Journal Tsing's 180 - WIP

I like all my stands being 36" tall. However I'm a bit taller at 6' so perhaps that is why lol.

I like just being able to easily look into the tank.
 
remeasured the stand and it was 36" tall, idk why I thought it was 32" lol

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Last FTS' before Lunar New Year

Warm Mode: 1 PM ~ 1:59 PM


Factory Mode, custom fan: 2:00 PM ~ 8:00 PM


Nite mode: 8:00 PM ~ 9:00 PM


Misc shots:








Finally installed lids


Magnetic lids: Amazon.com
1/8" clear netting: 1/8" Clear Netting

Unfortunately one of the Denisonii Barbs jumped before I installed em. lil dude was 8 years and 8 months old.
 
Not much of an update because this tank is my IAPLC entry.

Summer months have been pretty rough on the tank lately especially because of the acrylic brace blocking the air flow from the big fan.


Temps peaked at 87.6 F



I have a solution for the fan situation but unfortunately it would require dropping like $600 on a 3d printer lmao. Idea was basically to print a shroud for some noctua fans and hang em at the back of the tank on the 2" x 15" slots.



Lost some color on my buce. I'm not sure if it's either from my high temps or I've been dosing too much Zinc the past year and that might be causing some interference with Iron.

Some stem plants drop their lower leaves but that can be due to overcrowding.

Havent changed the fert recipe.



Buce in May 2024



Buce Late July? (Exif data didnt show correctly on my camera for some reason)




"OLDER LEAVES WILT. Entire leaf is affected by chlorosis, but EDGESAND LEAF TISSUES NEAR MAIN VEINS OFTEN RETAIN MORE COLOR(chlorophyll)... ZINC EXCESS"

About a week I got some ICP testing done on the tank by Oceamo through reefmoonshiners

I've included the PDF in the post incase anyone needs it for reference later. OFR230099
The other PDF is what I use to diagnose problems.





Boron and Zinc being high I kind of expect cuz I dosed them higher than most other people due to the high Ca in tap.

Ca and Mg are about as what expected and is close to what I calc'd a few years ago and my city's water CCR.

Potassium being that damn high at 23.84 ppm I wasn't expecting. But it might explain why I can't dose more than 10 ppm K per week otherwise I would trigger a Manganese deficiency (happened a long long time ago in the old 125 gallon).
Maybe my tap is naturally high in K? at least higher than 3ppm I tested a few years back.

Iron's a lil high but that can be due to Zinc inhibiting the uptake.
Copper was expected but I think that can be due to the pipes in the house.

Neodymium? could be from my pumps or maybe a coral rack's magnet is exposed

High Nitrate expected, my taps naturally high in it lol (per my city's water reports)
Phosphate being 7ppm I wasnt expecting

Osmose section is basically for testing your RODI water. Guess I need some new filters for that.
Water changes are done with tap, daily 2 gallon top offs from my RODI.

Not sure I wanna change the fert recipe or wait til temps cooldown
 

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unfortunately it would require dropping like $600 on a 3d printer

Super easy and inexpensive to get someone to print one of these for you. If you can just knock up a CAD for what you want, or someone can also do one for you.. plenty of people on Ebay, Etsy, Printables, Thingiverse, Sendcutsend.. Plus lots of professional options 👍👍
 
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Super easy and inexpensive to get someone to print one of these for you. If you can just knock up a CAD for what you want, or someone can also do one for you.. plenty of people on Ebay, Etsy, Printables, Thingiverse, Sendcutsend.. Plus lots of professional options 👍👍
it was basically this but I need to make it fit a 3/4" brace and some places wanted to charge $200~300 each (I'll try searching again though) so I thought it would be cheaper to just get a machine and just think of it as a future investment since I have multiple tanks :ROFLMAO:
 
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Awesome build, thank for making such a detailed journal. I'm in the process of thinking out my next tank so it was really helpful.
 
So a lot to love about this journal and your journey. However, I need to highlight the fact that you sent in for an ICP test. Very few are doing that, in the US, at least.

