Finnex 4 Gallon

[Outlawboss]

Thanks guys!

Red_Wall, over the last three years I think I've swapped CO2 cylinders maybe 6...7 times. It's not that often at all. And they're only $3-5 to refill. Once you front the initial cost, they run extremely cheap.

I would do HC again, in fact I have it carpeting my big tank at home. It's still a pain to trim. I do it once every three weeks or so. Get a pair of curved scissors (big or small depending on the size of the tank) and mow the "lawn." Luckily, HC floats readily once it has been trimmed so you can net it out easy enough. Eventually, no matter how well you trim it, it will develop the toupée effect where it just kind of sits on top of the substrate and uproots easily as a mat. It takes about six months for that to happen to mine. At that point you're best option is to pull it out, sell or give away the extra and replant as if it were new. Then you get to watch it grow back out again! Here's a pic of the bigger tank with HC.



I hope that helps!

[JackieP]

Hello OLB,

I've just taken your journey from page 1 to 24. What a beautiful tank.

Did you use the finnex filter for the entire 3 years? What light did you switch to?

What would you do differently if you were to go another 4g planted.

I may have missed it but, is this heated? I see none.

Thanks mate, and if she's still running keep on posting pictures. I never get enough.

[Outlawboss]

Thanks Jackie! I did use the finnex filter for the entire time. It has been a champ, equivalent to the Red Sea Nano HOB filter. The tank is heated–but only barely–by a little pad heater under the substrate.

Now that I feel comfortable with what I'm doing, if I were to do it again there are a few things I would change. I would probably go without a heater since it lives in a climate controlled environment 75% of the time. I would have also learned a little more about lighting/algae up front. I spent a TON of time on this forum reading everyone's posts until I felt like I had the best chance for success possible.

[Outlawboss]

I have two berried CRS females in this tank that are about to pop. They'll be my first set of CRS babies ever, so that's pretty exciting. I know the survival rate will be relatively low based on the environment (high light/co2/EI fertilization) but I expect at least enough to survive to increase the population in shrimp town.

[Geniusdudekiran]

Absolutely beautiful. Inspiring. That must be great to have at work.

How do you keep your HC so low? What ferts? You are seriously tempting me to get a Finnex...

Also congrats on the CRS! First time CRS babies are always fun.

Edit: Oh, and one last thing. What's the bushy plant in the back? All the colors in this tank are so great!

[Outlawboss]

Thanks, Geniusdudekiran! It is pretty cool to have at work as a nice escape when I need it. The HC gets 'mowed' every now and then so it stays pretty low, and I just use a modified EI dosing schedule.

That bushy plant in the back (actually now it's on either side, I should post updated pictures) is Didiplis Diandra, one of my favorites.

[FisheriesOmen]

I love this tank sooo much.
EDIT: (darn it doesn't keep it in all caps )

[@marko@]

great tank. i really like the d. diandra. and the fact that its healthy, means that you got your light:CO2 down to a science.
is that an azoo palm filter? im a huge fan of those, though i usually fill em with my own media.

[Geniusdudekiran]

Originally Posted by Outlawboss

Thanks, Geniusdudekiran! It is pretty cool to have at work as a nice escape when I need it. The HC gets 'mowed' every now and then so it stays pretty low, and I just use a modified EI dosing schedule.

That bushy plant in the back (actually now it's on either side, I should post updated pictures) is Didiplis Diandra, one of my favorites.

Nice, just PM'd you about buying some after having seen your FS thread

[@marko@]

Originally Posted by Geniusdudekiran

Nice, just PM'd you about buying some after having seen your FS thread

just some advice, plant it less compact than other stem plants. if you plant it too dense, and the lower portions get shaded they rot very easily.

[Outlawboss]

@marko@, it's the stock HOB that came with the Finnex tanks about three years ago. I think they were Red Sea Nano filters. But basically the same thing. I just fill it with some purigen and a piece of cut-to-fit filter padding.

Also yes, it does help the D. Diandra to be planted a little further apart. I've noticed the bottoms rotting especially in a bigger tank where they are allowed to get taller. In ones this small you can get away with planting them in tighter bunches because they're not as deep, but it can sill happen.

[Chizpa305]

Why doesn't your D. Diandra gets a reder coloration? I thought that with a CO2 injection system and good light it would. You have both of those right? Write about your experience with it.

[Outlawboss]

I have been able to get it to turn a little orange before. Otherwise, I really haven't been able to figure out why it doesn't get a more red color. My ferts are nailed down, it has 27 watts of light over it for 7 hours a day and I change 40% of the water weekly. Should be getting red but it never does. Maybe if I added some iron it might.

[Chizpa305]

Interesting. I am asking because I also have this plant. I don't have any CO2 system and it is very green. I was hoping in the future to get the CO2 installed for the main purpose of improving on the contrast and coloration of the plants, but now I'm not sure if that will work. But maybe the limiting factor in your case is the Iron or some similar nutrient. Maybe you should try adding some and see if it changes. I think that in red color it would give a very nice appearance in your tank.

Originally Posted by Outlawboss

I have been able to get it to turn a little orange before. Otherwise, I really haven't been able to figure out why it doesn't get a more red color. My ferts are nailed down, it has 27 watts of light over it for 7 hours a day and I change 40% of the water weekly. Should be getting red but it never does. Maybe if I added some iron it might.

[Linga]

wow, i have read this thread almost throughout and i can say is simply amazing. you have crazy plant growing and photography skills there. both your tanks is nothing but pleasure to look at.