Beginner at work Part 2

[grey_fox]

(Continued from Questions, questions, questions. Beginner at work...)

Hey Standoyo,

Yup decided to DIY fan instead. Saves money afterall. Anyways, see my post #177 (same thread - look above) need some advise on the PPM.

[|squee|]

Hey grey_fox, I moved your post to a new thread, part 2 since it's getting too long. All discussions should be posted here now.

[grey_fox]

Ooo cool, haha I was wondering what happened to page 10? :P

So Terence, your thoughts?

For convenience sake.

Mondays: KNO3 + KH2PO4
Tuesdays: Traces + Seachem Iron
Wednesdays: KNO3 + KH2PO4
Thursdays: Traces + Seachem Iron
Fridays: KNO3 + KH2PO4
Saturdays: 50% WC, KNO3 + KH2PO4 + Seachem Potassium
Sundays: Traces + Seachem Iron

Composition of each dosage at any one time.
KNO3 - 1 teaspoon (5ml) ~ 7.87PPM
KH2PO4 (Fleet Enema) - 0.1 teaspoon (1ml) ~ 0.83PPM
K - 4.96PPM from KNO3 + 6.17PPM to 9.88PPM from Seachem Potassium (50 ~ 80ml) (Saturdays)
Fe - 0.4PPM from K + 0.25PPM from Seachem Iron
Traces - 20ML each time.

Compostion of dosage per week
KNO3 - 39.35PPM
KH2PO4 - 4.15PPM
K - 30.97PPM ~ 34.68PPM
Fe - 2.75PPM
Traces - Mg, Cu, Ca, etc (unknown range - instruction as per Seachem traces of 5ml per 80 litres)

IF NO3 LEVES ARE TOO HIGH, TO REVERT TO THE FOLLOWING

Composition of each dosage at any one time.
KNO3 – 0.6 teaspoon (3ml) ~ 4.72PPM
KH2PO4 (Fleet Enema) - 0.1 teaspoon (1ml) ~ 0.83PPM
K – 2.98PPM from KNO3 + 14.81PPM (Saturdays)
Fe - 0.49PPM from K + 0.95PPM from Seachem Iron
Traces - 20ML each time.

Compostion of dosage per week
KNO3 – 23.60PPM
KH2PO4 - 4.15PPM
K – 29.71PPM
Fe - 2.42PPM
Traces - Mg, Cu, Ca, etc (unknown range - instruction as per Seachem traces of 5ml per 80 litres)

[|squee|]

Looks good to me. If there are nutrient deficiencies though, you can try upping your nitrate and phosphate dosage

Main thing stressed in EI is the CO2, blast it. Don't even consider saving CO2... ensure that CO2 is never a limiting growth factor for plants, and the nutrients factors can be easily removed by increasing dosage.

[grey_fox]

I am blasting it already hehe. It's currently now at 35PPM. Plants are pearling like mad now. Just dosed the first KNO3 dosage + KH2PO4 (fleet enema)

One of my neons swam directly into the path... so far so good.

[|squee|]

Should be no harm to fish. My rasboras even go for the powder... I always shoo them away just in case.

[ranmasatome]

they eat and then spit it out.. "OMG!! i cant believe i at that crap!!"

[grey_fox]

Heh.

Anyways, would an external reactor (DIY) be better than an internal reactor?

[Goondoo]

Heh.

Anyways, would an external reactor (DIY) be better than an internal reactor?

Hi grey_fox,
I believed we had gone thru that alot of times before, just do a search in a forum

[|squee|]

Both are equally good imho, it boils down to what you like. If you hate equipment in the tank, external reactor is the one for you.

[grey_fox]

I guess I am fine with either. Just want to know which would better dissolve the CO2. Anyways, my plants are pearling so I guess the internal one is good enough for the time being, might want to modify

Anyways, just to let you guys know you've (like mentioned before, Terence, Peter, Standoyo, Ranmasatome and others that have also contributed) been of tremendous help.

Anyways, this is just an update of how I started.

Two weeks after initial setup

Dated: 21 January 2006




A week later

Dated: 28 January 2006




10 days after....

Dated: 07 February 2006



9 days later... (present state after E.I has been fully introduced)




Not the nicest of layout I know but just glad that flora & fauna are healthy Need to trim the plants this Saturday when I do the water change. Can see the vallis growing all over the place and the wisteria as well... right under and out the other side of the driftwood...

Oooo btw, the black widow with the 'POP-eye', its eye went back to normal and no recurrance anymore... weird. Lucky didn't throw the fella away.

Thanks again guys. Really appreciate it!

[StanChung]

looking really good now...time to find a theme to your aquascape! must be one of the fastest learners i know...i bookmark this thread already...

[grey_fox]

Hey standoyo,

Haha theme now is "anyhow-thing goes", will have to think of a layout that can work with this "anyhow-thing-goes" theme... guess until then I will just play around with the E.I and see what other improvements can be made.

Hehe thanks for the below mentioned comment.

must be one of the fastest learners i know..

[StanChung]

yea...i think you graduate from beginner already...ah good...change already...

[|squee|]

Alright let's keep the chat down...

Back to topic.

[grey_fox]

ok back to topic. I'm going to DIY my fans and will show you guys the outcome. The weather is getting much warmer now...

Anywyas since my CO2 is now at 30+PPM, the only plant that is not pearling is the moss... must be the temperature... or should I further up the PPM (within the same region) for the fishes?

[grey_fox]

... Too lazy to DIY my fans, just to enquire, the LFS that I visit is selling the fan (can't remember what name) at $30, is this over-priced?

[valice]

Should be a Sunon fan which is about 8-10 inches right? Of course it is overpriced if you consider that you can do the exact same thing for less than $20...

[grey_fox]

yeah it looks quite big... but didn't see it out of the box, its those type that is clamped to the side of the tank. Single fan only.

[grey_fox]

Ok guys. After being introduced to E.I and all the helpful advise I've received. I have decided to take the next step but before I do so, I will need some advise first....

1. Do you think I should do a major rescape of the tank? (or is this too ambitious of me?)
2. What sort of theme is nice? ( I prefer natural themes - like one of the Amano tank layouts - I know its miles away to replicate it totally but you get what I mean yeah?)
3. Anyone wanna help me out on this?
4. What sort of plants should I get or keep (existing) for a natural lookint theme?

I have the lightings and the filters and fert regime right already, just need an idea for a proper layout and advise on this.

too ambitious?