Christmas Moss

[FC]

Annette,

Your water seems to lather. It is probably your PH up which increased the alkality.

Was your gravel new? I remember washing ?? brand lonestar, they contain lots of soapy staff.

As for your DIY CO2, check the tube that was inserted into the bottle cap, it should be well cleared above the solution.

Change the water 35% every 2~3 days till you dilute enough of the chemical.

[A.Rashid]

Annete from the video I see that your powerhead is the one that blew the bubbles.. why not juz utilize thepowerhead to inject your CO². I use this kinda injection with my 2 feet tank. But my powerhead is not a powerfull one tho... what the flowrate of the powerhead...
here's how u should do. you should just connect the tube that suppose to create bubbles from the powerhead to your CO² cannister and that should elliminate too much air bubbles in your tank. too much air(O²) disrupt/disperse the CO² content in your water...

powerhead flowrate should not be a strong one... if you can control the flowrate by all mean turn it to the lowest or to a rate that does not create turbulance or strong current... jus enuf to circulate the water in it will do...

[timebomb]

Annette,

I think Rashid gave you good advice. Besides the CO2 reactor I sent you, you can also use your powerhead as a reactor. It's quite obvious from your video that the bubbles are coming from your powerhead filter. It's is also obvious that your water is very turbulent as the fish seems to be struggling in the currrent.

Life for the fish in your tank must be pretty stressful

As for why the bubbles seem to bond and not pop, I don't know the answer to that but I think maybe you have soap in your tank

Loh K L

[virce]

*LOL* I was afraid you all are going to say that. Which is why my reply is as follow:

With all due respect, I don't mean to contradict you (you are in the fish keeping arena for a long time now) but the powerhead really isn't blowing out bubbles, because I didn't connect the hose that sucks in air in the first place! What it does is actually dispersing the bubbles rising from a bubble wand below. I added the bubble wand because aeration was a problem with the previous powerhead filter (it died).

With this new filter, I've tuned the flow to the lowest possible and I cannot possibly aim it anywhere else other than the wall because it'll make my plants uproot.

Mr. Loh, soap seems like a viable reason. I did, if I remember correctly, washed my arm with soap and rinsed it off quickly before dipping in (again) into the aquarium because I found another plant floating up!

In any case, no wonder the water was extremely alkaline. Oh dear God I've added *SOAP* into my tank????? Luckily I've changed 50% of water already this afternoon, pH lowered to 7.0, kH now 4dkh, but bubbles are still there!

[virce]

Oh and I forgot to update you guys on how the pH and kH is doing. After the 50% water change this afternoon, I watched the pH dropped to 7.5, then just now when I checked (it's night now) it's 7.0 with kH 4dkh.

The reading sounds good. I just hope it'll remain this way.

[virce]

Ugh, I seem to be so absent minded tonight. I forgot to mention one more thing, and it won't be that important. The reason why I didn't use the powerhead filter to disperse CO2 is because it's very new. As you know, my old one died on me so I bought a new one. At that time, CO2 bottles were already rigged up to Mr. Loh's CO2 reactor and by the time you guys responded with all the suggestions, I'd already hooked up the second bother with a Y connector to the reactor!

Ah well... something to keep in mind next time. The airline tubing wasn't long enough anyway.

[A.Rashid]

oh well ok.... that's sound pleasing...anyway we are all here to learn from each other. but like I said earlier Annete, you cut shut the bubble wand, as I think by doing it will reduce the pH level and also less CO² loss.
wats the flowrate of your powerhead again? you didn't mentioned it...

and one more thing... which part of Malaysia r u from? may be can exchange plant or sumthin.... whenever I'm in Malaysia I'm alway in a lookout for LFS but to no avail. except in JB but alll Luohan crazz shop...

[FC]

To remove the bubble, change the water to dilute and then, place newspaper over the water surface to remove the water surface bubble.

Do not bubble the water with air pump, never for planted tank. If you turn on the light for 7~9 hrs, the plant would be able to saturate the water with oxyegen.

