dnsfpl planted tank...

[dnsfpl]

Tank Dimensions (LxWxH, specify units): 2x1x1, feet

Lighting Intensity(No of Watts) : 55
Number and type of Lighting (FL/PL/MH) : PL
Age of light bulbs : 1 year
No. of hours your lights are on : 8

CO2 Injection Rate (bps) : currently 1b per 3s, day 2
Type of CO2 (DIY/Cylinder) : DIY, nutrafin
Method of Injection (e.g. Diffusor/Reactor) : Diffusor

Liquid fertilisers Used (Product name. E.g. Seachem Flourish) : none
Fertilization regime (Frequency and amount per dose) : none
Other fertilisers (Product name. E.g. Root Monster) : none
Other additives (Product name. E.g. Seachem Prime) : none
Soil: GEX, light green package

Type of Filter (overhead/internal/canister, Product name/model if possible) : internal, dive clean 200 with rain bar - http://www.petdiscounters.com/c213/D...ters-p531.html
When was the filter last washed : 06 Apr 08
Filter media used : "anti-ammonia" stone, sponge
When was the media last changed : 06 Apr 08
What was changed : sponge

Age of setup (i.e. since initial setup or last major re-do ) : 19 Mar 08

Water change frequency : 3-4 days
Amount changed : 10-15%

Water surface movement (None/gentle/turbulent) : gentle
Circulation (None/gentle/turbulent) : gentle

Tank Temperature : don't know

Chemical Properties (Fill what you can)
-------------------------------------
KH (dKH): don't know
GH (dGH): don't know
pH : 6.5-7
NH4 (ppm): 0
NO2 (ppm): 0
NO3 (ppm): don't know
PO4 (ppm): don't know
Fe (ppm): don't know

Bioload (Number and type of fish and plants)
------------------------------------------
30 neon tetras
15 cherry shrimps
some cherry babies

java fern, hornwort, moss

Describe your problem :
----------------------
there are a lot of "bubbles" in the surface of the water
are they harmful?

i found 1 cherry baby inside my internal filter
how can i prevent this from happening again?

my moss are growing very slowly
are there any ways to increase the growth rate?
should i remove the hornwort?



thank you

[torque6]

Dnsfpl,

Are the bubbles on the surface cause by aeration? or do you see your plants photosyn?

To prevent your baby shrimps from being suck up the filter inlet, try to wrap it with gauze. I used to use a fish net with fine holes and tie it to the inlet, but it affected my water flow.

You've only setup the tank on the 19, its been roughly only 2 weeks, be patience on plant growth. Moss doesnt require alot of nutrients or co2 to grow well, but its of moderate growth, perhaps only hortwort or some other steam plants grow really fast. Check tropica for its rate of growth.

By the way, abit curious, you cycled the tank with the plants previously for a couple of months or you added them on 19 only?

[dnsfpl]

my plants produce a lot of bubbles
esp those hornwort which act like a "mini air pump"

i will go find a fine net and wrap around the internal filter

my moss grew less than 2cm in 2 weeks, is this normal?

i started this setup early mar, did a revamp on 19 Mar 08

btw here is a picture of the bubbles, i only have this issue when i implement my DIY co2, hope is not cause by ammonia



thank you

i see smoke in the tube and ladder...lowest point
is this normal or must i remove the DIY co2 asap?






could it be the mixture that is flowing out?
my mixture is 2cm below the recommended marking

really hope its not the case
thanks

how come there is a sudden outbreak of "snails"
must i remove them ASAP?

[dnsfpl]

i see smoke in the tube and ladder...lowest point
is this normal or must i remove the DIY co2 asap?






could it be the mixture that is flowing out?
my mixture is 2cm below the recommended marking

really hope its not the case
thanks

cleared the "smoke" from the diffusor, is kinda slimy
could it be some "white" algae?

thanks

[dnsfpl]

my plants produce a lot of bubbles
esp those hornwort which act like a "mini air pump"

i will go find a fine net and wrap around the internal filter

my moss grew less than 2cm in 2 weeks, is this normal?

i started this setup early mar, did a revamp on 19 Mar 08

btw here is a picture of the bubbles, i only have this issue when i implement my DIY co2, hope is not cause by ammonia



thank you

bought ammonia and nitrite test kit
both 0

[torque6]

The white slim is a by product from the DIY co2, it affects the water chemistry and changed most of my submerged plugs to a whitish color from its original transparent. Dont have this problem with a pressurised unit.

[dnsfpl]

is it harmful?

i will be getting a bubble counter
hopefully it will resolve the issue

thanks

[torque6]

Dns,
Its not harmful, but "messy".

I did a 500ml "aqua" mineral water to facilitate as a bubble counter/gas exchanger.

[dnsfpl]

after installing a bubble counter and 2 check valve
the bubble rate decrease from to 1 in every 4 seconds compared to 10
i have secure the connections
is this normal or there is a leakage somewhere?

thanks

[torque6]

As with DIY setup, its not controlled by pressure but the availablity of yeast+sugar, so its hard to observe a constant bps.

[dnsfpl]

what could have cause the drastic drop in bubble rate?
its more than double
this is my 9 day using diy co2

btw is my tank overcrowded?
current fauna
28 neon tetra
15 cherry shrimp
10 CRS
2 otto

thanks

[torque6]

Dns,

Diy co2 isnt constant, hard to maintain bps in the first place, much less explain why there is a drop.

[Shadow]

Dns,
Its not harmful, but "messy".

I did a 500ml "aqua" mineral water to facilitate as a bubble counter/gas exchanger.

otos does eat those thing

[torque6]

otos does eat those thing

Oh, i didnt have oto in my tank, so i cant confirm. Thanks for clarifying Shadow.

[Shadow]

assuming that they can reach

Your neon tetra might end up eating your shrimp baby

[dnsfpl]

after changing the diy co2 mixture, currently 1 bubble in 3 sec
my pH drop from 7.3 to 6.3
hope it will not stress my fauna

[torque6]

You will get 1 bubble in 3 sec for about a week or so, once the yeast multiply, it will be back to 2-3 bubbles per 1 second and PH will drop again to below 5. Trying to regulate something that is unstable has always been difficult for me, hope you have more success.

[dnsfpl]

wow pH drop to 5 will stress my fauna

my previous mixture was 1 bubble in 3 sec for 1 week
after than 1 bubble in 10 sec...

[torque6]

Ya, bubbles constant for at most 1 week, then yeast multiply and bubbles go crazy again lol. DIY is like that

I wanted to start keeping some fish and snail after cycling my tank for 4 months, seeing that my plants are doing well, I went to get a pressurised co2 system to constant bubbles followed by a good fert regime. Now im enjoying my tank, plants looking good with fishes in them to give them a zeal of additional life.

I saw evo selling his NA co2 today, so cheap . heheehe.

[dnsfpl]

maybe i will invest in a co2 later
don't want to spend too much at 1 go
budget budget hee