Journal 80cm (32”) collectoritis tank

[JacksonL]

I have rarely kept journals for my tanks, mostly because I tend to not think about it until it’s too late. I have missed the jump on this one too, but as it has only been running for 2-3 months now I think it’s newish enough to start a journal.
Tank:
80cm x 45cm x 40cm (32” x 18” x 16”)
About 130L of water, or 34 US gallons.

I upgraded from a 60L tank that had been running for about 7 years, fairly steadily. I have always enjoyed smaller tanks and so kept this upgrade fairly modest.

Here is a picture of the tank as it is today:





As you can see, I suffer from collectoritis, and have definitely prioritised lots of plant species over ‘scaping’. One of the joys for me in this hobby is growing lots of different plants, so I tend to end up with jungles with many different stems.

The tank is just beginning to stabilise now, with the fresh soil finally not messing around with the water parameters so violently.
I use remineralised RO water cut slightly with tap water at the moment, as I find that ‘matures’ the soil faster in the beginning of a tank.
Below is the running sheet for this tank, which gives a good idea of the water parameters.

 

[JacksonL]

Equipment:

• Filter: Fluval 307, stainless steel outflow and intake with a surface skimmer.
• Light: Week Aqua 'L' Series 600 pro.
• CO2: DIY Cerges reactor, with an Up Aqua pH controller used as a 'back stop' to prevent over injection.
• Dosing: Chihiros Dosing Mate (2x 2 channel for 4 channels total) dosing a PO4 mix, a nitrogen mix (both of those have added K from potassium sulphate), a DIY trace mix and an iron mix.
• Extra flow: a small wavemaker at substrate level at the back that runs for 15minutes 5 times per day. I added this as I found detritus was collecting back there.
• Heating and cooling: an ATC-1000 temperature controller. Hydor external heater. 7x USB low profile USB fans across the back of the tank that are nice and hidden.
• ATO: old tunze osmolator that I have had for about 20 years that refuses to quit.

Fish:

• 10 x Rummynose Tetras
• 6x Golden Neon Tetras
• 1x Neon Blue Dwarf Gourami
• 2x Bolivian Butterfly Rams
• 2x Super Red Bristlenose
• 5x Ottocinculus
• 6x Similis "Smudge Spot" Corydorus

Plants:

• Rotala Macrandra 'Red Variegated'
• Rotala Blood Red
• Rotala Mini Type 4 Green
• Rotala Tulundensis
• Rotala Mini Type 2
• Rotala Florida
• Samolus Parviflorus
• Cryptocoryne Parva
• Cryptocoryne Flamingo
• Staurogyne Repens
• Staurogyne Repens 'Porte Velho'
• Hygrophila Araguaia
• Hygrophila Pinnatifida
• Ludwigia Sphaerocarpa
• Ludwigia Sphaerocarpa 'mini'
• Ludwigia 'meta'
• Ludwigia Verticilliata 'Cuba'
• Ludwigia 'Super Red'
• Meeboldii 'Bleeding Heart'
• Echinodorus 'Fancy twist'
• Echinordorus Reni
• Eriocaulon Vietnam
• AR Mini
• Ammania Gracilis
• Pogostomon Stellatus
• Pogostomon Helferi
• Pogostomon Helferi 'pink'
• Mermaid Weed
• Java Fern Mini
• Anubias nana
• Anubias nana petite
• Anubias pinto
• Anubias gold
• Anubias Pangolino
• Anubias viper
• Bucephalandra
• Limnophila Aromatica
• Limnophila Aromatica 'kalmantan mini'
• Hydrocotyle tripartita 'Japan mini'
• Red Root Floaters
• Various mosses that have hitchhiked in from previous tanks.

 

[JacksonL]

Some photos of the tank today:

 

[Phish Tank]

As you can see, I suffer from collectoritis, and have definitely prioritised lots of plant species over ‘scaping’.

I’m still in the “try a bunch of different plants, and maybe some will survive “ mode, which can lead to collectoritis..

Nice tank! and wow your running sheet is detailed.

 

[Naturescapes_Rocco]

Awesome tank. What's different about this L aromatica mini variant vs the regular one?

 

[JacksonL]

Awesome tank. What's different about this L aromatica mini variant vs the regular one?

The growth form seems much more conducive to mid/foreground. It stays much more compact and bushy, puts out branches without trimming the tops.

