75g "Dutch" Weed Farm

slipfinger

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Update:

Like most, as time goes on you get to know your tank and what its telling you. For example, for the past week or so I've started to see the odd tuff of BBA taking foot on my circulation pump, skimmer and spray bar. I also started to see GSA on some of my AR mini and S. Repens leaves. When I start to see this I know its time for a full on filter cleaning/maintenance. This includes completely cleaning the inside of the filter and changing the filter floss, but also removing and cleaning all the tubing, fittings and Co2 reactor. The whole process takes about an hour to complete. While I am doing this I take out the other equipment, including the skimmer and circulation pump and throw them in a bucket with a bleach water mixture.

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After I cleaning and reinstalling all the equipment its time to drain the water and give the front glass a quick wipe. Not much trimming went on this week except for the usual suspects, that being Pantanal and Ambulia. The picture below shows how much water I drain each week, probably close to 75% once a week.

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I use straight tap water to refill the tank, I add the prime in while it is filling back up.

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Nothing like the look of a tank after a water change.

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Greggz

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I don't mean to be insensitive, but I gotta tell you when I saw this post I did a spit take with my coffee and had a good LOL!

Sometimes if can't laugh you will cry, right?;)

Now since I also have the same love/hate relationship with Pantanal, I would be very curious if you have any clue why?
 
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slipfinger

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Not a clue in the world..

Its been 12 days since they were topped and replanted. On purpose I decided not to touch them during last weeks water change, which I documented above. Topping usually stunted at least a couple stems, not a single one stunted the last time I topped them.

Didn't miss a single dosing this week. Did something foreign to me and dug out the test kit to test my Nitrates, surprised I remembered how to do it.

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Tested my tank KH and GH, exactly where it always is. KH 4/5 and GH of 8!

Did a big water change, to see if it helps any. I've noticed plants always look better the day after a water change. Maybe its the added Ca and Mg in my tap water, 34ppm and 9ppm.

Oh well, Its Christmas and maybe old St. Nick will give me the gift of some fake Pantanal that never kicks me in the dic@!
 

Allwissend

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:D:mad::(:cool::oops::D Would be a good way to describe this plant. Meanwhile all the other plants are :D:D:D. Reminds me of some colleagues back in middle school...(know what I'm talking about...)

It is certainly something that has to do with the enzymatic pathway to create such a fast and dramatic response. It also seems to impact new growth more, looks like problems with cell elongation. Now most of the elements that are non-motile are traces and their "now you see me now you don't" nature might explain such a quick variation (pH influenced availability ?). Do you see the same change when you maintain a low stable pH 24/24?

For all it's worth, I've also seen similar sadness in Myriophyllum sp. roraima. However this plant recovers rather quickly. L. senegalensis can also change overnight, becoming black/transparent when not enough trace nutrients are available.
 

slipfinger

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Do you see the same change when you maintain a low stable pH 24/24?

I assume you mean 24/7? I've never ran Co2 24h a day in this tank. I did it in my 40 but didn't have any Pant in there at the time.

I think others have mentioned this before as well. I can with certainty tell when my Pantanal is on the verge of crying. The very tops become a really deep reddish/orange colour. The reason I took the before picture in the first place, I knew something was up with those two stems. The colour was so 'strong' and i've seen this play out time and time again.
 
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Kyalgae

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Just taking a random stab here, I know you probably do your water changes exactly the same each time, so take this with a grain of salt, but could the Pantanal be more sensitive to chlorine? I know you added the prime into your tank, but maybe the plant could be getting hit with the fresh tap water before the prime has a chance to do anything? I was just looking at the position of the plant vs the python outflow. Chlorine levels can vary a little it in the public water supply based on the time of day, or so I hear. I wonder if you could replicate this next water change?
 

slipfinger

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Just taking a random stab here, I know you probably do your water changes exactly the same each time, so take this with a grain of salt, but could the Pantanal be more sensitive to chlorine? I know you added the prime into your tank, but maybe the plant could be getting hit with the fresh tap water before the prime has a chance to do anything? I was just looking at the position of the plant vs the python outflow. Chlorine levels can vary a little it in the public water supply based on the time of day, or so I hear. I wonder if you could replicate this next water change?

Anything is possible. If Chlorine were the issue, would it take four days for the problem to show up? My last water change was this past Sunday...
 
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slipfinger

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I decided to move a stem of AR variegated from one of the 40's to the 75. Currently variegated grows without drama in my 40's, not so much in the past when I try it the 75. I will get this updated as time goes on to see what the outcome is.

Current dosing in the 40's
Macros 3/4 days a week is basically 1/2 EI
3.5ppm KNO3
.7ppm KH2PO2
1.75ppm K2SO4

Micros 3/4 days a week
DTPA Fe .1ppm
Mn .06ppm
Cu .003ppm
Zn .011ppm
Mo .002ppm
B .025ppm

No added Ca or Mg

Variegated in the 40. Some defiances going on but not much twisting or stunting. Sorry for the crap photo.
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Stem added to the 75.
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slipfinger

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Happy New Year to all...

