Journal Ed’s 120p

[Ed Wiser]

I was told to start a build thread on my Aquarium. I have kept Aquariums my whole life. Started with Molly’s
When I was in my 30’s I started keeping Saltwater. I started a local club to meet others in the hobby. Then I when to MACNA 3 and met others in the hobby.
I then came back home and help start MASNA. So that we could have a MACNA each year. I have attended 27 of them.

I am currently the Secretary of MASNA. An I am responsible for a the technical end of running MACNA’s


When I retired as an electrical computer tech at Conagra foods. I was going to set up a larger grow out system for corals.

But my wife said would you please set up a Planted tank.
So I used the set aside money to take my saltwater knowledge and equipment and use them for a planted tank.

So the info.

Tank is a ADA 120p.
This is just a gorgeous aquarium.
I have seen every brand of aquarium down thru the years and the quality of the workmanship is just perfect.

Filter
ADA es1200

Elos internal CO2 reactor
Using currently inline Co2

Green leaf Aquarium Co2 regulator

GHL equipment
Profilux 3 controller
4 power bars
3 4 head dosers
1 Maxi Doser
Mitras Lx 7002 x2
Water level optical switches
Apex water pump.

Also have a lightground LED background too.

 

[Jhardee85]

Welcome!

Good lord that hardscape is gorgeous. What is your fertilizer routine?

 

[Ed Wiser]

This is the old set up. It had several bags of Aqua soil. Of course after 3 years it was mush. I was using a basic macro and micro fertilizer. As the plants in tags scape where low maintenance ones.

 

[Ed Wiser]

Want to thank Burr740 for his plants and fertilizer. An help getting this new scape going.

 

[Ed Wiser]

Since this is a new tank it was water change Saturday. Not really moving or cutting yet maybe in a month.
Had to redo my return line as the inline co2 defused was causing the line to put back pressure on the pump. I could see this week a surge of water every so often.
In the process my double tap broke so had to redo that whole set up. Ha so much fun.

Will be redoing my whole water change system in March so it’s more automated. Have the Maxi GHL Pump.

 

[GreggZ]

Great start to a build thread. I love following ones right from the set up, as you get to see all the tweaks and fine tuning that goes into getting a tank really going.

Keep the updates coming and I am looking forward to seeing where this goes.

 

[Count Krunk]

What's the plan with the wc system? Fully automated?

 

[Ed Wiser]

What's the plan with the wc system? Fully automated?

All the equipment is in my garage except for the ADA es1200 and co2 cylinder.
I use optical level probe for top off with the Neptune Pmup. As the Maxi doser is a measured doser. I know the exact amount of water in and out so I just press a button on my GHL remote display. I have preprogrammed it to remove water from the tank then stop filling to the optical proble. I programmed this all the time when batch mixing pancake mixers at my old job.
The issue I ran into with saltwater was that Dino’s would show up and take over the tank. If you drove phosphate to Low in an aquarium. So you have to be mindful of this when calculating how much and when to remove water from the aquarium.
In being over zealous one can create a bigger problem.

 

[Ed Wiser]

Today I had some Cyanobacteria blue green algae showing up on some plants. So I pulled them out and did a water bath washing the algae off the plant leaves.

I have used this with corals for years to treat disease.
I also have added ultralife slime to the tank to clean it up.
This is left over from the old tank soil breaking down.

Amazon.com

 

[Ed Wiser]

Saturday is water change a first trim of plants.

 

[Ed Wiser]

So the great thing about having rainbows in a planted Dutch aquarium is that the do the trim g for you.

Was going to Tim this plant today. But woke up this morning and the rainbows have already did the work for me.

 

[GreggZ]

You sure it was the Bows? Did you see them eating the plants? I ask as I have kept them for decades and have never had them nibble any plants.

Of course I have heard people say the do, but I have never personally experienced it.

 

[Ed Wiser]

They didn’t eat the plant just swim thru the plants. It’s on plants with very thin stems that they do this too.

 

[Mr.Shenanagins]

Yes after a trim and topping, I find floating stems the next couple days from being knocked loose by the bows. I have however watched them “pick” at my moss now and then but idk if it’s the micro bubbles they are playing with or actually picking off whatever is stuck in it. I usually see them doing it as a group.

 

[Ed Wiser]

Yes they check the bottom for food scraps sometimes. I alway watch how much they eat so I don’t over feed them.

 

[Mr.Shenanagins]

I alway watch how much they eat so I don’t over feed them.

idk if that’s possible, they are ravenous pigs

 

[Ed Wiser]

I have learned over the years that fish will always act like that. You could feed them every hour and they will act like crazy.
An then the food floats to the bottom.
Better to feed lean than feed heavy.

 

[Ed Wiser]

Yesterday’s water change it was time do a Lilly pipe change out. I always keep sets of Lilly pipes ready go.

After removing the dirty pipes I place them in a bucket with citric acid over night. This makes it real easy to clean the glass. I then put them in a foam box for the next pipe change out in two weeks.
Never put suction cups or plastic parts in the citric acid just the glass parts.

Next I clean the ADA skimmer. It collects plate leaves and debris. I can do this a couple of times a week. If a hear a clicking noise I know the pull is not getting enough water. So I pull it out and clean it. Takes just a minute to do. It’s the small chores that makes for a trouble free aquarium.

 

[Ed Wiser]

Plants releasing oxygen

 

[Ed Wiser]

So I am getting some hair algae. Am I am testing my levels.
In tank water is at 50 ppm and the water from my RO/Di is testing 20 ppm
I am leaning towards changing out my Di beds. As I am not getting a 0 ppm phosphate now. Am doing water changes will not help the situation your thoughts?