 

[CincyScaper]

Great journal, and that is some detailed sheet!!
If you are adding ~3 ppm of nitrates a week, I am curious how you end up with 5 ppm of nitrates post wc? Do you do a front load ?

Interesting light settings, I am sure the moon light would look pretty cool.

 

[JacksonL]

Great journal, and that is some detailed sheet!!
If you are adding ~3 ppm of nitrates a week, I am curious how you end up with 5 ppm of nitrates post wc? Do you do a front load ?

Interesting light settings, I am sure the moon light would look pretty cool.

Yes, I front load, so those dosing numbers are just the daily doses. That plus fish feeding keeps my nitrate levels fairly even throughout the week.
I do enjoy the moon light effect.

 

[JacksonL]

I have never grown H. Pinnatifida as an epiphyte before. I’ve always had it in the soil. I’m enjoying the compact, sprawling growth and red stem working its way across the wood.

 

[BenB]

What substrate are you using?
Your tank looks great. I use less species and mine still looks like

I'm trying to figure out your table. The info is there, it's my brain that has to get it sorted.
So you dose tiny bits of NO3 and PO4 multiple times a day every day?
Our tanks would be on the very opposite ends of the stability spectrum. I'm working on it.

 

[JayP]

I have never grown H. Pinnatifida as an epiphyte before. I’ve always had it in the soil. I’m enjoying the compact, sprawling growth and red stem working its way across the wood. View attachment 13758

It will work its way into everything fairly quick. I like it but it can be pretty invasive.

 

[Mr.Shenanagins]

It will work its way into everything fairly quick. I like it but it can be pretty invasive.

I’ve never successfully grown it which is odd because it’s not a difficult plant. I’d like to use it this next go round though.

 

[JacksonL]

What substrate are you using?
Your tank looks great. I use less species and mine still looks like

I'm trying to figure out your table. The info is there, it's my brain that has to get it sorted.
So you dose tiny bits of NO3 and PO4 multiple times a day every day?
Our tanks would be on the very opposite ends of the stability spectrum. I'm working on it.

It is a local (Australian) brand, School of Scape. It seems very similar to UNS Controsoil.
Yes, I dose tiny amounts per day, and front load after water changes to try and keep levels as stable as possible.

 

[JacksonL]

It will work its way into everything fairly quick. I like it but it can be pretty invasive.

Handy to know. It has definitely spread laterally very quickly!
I will start clipping it off if it heads away from where I’d like it, and remove it if it becomes a constant battle.

 

[JacksonL]

The $30 Aliexpress flow meter is in, and touch wood it isn’t a complete failure.
It is a 6-60ml model. With my CO2 needle valve setting it sits under the 6ml mark but above zero. I have made a Sharpie mark at the spot, and figure it will at least give me a quick sight check after a bottle change. I always stress that I have bumped the super sensitive needle valve, at least this will put my mind at rest. I have ordered a 2.5-25ml model to hopefully get a little bit more ‘accurate’.
I highly doubt the measurements are even remotely accurate, I just want them to be consistent!
The adjustment valve on it is basically useless. Either ‘on’ or ‘off’, but that isn’t unexpected!

 

[Naturescapes_Rocco]

Drop the link to that lower scale model! I'm interested.

 

[JacksonL]

Drop the link to that lower scale model! I'm interested.

Here is the 2.5-25ml I have ordered: 8mm Tube Glass Rotameter LZB-3WB Flow Meter Variable area flowmeter for Gas or liquid

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mObIut3

 

[Naturescapes_Rocco]

Interesting. Keep us updated once it comes in!

 

[Aquajack]

Great setup. How have you found the Up Aqua pH controller? I assume you can just set the PH in a range for a certain time of the day? I wonder does it need calibrating much?

Oh thanks for the tip I see in your earlier post about school of scape. Not that many resources here in Aus in a relative sense so more the better.

 

[BenB]

I looked at them a few weeks back when you and Rocco were discussing them and they were crazy expensive. I was maybelooking at the wrong thing.... or wrong site. I was going to ask how you knew which one to get, but seems you're ordering a smaller one, so you weren't sure.

I highly doubt the measurements are even remotely accurate, I just want them to be consistent!

Yeah, if you can figure out that you have 30ppm CO2 at one mark and 50ppm at another, then it doesn't really matter what the gauge reads as long as when you put it to where you want it, you get what you expected.

This is cool. I'm not a very technical person. So you had to remove your needle valve to get this installed?