rescaping my tank, pls help~

**plumboy21** · 16th Oct 2006, 01:02

i have recently rescaped my tank alittle coz E. Tenellus (i think) spread so fast. i hoped to have some advises on:

1) what i should plant for my foreground (i was thinking of HC, but i failed before);
2) what plants to plant over my nana, coz i want to create a shade over them.

i have 72w pl lights, co2 cylinder (dunno how many bps, btw, how bubble counter works? juz got one recently, but didnt see any bubbles leh

) on for 8 hrs. 2 by 1 ft tank.

p/s: i have to pluck up some courages to attach my tank photo, coz it's really embarassing

compare to so many nice tanks here.

thnx.

**Weirong** · 16th Oct 2006, 07:46

The bubble counter is supposed to be attached to the CO2 cylinder rubber tubing outlet. The other end from the bubble counter is attached to another rubber tubing and goes into your tank. Hope you can understand.

You may use some floating plants to shade the nana. Otherwise, the usual Vallisneria species can be planted at the back to create a drape over the plants you want to shade.

Elatine triandra will be an easy and suitable foreground plant. If you want something slow and easy, try small Crypts or Downoi.

**plumboy21** · 16th Oct 2006, 13:50

yes, i did that part of the installation for the bubble counter. but what is the function of the bc? i didnt see no bubbles

**Weirong** · 16th Oct 2006, 14:18

Originally Posted by plumboy21

yes, i did that part of the installation for the bubble counter. but what is the function of the bc? i didnt see no bubbles

Er, did you open the valve of your CO2 cylinder/regulator? Either that, or you hooked up the rubber tubings wrongly. A bubble counter lets you see how many CO2 bubbles you are injecting into the water. That's why it's called a bubble counter...

**plumboy21** · 16th Oct 2006, 14:24

I installed it right after the small valve of the regular solenoid, as described in the box, followed by the one way valve then the co2 tubing into the water. am i right? everything is working fine except no bubbles.

**|squee|** · 16th Oct 2006, 16:08

No bubbles in the bubble counter? Then how can there be CO2 getting into your tank?

You can try hairgrass for your foreground. It grows at a just nice rate, looks great, and when it gets too thick you can trim easily without the messiness of plants like glosso/HC.

**plumboy21** · 16th Oct 2006, 16:40

no bubbles... dunno why, i just read here that the one-way valve should come after the regulator/solenoid & before the bubble counter?

but hair grass tends to grow tall right? my E.Tenellus grew taller & messy that why i send them back to become background prop. i thought of some plants short & that spread horizontally, but have little ideas as not good with plant names.

**plumboy21** · 17th Oct 2006, 00:39

Originally Posted by Weirong

The bubble counter is supposed to be attached to the CO2 cylinder rubber tubing outlet. The other end from the bubble counter is attached to another rubber tubing and goes into your tank. Hope you can understand.

You may use some floating plants to shade the nana. Otherwise, the usual Vallisneria species can be planted at the back to create a drape over the plants you want to shade.

Elatine triandra will be an easy and suitable foreground plant. If you want something slow and easy, try small Crypts or Downoi.

hi, i did a search online. the website stated that my bubble counter comes with a check valve to prevent backflow. I dunno abt this earlier on & added a one-way valve, could this be the reason why i didnt see bubbles?

you mentioned Elatine triandra, but i cant seemed to find it in C328. HC is out for me as it's not suitable with cory around. perhaps i asked around in the market place. thanks.

**SmallFish** · 17th Oct 2006, 13:56

ermmmmmm, did you fill WATER in the bubble counter !?!

**oblivion** · 17th Oct 2006, 16:12

Originally Posted by SmallFish

ermmmmmm, did you fill WATER in the bubble counter !?!

haha that was the same thing i was thinking!

i do suppose if din fill water, co2 still goes into tank but nothing seen in the bubble counter

**plumboy21** · 17th Oct 2006, 23:18

Originally Posted by SmallFish

ermmmmmm, did you fill WATER in the bubble counter !?!

gees.. must fill water?

my bubble counter is fitted immediately after the needle valve, wouldn't filling water cause a back flow & damage the solenoid?

the link of my solenoid is http://jbjlighting.com/rel_prod_regulator.html

**oblivion** · 17th Oct 2006, 23:36

Originally Posted by plumboy21

gees.. must fill water?

my bubble counter is fitted immediately after the needle valve, wouldn't filling water cause a back flow & damage the solenoid?

the link of my solenoid is http://jbjlighting.com/rel_prod_regulator.html

omg! you really didn't fill water!

plumboy21, the bubble counter must fill water (about 3/4 full should do) so that bubbles can be seen
the bubbles will appear as the co2 gas travels through the water.

what bubble counter are you using?

the setup should be something like this to prevent backflow

co2 --> check valve ---> bubble counter --> another check valve (quite optional) ---> output (eg diffusor)

**plumboy21** · 17th Oct 2006, 23:40

hi, i am using the type of regulator as in the link i have attached in no. 11 post. yes, didnt add water

**oblivion** · 17th Oct 2006, 23:47

Originally Posted by plumboy21

hi, i am using the type of regulator as in the link i have attached in no. 11 post. yes, didnt add water

i meant bubble counter?
you are using the same bubble counter as the pic?

btw i am using the same jbj regulator as well

**plumboy21** · 17th Oct 2006, 23:50

yup, exactly the same. should i still add water?

**oblivion** · 17th Oct 2006, 23:59

Originally Posted by plumboy21

yup, exactly the same. should i still add water?

yes u still have to
fill it with water to about 3/4 height
since it has a built in check valve then you don't need a seperate one.
but make sure you wipe dry the outside etc before screwing onto the co2 output from the regulator
this is just in case any tiny bit of water seeps into the co2 tank