esarkipato's 29g Setup (56K warning)

[JerseyScape]

Looks awesome....love the white sand
Can't wait to see this tank when it's fully mature.

[esarkipato]

UPdate for this tank is looooong overdue. PRobably because.........

Not much has changed, in the way of plants, fish, or anything else! I ended up getting in the habit of PWC's every couple of weeks (months!), and little to no dosing. It stayed relatively algae-free thanks to my two otos and two cories (no extra bits of food).

Also it's been stable enough to keep my two blue rams healthy, which was my main concern. I attribute this to peat in the filter, which in turn kept the water relatively yellow.



IF you are interested in any of the dark crpyts in the background, check the swap n' shop section!

[esarkipato]

Well last night the tank was replanted, and unfortunately I was in a hurry. All equipment was switched out, to go high-tech. The plan for now is to let the stems grow, take cuttings, replant, rescape, etc. Then get HM and/or Marselia going in the front/foreground.

The hardware is now:

-2x55w PC lighting (Hamilton lights)
-RENA filstar XP3 (turned down...waaaay down)
-10lb CO2 w/ Milwaukee MA957 Regulator
-microbubble diffuser running into the XP3 as a co2 "reactor"
-Substrate is still 50/50 fluorite and pool filter sand
-EI will probably be the starting point for dosing, with an attempt to keep nitrates down and iron/po4 in abundance.

Please, please comment and make suggestions (besides getting a new camera! lol )

[conduct]

Wow major replanting here. But in due time the tank will take off again. I need to find someone that was narrow java though very interested in getting some to try out. Your moss looked real healthy on the previous setup. Looks like the ram might be a little confused wondering where did all my hiding places go? Looks like you had real good setup going when low-tech. Good luck with the high-tech setup I am sure it will turn out wonderful.

[esarkipato]

Received a great, huge package from Betowess of Marselia. Really cool plant -- definitely called for a re-arranging. Now things will sit and grow out for a while!

Apologies again for crappy picture quality...I need something a little better than a Kodak Easyshare



This is the angle of the tank as you walk by (it's very low to the ground)



And a little close-up of the new marselia!



Let me have it: Criticisms are very welcome. Especially regarding the plant placements....I'm not sure what to do with the back left corner, near the filter intake and behind the wood/anubias. Currently some Ammania Gracilus and Eichhornia azurea are there, which will both be way to big for this tank.

Thanks for looking

[Wingsdlc]

Hey!

Very interesting tank Ernie!

I like the idea of doing a sandy beach front with a rich substrate in the back. I have yet to try one but from what I have seen most people do is put rocks and drift wood on the border to keep the differnt subs. on there own side of the tracks.

The best way to really keep the sand clean is to have something move it around. Maybe a Kuhli Loach or two?

What do you have going on for your ferts? CO2 ppm?

My only idea for you in terms of plants is maybe some strong vertical lines in the back. I think when you plants grow out a bit it will give you that feel but right now its not that strong.

Sorry I don't have much to say right now. I am lacking a bit of focus in terms of scaping. My tank is a bit of a mess and this weekend I need to do some serous work on the work tanks.

[esarkipato]

Hey Doug, Thanks for the reply/thoughts.

i've tried to seperate the sand/fluorite with several methods. So far, nothing I do keeps those little clay chips off the sand. Every few months I take a regular ol' fish net and scoop up a layer on top, shake the sand out, and put the fluorite back where it belongs. Works OK.

I do have 2 cories in this tank....and in my 10g I have 3 khulis. Maybe I will move them in here - good suggestion.

for now I'm going back to EI for dosing.
macros: 1/8 tspn KNO3, 1/4 tspn K2SO4, target=1.5ppm KH2PO4. 3 times a week
micros: 1/8 tspn CSM+B+Fe, along with sporadic "Leaf Zone" ferts. 3 x week.
Weekly 50% water changes.

CO2: I don't trust pH/KH kits. Mine say I've got about 10 ppm, but it's pressurized 1 bubble/second into a microbubble diffuser, then into my xp3 intake. I know that I've got way more than 10 ppm!

Thanks for the scaping advice. Hopefully the patch of Micranthemum umbrosum (which you can't see) will help that out!

[Wingsdlc]

Ernie,

Here are some links for you to check out.

This one gives you a pretty good idea of what and how much for EI. I am going pretty close to the 40-60 with my 40G. I am going a little lighter on the Nitrates and higher with the other two macros.
Barr Report - EI "light" for the less techical aspects of the Estimative index

Other than this tank being pretty sweet it also shows a nice sand to gravel separation.
75 gallon open forground - Aquatic Plant Central- aquascaping...a living art

Have a good one! I have to go get some books! Then go to work!

