My 3 wks old 2 ft tank...

**dolphin** · 13th Jun 2005, 21:32

Finally, after months of reading this forum and advise from some aquatic plants website, I took the plunge and started this 2 ft tank!

Equipment: 63 watts PL lights, 2026 Eheim Ext filter, CO2 tank (24 - 30 ppm), ext DIY CO2 reactor.
Substrate: 1st layer of 8-10mm gravel followed by JBL based fert and top layer with "Angel" gravel.

I tried to plant as much as possible on the first day to minimise any "aglae explosion" . The next day the water turned "chalky" (nearly freak out)! Then I did a 50% water change the next day (after reading this forum) and the "chalkinesss" disappeared 2 days later (heng ahhh..). So far I've not introduce any fishes yet accept for 2 hardworking "golden algae eater" (after I noticed there were some "brown spots" on the leaves).

I think the 2026 is producing too much heat. The water temp is 31 deg even when the lights are off! I introduced 10 pcs of Yamato Shrimps on the 2nd wk and each morning I found one "red shrimp" lying on the tank! I've a couple of questions, hopefully someone can advise please:

1) Is it really useful to have a fan on top of the tank? Wouldn't it be drawing the heat from the light back to the surface of the water? How many degress can be lowered if it is really effective?

2)Must there a need to have an air pump running during the night when the lights goes off?

Here is a website which is rather useful for beginners, it shows a step by step setup and weekly maintenance: http://www.vectrapoint.com/main/manual/manual.html

Thank you.

**|squee|** · 13th Jun 2005, 21:56

Great start. It's nice to know this forum has helped

1) Fans are dead useful. Temperature is a contributing factor for good growth. Fans work by blowing air at the water, making it evaporate and thus cool down. A couple of fans will do the trick. My 2 fans on my 2ft tank keep my temperature at 26 degrees.

2) I don't know about that. Amano does it, but I asked, and there didn't seem to be a reasonable reason put forth for it. I didn't do the airpump.

**wong1979** · 13th Jun 2005, 22:38

A fan definitely helps in bringing down your temp by around 2 C. I've tried planting without cooling fan and had about the same parameters as yours. You can still have a great looking tank despite the high temp as long as you can get the balance right. That will require your own close observation and dedication you put in.

I personally hate using fans because it's so ugly and noisy. But heck, cooler water seems to be better for plants and I don't really know why.

**arclaveus** · 14th Jun 2005, 02:07

Bro, i believe the 2026 is too strong for a 2ft tank...currently i'm using a 2026 for my 3 footer n i oredi find it a little too strong

**dolphin** · 14th Jun 2005, 09:26

Thanks for the quick advice! I shall try the fan method to bring down the temperature. I don't think I'm going to invest on a chiller as it cost more than a split unit air-condition!!! I 'm looking at ways to DIY one. My Uncle, a marine fish hobbyist, used to construct one himself for his 4 ft tank. I remembered that cost him less than $400. I shall post out the details once I've gathered more info.

Yeah, I think the 2026 is too powerful for a two ft. but I 've only one filter at the moment. I've an ext CO2 reactor connected to it which helps to slow down the current.I actually found this filter at the void deck of my block with the fasteners all broken but the pump still working.

Thanks! Have a nice week!

**taz_boy** · 14th Jun 2005, 13:14

hi doplhin,
welcome to the wonderful hobby too......
31 degree is indeed a bit high la.....normally our tanks without any fans will be around 29degree (singapore climate)
fans will lower down ur water temp to the 27-28 degree range...try DIYing 1, quite fun.

as for running a air pump at night, i dun think there's a need for air pump in a a planted tank, if u noticed, not a lot of hobbyist use air pump,
reason is air pump= more suface agitation= more CO2 loss.
simple??

unless u see all ur fishes gathering near the water surface, then that'll be a sign that there's not enough O2 in the water...but seldom will happen la....

**StanChung** · 14th Jun 2005, 13:28

Originally Posted by wong1979

A fan definitely helps in bringing down your temp by around 2 C. I've tried planting without cooling fan and had about the same parameters as yours. You can still have a great looking tank despite the high temp as long as you can get the balance right. That will require your own close observation and dedication you put in.

I personally hate using fans because it's so ugly and noisy. But heck, cooler water seems to be better for plants and I don't really know why.

i used the ocean free 6 fan ones and the boy are they noisy.[going to the bin soon] i switch to those computer fan looking ones[with special bracket to mount from lfs] and they are much quieter and half the price. depending on how you mount your fans, i managed a max drop of almost 4C. so can plant some cooler water plants like madagascariensis, bolbitis, bovivianus etc... also cooler water makes some plants grow bigger and more lush looking[greener and bushier] eg hottonias and mosses

.

side effect of fans are have to regularly top up water which you can do in conjunction with water change.

**anttz** · 14th Jun 2005, 13:53

Originally Posted by dolphin

Yeah, I think the 2026 is too powerful for a two ft. but I 've only one filter at the moment. I've an ext CO2 reactor connected to it which helps to slow down the current.I actually found this filter at the void deck of my block with the fasteners all broken but the pump still working.

Thanks! Have a nice week!

Just close off 2/3 of the valve to reduce the power.