With the New Year upon us, its time to start a new tank and new scape.

I've had this new tank and stand sitting in my basement for about a month now, procrastination has been holding me back from setting it up. What makes thing a little harder is the fact I went against my better judgement and purchased fished a month back, now I have to deal with the fish as well as the plants.

My plan is to put the new tank and stand where my current tank is and move my current tank to the laundry room with the 40's. Which means a complete tear down and set up of the old tank and a complete set up of the new tank. In the mean time my wife want to paint the basement so I have to paint the wall where the new tank is going to be sitting before I can set the new tank up. I also have to finish add the new breaker and electrical circuit dedicated to the tanks in the laundry rooms. With a total of 4 filter and 3 heaters plus 3 T5 fixtures and all the other odds and ends I've maxed out the current circuit. Lets just say the next couple of days are going to be a little busy.

I started the process tonight and removed all the foreground plants from the 75 and put them in a bucket with a small heater. Tomorrow I remove the all the background plants so I can try and catch all the fish and shrimp and move them into their temporary tank which I setup today using a seeded filter that I had running on one of the 40's for a month or so now.

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My original planted bow front tank soon to be used as a temp holding tank for the fish and shrimps.
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Foreground plants removed and water changed for fish health....
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Last photo of The Dutch Weed Farm. It's been quite the learning experience.
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slipfinger

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RIP Weed Farm

Yup RIP. This tank has taught me so much in the year and half or so its been up and operating.

It'd be interesting to know how much time I've spent just sitting there staring at it.

In the end it's all been worth it, and i'm excited to start this new project and see where it ends up in a year and half...
 
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Greggz

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Sorry to see the 75 go down, but looking forward to the new journey.

Based on how the weed farm went, I am expecting it should be spectacular.
 

slipfinger

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I figured I keep posting in here until I actually start the new tank, at which point I will start a new journal...

Busy day yesterday. As usual when you start a new project all those unfinished projects you've put off seem to naw at the back of your neck. Anyways I finished the basement about 10 years ago now, at the time I wired it so I could install an actual light switch to control the laundry room lights instead of those little strings you pull to turn the lights on and off. So when I was at home depot I purchased a couple new fluorescent fixtures and a light switch, along with all the other stuff I needed to install the new circuit. Took me about 5 hours to install the new light fixtures and the new circuit which consists of 6 new double receptacles. I now have 2 separate circuits to plug all the tank related items into, over kill...... I know, but peace of mind when you see the spaghetti of plugs coming from the tanks and think to yourself, 'that does not look safe'!

I also ended up having to move the two 40's. Not the original plan, but once I measured everything this configuration gives me the most room to fit everything into the limited space I have. Damn laundry machines in the basement, why can't Canadian home builders, build home like in the UK with the laundry machines in the kitchen, only makes sense.

After unhooking everything, draining both tanks, moving, filling, and hooking everything back up again, I am not looking forward to moving the 75 at all. But it has to be done, because god for bid I would have to toss the plants still just floating in the bucket.

Off to move the 75!

40's before the move.
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Upper 40 drained and moved.
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Now to unhook and move the lower 40.
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Finally everything moved and hooked back up.
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Greggz

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Well looks like you are off to a great start. When I moved my 120G, it took about 7 hours total.

There are a lot of steps involved, and everything took a little more time than I thought.

Good news is the next the day tank looked like nothing had happened. I'm sure everything will go just as smoothly for you with the 75G.
 

slipfinger

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All the plants have been removed and are sitting in two 5 gallon buckets.
Fish have been caught and moved.
About 200 shrimp have been caught and split between the 40's. What a pain in my ass!
Aquasoil has been collected and is sitting in a couple of 5 gallon buckets.
Tank has been 90% cleaned.
Stand has been moved to new location and levelled.

My original plan was to re-use the Aquasoil which is now just under 2 years old. Of course its going to be a bloody mess when I add it back to the tank and will take a bit to get the water to clear up. I have a spare filter that I can run with straight filter floss, multiple water changes and vacuuming the dust off the surface of the sub will help to speed up the process. Still a pain in the ass.......

Question.

Would you guys just bite the bullet and add all new AS? Or even mix some of the old with a few bags of new? Of course adding all new is costly, over $300 for 6 bags. I've also considered driving over the border and grabbing some BDBS at TSC (can't get the stuff here in Canada). My issue is the plants sitting in buckets.

At this point I am leaning towards adding a few bags of new AS (which I have on hand) in with the old stuff.

Anyone have any thoughts, comments, or have experience re-using old AS?
 
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Greggz

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My issue is the plants sitting in buckets.
Sorry no experience with Aquasoil. The stuff scares me.

My only advice would be decide what is going to be best and do it right. You aren't going to want to do it again.

If plants can survive well for days being mailed around the country, I am sure yours will fare well in the bucket.

Just saying I wouldn't make a decision based on it being the easiest way. If you wanted to go with BDBS, take a deep breath and do it.