[esarkipato]

A little update.

Some good growth, but definitely some algae. Below is a close-up of some of hte Marselia/L. 'cuba':

The (brush?) algae is growing on ALL of the older leaves, just about all the species. There is also some algae (probably both GSA and GDA) on the glass.

I could really use some advice on 1) what causes the brush algae? and 2) how can I eradicate it?

Thanks for looking...

[fresh_lynny]

Looks great. I have noticed that many who have used Marselia in the foreground, myself included, end up ripping it out....lol I thank most people rip out their foregroound a million times over come to think of it.
Anyway the growth and plant composition has really undergone some great changes. Nice job.
How about a clump of C. balansae in the back left corner?

[BSS]

Hey Ernie - first time I'm making time to check out your thread. Looks like you do that that planted tank bug happening. What seems like a great idea one month, grows old two months later . Been there for several years myself!

The plant growth looks like it's doing quite well. Can't quite tell from the photo, but the 'brush' algae looks more like a hair/staghorn than BBA to me. I've got extensive experience with BBA , but none with the others, so not much help there. As to GSA...up the PO4 !

Looks like you have A. reineckii in the back right corner. IME, that plant grows somewhat slot, so I'd recommend swapping places with that and the green plant in front of it.

As to the back left, if you want to go w/ C. balansae, I'm working on getting rid of mine. I've decided, in my tank, it grows too long and not as dense as I'd like. I'd be willing to trade you some for some of the P. stellatus (I think that's the tall plants in the back middle). Or, I could offer up some L. aromatica. Looks somewhat similar to P. stellatus, so you might prefer to find more of a contrasting plant. I could also offer up quite a chunk of mature C. wendtii "bronze" if that has any appeal. LMK via PM .

Enjoy!
Brian.

[Wingsdlc]

Ernie,

Nice batch of color and leaf sizes and shapes. It looks like you have had some pretty good growth since the last picture.

As for the algae:

What is your CO2 at? I tend to over do mine running it at about 50ppm for a night time target. This might help. Also stated earlier is upping the PO4. Last is remove what you can and do a over dose of Flourish Excel. I have had it kill of hair algea in a mater of a coupld days.

Thanks for the update!

Doug

PS are you going to the Grand Valley Auction in Oct.? I am going to try and be there if my homework life isn't too crazy. Right now it is too crazy and I am going to really be a bald man when its over!

[esarkipato]

fresh_newby: YOu are right.......proof is in the pictures --



I did a trim/replant yesterday which included thinning/replanting the marselia. It's a cool plant, but we'll see how long I keep it up

Here's the overall shot:



BSS: Thanks for taking the time, better late than never. And yea, my "good ideas" only really last a couple weeks typically. But honestly, that's probably what keeps me in the hobby is the constant growth/changing. AS for the PO4, I dose 3x week, first 8ml of my mix (4ml=1ppm), then another two 4ml doses during the week. I suppose I could up that? As for the A. reineckii....I think I will probably just get rid of it. THe lower leaves fall off incessantly....and the aerial roots!!!!

I would definitely appreciate a trade for some C. 'balansae'. But....the plant in the middle is Ludwigia 'cuba'. PM sent!

Wingsdlc: thanks Doug. CO2....I don't really trust my pH test kit. I'm still experimenting with ways of delivering the carbon to the plants. Currrently I just use the microbubble diffuser and let them hit the spraybar outlet, and blow around the tank. A picture (don't mind Ruby...she's just real hungry...):



You see the tiny bubbles behind her.

I could up the bubble count but it's already at roughly 2bps (29g tank!). Speaking of which.....is this cylinder about to go? The left gauge is very low.....and the right gauge is quite high:



OKAY, last shot here.....one stem of my new favorite plant...Ludwigia 'Cuba'. THis one grows really well for me....but again "hair" algae on lower leaves.:

[tritan]

Looks nice, keep up the good work. Hope to run into you at the Oct show.

[Wingsdlc]

Hey!

I think when my tank went empty both gadges were dead. It was a while ago so I don't really remember. Will have to get back to you in about 6 months when it happens again!

I am with you on the algae issues. I have similar stuff in my tank right now. I just popped up the past couple of days. I am not 100% sure what it is either. Maybe BBA?

This is what I have done in my tank:
Added 9 shrimp; combo of Amano and some of your CRS,
daily doses of excel,
upped Co2,
cut back on feeding.

I think the feeding and addition of new fish brought it on. I will keep you posted if it works for me or not.

Over all your tank looks pretty good. What is the plant in the front left?