I was trying to get one of the original ICP testing houses to set up a test for freshwater planted aquariums as the current analysis has recommended ranges for reef tanks that don't apply. No reply so far.

IMO, an ICP test every 6 months or so could confirm whether someone's math is working, identify any oddball levels and avoid the expense/time involved with testing at home with much less accurate tests.

What made you decide to use ICP?
 
So a lot to love about this journal and your journey. However, I need to highlight the fact that you sent in for an ICP test. Very few are doing that, in the US, at least.

I was trying to get one of the original ICP testing houses to set up a test for freshwater planted aquariums as the current analysis has recommended ranges for reef tanks that don't apply. No reply so far.

IMO, an ICP test every 6 months or so could confirm whether someone's math is working, identify any oddball levels and avoid the expense/time involved with testing at home with much less accurate tests.

What made you decide to use ICP?
I have wanted to do this for both my high tech tank and my tap water.
 
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So a lot to love about this journal and your journey. However, I need to highlight the fact that you sent in for an ICP test. Very few are doing that, in the US, at least.

I was trying to get one of the original ICP testing houses to set up a test for freshwater planted aquariums as the current analysis has recommended ranges for reef tanks that don't apply. No reply so far.

IMO, an ICP test every 6 months or so could confirm whether someone's math is working, identify any oddball levels and avoid the expense/time involved with testing at home with much less accurate tests.

What made you decide to use ICP?
Andre Mueller from Reef Moonshiner's and Tim Soler from Luxdium asked if I was interested in doing an ICP test.

Think Andre is doing the same thing you wanted, to collect enough info to get ICP to do a freshwater version 🤔
 
Andre Mueller from Reef Moonshiner's and Tim Soler from Luxdium asked if I was interested in doing an ICP test.

Think Andre is doing the same thing you wanted, to collect enough info to get ICP to do a freshwater version 🤔
There was a company that was testing freshwater but as of July 1st are no longer open. I hope that this is true because I think it would be an invaluable resource for many of us. I want to see the freshwater hobby have the level of support that salt water does but we will have to be the ones to get it there.
 
I want to see the freshwater hobby have the level of support that salt water does but we will have to be the ones to get it there.
100%. We need to clearly show the demand before a company will put any money towards it. I know of one US manufacturer that took a bath on planted aquarium products about 10 years ago and really soured on doing it again.

I think forums will likely need to take the lead in directing members to testing sites in order to get the ICP companies attention. @SingAlongWithTsing is this something you can ask those two companies?
 
100%. We need to clearly show the demand before a company will put any money towards it. I know of one US manufacturer that took a bath on planted aquarium products about 10 years ago and really soured on doing it again.

I think forums will likely need to take the lead in directing members to testing sites in order to get the ICP companies attention. @SingAlongWithTsing is this something you can ask those two companies?
Andre from Reef Moonshiner's already asked other scapers and some farms from what he told me
 
I may reach out to them to see if we can get more real life (i.e., average Joes) to participate.
 
IAPLC 2024: Rank 744 / 1450










[AQUARIUM SIZE]
W: 1800 x D: 600 x H: 600(mm)

[AQUATIC PLANTS]
Alternanthera Reineckii
Anubias Nana
Bacopa Caroliana
Bolbitis Heudelotii Difformis
Bucephalandra Brownie Purple
Bucephalandra Wavy Green
Bucephalandra Arrogant Blue
Cryptocoryne Lucens
Cryptocoryne Wendentii Red
Echinodorus Tenellus var Broad Leaf
Eriocaulon Vietnam
Hygrophila Polysperma sp. Sunset
Limnophila Hippuroides
Microsorum Trident Mini
Rotala H'ra
Windelov Javafern


[FISH / INRERTEBRATES]
Poecilia Wingei
Sahyadria denisonii
Planorbella duryi

[AQUARIUM TANK / SUBSTRATE MATERIAL]
UNS Controsoil

[FILTRATION SYSTEM / FILTER MEDIA]
60 gallon DIY Sump

[LIGHTING SYSTEM / CO₂ SYSTEM]
3x NETLEA AT6 PRO

[ADDITIVES / LIQUID FERTILIZERS]
DIY
 
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