Please give me some feedback on my hardscape

[Wolfgangs246]

Hah hah. Not quite.

Now waiting for the beneficial bacteria to take hold and monitoring the water parameters every 2 days. Once ready, I'll probably introduce the mini US Fissiden that I just bought. Looking for frogbits to soak up the rest but I can't seem to find any in the stores. (Polyart weren't sure what it was and C328 didn't have it)

[Navanod]

Hah hah. Not quite.

Now waiting for the beneficial bacteria to take hold and monitoring the water parameters every 2 days. Once ready, I'll probably introduce the mini US Fissiden that I just bought. Looking for frogbits to soak up the rest but I can't seem to find any in the stores. (Polyart weren't sure what it was and C328 didn't have it)

I have some (just threw away quite abit last week) if you don't mind coming to west side. Also have hornworts if you need more ammonia sinks.

[|squee|]

Hah hah thanks Squee. Saw your recent scape and was very envious. I'm thinking I might still be able to put more support rocks for the main rock while the water is still cycling. At least the damage and impact won't be as bad as when the tank is stocked.

Any recommendations where I can find this kind of rocks?

Yea you can do that. Those are granite rocks right? Try Biotope at Woodlands... they tend to have nicer looking rocks for sale and they had lots of small stones there in a box when I was there to buy my rocks.

Since "Skeletor" is now at a corner of your tank... you will need a new main rock won't you?

[Wolfgangs246]

I actually made a trip there this pass week. Spent the weekend touching up the tank rocks while trying to avoid mixing up the regular and powder ADA soil. Didn't succeed. Now the foreground is littered with big and small substrate and the water still hasn't cleared up since the weekend.

On the upside, I've started adding frogbits and duckweed to start absorbing some of the excess nutrients from the water. I'm still registering high levels of ammonia though. but since this is only the 2nd week of cycling. I'm hoping it will clear up or I'll start registering more nitrate and nitrites by this weekend. Right now the tank is very concentrated in ammonia.

Will post pics as soon as the water clears up enough. :-D

[Shadow]

Normally you should not fill in the water before you satisfy with the hardscape. Also normally you suppose to cycle with your plant. Otherwise, next time when you want to plant, you disturb the soil and the water become cloudy again not to mention ammonia spike.

[Wolfgangs246]

I agree with you 100% Shadow. Guess my hands were too itchy to wait any longer to get started. I shall pay for my impatience I suppose.

I wasn't aware that you normally cycle with the plants all in? I thought you needed to leave the system alone for a while to allow the nitrogen cycle to fully establish before you put in plants? Anyway right now I only plan to have mini US fissiden in the tank. And I already have them on their wire meshes. Does this mean I should proceed to put them in the tank and initiate the lights and CO2 timers? Aside from the moss, there are no plans to have any other plants in the tank. Just my lovely rocks.

[eviltrain]

just place your moss on mesh into your tank to aid in your cycling of your tank. you might wants to get more frogbits / hornwort to suck up all the nitrates. proceed with your lighting and CO2 period.

For your shrimps, make sure you had your tank CYCLED finish before getting them.mini ammonia spikes will kill them all. read up on how to introduce them into your tank too.

[Wolfgangs246]

Hi guys,

heres the updated hardscape plus some vegetation to start the nitrate process. 4 meshes of mini US Fissiden and 1 pot of hornwort and an assortment of duckweed and frogbits (not visible).



Current light regiment is 10 hours continuous of 39W X 4
Current CO2 regiment is 9 hours of 1bps (I'm also using a drop checker to monitor this and will increase accordingly)

[blue33]

Getting a dirty old media wool from any existing filter that run for quite sometime and replace your current one will solve most of your issue, bacteria speed up will be tremendously increase and ammonia will drop at faster rate also. IMO.

[Wolfgangs246]

Thanks for the advice Adrian. Sadly I don't have any used filter media available because I recently replaced the filtration system on my old tank as well and so I've already taken all the old wool filter to maintain the bacteria levels in the old tank. Didn't want to risk an ammonia spike in that case as it would cause death of fishes.

[fireblade]

I will advice you to remove duckweed from the tank if it is only a few pieces, if not in future you want to remove them, you will not be able to remove them totally..

[Wolfgangs246]

Hah hah it was given to me in tandem with the frogbits. I can't really tell which is which. Does it matter? Cause I am thinking to remove all floaters once the tank is ready for occupancy.

[fireblade]

just that duckweed is harder to remove as they are smaller

[Wolfgangs246]

Hah hah duly noted. I shall be sure to remove them all thoroughly once I'm done with them. Thanks Fireblade.

[Wolfgangs246]

Hi Guys,

The tank has been cycling for about 2-3 weeks and Ammonia levels have dropped off. However I'm still getting about 5-10mg for my nitrite levels? I'm curious what I can do to accelerate the establishment of BB? Does having lights/CO2/UV filter during the cycling period help or hinder the cycling process?

I just had a mass outbreak of hairgrass in the tank which promptly took root amongst my mesh of mini fissiden. Stupid little algae!

[Shadow]

I just had a mass outbreak of hairgrass in the tank which promptly took root amongst my mesh of mini fissiden. Stupid little algae!

hairgrass is not an algae , probably typo

light and CO2 will not hinder cycling, unless you inject insanely high concentration of CO2 assuming if it is possible in the first place. As for UV it might. UV will kill any floating BB that happen to enter its chamber although it will not effect BB colony inside your filter.

Just wait another week

[bettafantastic]

Stunning look
I agree that the rocks do look like skulls
very creative!!

[Wolfgangs246]

hairgrass is not an algae , probably typo

light and CO2 will not hinder cycling, unless you inject insanely high concentration of CO2 assuming if it is possible in the first place. As for UV it might. UV will kill any floating BB that happen to enter its chamber although it will not effect BB colony inside your filter.

Just wait another week

Hah hah yeah good spot Shadow, I meant hair algae. long thin wispy looking green things that stretch and feel like slime when removed from water. Will turn off the UV filter and continue the cycling regime then. Thanks!

[photo-file]

hi, bigger rocks on the right could make the focal point more dominant to the left.
could also use some small stones on the front and lead to the back to the piles and give the overall a more 3D look.

[eviltrain]

any updates???