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With the algae-free success of my 39gal Experimental Tank, which uses completely inert sand and 100% water column fertilization (no aquasoil or root tabs), I learned so much about the actual science of this hobby.
I found that I really loved having a substrate where I was in full control; where nutrients were neither released nor absorbed, and where the entire water chemistry could be decided by me. And best of all, I've had the most algae-free success of my life with this smaller experimental tank!
Once I was able to start growing a dwarf hairgrass carpet in this completely inert sand, I realized I wanted to try that in my large 150p showcase tank. Welcome to:
In my previous build of this tank, I started with 9 bags of aquasoil, and eventually used almost 12 full bags in this tank:
At $62/9L, I spent ~$750 on the aquasoil necessary to fill the previous setup properly, and that was with using cheap lava rock mesh bags underneath in the back to add height!
To start this setup, I needed a substrate.
In my experimental tank, I used medium grit Black Diamond Blasting Sand (BDBS). Black Diamond is the brand, and Blasting Sand is the inert "coal slag" commonly used in this hobby:
One 50lb bag is approx 3.5gal, or 13.2L.
BDBS and Black Beauty are almost identical. BDBS is a bit darker but BB has a larger consistent
At United Western Denver, I picked up 7 bags (350lbs) for only $76. That's less than $11/bag, or $0.83/L .
In the end, I would only use 5 bags for this tank and return the bags, so it cost me less than $56 for the entire substrate of this aquarium. Versus $750 in aquasoil. I saved almost $700 by using BDBS (!!!!)
7 bags for $76
It often has a dusty, oily residue at first. Rinse REALLY well until it's clear!
1) A much larger Horizontal Reactor
2) A massive 55W HO UV Sterilizer
3) Upgrading to 1" (24/31mm) tubing size, with no choke points, across the entire stand
Tommy, the owner of ARC, let me purchase his original prototype acrylic reactor -- which is almost 50% larger than their regular large size.
The reason for upgrading the horizontal reactor is simple: I don't like running my horizontal reactors in overflow mode.
I prefer getting a guaranteed 100% CO2 injection rate, especially with my flowmeters. It's less confounding variables at play, and I waste less CO2.
However, running a reactor in regulator mode not only requires a really good needle valve, it also can build up a gas pocket over time filled with O2 and N2 gasses. If the reactor is too small, it will need to be purged or the splashing noise inside will drive you crazy.
The larger the reactor is, the smaller this "other" gas pocket is. A larger reactor will either never develop a large gas pocket at it's equilibrium, or helps by extending the lenght of time between manual gas purges required. Not a problem for me, as long as I reach 7+ days before needing to purge the reactor! In the previous setup with the "Large" size, I needed to purge every 5-6 days due to splashing noise.
I 3D printed some custom flanges for the 6" holes in the stand walls to accommodate the reactor.
It also means if I ever want to try a larger tank, like 300 gallons, this can be used for that, too!
It's a bit messy, but it works! 55W of Level 1 sterilization achieved!
This was the hardest part of this build, but I really wanted to give it a try.
The current system is setup with 16/22mm (aka 5/8") tubing. This is standard aquascaping/canister filter size tubing, but I wanted... more flow. MUCH more flow.
The system is setup in this order:
I cannot explain just how much larger these 1" pipes are. They're like police batons. Massive!
Tommy also carries a 1" version of the Netlea Prefilter (which is fucking awesome). It's listed as "22mm" but it's not, it's definitely for 1" tubing:
The final "boss" was the Horizontal Reactor. The adapters are 5/8", and I wanted full 1" tubing to have access.
To fix this, I learned how to solvent weld acrylic plastic with Weld-On 3:
First, I practiced drilling and solvent-welding 1" acrylic tubing into a thick piece of scrap acrylic:
Solvent welding acrylic with Weld-On 3 or Weld On 4 literally makes it one piece of plastic. The sheet will break before the joint does (I tried with a hammer, the sheet cracks before the joint even budges!)