**StanChung** · 14th Jun 2005, 14:00

i think i'm kiasu, but i run two eheim canisters in a 150 liter tank. a 2215 and on e of those ecco ones with a skimmer. have to regularly clean the one with skimmer because of debris.

**dolphin** · 15th Jun 2005, 20:57

Originally Posted by anttz

Just close off 2/3 of the valve to reduce the power.

I did not realized I could actually reduce the output of the 2026 until you mentioned it!

I turned the output to the 3/4 mark & managed lower the temp to a degree less.... Now I 'm working on (DIY) finding a good method to secure 2 computer fans on top of the tank. Any suggestions please?

**|squee|** · 15th Jun 2005, 21:13

Secure the fans to those white wire trunkings, and lay them across your tank. The trunking can store all those wires too.

Concentrate on growing those plants well first... aquascaping can be slowly learnt over the years

**taz_boy** · 15th Jun 2005, 21:32

Originally Posted by dolphin

I did not realized I could actually reduce the output of the 2026 until you mentioned it!

I turned the output to the 3/4 mark & managed lower the temp to a degree less.... Now I 'm working on (DIY) finding a good method to secure 2 computer fans on top of the tank. Any suggestions please?

yepz......as suggested, get wire trunkings, partly because they are a bit flexible too...since it's like PVc material...
i got those narrow type, almost the width of a ruler type....and they are strong enough to support 2x 80mm fans.

**StanChung** · 16th Jun 2005, 18:33

Originally Posted by taz_boy

yepz......as suggested, get wire trunkings, partly because they are a bit flexible too...since it's like PVc material...
i got those narrow type, almost the width of a ruler type....and they are strong enough to support 2x 80mm fans.

great suggestion and you do save a bit from buying the ready made to mount fans for aq in lfs. only take care not to accidentally knock the thing into the aq when aquascaping or you will get nice syok...

**dolphin** · 18th Jun 2005, 15:24

Originally Posted by |squee|

Secure the fans to those white wire trunkings, and lay them across your tank. The trunking can store all those wires too.

I installed two PC fans yesterday and managed to bring down the temp to 28 deg C.

I used a PVC pipe instead to create an angle close to 45 deg. I drilled a couple of holes in the middle of the pipe to tie the fans, hide all the wires inside. At both ends, I put a screw to prevent it from dropping into the tank. One end of the fans rest on the pipe and the on the edge of the glass.

Seems like the PH level is higher with the fans. Around 7.1 today. I guess one needs to run more CO2 when the fans are on? Thks!

**taz_boy** · 18th Jun 2005, 22:05

I installed two PC fans yesterday and managed to bring down the temp to 26 deg C.

I used a PVC pipe instead to create an angle close to 45 deg. I drilled a couple of holes in the middle of the pipe to tie the fans, hide all the wires inside. At both ends, I put a screw to prevent it from dropping into the tank. One end of the fans rest on the pipe and the on the edge of the glass.

Seems like the PH level is higher with the fans. Around 7.1 today. I guess one needs to run more CO2 when the fans are on? Thks!

congrats for successfully completing ur DIY fan, not bad, u use pipe instead of trunking....
wow..not bad.....u managed to lower to 26temp, ur surrounding must be must cooler, the min i can lower is till 27degree and that's on a raining day....lol..

and as for higher ph, think that's normal la....since the fan blow across the surface, results in more sufface agitation which means more CO2 lost...
also "BOH BIAN"...

**dolphin** · 19th Jun 2005, 12:14

Originally Posted by taz_boy

congrats for successfully completing ur DIY fan, not bad, u use pipe instead of trunking....
wow..not bad.....u managed to lower to 26temp, ur surrounding must be must cooler, the min i can lower is till 27degree and that's on a raining day....lol..

and as for higher ph, think that's normal la....since the fan blow across the surface, results in more sufface agitation which means more CO2 lost...
also "BOH BIAN"...

Oops! Typo error, supposed to mean "28 deg"

**StanChung** · 19th Jun 2005, 15:26

proof that singapore is hotspot.

**dolphin** · 21st Jun 2005, 17:24

Most of the plants are growing rather fast since I hit 28 deg. It is really a fascinating sight to see the plants "bubbling" when I return home each evening!

I've begun "pruning" now.

Something to share...I have 50 + small fishes in the tank now, most of them are Tetras. Couple days ago, I noticed most of my 3 dozens Neon Tetras were sort of "wriggling" in the water. On closer look, I realized most of its' tails were gone

Really looks funny without tails!

( I was really laughing! )

When the lights are out I used a touchlight to catch the "culprit". To my surprise, they were actually chasing & biting each other tail (only among the Neon Tetras)!

Some of the Neon Tetras are really skinny now cos they couldn't get their food faster than the rests, I think they'll "konk" soon. I 've got two casualty this morning...

**StanChung** · 21st Jun 2005, 20:06

Originally Posted by dolphin

\

When the lights are out I used a touchlight to catch the "culprit". To my surprise, they were actually chasing & biting each other tail (only among the Neon Tetras)!

Some of the Neon Tetras are really skinny now cos they couldn't get their food faster than the rests, I think they'll "konk" soon. I 've got two casualty this morning...

lucky just neon tetras- if cardinals can cry one le...

rather odd for them to bite each other. sure you don't have mini puffer or some rainbowfish inside?