Aquascape in progress

[organic sideburns]

Why wasnt the diffuser working well and how come the solenoid thingy was leaking.. Just curious!..

[magicmagni]

Hey there!

Well the solenoid was actually defective when I bought it, but I couldn't return it because the place I bought it from went out of business! I took it apart and found that the rubber O ring inside was not seated properly and was damaged when it was assembled. I tried to replace the O' ring, but the ones I could get are a little to thick. Tried to use it anyways but still leaks. Beside that the housing get cracked in storage so it's pretty much a loss.

The diffuser was a $20 glass one from aqua-forest aquarium. What I didn't like about it was that it only made bubbles from one side of the diffuser and they were mostly quite large, going straight to the surface. This seemed like a waste of Co2 to me.

[organic sideburns]

Was it this diffuser??

http://www.aquabuys.com/miva/merchan...roduct_Count=1

[magicmagni]

No this looks like a better one because it has a built in bubble counter. I was considering trying that one. You'll have to let me know how it works out if you get it.

[magicmagni]

I've been really busy, but wanted to post some quick pics I snapped. The glosso is doing great. Switched from the TB style venturi reator to a diffuser with a pump that shot the bubbles around the tank, but I got an outbreak of hair algea so back to the venturi reactor. Added a few amanos as well to eat it up. Riccia growth is explosive. I swear I can see it growing by the second. Grows very fast with Co2.

[jimmydrsv]

I am interested in setting up the TB venturi as well. I am just using a diffuser into a powerhead right now. Maybe you can give me some tips as to where to find all the parts.

[Troy McClure]

Yet another great tank! It's nice that you went with a style that is completely different from your discus tank, kinda like what I've done with my 10gal that's just moss hardscaping and glosso. Where did you get that mini regulator? I would like to get a small paintball co2 setup to put inside the canopy of my 10gal...with all the shrimp in my tank they just can't get rid of the hair algae. I also just got a few of the white ceramic block diffusors that TB recommended and they should work really well in a 10gal.

What filter are you running on this tank and what is the model of that water pump? My biggest concern for my tank is having the baby shrimp chopped up by the impellors...and wrapping the intakes with foam might help but I wonder if that would compromise performance.

[esarkipato]

I think I have the same diffuser, the red sea 200 or something? Mine had crappy microbubbles for the first day, then once the ceramic disc settled down they are nice fine bubbles coming from the entire surface. From what I read they just take a little while to settle down!

Tank is looking really good!

[magicmagni]

Originally Posted by jimmydrsv

I am interested in setting up the TB venturi as well. I am just using a diffuser into a powerhead right now. Maybe you can give me some tips as to where to find all the parts.

From my post in The Barr Report:

Hey folks. Just wanted to share with you all a nice pump I've found for powering co2 reactors. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...5&N=2006+22768

It is the one on top of the page. It is smaller than any power head measures approximately 1-3/4" x 1-3/4" x 1-3/4" and has an adjustable flow rate of up to 60 gal/hr. I am currently using it for a small venturi reactor on my 10 gallon tank and it works great. Definitely something to check out.

Pic of it integrated with the rest of the reactor



Jimmy: Pet club in Daly City has it in stock. The tube is a "Viewtainer" from OSH. A viewtainer is a clear tube that was invented to hold small parts, but obviously there is other uses for it too!

[magicmagni]

Thanks troy. Yeah I wanted to do something different looking than my Discus tank.

The details of the mini regulator are here:

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/f...?t=2180&page=7

but it is still a work in progress....

Gonna be installing this mini solenoid on it


and building a hanger to hold the whole assembly next to the tank.

esarkipato: no it's not Red Sea. It's from Hong Kong or something. It has a screw off top that allows you to remove the disk and clean it. It's not bad, but I'm just not a fan of diffusers, never was. Gave it a chance though, didn't like the results and am back now to a powered reactor.

[magicmagni]

Here is a thread I created just for the nano CO2 project that I completed for this tank.

Got a few other pics that I would like to share, but they are on the other computer right now.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/di...d=1#post239680

[ShortFin]

Originally Posted by magicmagni

Nice tank. I have a Co2 indicator thing like you have on the left side. How accurate do you think it is?

[bastalker]

Awsome look magic..

If the fish wern't in it, I would think that is alot bigger!! Thats gonna be all kind of green when it grows in for sure!!

[magicmagni]

I'm not a big fan of these indicators. I never really look it. I tend just to look at the plants. If they are pearling and I have no algea problems then I know I'm good. The only reason I have it is because it was given to me and I wanted to try it out. Now everytime I think to take it out I don't want to get my hands wet so it stays, then when I'm working in the tank I forget to remove it One of these days it will make it out of there!

bastalker: Thanks!

Up and comming I have created something that I don't think anyone else has tried yet. I am going to try and post some pics in the comming week or two. It involves Riccia, but that's all I'm saying for now ;-)

[esarkipato]

Awwwww, c'mon magicmagni! yur killin me here . . . .

I agree about the tank looking far bigger than it is, no thanks to the rasboras. Ever consider swapping them for the really, really small rasboras (forget the name . . .)?