Then, I drilled the reactor's acrylic end caps, and solvent-welded in a 1" piece of pipe as the hose barb:
I drilled another hole for a 1/4" RO line bulkhead to inject the CO2 gas, and capped off the original in/out with a removeable PVC cap:
Ready for use! I will just use 1" hose clamps on the silicone hose to attach it to the reactor.
Yes. It was worth it.
When using a 1-gallon pitcher, measuring multiple times, I'm getting somewhere between 1,300 and 1,500 gallons per hour. That's more than what this pump is rated at, flowing through a prefilter, CO2 reactor AND a UV sterilizer.
Here's a video of the flow. It does not do it justice; this one point of water return will literally uproot plants from the substrate and make the tank like a whirlwind:
My fish will be like
Currently, I have the pump running at about 1/3rd speed (can be adjusted on the pump itself). Who knew that 1" upgrade would be so good? Maybe the standard 16/22mm size is restrictive for larger aquariums.
I found that I really loved having a substrate where I was in full control; where nutrients were neither released nor absorbed, and where the entire water chemistry could be decided by me. And best of all, I've had the most algae-free success of my life with this smaller experimental tank!
Once I was able to start growing a dwarf hairgrass carpet in this completely inert sand, I realized I wanted to try that in my large 150p showcase tank. Welcome to:
Inert Sand Trials, Version 1
One successful inert sand tank could always be a fluke. Two successful inert sand tanks? Now, that's getting serious!Main goals of this tank:
- Prove to myself that my current understanding of DIY fertilization can genuinely work (nothing is provided by the substrate)
- Challenge myself by re-creating the setup with the same hardscape as before, to help with comparisons before and after
- Learn to use an inert, unchanging substrate on a massive gallery-quality setup
- See if inert substrates are really better suited for long-term setups!
- Save some money with an incredibly cheaper substrate setup
- Make 3 major upgrades:
- Larger Horizontal Reactor for running in regulator (NOT overflow) mode
- Massive 55W UV sterilizer
- Upgrading tubing/prefilter/lily pipes/pump size to 1" diameter with no smaller choke points
In my previous build of this tank, I started with 9 bags of aquasoil, and eventually used almost 12 full bags in this tank:
At $62/9L, I spent ~$750 on the aquasoil necessary to fill the previous setup properly, and that was with using cheap lava rock mesh bags underneath in the back to add height!
To start this setup, I needed a substrate.
In my experimental tank, I used medium grit Black Diamond Blasting Sand (BDBS). Black Diamond is the brand, and Blasting Sand is the inert "coal slag" commonly used in this hobby:
One 50lb bag is approx 3.5gal, or 13.2L.
- Aquasoil is approx $6.2/L
- BDBS is approx $1.14/L.
BDBS and Black Beauty are almost identical. BDBS is a bit darker but BB has a larger consistent
At United Western Denver, I picked up 7 bags (350lbs) for only $76. That's less than $11/bag, or $0.83/L .
In the end, I would only use 5 bags for this tank and return the bags, so it cost me less than $56 for the entire substrate of this aquarium. Versus $750 in aquasoil. I saved almost $700 by using BDBS (!!!!)
7 bags for $76
To use Blasting Sand, you need to rinse thoroughly:
It often has a dusty, oily residue at first. Rinse REALLY well until it's clear!
There are also 3 major points of upgrade that this tank will be receiving:
1) A much larger Horizontal Reactor
2) A massive 55W HO UV Sterilizer
3) Upgrading to 1" (24/31mm) tubing size, with no choke points, across the entire stand
Tommy, the owner of ARC, let me purchase his original prototype acrylic reactor -- which is almost 50% larger than their regular large size.
1) Upgrading reactor size
The reason for upgrading the horizontal reactor is simple: I don't like running my horizontal reactors in overflow mode.
I prefer getting a guaranteed 100% CO2 injection rate, especially with my flowmeters. It's less confounding variables at play, and I waste less CO2.
However, running a reactor in regulator mode not only requires a really good needle valve, it also can build up a gas pocket over time filled with O2 and N2 gasses. If the reactor is too small, it will need to be purged or the splashing noise inside will drive you crazy.
