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Art
Art
Staff member I Donated 2026 Founding Member
Last reply · posted in Fertilizing and Aquarium Chemistry
ScapeFu046.webp
Back in 2015, I did a ScapeFu podcast episode on Dosing Vinegar in Your Aquarium. It was based on the carbon dosing being used in reef aquaria but hypothesizing that it could have some benefits in the planted aquarium too. I still think it does but my thinking has evolved as to why. This is why this posted is marked as a "hypothesis" and should be taken as such instead of truth.

NB, I am not talking about adding a form of inorganic carbon such as glutaraldehyde or Excel for photosynthesis. Although, a byproduct of increased bacterial activity is more CO2 in the water that is expelled by the bacteria. Increasing bacterial populations in reef aquarium have been shown to decrease the aquarium's pH and it's thought to be the result of the metabolism of the bacteria.

Benefits:
  • We are starting to understand that bacteria do more than just uptake nutrients. The compete with other organisms, some of which we want to limit, such as diatoms and dinoflagellates.
  • They may inhibit some types of algae as algae spores will not have a place to colonize.
  • They are very beneficial in converting waste in the aquarium and decreasing DOC. Many waste treatments facilities add them as part of their processes.
  • There may be added benefits within the substrate ecosystem. More to be hypothesized here.
  • Work with plants to absorb nutrients and assist in outcompeting algae. Especially useful during ammonia spikes as they will uptake the ammonia quicker than algae.
  • May work at producing ammonium (NH4) in the planted aquarium thereby creating a readily available (and preferred) for of nitrogen for plants. See The Effect of Caffeine on the Bacterial Populations in a Freshwater Aquarium System.
Things to watch out for:
  • Too much carbon may cause cyanobacteria in the aquarium. The risk differs with different types of carbon addition.
  • Oxygen can be quickly depleted so supplemental oxygen via an air stone is recommended at the beginning.
  • Some think that it may cause BBA in the aquarium. I am not in this camp as I never experienced BBA while I was dosing carbon. All aquariums have heterotrophic bacterial populations.
  • The bacterial will take up nitrate and phosphate so you must be supplementing these and testing so that they don't bottom out. Not too dissimilar to the phosphate uptake when using soils for substrate.
Does anyone have any thoughts on this, even theoretical? When I set up my next planted aquarium, I will experiment with dosing carbon right from the beginning and see if I see any beneficial response during the startup phase.
6 Replies · 1968 views
Naturescapes_Rocco
Supporting I Donated 2026 Rockstar Article Contributor
Last reply · posted in Specific Plant Discussions
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I've really been digging pearlweed in my low tech tank, and thinking of growing a shaped pearlweed bush in my high tech experiment tank.

But I came across this listing for a white/platinum variety of pearlweed. Can't find any info on it anywhere. So I ordered 5 stems, the most expensive pearlweed stems on earth!

Think it'll actually survive/be platinum or light colored?

We really need some lighter colored plants in this hobby. Myrio 'Golden' is one I've successfully used, but it grows too crazy and the trimmings drove me nuts so I ditched it. What other white/platinum plants are there?
15 Replies · 887 views
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riioKen
Last reply · posted in Planted Aquarium Discussion
Hi guys,
I'm planning to do a switch, but I would like to know if it makes sense before buying anything.

My actual tank is a 110x50x60h, this is my first bigger tank and it's the tank where I started to truly love this hobby.
This tanks gave me joy, anxiety and satisfaction.

I bought it for relatively cheap (around 130€), but know I was thinking to buy a standard 120p.

I plan to reuse my old tropica aquasoil (I'll remove the First 1-2cm and topping It with apt feast).

What do you think? It's a waste of time/money or you'll think that is a change that make sense?

I always felt strange about this tanks proportion.

I plan to do it with 3 buckets (fish, plants and soil). The water is fully ro.

