Thanks. I moved it up.
I'll have to remember to lower it into the water during the water changes...
I'll have to remember to lower it into the water during the water changes...
Some drop is to be expected, but that sounds like a big drop. Might be an indication that things are consuming carbonate as a carbon source -- double-check your CO2 & pH drop?kH consumption: Tank kH drops from 3 to 2 in about 3-4 days. I'm assuming that's "normal"?
Consider other sources for a number of your additives. Home brewing/winemaking shops -- piwine.com for example has food-grade KHCO3 8 lbs for $40. You can also get CaSO4 and CaCl at brewing shops. MgSO4 you can get at any pharmacy for like a dollar a pound. Rolling your own vs buying prefabs like Equilibrium can save you a lot, and give you more control also.I did get a 1lb of KHCO3 on amazon....it was $11, but that since I'll probably go thru 80gms a week, I may have to buy it in larger quantities.
Interestingly, the seachem ALK buffer(at 600gms) for $11 is a cheaper...but I'm trying to stick with KHCO3 since between this and the Equilibrium I use for RO water reconstitution, I will have plenty of K, and no need to do any K dosing.
kH consumption: Tank kH drops from 3 to 2 in about 3-4 days. I'm assuming that's "normal"?
Thanks. I moved it up.
I'll have to remember to lower it into the water during the water changes...
View attachment 11888
More water changes till after say 1-2 months, like 3x a week or so, 50-90%, add ferts after, only 1/4 EI as you do not have much biomass and rich sediment.
60-70 umol is fine for the lighting, 8 hours a day.
Co2, get this up in the 40-50's. and eye ball it. Cards are fine at that amount, so are RCS.
Discus are going to have more trouble in this tank given that filter and flow.
SAE's are lazy as they age.
Buy some more Ohko stones, like 5X this amount.
Cost a bit, but if you go big tank, you go big hardscape materials
week5:
Added some RCS.
Did another wc....only 1/3 this time....I read RCS don't like big water changes.
Also dialed back the lights and CO2 a little...for the RCS, and will watch them and dial back up over time.
Plants seem to be growing in nicely, especially the E.vivipara in the back.
I did finally get some some really big Ohko stones from AFA...3 stones 40lbs combined....one is a mega rock...probably 20+.
Haven't had a chance to wash them so I'll add this into the tank next WC.