Setting up new tank for my new home.

[Reckless]

Following advice from you guys, I bought another 5 tubs. XD

View from front
photo(7).jpg

View from dining
photo(8).jpg

Hopefully this is populated enough. I am afraid of algae bloom as I also see it happen in experienced hobbyist. I counted like 5 bunch have pearling, the rest seems not and my grass like plant is not pearling either. My drop checker is now light green not really green tho.

Thanks. The cabinet was custom made. Free gift from my ID. Haha

I would love a reactor but it might have the same problem with my lily pipe. I bought it home only to find that my fx-6 piping is 25mm. Most equip are like 17 or 13mm. I have yet to solve this problem. One of the LFS say will help me find an adaptor. Anyone here use fx-6 ?

[Urban Aquaria]

Following advice from you guys, I bought another 5 tubs. XD

View from front
photo(7).jpg

View from dining
photo(8).jpg
Hopefully this is populated enough. I am afraid of algae bloom as I also see it happen in experienced hobbyist. I counted like 5 bunch have pearling, the rest seems not and my grass like plant is not pearling either.

Just curious, when you mention "tubs", are you referring to the Tropica 1-2-Grow HC tubs, the small ones? Reason why i ask is because the amount of HC planted still seems quite little (considering the size of the tank).

The more common method most people do is to just grab all the larger mats and cartons of HC from various LFS (thats why HC always first to be sold out) and cover as much of the substrate as possible, helps to beef up plant density at the start... and hopefully improve the chances for the carpet to form up before algae take over.

That being said, you can definitely still grow a HC carpet with less initial planting mass, just that have to wait longer for it to grow in and have to try to keep everything as balanced as possible in the meantime.

My drop checker is now light green not really green tho.

Light green (going towards yellow) means the Co2 levels are already starting to reach pass the safety levels for livestock (> 40ppm)... a nice solid green color is what you are looking to maintain during the active photoperiod. But since you don't have any livestock in the tank at the moment anyways, its okay to maintain higher levels of Co2.

I would love a reactor but it might have the same problem with my lily pipe. I bought it home only to find that my fx-6 piping is 25mm. Most equip are like 17 or 13mm. I have yet to solve this problem. One of the LFS say will help me find an adaptor. Anyone here use fx-6 ?

Are the hoses your filter uses the 25/34mm ones? If so, then you're right, the choices for inline reactors might be limited. I guess probably have to DIY something.

[Reckless]

Yes, they come in small tub the roots are covered with gel. I tried my best to remove but still some gel got into the tank. I can see it with the soil. It is not dissolving. Its rather expensive, so I guess I will slowly wait for it to grow.

Yeah since I wont be having fishes until my filter is infested with BB.

Yes, its big hose. LFS told me most equip wont fit. I regretted getting fx-6 but its really powerful. I am looking at bubbles push to the end of the tank and downwards and back.

[stormhawk]

Your choice of livestock is fine, but I would not keep shrimp with any kind of fish except Otocinclus. If you wish to keep Discus, a planted tank is optional. Let me give you some links to get you some ideas, in case the planted tank adventure does not work out to your liking.

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/fo...d-Discus-build!

Take note however, that what works for others may not work for you, due to different conditions etc. So take it as a learning journey through trial and error. We only get better over time and fishkeeping is a fairly easy hobby. I go by some simple rules - quarantine all new additions (if space permits), accept that some fishes will die along the way. Another thing you might want to watch out for is... the never-ending pile of equipment that most of us end up with after a long time keeping fish.

[Urban Aquaria]

Yes, they come in small tub the roots are covered with gel. I tried my best to remove but still some gel got into the tank. I can see it with the soil. It is not dissolving. Its rather expensive, so I guess I will slowly wait for it to grow.

I'm a big fan of Tropica plants and products too... in this case, you are going for quality (vs quantity).

With the healthier tissue-cultured young plants from the tubs, they should recover and transition faster than conventionally grown LFS plants, so overall growth would usually be quicker.