Any suggestions for doing it? Is worth it? Or it's just late and I'm overthinking?
2 Replies · 24 views
CincyScaper
Supporting I Donated 2026 Rockstar
Last reply · posted in Planted Aquarium Discussion
With all the talk on Amazonia pro, I wanted to get some basic understanding of rich aquasoil.

- everyone seems to agree that the richer the aquasoil is, the more the amount of water changes you would have to do initially. Basically meaning that aquasoil leaches its contents into the water and you replace the water. Now….. doesn’t that just mean that you are throwing away what you paid for ? Even if one does a dark start, and minimize the number of water changes one still has to do a water change after the dark start and still end up wasting the nitrate/phosphate?

—— trying to ask then does that mean the only person who benefits from a super rich aquasoil is someone like an insta or YouTube person who wants a quick burst of growth with the initial leaching of nutrition. For everyone else wanting a stable long term system, a not so rich aquasoil which might help the plants a little bit in the beginning but being used more for long term stability and buffering capacity?

- do the plants actually get the boost initially from the root zone or is it more from the leaching that happens and ultimately from the WC? The later makes sense since their roots have not yet developed.

- if one has the whole substrate inside a container with water, wouldn’t water touch all aspects of the substrate regardless of it being capped or not ? How does capping a aquasoil actually help? Green aqua stated that ada recommends capping the Amazonia pro with Amazonia 2.

Curious on people’s thoughts on this.
11 Replies · 115 views
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Art
Art
Staff member I Donated 2026 Founding Member
Last reply · posted in Forum News/Feedback
This is the future home for the announcements when someone obtains an achievement badge. Let the games begin!
2055 Replies · 77364 views
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Phish Tank
Supporting
Last reply · posted in Shrimp and Other Invertebrates
I'm looking for recommendations for neocaridina retailers. I'd like to order them at the end of October, and have them shipped to Asheville NC.

Any recommendations?
25 Replies · 1188 views
mrmoss
Last reply · posted in Journals
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.
87 Replies · 5398 views
Kwyet
Supporting I Donated 2026 Rockstar
Last reply · posted in Journals
Sometime in Nov 2024, I bought a 60G Aqueon tank at the 50% off sale. I already had a 75 gallon stand and tank, but I wanted a shorter tank so I could look in over the top. The 75 gallon was relegated to the garage in case I want it again, and I painted the stand black. I also put black vinyl on the back.

My goal was to make a hillstream environment, based on the long-running tank of Rachel O’Leary. I had looked at other options like the river manifolds, but I liked Rachel’s better. I set it up with an fx6 filter, a horizontal spray bar on the left side, and 2nd modified spray bar situated vertically behind a corner Matten filter on the back right side. Glass strips were attached with silicone to hold it. I cut the Matten filter horizontally a few inches from the tank floor so the top part could be easily removed for cleaning. I also cut a small vertical groove from the inside so it wouldn’t constrict the holes so much on the curve.

This was how it looked on Dec 20, 2024:

IMG_6721.webp
50 Replies · 6051 views
Chimera
Last reply · posted in Planted Aquarium Discussion
Hey all,

Just wondering what your thoughts or experiences are with running some form of moon or dusk lighting.
With my tank only running 8hrs of light per day, I have recently added a 2-3% setting on my Chihiros WRGB II from 18:00 - 21:00.
It's running quite a blue light and is just so that I can still get some enjoyment from my fish when I am at home in the evening.

Does anyone else do this in planted tanks? Do you think it will create algae issues?

Cheers
Chimera
2 Replies · 65 views
Art
Art
Staff member I Donated 2026 Founding Member
· posted in Meet & Greet Forum
Welcome to ScapeCrunch, @c.guzman91!
We would love to get to know you. Please tell us about yourself. What tank do you have?
0 Replies · 9 views
Art
Art
Staff member I Donated 2026 Founding Member
· posted in Meet & Greet Forum
Welcome to ScapeCrunch, @X-Aquatixs!
We would love to get to know you. Please tell us about yourself. What tank do you have?
0 Replies · 17 views
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