FW Planted 5.5g Custom OceanBox/Nano Box Build

[NYfishies]

I top off with RO water, but any water changes are always done with my tap water

Then again, I do water changes almost never for either of my tanks lol

 

Not to confuse me or anything.

[jedimasterben]

Well, my planted tank isn't high tech, no CO2 and so far no ferts or anything, so there isn't anything that can really build up too quickly

[NYfishies]

Well, my planted tank isn't high tech, no CO2 and so far no ferts or anything, so there isn't anything that can really build up too quickly

 

n00b!

 

 

 

 

 

 

How is your planted coming along?

 

Should I be overly concerned how much Prime I mix with my water. Keep in mind a 50% water change is 1.5 gallons and Prime mixes into much larger volumes normally.

[Mariaface]

It's four drops per gallon, so you should be fine. My only concern would be overdosing to the point where dissolved oxygen goes down..

[gus6464]

You need stop thinking like a reefer with planted tanks. Plants feed on "dirty" water. The reason why Ben's case is different than your is because his tank is not high-tech. High-tech and low-tech require completely different maintenance routines. Low-tech has no fert schedule so there is no weekly nitrate/nutrient build-up. High-tech tanks are fast growing, and allow you have plants that would never live in a low-tech tank. The whole buffering and all that nonsense is not required nor recommended in a planted tank ever. Like I said the only time you need to buffer water is when breeding exotic fancy shrimps that have extremely strict requirements.

 

Planted tanks do not require buffers because that's what aquasoil is for. All the ADA soils, Brightwell, Fluval, etc. buffer the water for you to the correct pH.

 

n00b!

 

 

 

 

 

 

How is your planted coming along?

 

Should I be overly concerned how much Prime I mix with my water. Keep in mind a 50% water change is 1.5 gallons and Prime mixes into much larger volumes normally.

You can't overdose prime.

[NYfishies]

You need stop thinking like a reefer with planted tanks. Plants feed on "dirty" water. The reason why Ben's case is different than your is because his tank is not high-tech. High-tech and low-tech require completely different maintenance routines. Low-tech has no fert schedule so there is no weekly nitrate/nutrient build-up. High-tech tanks are fast growing, and allow you have plants that would never live in a low-tech tank. The whole buffering and all that nonsense is not required nor recommended in a planted tank ever. Like I said the only time you need to buffer water is when breeding exotic fancy shrimps that have extremely strict requirements.

 

Planted tanks do not require buffers because that's what aquasoil is for. All the ADA soils, Brightwell, Fluval, etc. buffer the water for you to the correct pH.

You can't overdose prime.

 

Appreciate the good help! I suppose my concern is not the plants (I actually put the plants in when I cycled the tank), but instead the fishies that are now in there.

 

For instance I can only run CO2 for a short time per week before the drop checker starts turning yellowish. I run it last night for like 2 hours for the first time in over a week.

 

Also, I plan to do the 50% Sunday water changes that go along with the EI dosing so I do not want to cause large swings in water chemistry during this time. I guess that's why I was excited about using RODI. Instead, as you recommend I can use tap water with Prime and with you saying I cannot overdose Prime that relieves that concern.

[gus6464]

 

Appreciate the good help! I suppose my concern is not the plants (I actually put the plants in when I cycled the tank), but instead the fishies that are now in there.

 

For instance I can only run CO2 for a short time per week before the drop checker starts turning yellowish. I run it last night for like 2 hours for the first time in over a week.

 

Also, I plan to do the 50% Sunday water changes that go along with the EI dosing so I do not want to cause large swings in water chemistry during this time. I guess that's why I was excited about using RODI. Instead, as you recommend I can use tap water with Prime and with you saying I cannot overdose Prime that relieves that concern.

 

Your CO2 isn't calibrated properly. A properly installed CO2 system should turn on an hour before lights on and off an hour before lights off. During the entire time the CO2 and lights are on the drop checker should be green. If it's yellow that means you are putting co2 faster in the tank than the plants are absorbing during photosynthesis.

 

Co2 is not something that is ran sporadically. It has to run every time lights are on. So you are either going to have to lower your co2 bubble rate or increase light intensity. A good number to strive for in PAR is 70. That pretty much grows anything. CO2 is required at this level or stuff is doing to die or tank will be overrun by algae.

 

The large swing in water parameters that you are afraid of has to do with nutrients which fish do not care about. You need to have a nitrate of 80 before it starts being toxic to fish. There is no way your nitrate should ever be that high if your light and co2 is calibrated properly.

 

Also you want plants to thrive as it's your main source of biological filtration. A tank full of thriving plants will filter your water better than any mechanical filter ever will.

[jedimasterben]

Using RODI is actually causing a larger swing because it has basically nothing in it other than some dissolved gases, but again you're thinking like a reefer lol. Plants aren't sensitive to changes like that, and for the most part fish are not, either. This is the reason you can take a fish home from the LFS and just drop it into the tank having wildly different parameters than the LFS and the fish won't miss a beat, so long as there is enough O2 in the tank for them (which is only a problem in very rare scenarios).