[Reckless]

I am saw some pearling yesterday! just a few bunch of HC with bubbles sticking to their leaf. It looks beautiful but I guess the most fascinating is the grass. It is constantly pumping out oxygen in line floating towards the top! Amazing watching mother nature at work.

I think I will keep the small fishes first for a while before I am confident to get a discus. I am afraid if the water parameter is not good correct they might die. I need more practice.

The tank is fully cycled when I have low ammonia, no nitrite and high nitrate? So far my tank is not cloudy... Guess there is no bacteria boom yet.

[Urban Aquaria]

The tank is fully cycled when I have low ammonia, no nitrite and high nitrate? So far my tank is not cloudy... Guess there is no bacteria boom yet.

A tank is considered cycled when the ammonia and nitrite are consistently zero, only the nitrates showing some reading (best maintained around 10-20ppm for planted tanks with livestock).

The cycle has to be kept stable though, so once you see the ammonia and nitrite are zero, monitor for a few more days to make sure it stays that way, then introduce small quantities of livestock progressively in stages (allows the beneficial bacteria colonies time to grow to accomodate the increasing bio-load).

[Reckless]

Still waiting for LFS for the adaptor to change my 25mm to 17mm. I added some new plants and 3 driftwood / bogwood? today. Finger crossed that the new plants can maintain their redness. I also added a cute umbrella looking plant and inserted into the wood. Not sure if this is the correct way to plant this.

FRONT View
photo(11).jpg

Dining View
photo(10).jpg

Hopefully, my aquascape looks more enriching and better then before. Any comments are welcome!

[Urban Aquaria]

I also added a cute umbrella looking plant and inserted into the wood. Not sure if this is the correct way to plant this.

Can't see it clearly from your photos, but if the umbrella looking plant is Cyperus Haspan (google it to see if the photos match), then its a marginal/bog plant... it can survive underwater but the umbrella clump you see is actually the emersed leaves. It will grow a long stalk up and above the water surface, then grow its umbrella-like leaves above water.

[Reckless]

image.jpg

Day 5 testing.

Comparing to day 2. My nitrite has fallen to zero and a little decrease in nitrate. But my ammonia went up thru the roof. Ada soil too much ammonia? Is my tank cycled? Nitrite lvl zero and showing some lvl of decrease in nitrate but ammonia....

I am confused. Anyone know? Please help me.

[wuguidan]

Your tank not cycled yet. ADA soil leech out ammonia initially only, so have to be more patient.

Did you purchase any helpful bacteria (example: I used Seachem Stability) to help jump start your cycling process?

[rc311]

image.jpg

Day 5 testing.

Comparing to day 2. My nitrite has fallen to zero and a little decrease in nitrate. But my ammonia went up thru the roof. Ada soil too much ammonia? Is my tank cycled? Nitrite lvl zero and showing some lvl of decrease in nitrate but ammonia....

I am confused. Anyone know? Please help me.

No, your tank is not cycled yet. Your ammonia and nitrate is consider high. You have to make sure that the ammonia/nitrite is constantly 0ppm, nitrate could still be around and that is when your tank has completed the NC. I guess right now you just have to wait for your bio filter to work on or if you wish, you might want to get some beneficial bacteria from LFS to speed up the cycle.

[Reckless]

I used half a bottle of API quick start. Do I need to dechlorinate the tank water? I did not do it because I heard that the water dechlorinate itself after a day. I added API quick start on day 4 morning.

Also read that API quickstart is some snake oil... I should get tetra safestart or seachem stability?

In order to accelerate the process, do I do huge water changes like 50% every 2 days?

[mUAr_cHEe]

The only way to accelerate the process is to get a time machine.

The cycling process is to kick start your very own colony of bacteria in your tank for biological filtration. You got to let nature takes it course. You try to screw around with it and accelerate certain processes, next thing you know, you get super-smart primates and they take over the world. Wait. Wrong movie. But you get what I mean.

