Feide Office Tank Rescape

[feide]

Hi AQers

Been some time since I last shared in AQ.
Just rescaped my office tank. Not mine technically… it’s a planted tank in my office reception area which I was ‘volunteered’ to set up.
The tank was set up more than 3 years back and so I finally decided to do a major overhaul.

Here is how it looked like previously.

http://i760.photobucket.com/albums/x.../Picture11.jpg

Gotten some hardscape and soaked the wood for a good 3 weeks..
This is also going to be the temporary home for the fauna when the tank is cycling.


http://i760.photobucket.com/albums/x...k/Picture2.jpg

[feide]

Finally decided to start work after finishing a big project at work.
A good way to celebrate and hopefully boss would mind me spending more tank at the tank.

Forget to mention it is a 2 feet tank.
I managed to 'kapo' a small cupboard and used to as the tank cabinet.
Did some modifications - install a beam in the middle section and drilled 2 holes at the back. (Anyway, this retrofit cabinet is still serving its purpose well after 4 years )


http://i760.photobucket.com/albums/x...k/Picture7.jpg

Decommig the old tank and keeping the filter running


http://i760.photobucket.com/albums/x...k/Picture3.jpg

Getting the plants ready... argh...

http://i760.photobucket.com/albums/x...k/Picture4.jpg

[feide]

Setting up the substrate and hardscape.
As usual, the scape looked different from what I envisioned…


http://i760.photobucket.com/albums/x...k/Picture5.jpg

Tried my luck with HC again. This time, I took a shortcut and planted in small patches instead of individual plantlets.
Finally filling up the water and hooking back the filter.


http://i760.photobucket.com/albums/x...k/Picture6.jpg

It took me more than 6 hours (with the help of one colleague). Almost wanted to go for a back massage after that..
A day one FTS. I am hoping things will not differ too much from here.. I am diagnosed with itchy finger syndrome


http://i760.photobucket.com/albums/x.../Picture12.jpg

[feide]

Week 2

Plants growing in quite well surprisingly except for some hair algae.
Threw in all my cherry shrimps and they did a wonderful job.


http://i760.photobucket.com/albums/x...k/Picture8.jpg

Then came the dreaded BBA...
I tried manual removal and increase my flow and CO2... but losing the battle.
So resorted to chemical warfare... H2O2..
Nothing beats the sight of BBA bubbling under H2O2


http://i760.photobucket.com/albums/x...k/Picture9.jpg

H2O2 did take out most of the BBA but my HC was quite badly affected.
My bad that I did not consider this when I was fighting the battle...

After 2 weeks (at present), HC showed very slow signs of recovery.
So my itchy fingers went on the replacing the ailing HC with Monte Carlo today.

[feide]

The tank was rescaped on 20 Nov 14.
I just did another 'minor' rescape today

Tank Specs
Tank Size: 60cm x 30cm x 45cm
Filter: Eheim 2424
CO2: Canister, ~1.5 bps
Lights: LED, 3W x 16
Soil: GEX Plant

Plant List
Hemianthus Callitrichoides (RIP)
Micranthemum 'Monte Carlo'
Staurogyne repens
Java Moss
Willow Moss
Rotala rotundifolia
Rotala sp green

Just chanced upon some willow moss. Can't resist and so they are in my tank now
Failed with them once, think they need cool water. Finger crossed.
Though of a new way to anchor them, using ceramic rings! haha.. Hopefully it will grow out to a small bush.


http://i760.photobucket.com/albums/x.../Picture13.jpg

[wongce]

camping here for updates... nice setup.....

[AQMS]

Same here...waiting for updates.

[GuitaristX]

Wah! Good job with the photos, description and progress. By the way, how do you battle driftwood colour? Just by soaking it in water only for 3 weeks?

[feide]

Wah! Good job with the photos, description and progress. By the way, how do you battle driftwood colour? Just by soaking it in water only for 3 weeks?

Hi GuitaristX

Thank you, I am just sharing to like minded hobbist
Yup, I just soaked it for 3 weeks (nearly 4 weeks actually). I did change the water quite frequently, about once every alternate day.
Initially, water was very yellowish and there was a slight stench of 'chemical smell'. Conditions improved greatly after the water changes. Think the water changes also help you to moniter the condition of the wook, whether all the tannins are released.

[feide]

Same here...waiting for updates.

camping here for updates... nice setup.....

Thank you. A quick update over the weekend. 2 days is pretty long for itchy fingers, was eager to go back office on Monday actually...
Getting some BBA , especially on the hardscapes and some leaves of the S. repens. Any experts can advise? I tried to increase CO2 and flow already....
Minor rescape on last Friday. Harvested some Staurogyne repens and replaced the HM (both sides at the back).



Oh.. I forgot to list Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides in my initial plant list.
I like the ways it creeps and blends with the other plants. Best thing is that it pearls quite readily.



