Frank's Planted Tank How-To Mini Novel - The Mini S Returns! New Layout

[talontsiawd]

Originally Posted by david10072

Frank,
I swapped out the zoo med 501 with eheim 2211. The water circulation is sooo much better. Also, I need a 100% water change and trim down the plant. I started to change my dosage to brighty k, step1, 6 drop green becter and 10 drops phyton git everyday. I start to see the color coming back on HC. The BGA is reduced by 80% and continue to reduce. Is there anything else I need to do?
David

Not to speak for Frank and I am not up on the ADA product line. I will say that increasing flow does wonders for algae and you will likely see things start to turn around. It also allows better distribution of CO2 and since you are getting pearling, you likely have enough going in but better distribution will help with most algae, especially BGA. Just saying you made the right choice.

I had very good luck with underpowered filters on both high tech and low tech (I know Frank doesn't like these terms) so it took me a while to realize the benefit of using a lot of flow. Congrats on the purchase and seeing good results.

[@marko@]

flow helps with CO2 distribution, which is WHY it helps with algae. the only algae it really helps with directly, IME, is cyanobacteria.
some algae do preffer less flow, but there are others which preffer high flow. so you just swap species if all that changes is the flow. but generally, flow carries around the CO2 from your diffuser, increasing the useful CO2 to your plants (since a plant has 0 benefit from a CO2 molecule 3 inches away from it).

[Francis Xavier]

Sorry guys for my disappearing-act lately - It's been a wild, wild week getting everything squared since the container hit.

Originally Posted by hidefguy

Hi Frank, I spoke to you this morning on the phone regarding my order, kind of bummed on the back order but oh well I'll just give them a good cleaning. Anyways want to drop in and say thanks and I've learned a lot from this thread, only if you started this in January I wouldn't have gone thru all the heartaches of starting my first planted tank.

Sometimes heaartaches are good with the planted aquarium - if you learned valuable lessons from them! I look forward to seeing great scapes and plant growth from you as you adopt towards the method!

Originally Posted by orchidman

I Frank! i got really busy and dropped off the journal at like page 11. well i just read the whole thing! (i have no life, haha) great evilution of the tank! and your articles are great!

I've decided to join in on this low budget (im not going to use the term low-tech anymore, thanks to you) challenge!

luckily i was already planning on doing a tank like this on my own accord, so i already have stuff and im finishing piecing it together!! however, im going to use a canister filter. because i want to

so here are the specs.... subject to changing though.


Tank- Mr Aqua 7.5g bowfront

Lighting- Odyssea 24w PC light

Filtration- Eheim 2213 with acrylic lily pipes

Substrate- Eco-Complete

Hardscape- Manzanita wood and stones (not sure what kind, because i havent bought any)

Plants- Not entirely sure. Most likely needle leaf java jern (maybe bolbitis or windelov fern instead), Anubias nana 'petitie', moss ( i dont know the ID, a pic is attached.) (im going to make a "moss milkshake" and spread it on the wood and grow it emersed, so i dont need string and it looks awesome), and maybe some singapore moss or riccia. other then that, im not sure.

Fish- Not sure (any suggestions?) i was thinking maybe boraras birggate, or something similar

unknown moss

580248_297789363632273_1044796020_n by orchidman10, on Flickr

a sketch i did the other day, this is what i want from the layout. similar at least, i havent gotten the manzanita yet, so it will be different. (ignore the writing below, its not relevant)


546317_301791866565356_100002036359377_711733_1929 271023_n by orchidman10, on Flickr

Equipment sourced- tank, substrate, heater, lily pipes, light (still need a bulb though)

thansk for letting me join in the fun!

Hey Orchid,

It's great that you read through the whole thread! I believe if you follow the methodology and the step-by-steps laid out here, you can master any layout you wish, and save yourself an immense amount of time, money and frustration.

I look forward to seeing how you approach the low-budget setups. I've basically gotten the formula to a point of substrate/bacteria + water quality + light levels + carbon.

Originally Posted by david10072

Frank,
I swapped out the zoo med 501 with eheim 2211. The water circulation is sooo much better. Also, I need a 100% water change and trim down the plant. I started to change my dosage to brighty k, step1, 6 drop green becter and 10 drops phyton git everyday. I start to see the color coming back on HC. The BGA is reduced by 80% and continue to reduce. Is there anything else I need to do?
David

Hey David,

That's a big step up from the zoo med - and i'm glad you've seen the desired results. The eheim zoo med seems to be more for terrestrial / turtle tank type deals where it's not having to push as much water.

Where as the eheim 2211, for the nano tank it's intended for, does a lot ot stabilize flow as well as give you immensely more medium to work with to grow a bacteria base to help your filtration.

To curb back the remaining BGA, I would recommend Bacter 100 - as this will pretty much eliminate anything left within 24 hours or so. The tricky part with BGA is, if you've killed it quick enough, then you're good, but if it's 'seeded' itself in the substrate you will have to do repeat applications to remove it and have it never come back again.

