180P build

[Pugman]

Originally Posted by Green_Flash

Yes it is because of the lower iron content makes it "softer".

Pugman- How did you like the Fluval plant stratum, I forgot to ask?
Any ammonia leach or crumbling over time?

I ended up ditching it not because there was issues. I couldn't tell the difference between Amano soil or Fluval. I had used Red Seas soil for 6 years with no issues. It does break done a little but I never thought that was a bad thing. People are successful with potting soil so.......

I use black lava rock so the moss is held down better.

[Pugman]

I wonder if the low iron glass is really softer or if it just a rumor. I had heard that before but how would anyone really know? Most folks just regurgitate what someone else said. And how much softer would it actually be. Where could you find that kind of information.

[mrkookm]

Originally Posted by Pugman

I wonder if the low iron glass is really softer or if it just a rumor. I had heard that before but how would anyone really know? Most folks just regurgitate what someone else said. And how much softer would it actually be. Where could you find that kind of information.

I'm having a Rimless Starphire tank being built by Miracles and never thought of that, but it can't be nowhere near Acrylic. I had that for a while and it sucks overtime with the scratching.

At least know I know so i'll be careful. Pug I guess you should be too just to be on the safe side.

[kwheeler91]

Take a piece of regular glass and run it across a piece of starphire, or vice versa. Good ol' scratch test.

I have a little bit of anecdotal evidence for you though. I collected a bunch of wave smoothed sandstone once thatwas full of red swirls and thus contained large amounts of iron. It never scratched the glass in my tanks(regular glass). Im not geologist or chemist for that matter, but I dare say that iron content has little if anything to do with the hardness of quartz.

You could try a test with two types of sandstone I suppose, one containing high iron like a red sandstone and one that is low in iron. Just my two cents but really wouldnt worry about it.

[ChadRamsey]

Pugman, i just wanted to say that your original scape in this tank was one of my all time favorite scapes....EVER!!!

So i have HUGE expectations for this new one....Dont let me down

[kwheeler91]

http://chemistry.boisestate.edu/peop...ng_history.htm

Some cool info in there.

[Pugman]

Originally Posted by mrkookm

I'm having a Rimless Starphire tank being built by Miracles and never thought of that, but it can't be nowhere near Acrylic. I had that for a while and it sucks overtime with the scratching.

At least know I know so i'll be careful. Pug I guess you should be too just to be on the safe side.

Since I've discovered the two scratches I'm super carful and there are no new ones. I thought I was being carful in the beginning but apparently not. Like Plantbrain said " no metal and up and down strokes only".

[Pugman]

Originally Posted by kwheeler91

Take a piece of regular glass and run it across a piece of starphire, or vice versa. Good ol' scratch test.

I have a little bit of anecdotal evidence for you though. I collected a bunch of wave smoothed sandstone once thatwas full of red swirls and thus contained large amounts of iron. It never scratched the glass in my tanks(regular glass). Im not geologist or chemist for that matter, but I dare say that iron content has little if anything to do with the hardness of quartz.

You could try a test with two types of sandstone I suppose, one containing high iron like a red sandstone and one that is low in iron. Just my two cents but really wouldnt worry about it.

I'm not too worried about it now with my super paranoid algae cleaning technics now. If I ever run across a spare piece of low iron glass ill try it.

Originally Posted by ChadRamsey

Pugman, i just wanted to say that your original scape in this tank was one of my all time favorite scapes....EVER!!!

So i have HUGE expectations for this new one....Dont let me down

thank you, that's quite the compliment. It's really the same scape I just replaced the baby tears with Mini Pellia. The Mini Pellia looks more like a grassy field close up. It's a ton less work too. In the end Ill have a supply of mosses that are in need of this hobby.

Originally Posted by kwheeler91

http://chemistry.boisestate.edu/peop...ng_history.htm

Some cool info in there.

That's an interesting read. Still no real definitive answer.

[Green_Flash]

Originally Posted by Pugman

I ended up ditching it not because there was issues. I couldn't tell the difference between Amano soil or Fluval. I had used Red Seas soil for 6 years with no issues. It does break done a little but I never thought that was a bad thing. People are successful with potting soil so.......

I use black lava rock so the moss is held down better.

oh so you switched to red sea soil?

[Pugman]

Originally Posted by Green_Flash

oh so you switched to red sea soil?

No I "have" used Red Sea before in a different tank. I am now using black lava as a substrate in this tank. I only replaced the soil with lava so the moss would have something to grip on to.

[Green_Flash]

I see.

I did a little research and found a source claiming LIG is hardness about 480 and regular glass is 580. Still not sure where that person got those numbers or what scale they are using.

[Pugman]

Originally Posted by Green_Flash

I see.

I did a little research and found a source claiming LIG is hardness about 480 and regular glass is 580. Still not sure where that person got those numbers or what scale they are using.

Ya who's the source, and what do those numbers mean? It sure dose sound like its true but nobody has any kind of reputable source. Im just more curious at this point. People have asked me before about that and I like to give them a real answer.

[mrkookm]

Originally Posted by mrkookm

Isn't the MP40 a bit much, why didn't go with an MP20?




Is that 3/4in glass?

Pug why did you go with an MP40 and not 2 MP10's instead? I see other members go that route, i.e., single MP40. I would think 2 would allow for better flow control. What are your thoughts on this now that you've got the bigger, did it accomplish what you were missing? Would you have done 2 MP10's instead if you could do it again?



from my iP 5 via Tapa.

[TheGuy]

Originally Posted by mrkookm

Pug why did you go with an MP40 and not 2 MP10's instead? I see other members go that route, i.e., single MP40. I would think 2 would allow for better flow control. What are your thoughts on this now that you've got the bigger, did it accomplish what you were missing? Would you have done 2 MP10's instead if you could do it again?



from my iP 5 via Tapa.

The glass is to thick for 10s

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

[plantbrain]

I wish the mp10's could handle 3/4" thick glass, I'd prefer several of those vs 1 big mp40, the mp10's barely, and I mean barely hold on to 1/2" thick glass, 10mm or less is best.
And the mp40's just barely hang onto the 3/4" glass tanks, I add a little extra sticky to the glass to keep them from falling off.

Not as bad as the mp10's on 1/2" glass though.