The larger the reactor is, the smaller this "other" gas pocket is. A larger reactor will either never develop a large gas pocket at it's equilibrium, or helps by extending the lenght of time between manual gas purges required. Not a problem for me, as long as I reach 7+ days before needing to purge the reactor! In the previous setup with the "Large" size, I needed to purge every 5-6 days due to splashing noise.
I 3D printed some custom flanges for the 6" holes in the stand walls to accommodate the reactor.
It also means if I ever want to try a larger tank, like 300 gallons, this can be used for that, too!
2) Adding a 55W Lifeguard Pro-Max Amaglam UV Sterilizer
I run a 7W sterilizer on my experimental tank, and I had a 14W sterilizer on this 150p tank previously. They are not necessary, but I do find that they help prevent some algae and MASSIVELY improve the water clarity. I thought my water was crystal clear , until I installed the 14W sterilizer on the tank. Since I was upgrading these things, I decided to get a "buy it for life" sterilizer:It's a bit messy, but it works! 55W of Level 1 sterilization achieved!
3) Upgrading to 1" tubing/equipment/lily pipes
This was the hardest part of this build, but I really wanted to give it a try.
The current system is setup with 16/22mm (aka 5/8") tubing. This is standard aquascaping/canister filter size tubing, but I wanted... more flow. MUCH more flow.
The system is setup in this order:
- Intake Lily Pipe
- Prefilter
- Horizontal reactor
- UV Sterilizer
- Optimax return pump
- Return lily pipe
I cannot explain just how much larger these 1" pipes are. They're like police batons. Massive!
Tommy also carries a 1" version of the Netlea Prefilter (which is fucking awesome). It's listed as "22mm" but it's not, it's definitely for 1" tubing:
The final "boss" was the Horizontal Reactor. The adapters are 5/8", and I wanted full 1" tubing to have access.
To fix this, I learned how to solvent weld acrylic plastic with Weld-On 3:
First, I practiced drilling and solvent-welding 1" acrylic tubing into a thick piece of scrap acrylic:
Solvent welding acrylic with Weld-On 3 or Weld On 4 literally makes it one piece of plastic. The sheet will break before the joint does (I tried with a hammer, the sheet cracks before the joint even budges!)
Then, I drilled the reactor's acrylic end caps, and solvent-welded in a 1" piece of pipe as the hose barb:
I drilled another hole for a 1/4" RO line bulkhead to inject the CO2 gas, and capped off the original in/out with a removeable PVC cap:
Ready for use! I will just use 1" hose clamps on the silicone hose to attach it to the reactor.
Was it worth it? Did it really upgrade the flow to change everything to 1" diameter?
Yes. It was worth it.
When using a 1-gallon pitcher, measuring multiple times, I'm getting somewhere between 1,300 and 1,500 gallons per hour. That's more than what this pump is rated at, flowing through a prefilter, CO2 reactor AND a UV sterilizer.
Here's a video of the flow. It does not do it justice; this one point of water return will literally uproot plants from the substrate and make the tank like a whirlwind:
My fish will be like
Currently, I have the pump running at about 1/3rd speed (can be adjusted on the pump itself). Who knew that 1" upgrade would be so good? Maybe the standard 16/22mm size is restrictive for larger aquariums.
75 replies
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6278 views
I've just spotted these latest Hygger luminaire lights.
All the bumf seems to claim that they only have RGB LEDs (all 5054 type). Very reasonable prices. Is this a complete bargain for a genuine RGB light ? Or is there a catch ?? THis is way off my areas of expertise.
www.hygger-online.com
All the bumf seems to claim that they only have RGB LEDs (all 5054 type). Very reasonable prices. Is this a complete bargain for a genuine RGB light ? Or is there a catch ?? THis is way off my areas of expertise.
hygger Aquarium Bluetooth LED Light - hygger
hygger Bluetooth LED light is simple and intuitively controlled by APP, its CRI is up to 95, and 300+ colors to choose from for 12"-55" freshwater tanks.