You can try to get those supplements which reduce ammonia and nitrates. Ah. Those might be the real snake oils. I have one bottle. You want. Let me know. I give you.

API is a good and established brand as with Tetra and Seachem. No need for you to switch around. But for the OCD freak in me, I like to stick to one brand and use all the supplements from that one brand. It makes organization easier when all the bottles are of the same shape and size.

[mUAr_cHEe]

Oh. Wait. I was lying. I just remembered.

There is another way to accelerate the process which would be to borrow and get a piece of someone else's colony of bacteria. Get some cycled substrate or seasoned/old filer media and introduce it to your tank or filtration system.

The cycling process will be faster but the colony of bacteria will not be of your own. You played cheat and you used somebody elses'. If you can sleep peacefully at night with that fact in your heart, then pls go ahead and play cheat.






I can.

[mUAr_cHEe]

Here is what I learnt from one of the fellow members here:

http://theplantedtankblog.blogspot.s...ysterious.html

Note the part of the 'pink CS pillow'.

[Suzerolt]

I'd suggest not to rush to buy fishes. Beneficial bacteria will take 2-4 weeks to develop even with bacteria additives.
Maximize the use of this cycling period to bump up the CO2 & ferts to super accelerate the growth of your HC carpet during the lighting period. Then dial down on the light/CO2 when you are ready to add fishes.

SGP tap water contains chlorine (evaporates after a day) & chloramines (does not evaporate - hence the need for tap water conditioner).
If you don't have fishes in there now, there is no need to de-chlorinate. Plants do just fine with regular tap water. You can always add a capful of anti-chlorine directly into the tank later on just before you add fishes.

I personally won't change water for 2 weeks (if you are already dosing fertilizers - no sense throwing away fertilizers).

[mUAr_cHEe]

I personally won't change water for 2 weeks (if you are already dosing fertilizers - no sense throwing away fertilizers).

I have read before that the useful life of fertilizers and liquid additives are only for a day.

[Urban Aquaria]

I used half a bottle of API quick start. Do I need to dechlorinate the tank water? I did not do it because I heard that the water dechlorinate itself after a day. I added API quick start on day 4 morning.

Also read that API quickstart is some snake oil... I should get tetra safestart or seachem stability?

In order to accelerate the process, do I do huge water changes like 50% every 2 days?

Tap water should be treated with good quality de-chorinator (ie. Seachem Prime) to remove all the chlorine and chloramine from the water before usage.

Letting the tap water sit for a day will only off-gas the chlorine, but chloramine will still be present in the rap water, which can affect the beneficial bacteria population in the tank.

The bacteria solutions can help to create a "temporary" cycle in the tank, this allows users to introduce livestock earlier while the actual long-term naturally occuring beneficial bacteria are still establishing in the tank. No harm to dose bacteria solutions, but the tank will still need time to fully establish a stable cycle.

Frequent large water changes can help to remove excess ammonia from the soil that are not used by your plants... though its sort of like flushing out all the good nutrients from the soil that are meant to feed the plants.

By right a planted tank should be very densely planted from the start and the higher ammonia levels are meant to boost plant growth during the initial weeks.

[Urban Aquaria]

There is another way to accelerate the process which would be to borrow and get a piece of someone else's colony of bacteria. Get some cycled substrate or seasoned/old filer media and introduce it to your tank or filtration system.

Yeah, transferring seasoned bio-media from older cycled tanks to seed new tanks is one of the good methods to really speed up the actual cycle of a tank.

If the amount of seasoned bio-media is sufficient to match the bio-load of the new tank, and the new tank setup is similar to the old tank, it can sometimes create an instant cycle as the bacteria can just resume working immediately.

The disadvantage of transferring seasoned bio-media is it also transfers over any "undesirable" things from the old tank, so if there were any persistent algae or pest issues, then all those will also hop over to the new tank too.