Still monitoring the willow moss. 4 days old.



Angled view from the top

[fookie]

Thank you. A quick update over the weekend. 2 days is pretty long for itchy fingers, was eager to go back office on Monday actually...
Getting some BBA , especially on the hardscapes and some leaves of the S. repens. Any experts can advise? I tried to increase CO2 and flow already....
Minor rescape on last Friday. Harvested some Staurogyne repens and replaced the HM (both sides at the back).



Oh.. I forgot to list Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides in my initial plant list.
I like the ways it creeps and blends with the other plants. Best thing is that it pearls quite readily.



Still monitoring the willow moss. 4 days old.



Angled view from the top

Hi feide,

May I know how do you plant staurogyne repens and prevent it from melting? I am having a high tech tank but staurogyne melts and monte carlo grow very slowly or stop growing at all. Other plane like Vals are growing normally.

thank you

[feide]

Hi feide,

May I know how do you plant staurogyne repens and prevent it from melting? I am having a high tech tank but staurogyne melts and monte carlo grow very slowly or stop growing at all. Other plane like Vals are growing normally.

thank you

Hi fookie

I just planted them like normal stem plants -> trim away the lower leaves (and overgrown roots) and plant them direct into the soil.
Maybe yours are emmersed and so melting during the transition state.
I got mine from mizuworld, not sure if them are emmersed or submerged. They look healthy though.

[fookie]

Mine is emmersed. That might be the caused.

Thank you

[fireblade]

nice setup!
Is there 2 types of rocks in there ?
Find that the wood branches is too concentrated in the middle, maybe can get some more wood to have a bigger spread?

I think when the plants behind grow into a big bush, tank will look even better!

[feide]

nice setup!
Is there 2 types of rocks in there ?
Find that the wood branches is too concentrated in the middle, maybe can get some more wood to have a bigger spread?

I think when the plants behind grow into a big bush, tank will look even better!

Hi fireblade, thank you for the compliments.
There is actually only one type of rock - 'Dragon stone', just that the colour is a bit different.
They were covered in a layer of soil when i bought them, only noticed the colour difference after washing...
Yup, you are right, the hardscape is lacking. But there is very little space for me to add in wood now.
I think I will just let the plants grow in now and see how the scape evolves.
The main pain now is the bba which are appearing on the rocks and wood, any advise?

[milk_vanilla]

Bba usually occurred when there's lot of swing on your co2, or have little co2 plus massive light coming from above. Ideally 30 ppm co2 or above should be steady during the light, but this is very pain to achieve, due to lot of factors involve. So the best is to make it steady as far as you could go. The best way to measure this is using ph digital measurement. During light on, every hours till light off. Tune up daily till you get as comfort as possible

[fireblade]

I think some bba on hardscape is unavoidable I always have that growing on wood and rocks so long as they are under control, should be fine...
maybe do some spot treatment of Excel or Hydrogen Peroxide ...
another way is to get a small normal pleco to clear it for you they are ver effective but also can be destructive as well...

[feide]

Bba usually occurred when there's lot of swing on your co2, or have little co2 plus massive light coming from above. Ideally 30 ppm co2 or above should be steady during the light, but this is very pain to achieve, due to lot of factors involve. So the best is to make it steady as far as you could go. The best way to measure this is using ph digital measurement. During light on, every hours till light off. Tune up daily till you get as comfort as possible

I think some bba on hardscape is unavoidable I always have that growing on wood and rocks so long as they are under control, should be fine...
maybe do some spot treatment of Excel or Hydrogen Peroxide ...
another way is to get a small normal pleco to clear it for you they are ver effective but also can be destructive as well...

Thank you milk_vanilla and fireblade for your suggestions.
I understand the main causes for bba is unstable CO2, excessive light and weak flow.
My CO2 should be fine as I am using cannister and the bps is very stable from what I observe.
I am not able to measure the CO2 ppm using drop checker as I am using aqua soil which affects the PH. Any other methods to measure CO2 concentration?

Noob question:
I am using an external CO2 reactor (ISTA), i noticed there are CO2 accumulated at the top of the reactor after the solenoid is turned on after a few hours. (see pic below)
Even if I increase the CO2 bps, it should not be effective right? Since the excess CO2 will be accumulated in the reactor and not channeled into the tank.
I only see more CO2 accumulated when I increase the bps.



As for lights - I don't think mine is excessive. This LED light set is actually weaker than the T5HO that I used previously. I will still try to confirm on this.

[Shadow]

use kH4 or premix solution on your drop checker, that should do the trick. Can't comment on the CO2 build up, never use the product but my guess it was not design for the number bps you pump in.

[feide]

use kH4 or premix solution on your drop checker, that should do the trick. Can't comment on the CO2 build up, never use the product but my guess it was not design for the number bps you pump in.

Thank you Shadow. I will try to get my hands on some kH4 solution.
Looking forward to see your first scape for 2015