6 replies
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151 views
Hello all, my name is Mike and I just found this site by accident. I think @gjcarew told me @GreggZ had moved here but some how I failed to remember; so I'm glad I found this site today. I am a fan, as you can tell, of GreggZ. He taught me just about everything I know (through his journal on that other site) and I was also banned over a 0dKH discussion 
. So you know, I kind of feel close to the guy. Joking aside, I was able to go from this. 
To this within a short period of time just by reading his journal.
And as time passed I was able to get this nice scape that made my wife happy.
Then I had the pleasure to meet @gjcarew over on a different site and I reached out to him with questions and such; through those conversations he motivated me to make an attempt at the 2022 AGA Dutch competition. Unfortunately, I messed the tank up right when I was about to take my photos and I couldn't recover the tank in time. Here's that tank. Obviously, there are tons of problems with it, but I was proud of it regardless. I believe it had a shot at a top 10. Not really.
I messed up the Myrio and started to get algae because I wasn't front loading properly and I didn't realize it. I believe I went too lean and thought the Landen would cover the difference.
I won't lie, I felt completely defeated and I kind of slowed down on all my tanks and didn't put my full attention into them anymore. Also, my wife and I were getting a bit burned out with so many tanks to maintain. This is where my journal begins.
I wanted a solution to reduce our work load, and I definitely wanted a bigger tank to house my livestock from the other tanks. I was also sick of lugging canister filters around the house then plugging them to realize I forgot to connect a tube. Fountains of water on our walls wasn't working out so well! I also wanted absolutely no water outside of the tank. By chance, I found the Innovative Marine SR Pro2 120 and bought it.
Now here's the cool thing that happened. I was using a 20 inch RO housing for my reactor, but the tank is only 16 inches high. Four inches of Cerge's reactor was incredibly ugly. And again, by chance, I found the solution. Enter the Yugang Horizontal reactor. I affectionally call it by his forum name because I couldn't be happier with how amazing this thing is. It's so simple, yet so brilliant. I reached out to Yugang and asked if he got the reactor to work. He replied with "my CO2 spray bar works so well I never tried it". I then asked if anyone else got it to work and he said no one has tried it. So I told him I would and apparently, I really am the first person to run this thing through some trials. I think that's pretty cool honestly! Yugang made some calculations for me and on the second build, we nailed it. I get a 1.5pH drop and the design makes it so no additianal CO2 can be added. It's seemingly impossible to gas my fish as the reactor has safety built into the design length. Amazing! I'm so glad there are so many people smarter than I am. It makes my problems so much easier to manage
.
The reactor is nothing more than cheap PVC with a gentle stream of tank water flowing under a pocket of CO2. Add a cheap bypass and a method of injection and you now have a Yugang reactor. This success has energized me enough to have another go at the AGA. I bought new lights (Weak Aqua P600's), jammed as many plants I could into the tank and I'm starting my plant selection now. I have a long ways to go but I'm hoping to achieve my goal. The tank is nothing to look at right now; getting plants here in Albuquerque is quite the challenge so I'm mostly waiting on submerge growth and to get them propagated. I also have way too many species but the selection process has begun. I just need to see which ones will grow in Ace Hardware pool filter sand. So far, all seem like they are coming along fine in the sand.
Oh, here's the reactor.
And here's the really ugly tank in it's current condition.
I promise, it will look much better soon. It's been a scramble to pull everything together so quickly.
I hope some of you follow along; I know I will have tons of questions soon enough for all of you!
. So you know, I kind of feel close to the guy. Joking aside, I was able to go from this. To this within a short period of time just by reading his journal.
And as time passed I was able to get this nice scape that made my wife happy.
Then I had the pleasure to meet @gjcarew over on a different site and I reached out to him with questions and such; through those conversations he motivated me to make an attempt at the 2022 AGA Dutch competition. Unfortunately, I messed the tank up right when I was about to take my photos and I couldn't recover the tank in time. Here's that tank. Obviously, there are tons of problems with it, but I was proud of it regardless. I believe it had a shot at a top 10. Not really.
I messed up the Myrio and started to get algae because I wasn't front loading properly and I didn't realize it. I believe I went too lean and thought the Landen would cover the difference.
