- Thread starter
- #161
I've asked to them on Instagram, they replied to all my messages so I'm confident that tomorrow we'll receive a response.
Welcome to ScapeCrunch
We are ScapeCrunch, the place where planted aquarium hobbyists come to build relationships and support each other. When you're tired of doom scrolling, you've found your home here.
Help 90g, Dutch style, first try
- Thread starter riioKen
- Start date
- Tagged users None
- Thread starter
- #162
Probably I've found something...
The Arka is 700 scale, when I tested it with the 50ppm solution, it gave me... 50ppm as result.
The Chinese one instead gave me 36ppm.
Guess what is the conversion of 700 scale to 500 for 50ppm? 36ppm.
Isn't much, but is something to work on.
- Thread starter
- #163
Well, arka replied to me this morning, they use scale500
FrankZ
Well-known Member
- Thread starter
- #165
Well, TDS today is 230-240ppm (afaik scale500).
KH 3 and GH 7 (both are decreasing after the WC with ro).
If I would like to add CRS, the tds is way off of suggested 100-180ppm, but if I look the gh-kh, then it's just a little bit higher.
Lastly, I'm reading a lot of KH 0, and pH swings (crashing). But if I'm not wrong, the pH swing (with KH constant at whatever value) is not a problem.
As suggested in my journal and after watching journals of lots of you there, I have come to a conclusion that there are many myths related to KH 0:
1) pH crash due to 0 KH. As I understand it, it means that throughout the day the pH "could" drop to 3-4 rapidly and kills both bacteria (cycle) and livestock.
2)pH fluctuates suddenly during the day, rising and falling on its own.
3) Bacteria can't live in pH below 6 (@GreggZ probably would have something to say lol)
I did a quick recap that I found on internet when searching for "KH 0 planted tank".
Even GreenAqua have a video saying that the KH MUST BE > 0 or the tank will crash due pH swing.
Where is the truth? As far as I understand, if the tank has KH 0 and receive regular water changes weekly, there nothing to worry about, its working pH will be lower (between 5 - 6.8 range), but if the KH remain fixed to a point (0, 1 or whatever) the pH change will not affect the livestock.
Last edited:
Excellent link. Much appreciated.
- Thread starter
- #168
FrankZ
Well-known Member
That’s a ramshorn snail. Won’t hurt a thing
- Thread starter
- #170
New update:
Yesterday I did another WC 50%, 100% RO, with GH 6 KH 0 and tds 140ppm.
Aquarium water measure 230ppm. After I did the WC instead of lowering, it raised to 280ppm.
The aquarium water params are:
GH 6.5
KH 2
TDS/EC 280/560.
Is the pen faulty or there is something else going on?
About the AR in the photo, is that sign of physical damage?
Yesterday I did another WC 50%, 100% RO, with GH 6 KH 0 and tds 140ppm.
Aquarium water measure 230ppm. After I did the WC instead of lowering, it raised to 280ppm.
The aquarium water params are:
GH 6.5
KH 2
TDS/EC 280/560.
Is the pen faulty or there is something else going on?
About the AR in the photo, is that sign of physical damage?
Attachments
I remember when I first said I was going to pure RO water, some people gasped.
Now years later I know many who are running near zero dKH tanks.
pH crash is mostly a myth. It can happen, but when it does it's not from lack of carbonates, it's from VERY poor maintenance. In a well maintained planted tank there is nothing at all to worry about.
And by the way really enjoying following your journey!
Wouldnt the simple fact of water circulation prevent ph from bottoming out? In reef tanks, protein skimmers increase the ph (some) via all the oxygen they add to the water.
- Thread starter
- #173
@Burr740 little question about sera reactor (i have the 1000 version), i've installed it yersteday (after co2 switched off) but i've removed it because i felt that the flow was greatly reduced (the surface skimmer was not moving at all while it usually spins). Even if the flow is reduced, i have 2 filter, and the reactor was only on 1 of the two (2 oase biomaster 600 1250lph), but honestly i was afraid that the flow wasn't enough. Is it a true concern of just overthinking?
They slow down the flow considerably. Thats the main reason I dont run them on the 75 gals because I only want one canister. The one I do run is on a 50 gal with the biggest sunsun canister so it needs toning down anyway
To your question, I dont believe you need to worry about having enough flow. By that I mean in-tank water circulation. With the other canister it should be fine. You dont want a whirlwind anyway, just water moving gently throughout all areas
And dont forget about surface agitation. The skimmer helps a lot w/O2 exchange but make sure you have a decent amount of surface action. Not a ton but say 20-25% of the surface area being disrupted
To your question, I dont believe you need to worry about having enough flow. By that I mean in-tank water circulation. With the other canister it should be fine. You dont want a whirlwind anyway, just water moving gently throughout all areas
And dont forget about surface agitation. The skimmer helps a lot w/O2 exchange but make sure you have a decent amount of surface action. Not a ton but say 20-25% of the surface area being disrupted
When a CO2 bubble is released in a rotating water column, the bubbles' motion in the vertical direction will be almost entirely unaffected by the bubbles' motion in the horizontal direction from the rotation. The rotation may intuitively suggest an improvement of the CO2 retention time and absorption, but our intuitions are misleading here. The Sera double rotor technology will have some disadvantages though, such as loss of flow, noise, or the price tag.