[talontsiawd]

Originally Posted by @marko@

flow helps with CO2 distribution, which is WHY it helps with algae. the only algae it really helps with directly, IME, is cyanobacteria.
some algae do preffer less flow, but there are others which preffer high flow. so you just swap species if all that changes is the flow. but generally, flow carries around the CO2 from your diffuser, increasing the useful CO2 to your plants (since a plant has 0 benefit from a CO2 molecule 3 inches away from it).

I have noticed benefits from increased flow with algae in no co2/carbon supplemented tanks. I can't say why it helps, I just know it does. Maybe it's increased CO2 from the atmosphere. I know some algae will thrive on high flow and some in more stagnant water but it seems to help with most types of algae. BBA is one exception I have run into where flow means nothing when we are talking about no CO2 injection. But BBA and Cyano (especially) are the type of algae are am very proactive about because they can be the hardest to get rid of with passive methods like increasing CO2, decreasing light, ferts, etc. They can linger in a balanced tank for a very long time.

[Francis Xavier]

Originally Posted by talontsiawd

I have noticed benefits from increased flow with algae in no co2/carbon supplemented tanks. I can't say why it helps, I just know it does. Maybe it's increased CO2 from the atmosphere. I know some algae will thrive on high flow and some in more stagnant water but it seems to help with most types of algae. BBA is one exception I have run into where flow means nothing when we are talking about no CO2 injection. But BBA and Cyano (especially) are the type of algae are am very proactive about because they can be the hardest to get rid of with passive methods like increasing CO2, decreasing light, ferts, etc. They can linger in a balanced tank for a very long time.

I can tell you exactly why aquariums with higher flow have a tendency for less algae.

I'll give a $10 gift certificate to the person who can answer the question - if you've read this whole thread, you should know what it is, or at least what's involved!

[Dollface]

My shot in the dark is that more flow leads to higher and more efficiently dispersed oxygen levels, which helps boost the beneficial bacteria?

[Francis Xavier]

And...Dollface nails it. So much for the stumper.

I didn't expect to actually have to give out a gift certificate!

This means the thread has at least been a good teaching tool!

[Dollface]

Whoa wait really?

[david10072]

Thank you all the help. I will try and keep you guys posted.

[ADAtank]

I won!

[ADAtank]

haha/jk

[orchidman]

Originally Posted by Francis Xavier

Hey Orchid,

It's great that you read through the whole thread! I believe if you follow the methodology and the step-by-steps laid out here, you can master any layout you wish, and save yourself an immense amount of time, money and frustration.

I look forward to seeing how you approach the low-budget setups. I've basically gotten the formula to a point of substrate/bacteria + water quality + light levels + carbon.

i plan to follow the great step-by-step instructions you've laid out. but i wont be able to follow them to the point, when you laid out most of them, you were talking about doing a higher-budget tank, specifically like the mixed carpet iwagumi that this thread was started for. but using the instructions as a guideline, it should accomplish much the same results...so i hope

since this is low-budget (right now, low is the only budget i have), what would you suggest i do since i wont have any of the liquid supplements from ADA? as for the substrate additives, i likely wont have need for them, since most.all of the plants i will use will be epiphytic or mosses tied to something, i will just use a decorative white sand.

do you have any tips on how to keep initial startup algae at bay? other then daily waterchanges for the first week or two..

as for the formula, substrate/bacteria + water quality + light levels + carbon.

substrate/bacteria-my substrate will be purely decorative, and thus VERY shallow. so ill have to rely on the large filter and whatever can live on the plants/rocks/wood for the bacteria hosting.

Water quality- i plan on frequent water changes, paired with good maintenance and a large filter, to maintain good water qaulity

Light levels- im using a 24w PC light, so it will not be very bright, so as to help combat algae. since im not planning on using fertilizers or pressurized co2, i want to keep the light low, so as to keep everything balanced.

carbon- none of the plants i will be using are overly demanding. im going to guess that in water there is already dissolved a small amount of carbon, otherwise why would myself and other people be able to grow plants without the assistance of added carbon? so im hoping to rely on the carbon that is present (hopefully) already, keeping in balance the low nutrient levels, and low light level.

this is my plan, there may be faults in it, if anyone finds one, pllease do let me know!

[plantbrain]

Originally Posted by Dollface

Whoa wait really?

Yep, I kept my mouth shut

[orchidman]

i have a question, in your earlier posts, you say that for the first month, your filtration media should be 20% mechanicsal, 80% carbon. what would time line be for changing it progressively so you get to the goal of 100% biological?

[Francis Xavier]

Originally Posted by orchidman

i have a question, in your earlier posts, you say that for the first month, your filtration media should be 20% mechanicsal, 80% carbon. what would time line be for changing it progressively so you get to the goal of 100% biological?

Yes - for the first month the combination is:

Bio Cube 20 (available Monday) - 20%
NA Carbon / Bamboo Charcoal - 80%

After about the first month - second month:

Bio Cube 20 - 20%
Bio Rio (biological) - 80%

After the fifth month:

Bio Rio - 100%