I won't lie, I felt completely defeated and I kind of slowed down on all my tanks and didn't put my full attention into them anymore. Also, my wife and I were getting a bit burned out with so many tanks to maintain. This is where my journal begins.
I wanted a solution to reduce our work load, and I definitely wanted a bigger tank to house my livestock from the other tanks. I was also sick of lugging canister filters around the house then plugging them to realize I forgot to connect a tube. Fountains of water on our walls wasn't working out so well! I also wanted absolutely no water outside of the tank. By chance, I found the Innovative Marine SR Pro2 120 and bought it.
Now here's the cool thing that happened. I was using a 20 inch RO housing for my reactor, but the tank is only 16 inches high. Four inches of Cerge's reactor was incredibly ugly. And again, by chance, I found the solution. Enter the Yugang Horizontal reactor. I affectionally call it by his forum name because I couldn't be happier with how amazing this thing is. It's so simple, yet so brilliant. I reached out to Yugang and asked if he got the reactor to work. He replied with "my CO2 spray bar works so well I never tried it". I then asked if anyone else got it to work and he said no one has tried it. So I told him I would and apparently, I really am the first person to run this thing through some trials. I think that's pretty cool honestly! Yugang made some calculations for me and on the second build, we nailed it. I get a 1.5pH drop and the design makes it so no additianal CO2 can be added. It's seemingly impossible to gas my fish as the reactor has safety built into the design length. Amazing! I'm so glad there are so many people smarter than I am. It makes my problems so much easier to manage
.The reactor is nothing more than cheap PVC with a gentle stream of tank water flowing under a pocket of CO2. Add a cheap bypass and a method of injection and you now have a Yugang reactor. This success has energized me enough to have another go at the AGA. I bought new lights (Weak Aqua P600's), jammed as many plants I could into the tank and I'm starting my plant selection now. I have a long ways to go but I'm hoping to achieve my goal. The tank is nothing to look at right now; getting plants here in Albuquerque is quite the challenge so I'm mostly waiting on submerge growth and to get them propagated. I also have way too many species but the selection process has begun. I just need to see which ones will grow in Ace Hardware pool filter sand. So far, all seem like they are coming along fine in the sand.
Oh, here's the reactor.
And here's the really ugly tank in it's current condition.
I promise, it will look much better soon. It's been a scramble to pull everything together so quickly.
I hope some of you follow along; I know I will have tons of questions soon enough for all of you!
801 replies
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76734 views
20 gallon breeder seems to have algae issues whenever I go above 10 watts of light in the tank. Co2 Injected.
I'm currently on a 10 hour photoperiod.
I was wondering If I would get better results in color plant robustness if I just did a short but intense burst of light for shorter instead of slow but longer?
Tank is mostly just buces + some eriocaulons. I've noticed better buce color in higher light, which is why I'm asking.
So.
6 Hours (30 Watts) Vs 10 Hours (10 Watts).
My best guess for par values would be 100-150 par (30 watts) 30-50 par (10 watts).
I'm currently on a 10 hour photoperiod.
I was wondering If I would get better results in color plant robustness if I just did a short but intense burst of light for shorter instead of slow but longer?
Tank is mostly just buces + some eriocaulons. I've noticed better buce color in higher light, which is why I'm asking.
So.
6 Hours (30 Watts) Vs 10 Hours (10 Watts).
My best guess for par values would be 100-150 par (30 watts) 30-50 par (10 watts).
9 replies
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192 views
The Biomaster Thermo 600 on my farm tank had been screaming at me lately that it was time for some TLC. It was doing the typical air sucking, hard to prime, small leaks, etc. all the indications it needed to be fully torn down and have all the gaskets/o-rings lubricated. This is the nice thing about having extra complete filters so I can have a pump head, heater, priming assembly, and inlet/outlet connection unit all cleaned, lubed and ready to go on an active filter. This is especially true for the Inlet/Outlet Connection Unit which seems to be the most common cause of leaks and air intrusion. For this reason, I also keep a couple new spares on hand because I've had a couple break in different ways. Today, while tearing the old one down to lube not only the two visible o-rings, but also the 3 buried within, I broke one of the retaining tabs that hold the inner portion in tightly against those buried o-rings. When I grabbed a new one that I'd just recently purchased, I noticed the visible o-rings were now orange instead of the normal black. They also look a little beefier. I wonder if this is Oase addressing the known common issues with this assembly and making some quiet updates and improvements.
