**PRL in the Mist** - JULY Updates

[ADAtank]

i like this scape! Looks good congrats

[FreedPenguin]

Best scape I've seen in a while. Good job mang! All that MP must of cost a fortune!

[youjettisonme]

Originally Posted by FreedPenguin

Best scape I've seen in a while. Good job mang! All that MP must of cost a fortune!

Thanks!

Surprisingly, the MP didn't cost a fortune for this one. Here is the "trick". First, I grew a carpet of mini pellia in a 60f. It took about 18 months or so to completely grow in. Now it's thick and huge. I harvested the MP from that tank, ripped it into the smallest shreds I could make with my hand, and literally just drizzled it all over everything in the tank. I dry-started this for about 6 weeks under a combination of TrueLumen Pro LEDS, and a 150W MH. Tons of light. It spread and took hold quickly. At first you could barely see that there was any MP on the substrate at all. Soon it took off.

[CrazyCatPeekin]

That is really looking amazing!

[youjettisonme]

Originally Posted by CrazyCatPeekin

That is really looking amazing!

Thanks CCP! I spent a lot of time last night making and connecting my Purigen reactor. I don't know if I'm happy with it yet though. Tonight I should have time to add my pre-filter. So far, it looks like the flow on my 403b is less than that on my 304b. Will keep monitoring it. Still no Nikon! ... only dumb camera pics.

[Senior Shrimpo]

Whoa this is beautiful!

I really like this tank! Especially because you're putting BKKs in it. It shows not all tanks for shrimp have to be function over form.

I just wanna mention this also because I didn't see it mentioned elsewhere but did you check to see if the rocks were inert? It might cause headaches later on if they aren't. Because a shrimp like a BKK especially won't appreciate a rise in Ph and hardness.

[youjettisonme]

Thanks SS! Yes, I vinger'd any questionable rocks. All are inert. They are mostly yamaya, river, and slate. I think I composed them well enough so that any variations don't ruin the scape.

[youjettisonme]

Here is what I haven't posted yet... My difficulties.

It has been over a year since I have set up a brand new, non-nano tank from scratch. I forgot about what a headache it can be. There's the cycle itself, the constant water changes, fretting over plants, hoping none melt. Basically, it's a ton of baby sitting for the first couple of months.

Luckily, I do remember most of the tricks that can get you through a cycle with as little harm as possible. Shortened lighting period, good filtration, high plant mass. Unfortunately, high plant mass really isn't much of an option in my tank right now. I have a bed of stem plants behind the rocks, but that's a small percentage. May have to buy some floaters temporarily to help with this.

Also, the rock on the left is just inches from the water surface, and my LEDs literally rest on the tank. This is a bad combination. I am getting some nice green sludge on the top of this rock now. May have to cover the light a little here and block out some LEDs.

I bought a 200w inline heater instead of a 300w because I live in a very old apartment that has issues and blows fuses when too much electricity is being run. However, this means that I have to mod quite a few hoses and use adapters, 1/2, 5/8, 3/4, 1/4... between my Purigen reactor, my pre-filter, and my canister, I seem to sport all sizes.

So far, I am having trouble dialing in the GLA Atomic paintball regulator. I can't get it to slow down for me yet and put out a normal bubble rate. Luckily, this isn't such an issue now since I want the CO2 high sky for the mosses as they transition from emersed to submersed.

That's about it for now. Does anyone know if Akadama would be prone to soaking in copper? I know it likes to retain nutrients so imagine so. It would be nice to help out my cycle a bit by supplementing a natural algae killer like this, but not if it will later wipe out my inverts. So, will just wait it out. Adding more flow tonight.

[youjettisonme]

Follow-up to regulator issue:

After removing the cheap plastic tubing joint, and preventing the leak, the reg works like a charm. Ultra-fine mist with an easy to control bubble count. In fact, this bubble count is easier to control and seems like a finer option than my $350 dual stage regulator on another tank. Love this reg.

[youjettisonme]

Latest plant: elatine hydropiper. Not sure how well it will grow in a cycling tank though.

[jkan0228]

Thats some good stuff you have there! Very nice scape as well

[daphilster08]

Awesome set up! Look forward to following this

[youjettisonme]

Levels after 8 days...

Ammonia .25
Nitrite 0
GH 2 (Adjusting with a liquid GH booster)
KH 0
TDS 100
ph 6.0

Plants added: Bolbitis and Java Fern for helping with the cycle

Here are pics from my crappy camera phone. Nikon arrives on Wednesday!!!

[youjettisonme]

Yeah, I went nuts on steel pre-filters. I think I own 8 of them! Once this tanks sees some inhabitants, it will go on there. In no rush for the time being though. As for ammonia, all it takes is one dead shrimp and I could have ammonia. I figure it is best to introduce ammonia and allow the beneficial bacteria to breed.

Here is my lovely little pre-filter. Adds filtration, additional media, and makes maintenance on my canister much, much easier with its quick connects.


And here is a pic of my neat-and-tidy purigen reactor.

[tenzero1]

Looks awesome! I love the fact that it looks so natural it almost looks unplanned. Way to go!