Journal 120 Dutch Ft. Yugang Reactor (Horizontal CO2 Reactor)

[FrankZ]

Well, my tank just hit rock bottom. I've been dosing and some how, the tank is consuming everything. I'd imagine the tank has been bottoming out for a couple of weeks now. I tunneled and was trying to fix everything else while ignoring nutrients. I never thought this tank would be so hungry.

1st alarm went off when growth started to slow down. Next was a near stop in growth. Then, my more grumpy plants started throwing leaves off at a shocking rate with some fuzz algae in places. Added a few new plants that near immediately went down hill. So, I said let me test, woops. Near no detectable NO3 and and maybe 2ppm of PO4.

Today, I will clean all the glass and clean the sump up, do a larger water change than I normally do, go ahead and front load Macros just to get the tank out of shock. I've been following @Burr740 nutrient solution of 2ml per 10 gallons 4.47 NO3/1.22 PO4/6.32 K per dose. I'm going to dose 160ml after the water change and give it a few hours before I test. It's certainly possible I screwed up the mix or am severely underestimating the gallons of the tank. We will see.

Ouch that’s a lot of hungry plants. Mine really started to turn around when I began adding 15/5/16 (5 extra K than what the N/P bring) at my 50% water change. I do two additional doses before the next water change at @Burr740 recommended levels. Might be worth a shot to increase the initial dose after a water change. That 15/5/16 is higher than a regular double dose of burrs macros

 

[Unexpected]

Ouch that’s a lot of hungry plants. Mine really started to turn around when I began adding 15/5/16 (5 extra K than what the N/P bring) at my 50% water change. I do two additional doses before the next water change at @Burr740 recommended levels. Might be worth a shot to increase the initial dose after a water change. That 15/5/16 is higher than a regular double dose of burrs macros

Thanks for the reply, yeah you’re right. I’ve always over stocked my tanks and this is the first strict stocking. I was not prepared for how much these plants actually eat. I’ll probably quadruple dose after water change and then go 2 more a bit above the recommended 2ml per 10.

 

[Burr740]

Yeah Im not shy about doing a 3x post water change macro dose (the equivalent of 2x extra doses). Tanks like this I just hammer with macros. Theres very little risk of dosing too much. Whats the worst that can happen, a little gda on the glass?

I know that "low NO3" is all the rage these days, but thats only if you have fresh new aquasoil and specifically set up to run low NO3. Otherwise my motto is literally raise macros at the first sign of unknown issues, because thats usually what it is. Obviously this assumes that I know my co2 is good and the tank is clean

 

[gjcarew]

Yeah I'm probably "overdosing" so to speak but the price is an extra 3 minutes scraping glass per week. One I'll happily pay to not have to worry about stunting and decaying plants

 

[Unexpected]

I know that "low NO3" is all the rage these days

I'm definitely in camp "Slop the Pigs", no desire to limit anything.

 

[Koan]

definitely in camp "Slop the Pigs"

 

[Unexpected]

Well, while my main tank has been disintegrating, I was able to set up a grow out tank. Did it as cheaply as possible and it’s humming along now. Put a hydroponic light on it for real cheap. The light is real yellow but the goal is just grow plants as fast as possible. Bit of algae but it is expected. 32 inch @Yugang reactor, spider farm light and a small eheim filter.

The main tank took a huge hit and I successfully killed my kuhli’s with too much H2O2 . So that’s fun…Cut it back and fingers are crossed. Won’t make the AGA if it’s soon.
Hoping desperately to save the Balsamica.

I’ve put the 120 on farm as well and getting things spread out. Not much going on there.

 

[gjcarew]

Well, while my main tank has been disintegrating, I was able to set up a grow out tank. Did it as cheaply as possible and it’s humming along now. Put a hydroponic light on it for real cheap. The light is real yellow but the goal is just grow plants as fast as possible. Bit of algae but it is expected. 32 inch @Yugang reactor, spider farm light and a small eheim filter.View attachment 6195

The main tank took a huge hit and I successfully killed my kuhli’s with too much H2O2. So that’s fun…Cut it back and fingers are crossed. Won’t make the AGA if it’s soon.View attachment 6196
Hoping desperately to save the Balsamica.

I’ve put the 120 on farm as well and getting things spread out. Not much going on there.View attachment 6197

Damn, sounds like an apocalypse. What happened?

 

[Unexpected]

Yeah, it’s bad. Severally underestimated my dosing and I believe I was bottomed out for a bit over a week. I tried fixing everything else and never checked levels. When I got curious, yeah 0 NO3 and like 2ppm PO4.

 

[gjcarew]

Well at this point they might as well push the AGA aquascaping contest to 2025, so you'll have plenty of time!

 

[Unexpected]

Well at this point they might as well push the AGA aquascaping contest to 2025, so you'll have plenty of time!

Joe @Burr740 spoke with someone, apparently we should have an announcement soonish.

 

[gjcarew]

You do your best work on a deadline anyways

 

[Unexpected]

True.

 

[SkaleyAquatics]

Dang, stick with it. At this rate it'll be Christmas before the deadline lol.

 

[Mr.Shenanagins]

Yeah just keep grinding. I just wiped out my stems due to my own f up somehow. Natures way of telling me to start over I guess

 

[Sean Riva]

There is comedy in Aqua Scaping.

Gorgeous tank, gorgeous relationship, hate the sump noise, will definitely be learning from you and others on here! That is for sharing.

 

[Unexpected]

Gorgeous tank, gorgeous relationship, hate the sump noise, will definitely be learning from you and others on here! That is for sharing.

lol, Ty. Yeah, the 120 is an AIO tank and definitely has noise. Not a true sump. I DIY,d some mesh to silence the overflows and we had them off during this video. But definitely, AIO tanks have noise.

 

[Unexpected]

Just a quick update. Seems like the 100 is doing better, still have areas of algae but the tank seems to be growing now. Just a bit of higher Nitrates so testing every few days just to see if I'm going in the right direction. The farm tanks are looking decent and I'm rehabbing a few species hoping they survive. Ordered a ton of moss from APF, and received garbage. That will be my last order from them. Reached out to Aqua Rocks, ordered a ton of moss and it came in looking good. So I have 3 sheets of moss wall started in the 100 and 3 sheets on standby in the 120. Might as well do a moss wall now since the AGA still hasn't announced. If they do announce, I'll just do something in the 40 as it's doing quite well.


Over all, things are looking sad in this house but this has been a solid learning experience. Every disaster makes me a better gardener.

I ordered Aqua Rocks @Yugang reactor for the 100 and should have it installed next week. I’ll update once it’s running.

 

[ElleDee]

Do you guys really need the aga announcement to start working? Does the contest demand that everything be done within a certain window to time? The categories and rules are static, right? Educate me.

There really ought to be an aquascaping competition with a surprise theme and like, a three month deadline...

 

[Unexpected]

Do you guys really need the aga announcement to start working? Does the contest demand that everything be done within a certain window to time? The categories and rules are static, right? Educate me.

There really ought to be an aquascaping competition with a surprise theme and like, a three month deadline...

No, we can start a tank and the rules state pictures can be taken within the year of the contest and submitted after the announcement. I just got started on the tank late personally so have been trying to have it all ready. But I’m set back now so an announcement now would suck. Usually have a few months after announcement to submit.