Oh, and the farm tank filter is running great again...so far.
Oh, and the farm tank filter is running great again...so far.
12 replies
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484 views
Announcement Final 2 weeks - Please help us make our goal
Hi,
We are in the final 2 weeks of our annual Help Us Cover Our Costs drive. We are short by only $89.
This annual drive is very important to the community because it ensures that we have enough funds to pay for the next two years of site maintenance and to continue to bring you ScapeCrunch for free without any other sponsorship other than the supporting membership.
I know many have already given, so thank you for that. My ask is to please consider contributing any amount, if you can. Really, any amount will help us bridge the $89 gap this year.
Here is the link: Viewing Donation Drive: 2026 Annual Cover Our Costs Drive
Thank you for being a part of our growing community and for helping us cover our costs.
All the best,
Art
We are in the final 2 weeks of our annual Help Us Cover Our Costs drive. We are short by only $89.
This annual drive is very important to the community because it ensures that we have enough funds to pay for the next two years of site maintenance and to continue to bring you ScapeCrunch for free without any other sponsorship other than the supporting membership.
I know many have already given, so thank you for that. My ask is to please consider contributing any amount, if you can. Really, any amount will help us bridge the $89 gap this year.
Here is the link: Viewing Donation Drive: 2026 Annual Cover Our Costs Drive
Thank you for being a part of our growing community and for helping us cover our costs.
All the best,
Art
0 replies
·
36 views
replies
Legacy View
Has anyone had much experience with this plant?
A local shop has just received stock of this version of bacopa, and I’m struggling to find many reports of people’s experiences growing it.
schoolofscape.com.au
I’m a bit gun shy when it comes to white variants of plants that seem new to the hobby, and it’s not cheap so hoping to hear from someone whose grown it before I take the plunge!
Does it hold it’s white form? How much more sensitive than regular bacopa is it?
A local shop has just received stock of this version of bacopa, and I’m struggling to find many reports of people’s experiences growing it.
Bacopa Monnieri 'White'
Enhance your aquascape with Bacopa Monnieri ‘White’. A rare and stunning aquatic plant. Delivered anywhere in Australia.
schoolofscape.com.au
Does it hold it’s white form? How much more sensitive than regular bacopa is it?
15 replies
·
467 views
Hi guys,
Lots may not know me, few maybe yes, following the suggestion from @Burr740, I'm creating my first journal. Seems a very nice moment to start a thread like this, considering that the tank is still doing the Dark Start, and will be planted this week.
The tank is a ~90g 110-50-60h (I'm a metric guy).
Equipment that I own/plan to use are:
- 2 Oase Biomaster Thermo 600
- 1 Week Aqua P900 with hanging kit
- pressurized CO2 with inline kit and regulators from CO2art
- Tropica soil, 8cm front, 10-12cm mid, 15cm at the back
- 2 Lily with intake skimmer
Right now, I'm still looking around for new plants to add in this tank, I have another 20g that is stocked with lots of Rotalas and I plan to reuse the healthy one in here, but considering the size difference I need for sure new plants.
I list all the plant that I like (probably I won't buy all of them, maybe) - attachment
the plants that I already own are:
- Macrandra, orange juice, H'ra Wallichi
- Limnophila hippuridoides
- hygrophila lancea araguaia
- egeria densa and sessiflora
- nymphea red lotus
- AR rosanervig
- bacopa Caroliniana
The plant stock is already quite diverse, but I want to add some more and maybe substitute others.
for sure I want to buy both "ramosior", rotala indica and Meta, because I have lots background plant but very few front and mid.
