon out all of the water after 30 or so minutes.
The water is tank water, which has already been dosed so I imagine its helping out a bit, and I don't imagine it could hurt.
Also I'd like to commend Beveragefactory.com
I ordered the 342(or some number) basic regulator, 39 dollars or something like that, it was back ordered, so they sent me the premium pro, silvery regulator depicted.
I believe they are both cornelius regulators, I like this one more than the other one and I can't complain that they sent me a more expensive regulator right away instead of making me wait. They didn't charge me the difference or anything.
I've never noticed your light fixture before, but it's possible that you have too much light. That lamp looks really bright. It would explain why your HC isn't doing too well. What wattage bulb are you using?
In my Mini-L I had to raise my 36W Archaea fixture by 2" when I saw my HC turning brown. Then it started recovering.
I'm using the dry ferts from Green Leaf Aquariums
I just mixed them into a solution with a strong enough concentration for one pump/squirt to be a proper dose for 5 gallons of water, this way I can use them in my 10g and 20g as well just as easily.
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