Equipment
90 rimless 48 x 24 x 18
- Starphire all around, 1/2" glass, drilled for overflow
Eshopps Eclipse M overflow
Aqueon Proflex Sump Model 4
GLA GRO-1
CO2 fed through needle wheel pump in the sump
PH monitor
Aquasoil - 4 bags
Tek 8 bulb t5ho
Lights :
2 ATI purple plus
3 ATI 6500k - not sure id have to take one out to see
AgroMax Pure Bloom - blood red
AgroMax Bloom 3000K
AgroMax Pure Par Veg - another purple bulb
The Tek fixture has two switches controlling 4 bulbs each.
3:00pm - CO2 on
4:00pm - 4 bulbs on, ph drop of around 1 - 1.2
5:00pm - 4 more bulbs on, CO2 peak, ph drop 1.3 - 1.5
10:00pm - CO2 off, 4 bulbs off
11:00pm - all lights off
The aquarium was custom made from Miracles out of Ontario Canada. Check out the dimensions of this overflow http://www.eshopps.com/products/overflowboxes/eclipse-m/ swapped out the bulkhead returns for threaded connections and using a gate valve for herbie style. I was going to use a reactor thinking it was required. It took me awhile to realize all I needed to do was feed the CO2 rite to the needle wheel. I learned in a Gerryd thread to drill a hole into the Rio 1000 near the input and put the CO2 tube in. From the Rio pump there is about 3 feet of tubing coiled and leading to the Return pump input. I have to get up close to the tank to see the CO2 bubbles in the aquarium. NO cleaning diffusers and dirty canister filters here
Ive been searching for red bulb and finally found AgroMax on ebay. I then googled and found HTG Supply hydroponics carries this brand which has a shop a few miles from me. I got three bulbs, a 4 foot 4 bulb fixture for my other setup that was using the Tek light, and a hanging kit. Also, they have 20lb CO2 tanks and do swap outs.
My other setup is a 25g rimless cube riparium using a Eheim 2217 and have had this setup for years. Its all Anubias attached to wood, moss and algae bottom, shrimps, assasin snails, and guppies. I can uses this as a source red cherries, any snail problems, and test subjects for the big rimless. Above the cube and on the side I have a bakers rack for my Coleus. I like to have about 25 coleus ready for outside spring planting. They are very easy to root and can grow fully rite out of the cube.
Maintenance
Weeks 1-3
one water change a week, establish fitler
Week 4
added some plants from Petco and CO2 rig
Week 5
fully planted, high ammonia still and lots of leaf litter so doing more water changes, threw in a baby guppy and three shrimp.
Week 6
Today, I added 3 AgroMax bulbs. The AgroMax Pure Bloom glows a sinister red and got put in the front. I was only using 5 bulbs until now. It doesnt seem much brighter just a better color. No rescaping for a few weeks.
I may have an issue with CO2. I emailed GLA but they dont respond ? I started the bubble counter 2/3 full with tap water, and a week later it was down to 1/3. there was water in the tube between bubble counter and check valve leading to the sump. No water in that tube now and the bubble counter is empty. I could remove the bubble counter but maybe should keep it just for the built in check valve. Im getting the same ph drop and can clearly see Co2 in the tank. Need advice on this.
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