Lots may not know me, few maybe yes, following the suggestion from @Burr740, I'm creating my first journal. Seems a very nice moment to start a thread like this, considering that the tank is still doing the Dark Start, and will be planted this week.
The tank is a ~90g 110-50-60h (I'm a metric guy).
Equipment that I own/plan to use are:
- 2 Oase Biomaster Thermo 600
- 1 Week Aqua P900 with hanging kit
- pressurized CO2 with inline kit and regulators from CO2art
- Tropica soil, 8cm front, 10-12cm mid, 15cm at the back
- 2 Lily with intake skimmer
Right now, I'm still looking around for new plants to add in this tank, I have another 20g that is stocked with lots of Rotalas and I plan to reuse the healthy one in here, but considering the size difference I need for sure new plants.
I list all the plant that I like (probably I won't buy all of them, maybe) - attachment
the plants that I already own are:
- Macrandra, orange juice, H'ra Wallichi
- Limnophila hippuridoides
- hygrophila lancea araguaia
- egeria densa and sessiflora
- nymphea red lotus
- AR rosanervig
- bacopa Caroliniana
The plant stock is already quite diverse, but I want to add some more and maybe substitute others.
for sure I want to buy both "ramosior", rotala indica and Meta, because I have lots background plant but very few front and mid.
391 replies
·
46654 views
Started a new tank with the idea of show casing Lagenandra meeboldii which I have not showcased before. Wanted to feature Hygrophila lower Hlaingbwe, but I removed it later as I think it would be too large for this tank.
New substrate, new filter, squeezed filter mulm from the other matured tank, then ran the tank one week day before planting. 100% water change after planting, then 100% water change every other day since then. Dosing 1ml APT3 after water change day, and remineralizing to 5dGH using APT Sky. Trying out the low water column dosing approach for the initial period.
Filter: Oase 250
Lights: Week aqua a430 80%
Substrate: APT Feast
Was going to Journal about startup issues, however, it seems like the tank has already stabilized, skipping diatoms and green dust phase.
Freshly planted for a couple of days:
13/2/2026
Replanted the tops for Myriophyllum roraima, Cut and replanted Rotala blood red to begin building up the bush form. Trimmed old leaves
Foreground seems a bit blocky for now, so I think I'lll move stuff round again. Probably when the BV grows out some more.
Pic on 23/2/2026
Readings at this stage:
Potassium: 2.3ppm
Ammonia: 0.1ppm
reduce water changes to 2 times a week.
New substrate, new filter, squeezed filter mulm from the other matured tank, then ran the tank one week day before planting. 100% water change after planting, then 100% water change every other day since then. Dosing 1ml APT3 after water change day, and remineralizing to 5dGH using APT Sky. Trying out the low water column dosing approach for the initial period.
Filter: Oase 250
Lights: Week aqua a430 80%
Substrate: APT Feast
Was going to Journal about startup issues, however, it seems like the tank has already stabilized, skipping diatoms and green dust phase.
Freshly planted for a couple of days:
13/2/2026
Replanted the tops for Myriophyllum roraima, Cut and replanted Rotala blood red to begin building up the bush form. Trimmed old leaves
Foreground seems a bit blocky for now, so I think I'lll move stuff round again. Probably when the BV grows out some more.
Pic on 23/2/2026
Readings at this stage:
Potassium: 2.3ppm
Ammonia: 0.1ppm
reduce water changes to 2 times a week.
64 replies
·
4565 views
I came into some Hygrophila polysperma "white" by Tropica recently. Grew it out and it seems to be able to be shaped into good midground bushes so I decided to create a layout to showcase it. Contemplated whether to use it as the only white plant in the tank, but decided to use some Anubias white petite as well so that the white polysperma doesn't stand out awkwardly.
18 replies
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826 views
Journal Farmer D. Singh's journal
Ive reorganized the order of my tanks so I can better keep track of them ie. Tank 2 moss tank is now tank 3. This helps in any confusion I had when tracking tanks they are in a sort of order now. Rather than taking time editing my old journal id rather create a new thread. Pics will be current (for the most part) as they are posted. I am not aquascaping. I am just farming.
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