Journal Fishstery's Garden/Nature style hybrid

[Fishstery]

Yeah I found that out on my first GLA regulator and diffuser. Called GLA and they knew what the issue was immediately. That's when I learned about having additional check valves in the line leading to higher pressures needed which is why I brought that up in my previous post.

I honestly thought the fzone diffuser didn't have a check valve on it, and it's kind of odd that it does considering their dual stage regulators have a built in check valve on the bubble counter. I'll have to double check to confirm if the GLA model has one in the bubble counter, the instructions said on the modular option to put an external one on. I'm assuming if there is one built into the bubble counter, I can forego an external one?

It's my first time with an inline diffuser. I have the GLA vertical reactor sitting in the cabinet, eventually I do plan on installing it as well.

 

[techman81]

I honestly thought the fzone diffuser didn't have a check valve on it, and it's kind of odd that it does considering their dual stage regulators have a built in check valve on the bubble counter. I'll have to double check to confirm if the GLA model has one in the bubble counter, the instructions said on the modular option to put an external one on. I'm assuming if there is one built into the bubble counter, I can forego an external one?

It's my first time with an inline diffuser. I have the GLA vertical reactor sitting in the cabinet, eventually I do plan on installing it as well.

Yes the GLA bubble counter has a check valve, but that shouldn't be a problem, You can still put an inline check valve at the diffuser if still using that. It's just that the 3rd check valve in the diffuser requires that higher pressure. GLA mentioned it's a common customer support call they get and they immediately tell the customer to remove the check valve in their diffuser. Why they don't mention it in their literature, I don't know.

 

[Fishstery]

Yes the GLA bubble counter has a check valve, but that shouldn't be a problem, You can still put an inline check valve at the diffuser if still using that. It's just that the 3rd check valve in the diffuser requires that higher pressure. GLA mentioned it's a common customer support call they get and they immediately tell the customer to remove the check valve in their diffuser. Why they don't mention it in their literature, I don't know.

So interesting. Thank you so much for the info! I'll remove it tomorrow when I get home, I may not install another check valve then if the bubble counter has one anyway, the piece of co2 tubing I have ran is only 4 inches long.

 

[techman81]

You'll still want a check valve between the diffuser (or reactor) and bubble counter to prevent water from making it's way to the bubble counter, especially if using mineral oil in the counter. I use push-in style check valves that also then serve as an easy disconnect point for removing the CO2 equipment from the plumbing without shutting things down.

 

[Koan]

push-in style check valves that also then serve as an easy disconnect

These are bulletproof

Mur-lok Inline Check Valve 1/4" x 1/4" Push Connect

Mur-lok RO fittings are the only RO fittings that feature dual EPDM O-rings to ensure a straight leak free fit. We believe GA Murdock Mur-lok fittings to be the best so strongly that we use them virtually exclusively on each of our BulkReefSupply.com reverse osmosis units and BRS media reactors...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[Fishstery]

Well, not much to report. The algae is continuing to die off and be eaten by the shrimp and snails, and my plants seem much happier and settled with switching over to APT 3.

That being said, and I know this is calling it early, but I think I'm going to scrap this scape entirely and go in a different direction. It's very pretty, but not as satisfying as Id like it to be. I'll be recycling the driftwood for my newt tank most likely as well. I'm going to continue to mull it over for the week as I hate to tear it down before it even matures, but the heart wants what the heart wants and this heart wants a true nature scape.

Until another update, here's a picture of one of my Honey gourami, they have settled in nicely and are starting to show some nice coloring when they bump into each other or get excited over food. Wild types coloring just can't be beaten. His beard is iridescent green/blue which goes deep black when he's really fired up.

 

[Fishstery]

I'll be ending this journal at the end of next week-- and starting a new one with a rescape. I'll continue to do small updates just to document my progress with plant growth and the algae battle, with photos coming tomorrow since my plants have really been taking off.

As for the new scape, I made the score of a lifetime with a new piece of wood that will turn this into a very interesting jungle style nature scape with the addition to my plant import coming. I wanted to wait to post it until I start the new journal, but I'm more giddy than a kid on Christmas and I can't help myself.

The piece is ~40" tall and ~32" wide, and the woman I bought it from was using it as wall art of all things!

 

[Koan]

Wild types coloring just can't be beaten

This

Do you remember where you found him? I've had pretty hit and miss with trying to find legit wild type

 

[Fishstery]

This

Do you remember where you found him? I've had pretty hit and miss with trying to find legit wild type

Yes! Those I ordered from Elite Menagerie Habitats, a little shop on the other side of Pennsylvania. The owner is just an awesome lady and she does online sales. My only issue is I ordered 3 and one came in significantly smaller than the other two, she was a runt and I didn't think she would make it. She ended up having some ups and downs and lasted about a month but died before I moved them out of QT. The two males I got are very nice and healthy.

She has a ton of oddball and hard to find species.

 

[Koan]

Elite Menagerie Habitats, a little shop on the other side of Pennsylvania. The owner is just an awesome lady and she does online sales

Nice!

Elite Menagerie Habitats

elitemenageriehabitats.com

Is that for your big Vietnam plant order too?

 

[Fishstery]

Nice!

Is that your big Vietnam plant order too?

Elite Menagerie Habitats

elitemenageriehabitats.com

Nope, I did a lot of detective work to track down this guy on my own and get in contact with him. We'll see how it goes when the order comes. I may or may not have found myself a supplier of submerged grown Bucephalandra species that are incredibly hard to find in the US. I ordered about 20 rhizomes of 10 or so of the rarest and most colorful ones he had available.

 

[Koan]

a supplier of submerged grown Bucephalandra species that are incredibly hard to find in the US

If you have found Brownie Ghost 2011 that will ship, you'll find no shortage of takers here!

 

[Fishstery]

If you have found Brownie Ghost 2011 that will ship, you'll find no shortage of takers here!

I didn't buy any from the importer but I did win a clump on a FB auction, and I'm also trading a rhizome from the import with an online friend who has an entire tank carpeted in BG 11, so they're going to send me a few large ones and some Tiger Crypts. I'll have some Buce to offer here when the import gets here in 2 weeks, I plan to sell a few off immediately and the rest will go to my new farm project. By the end of the year I hope to have cultivated enough to have an end of the year buce sale! Ill be making a post on my import order.

I'll also probably have some Homonoia Riparia to sell immediately as well. The supplier only does wholesale orders so I had to buy more than what I needed for my personal tanks.

 

[Fishstery]

Well it's safe to say the tank is stabilized and algae free, save for a few hair algae stragglers. The driftwood is completely clean though, after killing it off the shrimp have been munching it all away. Last night was probably the easiest WC I've done on it yet, I simply pruned some leaves and scraped the glass.

Here's some pictures comparing the same spots on the wood before and after the algae treatments:


My plants are also super happy, including what survived from my Ramosior Florida. I got some emersed grown cuttings that I'm working on transitioning.



Also, honorable mention to @techman81 for the regulator advice. I removed the internal check valve from my inline diffuser as well as cleaned the ceramic, and now it's operating wonderfully at 40psi and also far more efficient at a lower bubble count.