Indeed, because we task our pump now with spinning a column of water around, which as per above is meaningless and comes at a cost. Apart from that, any reactor that uses a vertical column with bubbles will create a back pressure. This can be illustrated with the airlift pump, where the pressure from bubbles is used to generate a water flow (unfortuntely in the case of a reactor in the wrong direction)
- Thread starter
- #176
@Yugang incredible explanation, as always. Probably in the next few weeks I'll try to build a "yugang" reactor.
But talking about CO2, this morning I noticed that my tank wasn't spritey/sodaey as always.
CO2 pression 0, yes the tank is empty. Turned off light, auto doser and I plan to do a blackout this day and tomorrow (I'll refill the CO2 tank this afternoon. Is needed the blackout tomorrow If refill CO2 today?)
But talking about CO2, this morning I noticed that my tank wasn't spritey/sodaey as always.
CO2 pression 0, yes the tank is empty. Turned off light, auto doser and I plan to do a blackout this day and tomorrow (I'll refill the CO2 tank this afternoon. Is needed the blackout tomorrow If refill CO2 today?)
Attachments
Is the blackout primarily because of the loss of CO2? Then as long as it’s hooked up and on normal schedule tomorrow no reason to continue a blackout. Also a complete black out isn’t necessary, ambient light is okay, it’s a full power light with no co2 that will get you into trouble when the plants expect it.
- Thread starter
- #178
I have terror of an algae bloom ahahah, next time I'll follow your suggestion (this was even a rainy day, ambient light was near 0)
Yep, CO2 already installed and ready for tomorrow. This is first time for me that CO2 ran out, but honestly yesterday I noticed something strange about "bubbles". Usually the drop checker is yellow in mid photoperiod, yesterday was green at the end of photoperiod.
This morning I got up early just to check the CO2, otherwise I would have gone to work and the aquarium without the CO2, a disaster would probably have happened. It was completely finished, pressure 0.
You tank looks very well maintained, with healthy plants and no obvious algae problem. Should be low on organic waste, which is believed to be one of the main contributors to BBA . Unless you punish your plants for days and weeks with CO2 variations, you will probably not have to worry about a sudden BBA outbreak when your CO2 runs out. Lowering the light reduces the risk, and it won't harm though.
- Thread starter
- #180
Just some photos of this morning, not a true update (I know I'm getting this too far lol)
BUT I just want to show how is freaking awesome and healthy and beautiful the hygrophila polysperma Tiger... I never had this plants, I've bought it in vitro for the first time, 0 melting, 0 crying, planted and started growing the NEXT DAY. I know that with a stronger light it become redder, honestly I plan to increase the light when @Burr740 micros arrives (~ 2 weeks)
I see timid pearling near the end of photoperiod, probably the light is still too dim, but for now it's okay for me.
I want the learn some basic trimming style for "dutch style" especially for Rotala SG "blood red"
The rotala Singapore is healthy (considering how fast it grows, is impossible for the algae attack it), it has some stripes on leaves (do you remember my old thread "Black stripes on rotalas", I have those stripes on some leaves of rotala SG BUT I have rotala h'ra too in this tank, it is way more affected, but I'm ignoring it for now, I'm transitioning to RO)
Now, the trimming style. How do you know when to trim? Honestly I like how bushes the blood red is, I'm even afraid of touching it with the scissors lol, but probably Abit of shape is needed?
I moved myriophyllum golden to front glass, it was (over)shadowed by myriophyllum roraima, and started to melt at the base.
BUT I just want to show how is freaking awesome and healthy and beautiful the hygrophila polysperma Tiger... I never had this plants, I've bought it in vitro for the first time, 0 melting, 0 crying, planted and started growing the NEXT DAY. I know that with a stronger light it become redder, honestly I plan to increase the light when @Burr740 micros arrives (~ 2 weeks)
I see timid pearling near the end of photoperiod, probably the light is still too dim, but for now it's okay for me.
I want the learn some basic trimming style for "dutch style" especially for Rotala SG "blood red"
The rotala Singapore is healthy (considering how fast it grows, is impossible for the algae attack it), it has some stripes on leaves (do you remember my old thread "Black stripes on rotalas", I have those stripes on some leaves of rotala SG BUT I have rotala h'ra too in this tank, it is way more affected, but I'm ignoring it for now, I'm transitioning to RO)
Now, the trimming style. How do you know when to trim? Honestly I like how bushes the blood red is, I'm even afraid of touching it with the scissors lol, but probably Abit of shape is needed?
I moved myriophyllum golden to front glass, it was (over)shadowed by myriophyllum roraima, and started to melt at the base.
