vvDO's 20L "Spaceship" Update 4/22/13

[vvDO]

No there isn't an actual spaceship in this tank. However my driftwood sure looks like a partially submerged spaceship wing.

Main purpose of this tank is to see what I can grow and also it's my first go at pressurized CO2, non low-light tank. Any help with identifying plants would be appreciated.

I started collecting pieces for this tanks since about 12 months ago during a Petco $1 per gallon sale where I acquired the tank. A friend hooked me up with a metal stand as well as the light and all the plants.

Specs:
20G Long Aqueon
Fluval 205 filled with fluval sponges and dollar store pot-scrubbies.
30" t5HO Zoomed with 1 6500K Ultra Sun and 1 Flora Sun (red) bulb.
ADA Aquasoil New Amazonia regular 9L bag
Matheson dual stage CO2 regulator with clippard solenoid and swagelok needle valve attached to a 10lb CO2 cylinder
UP Aqua drop checker
UP Agua super atomizer

Plant list:
Staurogyne repens
Blyxa japonica
Bacopa sp.??
Hydrocotyle sp.??
Eleocharis parvula
Cryptocoryne wendetii
Rotala macandra
Eichhornia diversifolia?
Hydrotriche hottoniiflora vs Pogostemon erectus (look similar to me)
Myriophyllum propinquum?
Others I can't ID...

Here are some pics...









Next day once all the dust settled and CO2 hooked up..

[Sajacobs]

That piece of driftwood is so cool. It does look like something from another planet. It's going be amazing when the plants fill in.

[vvDO]

Thanks... And to think I almost went with another piece.

[vvDO]

It's been a week since initial setup...
Went away for 4 days and came back to about half my plants melting.
Water change 50% then tested
2ppm ammonia
No nitrites or nitrates

I started dosing macros today, drop checker is a darker green so I also increased CO2

Also note that even with high levels of ammonia, hitchhiker snails are growing and very active. Must be the low pH created by aquasoil or they are super hardy (had 4-8ppm the night before I left)

[GMYukonon24s]

Nice start!

[vvDO]

Originally Posted by GMYukonon24s

Nice start!

Thanks!!

Some growth is visible after the major meltdown.

More testing and ammonia is holding steady at 2 ppm
pH is super low, API is yellow which is 6 but I'm sure it's lower than that.

One question... Anyone have any experience with UP Aqua's drop checker? Reliability?

[vvDO]

We've got nitrites... finally!!!

Also have a better feel for the drop checker and have fine tuned CO2, turning green with just 2 bps. Instead of using the solution provided, I added my 3 drops of my API pH test kit to 4 kdh solution.

There has been some nice growth on my stem plants and dwarf hairgrass, added mini bolbitis, E. setacium, and rotala indica "singapore"

Pics to come soon.

[vvDO]

View from left...


View from right...


Drop checker...


Center...

[vvDO]

After a nice trimming of R. macandra and R. indica 'Singapore' I was surprised to find only one stem floating after last nights trim.


Erio setaceum (named Erio giant crown at AFA) hanging in there...


Start of some algae on wood only, now maybe the snails will leave my plants alone...


Full tank shot...

[Adri.]

Looks nice! I love that driftwood!

[vvDO]

Originally Posted by Adri.

Looks nice! I love that driftwood!

Thanks, I can't wait to start attaching stuff to it.


Any have any recommendations on what and where plants would look best. I have the following which I can take from other tanks... fissidens, christmas moss, anubias nana. Currently only have mini bolbitis, however not sure if I can get it to attach.

[vvDO]

Ammonia = 0 zilch, nada... Zero

Nitrites and nitrates super high, 70% water change. Going to look for assassin snails, to help keep my ramshorn and mts in check.

[vvDO]

Ammonia and nitrites are zero. Nitrates at around 20-40 ppm, another w/c. Now need to decide on stocking.

Cliffhangers...

[vvDO]

My fav part of the tank


Crypt ?sp


FTS after a trimming

[johnson18]

Your aquarium is really looking good! Looks like you are really starting to see some nice growth!