Your CO2 isn't calibrated properly. A properly installed CO2 system should turn on an hour before lights on and off an hour before lights off. During the entire time the CO2 and lights are on the drop checker should be green. If it's yellow that means you are putting co2 faster in the tank than the plants are absorbing during photosynthesis.

 

Co2 is not something that is ran sporadically. It has to run every time lights are on. So you are either going to have to lower your co2 bubble rate or increase light intensity. A good number to strive for in PAR is 70. That pretty much grows anything. CO2 is required at this level or stuff is doing to die or tank will be overrun by algae.

He has an Aquarium plants Carbondoser, and it turned to the lowest setting possible. It's a bit too much on a 5 gallon tank lol.

 

I also don't think he has any true high tech requirement plants in there right now, so none of his plants will suffer without everything running like clockwork

[gus6464]

Using RODI is actually causing a larger swing because it has basically nothing in it other than some dissolved gases, but again you're thinking like a reefer lol. Plants aren't sensitive to changes like that, and for the most part fish are not, either. This is the reason you can take a fish home from the LFS and just drop it into the tank having wildly different parameters than the LFS and the fish won't miss a beat, so long as there is enough O2 in the tank for them (which is only a problem in very rare scenarios).

He has an Aquarium plants Carbondoser, and it turned to the lowest setting possible. It's a bit too much on a 5 gallon tank lol.

 

I also don't think he has any true high tech requirement plants in there right now, so none of his plants will suffer without everything running like clockwork

 

I thought he had HC in his tank? Even on an ADA Mini S HC can use up quite a bit of CO2. The carbon doser can supposedly do 1 bubble per 10 seconds, there is no way that is still too much co2 for his tank.

[jedimasterben]

As for my tank, it is doing well since I put in that buttload of new plants. Some of the rotala has reached the water line! There is a big dead spot right under the return, so I ordered a 3/4 to dual 1/2" location line converter, some 1/2" location line, and two 1/2x3/8" nozzles, hopefully splitting the flow will help keep the water moving a bit better. Lemme tell ya, I was super impressed with my Sunsun HW-302 canister filter, but the bigger brother, the 304, just isn't any better or any more flow, which sucks hard. I put one of my 3/4" eductors on, and it just increased the outflow power by around 50%, but it still wasn't enough. I like my planted tanks to be fairly high energy lol. The eductor also sucks in the totals that was at the water line

 

 

I thought he had HC in his tank? Even on an ADA Mini S HC can use up quite a bit of CO2. The carbon doser can supposedly do 1 bubble per 10 seconds, there is no way that is still too much co2 for his tank.

Yeah, I had the same thought as you, but I've talked to him quite a bit with adjusting it and trying lots of stuff, so I trust that he's got it set right

[gus6464]

Well from his progression pics the HC looks like it hasn't spread much at all which means his light intensity is too low. HC with right amount of light and co2 spreads like wildfire really quickly.

[brad908]

All this fresh water talk makes my head hurt. Maybe I am just running extremely easy plants, but all I do is a 10 gallon water change once a week. I fill my bucket with tap water, throw in some prime (never measure, just whatever feels right). Every 2 weeks I will trim the grass. Filtration is just an eheim 22314 with a small bag of chemi pure blue. Or maybe I am just lucky to not have issues and incredible growth. No co2, no additivies. Just feed the fish twice a day with some flake food.

 

[NYfishies]

 

Your CO2 isn't calibrated properly. A properly installed CO2 system should turn on an hour before lights on and off an hour before lights off. During the entire time the CO2 and lights are on the drop checker should be green. If it's yellow that means you are putting co2 faster in the tank than the plants are absorbing during photosynthesis.

 

Co2 is not something that is ran sporadically. It has to run every time lights are on. So you are either going to have to lower your co2 bubble rate or increase light intensity. A good number to strive for in PAR is 70. That pretty much grows anything. CO2 is required at this level or stuff is doing to die or tank will be overrun by algae.

 

The large swing in water parameters that you are afraid of has to do with nutrients which fish do not care about. You need to have a nitrate of 80 before it starts being toxic to fish. There is no way your nitrate should ever be that high if your light and co2 is calibrated properly.

 

Also you want plants to thrive as it's your main source of biological filtration. A tank full of thriving plants will filter your water better than any mechanical filter ever will.

 

What we has is called Micranthemum Monte Carlo. Hardier that Baby Tears which is what i really wanted. Perhaps we should switch it out before it grows too much? I actually thought the growth rate was doing pretty good!

 

So if I don't use Prime things like chlorine won't kill the fish? Still a bit confused about using tap water.

 

On the Doser I can dial down the size of the bubbles as well as the frequency.

 

I got home today and the bubble checker is clearly blue. I have not set up a timer yet and have been turning it on and off manually.

 

Shall I setup a timer and put it on the lowest and go from there? Lights run at 50%. I will increase to 75%?

All this fresh water talk makes my head hurt. Maybe I am just running extremely easy plants, but all I do is a 10 gallon water change once a week. I fill my bucket with tap water, throw in some prime (never measure, just whatever feels right). Every 2 weeks I will trim the grass. Filtration is just an eheim 22314 with a small bag of chemi pure blue. Or maybe I am just lucky to not have issues and incredible growth. No co2, no additivies. Just feed the fish twice a day with some flake food.

