J's 38g II - Breeder/Grow Out Paradise

[JCoxRocks]

This tank has been in my bedroom for over 2 years. I've used it as a quarantine tank, a breeder tank and a grow out tank for my angels. Its sat bare bottomed with cheap flourescent bulbs and all the leftover HOB filters I had removed when I switched over to canisters.

Not anymore.

I decided to give this tank new life this weekend with plans to still use it as a breeder tank or grow out tank, but at least it will look a little nicer in the meantime.

Tank: 38g
Lighting: Catalina fixture, T5, 4x39w
Filtration: Eheim 2236
Pressurized c02
Flora: Leftovers from my other tanks (staurogyne repens, limnophila aromatica, blyxa)
Fauna: CRS, CBS, angels

Here's the build...


The tank as it sat for years




Draining her down


Adding substrate (Eco Complete)


I love this style of rock


Filling er up


Cloudy


Still cloudy


Aaaaaannnnddd still cloudy...


Day 2, cloudiness cleared, but without plants its pretty blah


Waiting on my light from Catalina. In the meantime, added some trimmings that came in the breather bag w/ my red claw shrimp for my 20 g tank



Decided to try the Atomic Co2 diffuser from GLA. My only complaint is that it requires a pretty high working PSI from the regulator.


Bubbles like a glass of 7up



Expecting the lighting and some manzanita in the next few days.

J

[sewingalot]

I'm always lurking on your journals. I just had to post this time to say I am looking forward to another beautiful tank! Keep up the great work, J!. (Subscribing)

[JCoxRocks]

Originally Posted by sewingalot

I'm always lurking on your journals. I just had to post this time to say I am looking forward to another beautiful tank! Keep up the great work, J!. (Subscribing)

Thanks!

Its a little boring now, but I cant wait to watch it grow over the next few months. I'm planning a carpet out of S. Repens and then some taller background plants. I'm not sure, but maybe a mixture of jungle val and limnophila. Still waiting on my manzanita and lighting to really set things off!

J

[sewingalot]

I'm actually excited to watch this from the ground up. I seem to always find your journals midway through, so it'll be fun to be a spectator from the beginning! Sounds like a nice plant combination.

[JCoxRocks]

Catalina fixture arrived today. I scrambled during my lunch break to unbox it and set it up.

I am using the Atomic Co2 diffuser from GLA. Anyone else using these? Are you finding that you have to raise your output pressure on your regulator more than other diffusers? I'm at about 35psi (dual manifold) and even then my adjustments with the needle valve are very obtuse. It takes nearly a full twist to change the bubble count.

The high pressure worries me. While pulling the cords from the old lights out from behind the tank I inadvertently tugged one of the air lines and it blew off the check valve. This shot mineral oil from my bubble counter all through the line and in the inside of my stand.

Hoping to see my manzanita tommorow!

J

[JCoxRocks]

I got rid of the GLA atomic diffuser and built a Cerges reactor. I also got my manzanita and scaped it. Its still a little bouyant but I jammed it into the substrate and should be good to go. I've planted a little more stauro and waiting for about 20 more stems in the mail this week. I'm shooting for a complete carpet eventually.

If I have some time this weekend, I'll snap some photos.

J

[fishykid1]

Hey J, just saw this.. you turn your needle valve a full turn before it changes the bubble count? What needle valve are you using.. I barely bump my needle valve and it can increase the BPM alot... I'm getting one of the new micro fabco's from yikes jason this week sometime though DDD

[JCoxRocks]

Originally Posted by fishykid1

Hey J, just saw this.. you turn your needle valve a full turn before it changes the bubble count? What needle valve are you using.. I barely bump my needle valve and it can increase the BPM alot... I'm getting one of the new micro fabco's from yikes jason this week sometime though DDD

I was having issues with my fabco needle valve with the GLA diffuser... not anymore now that I've ditched it for a cerges reactor. The slightest adjustment changes bubble count. Good to go!

J

[chad320]

Yeah, I tossed my GLA diffuser in the garbage. If he wants me to mail it back so he can try to make a fool of me when I clearly stated that I run several of them and soaped my whole line for leaks then I just wont buy anything else from him. Mine was a POS. I tihnk the Cerges and Griggs are about as good as it gets. my favorite so far has been the needlewheel.

[fishykid1]

I think if it didn't require such a high pressure it would work better...I've bought other stuff from him without a problem though...

Glad to hear, you like your fabco? I know a lot of people do, just curious.

[JCoxRocks]

Originally Posted by chad320

Yeah, I tossed my GLA diffuser in the garbage. If he wants me to mail it back so he can try to make a fool of me when I clearly stated that I run several of them and soaped my whole line for leaks then I just wont buy anything else from him. Mine was a POS. I tihnk the Cerges and Griggs are about as good as it gets. my favorite so far has been the needlewheel.

I've been happy with all my other purchases, but I have to beg the question... Who's to say that it will actually be your diffuser in his video? What keeps him from having you mail it, and then just taking another one to make a video with? Why do you need a video when it obviously didnt work with your setup regardless? How do you account for the 4-5 people who have posted about their troubles (and the others who probably haven't spoken up? These are questions I simply have to ask.

I'm happy with my reactors (Griggs downstairs and Cerges upstairs). As far as which one works better, I have to say they are both pretty close, but the Cerges is far easier to build and maintain IMHO.

I've given thought to waiting a few years and cutting open my Griggs just to see how much gunk builds up in it. Fortunately I can just twist the canister off the Cerges to see that.

Originally Posted by fishykid1

I think if it didn't require such a high pressure it would work better...I've bought other stuff from him without a problem though...

Glad to hear, you like your fabco? I know a lot of people do, just curious.

Very happy with it. 4 of them total (dual manifolds on each tank upstairs and downstairs).

I'm not in the business to talk bad about GLA or his products. Obviously the diffuser didn't work for what I want, so I went another direction. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, but that in no way is a condemnation for GLA or Orlando. I am not particularly happy with the product, and if I were in Chad's shoes probably the situation in general, but at this point I'd purchase products from him again. I think I'm done with diffusers overall though.

J

[fishykid1]

Well said

Sometimes companies put products on the market to see people's opinions. When they get mixed or bad reviews most of the time, they will more than likely stop carrying it.

Jay, I'm finally modding my co2 setup from the cheapo needle valve that came with the azoo regulator to a fabco... but ill be in TN for a track meet when it gets here... UGH!

[JCoxRocks]

Originally Posted by fishykid1

Well said

Sometimes companies put products on the market to see people's opinions. When they get mixed or bad reviews most of the time, they will more than likely stop carrying it.

Jay, I'm finally modding my co2 setup from the cheapo needle valve that came with the azoo regulator to a fabco... but ill be in TN for a track meet when it gets here... UGH!

Nice. When do we get a new FTS in your update?

J

[demonr6]

tank pics pleeease..

[JCoxRocks]

Originally Posted by demonr6

tank pics pleeease..

Ugh... you don't wanna see them right now. Tank is still cycling and I'm in the cloudy water stage. Soon will be brown diatoms. I'll get some photos once the cycle is done.

I am expecting about 20 stems of stauro today. Cant wait to get a complete carpet in this tank.

J