[virce]

you cut shut the bubble wand, as I think by doing it will reduce the pH level and also less CO² loss

I don't know why, but my fish will gasp at night at the surface! So I guess the bubble wand's only for night huh?

wats the flowrate of your powerhead again? you didn't mentioned it...

I have no idea. It's an Aquanic Power Liquid Filter 1500. There's nothing on it that states the flowrate, not even the booklet.

and one more thing... which part of Malaysia r u from?

Kuching. As for plants, they (LFS) are really sad. They have no easy plants and whatever they bring in I cannot identify. Mr. Loh is the nice one who helped me out with that problem!

alll Luohan crazz shop...

I agree!! Kuching LFS are Luohan crazy too! I can't stand them.

To remove the bubble, change the water to dilute and then, place newspaper over the water surface to remove the water surface bubble.

Been there done that. The bubbles just start forming again.

*sigh* I guess I'll keep changing water every day till the problem disappears on its own. Sometimes we just need to have one of those mind-boggling moments.

[virce]

Oh sorry, I do know why fish gasp at the surface at night. Typo. I'll just turn on the bubble wand at night then.

[zmzfam]

Oh sorry, I do know why fish gasp at the surface at night. Typo. I'll just turn on the bubble wand at night then.

There is too much CO2 in the water at night (I take it that it is after lights off?).

Reasons are :
1) your DIY CO2 is on 24hrs.
2) there is not enough plants to saturate the water with O2 during photosynthesis period.

You are correct to say that to turn on your wand at night only. This will drive excess CO2 from the water.

Alternatively, plant densely your tank.

To know whether you have excess CO2 at night, measure the kH and the pH and use this CO2 calculator to check your CO2 level.
More than 30ppm can be hazardous to your fish.

[virce]

Thanks zmzfam, I already found the website before, will try that tonight. I'll keep you posted.

[virce]

OK, here's the reading right before the lights come on:

pH: 7.2 (could be 7.0... colours look like both 7.0 and 7.5 on chart)
kH: 5

During lights on:
pH: 7.0
kH: 4

I find the parameters weird too...

Regards,

[FC]

Annette,

To get PH 6.4, the colour should be light green and close to yellow. You should read it under a good quality light source (either under the sun or good daylight flourescence lamp with Ra of more than 85) in order to read it well.

Increase the CO2 gradually and you need only to measure just before light on.

[virce]

Dear all,
Just a little update. As Rashid had said, his Christmas Moss took sometime to acclimate and started to grow later. I'm happy to say that mine is starting to grow as well. I'm seeing light green leaves appearing all over the driftwood lying horizontally down. The vertical driftwood's mosses aren't doing anything though.

Regards,

[timebomb]

I'm happy to say that mine is starting to grow as well.

That's great news, Annette. Congratulations!!

Maybe one day we will get to see your own Christmas Moss Wall. They are your plants now, by the way, so you should really stop referring to them as "Mr Loh's plants" :wink:

Loh K L

[A.Rashid]

that's good new Annette. Moss in the begining starts slow but when they already feel like home ... they grow like no body's business...but I always like the wild look. here's pic of my 3 feet tank. just rescape abt 3 weeks ago...



feel free to comment...

[virce]

That's great news, Annette. Congratulations!!

Thanks, Mr. Loh! *LOL* I was so happy when I looked at it, it just appeared one morning! My guppies seem to be the "clean-up" crew, picking algae off the driftwood. The java moss is sending out new leaves too!

They are your plants now, by the way, so you should really stop referring to them as "Mr Loh's plants"

OK, I will.

***

Rashid, that's a lovely tank! Planted tanks have a way of making me go sighing up and down. :wink: The yellow background is unique, it gives off a kind of "sunset" look. The plants contrast really well with it too.

Regards,

[A.Rashid]

hehehe... i guess as much ppl alway said that my background is unique.. hmmm unique indeed it is but let me tell you that it's not a bcakground but my wall instead. all my tanks dun have any background. Still looking for one but not black. actaully I meant to put a moss wall but till now it never happen.... still havent got the patience to sit down and start weaving the moss to the netting/ grill or whatever name it's called...