 

 

Awesome tank!

 

I know I am overdoing it. I wanted Sarah to be able to keep any plants she wants. We are still very new to the planted tank world so really have not found any challenging species yet.

As for my tank, it is doing well since I put in that buttload of new plants. Some of the rotala has reached the water line! There is a big dead spot right under the return, so I ordered a 3/4 to dual 1/2" location line converter, some 1/2" location line, and two 1/2x3/8" nozzles, hopefully splitting the flow will help keep the water moving a bit better. Lemme tell ya, I was super impressed with my Sunsun HW-302 canister filter, but the bigger brother, the 304, just isn't any better or any more flow, which sucks hard. I put one of my 3/4" eductors on, and it just increased the outflow power by around 50%, but it still wasn't enough. I like my planted tanks to be fairly high energy lol. The eductor also sucks in the totals that was at the water line

 

 

 

Yeah, I had the same thought as you, but I've talked to him quite a bit with adjusting it and trying lots of stuff, so I trust that he's got it set right

 

No fish yet?

 

Looks good!

[gus6464]

The CO2 has to be on a timer cycle with the lights. It should turn on 1 hour before lights on and turn off 1 hour before lights off. What is your photoperiod? Don't go more than 6 hours starting out. Monte carlo is a great carpet and grows fast. My last planted tank had a monte carlo carpet. With monte carlo the stronger the light the more packed together it grows. If you don't give it enough light it grows upward.

 

I started out with this:

 

And grew it out to this in less than 4 months:

 

That filled up 4x ziplock sandwich bags with it folded together like a sandwich.

[jedimasterben]

No fish yet?

 

Looks good!

It's had fish in it since the day I filled it up lol. Some guppies, a clown pleco, and I added a blue/white betta a couple weeks later.

[gus6464]

I might have just scored a Matheson 3102C for $35 on the bay of e's

[Matteo]

I am slowly in the planning of using my fluval spec V as a freshwater Planted. I am thinking Pea Puffers!

[NYfishies]

I am slowly in the planning of using my fluval spec V as a freshwater Planted. I am thinking Pea Puffers!

 

Duuude we want those so bad, but I think they are meanies.

[Matteo]

 

Duuude we want those so bad, but I think they are meanies.

Definitely little brats but just get 4 of them for a little tank by themselves and they're so fun! I might just do your classic neons though

[NYfishies]

Well thanks to you guys I have been able to dial in my CO2 dosing where it is adding the right amount daily. Set up a timer to turn it on 1 hour prior to the Nano Box and to turn off 1 hour prior to the Nano Box shutting down. I lowered the size of the bubbles being added via the CarbonDoser and it seems like the right combo for the amount of plants growing in the tank at the moment!

 

Fish are all still alive and happy. I feed them pellets once a day using the IM Gourmet Grinder.

 

I have been on the EI ferts regiments now for 1 full week and it cannot be easier. This tank is really a treat. Takes very little work to maintain what has turned out to be a very nice looking Pico.

 

I am just running Purigen and Filter Floss in the back chamger together with ceramic pieces for biological filtration.

 

The Tunza Nano ATO has been running now for 5 days without any issues. I am not using the magnetic mount at all and rather have the sensor lying in the back chamber. I am very concerned with this so I will never overfill the ATO container. This is really to be used when we are out of town. I can see myself buying the Apex JR simply control of the CO2 and a leak detector for the ATO.

 

Through Dave's advice and inspiration I took the plunge and bought a Sony A6000 base camera with a 50mm lens to play with. Memory card will arrive tomorrow so new pics to follow!! This thing is badass!

[NYfishies]

Hi all,

 

Little photo update!

 

I am a total camera noob.

 

photo hosting

[NYfishies]

Hey all,

 

Tank is doing great. Everything is growing like crazy and very green.

 

Here are some pictures!

 

I toss out the lilly pads by the handful each week and it looks like we need to start trimming the carpet.

We want to add some more fish so hopefully will get to the LFS soon!

Thanks for following.

[NYfishies]

Hi all,

 

We picked up some plants from Dustin's Fish Tanks at RAPNY this past weekend. We added:

 

Utricularia graminifolia

Cryptocoryne spec. 'Flamingo'

Alternanthera reineckii 'Mini'

 

I sort of destroyed the Utricularia while trying to plant it - it just falls apart. I think it should root and recover though.

 

I trimmed and threw out a ton before planting the new additions. Crazy how dense the carpet is!

 

 

I have kept up with the liquid ferts and the CO2 doser seems to be flawless.

 

Today I am noticing small bubbles rising to the top from random places. Not sure what that is?

 

Thanks for following!

[Mariaface]

Is it pearling? Or air building up in the substrate and coming out? I've seen both happen..

[NYfishies]

Is it pearling? Or air building up in the substrate and coming out? I've seen both happen..

 

Looks like it is coming off the plants/rocks/wood. Maybe algae?