Back in the trenches......

[myswtsins]

Just remember not to blast the Oil-Dri because you can break it up with pressure, a gentle stream and mixing is sufficient. I found mine to be fairly clean, lots of small pieces yes but not very dirty.

I've heard copper tests aren't very accurate but that's all I know on that. lol You have copper pipes? Can you test the water close to the source, before it runs through the pipes? Sometimes you can eliminate the copper in the water by not using copper pipes and sometimes the copper is in the water before hand. I ran PVC only plumbing just for my shrimp's sake, it is cheaper and easier then a RO unit, especially in the long run (although I have RODI too).

You can just use an aquarium heater in the storage tank, sure. I used do that but I don't use heaters anymore because my rooms where I have tanks stay above 71F all the time, overheating is a bigger an issue. So I also keep the RO water at room temp, mind you I have a 55g barrel in my 2nd living room but what are you going to do! (It's my second floor personal living room, my lady cave, not the main one)

Mail ordering wood has always been too risky for me, I'm picky with my wood! I have ordered WYSIWYG packages though. Glad you got some nice pieces though! And good to known F&S is a good place to get it.

 

[lousyweather]

On the wood, I can work with almost anything. I got to looking at the one piece I had, and the tank looked pretty empty, and without the petrified wood, I figured on adding more. I've spent a bit of time looking at 'scapes, and thought I would be better served with more.
I can understand the copper tests not being terribly accurate, but at even half the copper I tested, it would be lethal to inverts. I've got well water, and yes, even tests some copper right where it enters the system.
I can't put a vat in my living room. I am a guy, yea, and my whole house is my man cave, but my girlfriend would give me so much grief, it wouldn't be worth it! I will filter it in my basement, which during winter, runs in the forties. Brrrr. Ergo, the heater.
I won't really be able to tell how much turbulence I will have until I actually start this thing up. If there is too much, I can always Y off the output and split it to another area, though with the suggestions you guys gave....spray bars at the rear top, across the top, down to the substrate and back to the intakes should be too wild, but we will see.

 

[fishorama]

No, spraybars are not wild!...lol, or don't have to be. Yes, they often take some tweeking, it all depends on hardscape, filters etc etc. You just have to set it up & see what happens...& then adjust...a few (or gazillion? I hope not) times.

 

[lousyweather]

Seachen Purigen....anyone use it AND dose ferts? Im thinking of putting it in a couple Eheim 2217 canisters instead of the carbon pads, but am not sure if it will negate the fert effects (looking seriously at PPS pro method......)

 

[lousyweather]

new update with RODI water.....tested my first batch of the water last night....0 ppm copper, so, all's well there. While I was at it, I affixed an old Iwaki 10 gpm pump to my 45 gallon collection container (read that Rubbermaid trash can, with a lid), and plumbed a 3/4" pvc line up into my living room, behind the system.....connected it via a Y (with valves) to my 1/2" line going to a spray bar, and I am happy to say, it works! It doesn't fill really fast (maybe 1 gpm) but there is about 15 feet head on a pump rated for only 17 feed of head pressure, and with the elbows, etc, its understandable, I guess. So, now I can produce my RODI water in the basement, mix any additives, and pump them upstairs without having to carry a sloppy, sloshing bucket or 5.......just need to close one valve and open another.....Well, at least it works that way on paper.....

The Mopani is still leeching away happily in the bin on the porch....still getting a fair amount of tannins, but Ive got the time!

I *think* I have decided upon livestock. Nerites, RCS, Oto's (for algae work), possibly a couple small cories, and for other fish...decided on "N Class" Endlers rather than guppies. My uncle and godfather talked me into them (he keeps them)....It appeals to me to try and propagate a species which may be all but extinct in its natural habitat (or at a minimum, severely threatened)...they are livebearers, are hardy, and breed well. I wont start with much of anything...plant first. Not a fan of "disposable fish" for cycling...sorry.

Plants? Work in progress! Eventually I would like some slow growers, but to start, easy and faster growers!

No pics yet, nothing has really changed since the last ones I posted!

 

[Aqua nut]

ok....new pictures....the urethane dried faster than I thought it would!

View attachment 217267

Above is the front view....not thrilled with a corner install, but there is no other good places for this thing....I want it in the living room where I spend most of my time!

View attachment 217268

another pic

View attachment 217269 View attachment 217270

So, thats where I am so far! Also, the painting of the back of the tank came out ok....I like it this way.

Awesome display piece... almost there.

 

[lousyweather]

lol- here is an update...cellphone pic I took this evening.

Don't look too closely!
Some specs:
dkH- 3-4
dgH- 7-8
temp- 79-80 (high, but no AC here,and its hot!)
pH- CO2 controlled 6.05-6.15, resting is about 6.5-6.6, no CO2 for 24 hrs
lights- 2 E-120 Ecoxotics, at 85%, 5" off the water, 6 hours on
EI dosing liquid from Nilocg, macros 6mg/l/day, micros 4mg/l/day
Ecocomplete
2- Eheim 2217, with Purigen, 200 ml/canister
NO3- 10-20ppm.....because I cant tell the difference in the API chart
NO2- 0
NH4- 0
Cu- <.25ppm.....there is a tinge of color, but its not clear, and the API kit's lowest color is .25ppm
TDS b4 water change- 205-220, after change, 150-160
50% change per week (75 gallon tank)
also adding a little NilocG liquid iron (7 squirts per week)
2 tablespoons GH booster /week....you can kinda see some in the pics in the left and right
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I seem to have luck with the easy stuff- Ludwigia Cuba, L. Repens, Water Sprite, some Christmas moss, corky val, crypt balansae, java fern, red root floaters, lillies....

The Myro hetero in there is new, so all bets are off with it. As is my wendtii.

The fish are pygmy cories and otos, they seem to do well, need more.
Nerites are ok, but the fall and if I don't see them to right them, the can die.
Have a bit of pond snails, but I eradicate them manually when I see them, and there are few left.
Shrimp.....cherries and sakura. I don't have a lot of luck there. Some do well, some die. I am coming to the conclusion that due to the fact that I add ferts, add CO2, its freaking hot out, I don't have as stable enough parameters as they require. Kinda sad....When I find a dead one, its just...dead....Sometimes when I drop a bit of food in there, they don't mob it....although the fish tend to....some shrimp do come out to play, but those little fish can be aggressive with their food!
Plants I haven't had luck with....Stauro, MC, fessidens mosses, mermaid weed. To be fair, Ive been playing with lights a lot, ferts, etc. My earliest mosses I ended up pulling out, because they got so inundated with hair algae.....my mistake there was probably too much light...got some more moss, put it lower in the tank, lowered the lights to 85%, raised them up...seems to be better.
My MC just never really flourished....was hard to anchor in the ecocomplete, and it grew up, rather than out, spreading. Eventually, it caught the dreaded algae too.....
Stauro seemed ok for a month or two, then it melted to where I just had stalks and healthy roots...they are still there, waiting to see what happens!
Mermaid weed just didn't grow well, then the water sprite took over and I think shaded it too much!
I do notice that some of the really old Ludwigia growth has some green spot algae on the leaves....is that normal? Should I periodically cut it, plant the tips and discard the ugly base?

The lilies and red root floaters do shade a bit, and it seems to do a bit better that way.....

Suggestions, please! And thanks for looking!

 

[myswtsins]

That's a lot of green! I blew the picture up as big as possible and examined every inch! haha Looks great!

I hate that about nerites. Luckily other nerites DO rescue their buddies sometimes, but not often enough.

More shrimp comments in our PM.

Once you get the tank dialed in with the lights, co2 and ferts you'll be growing everything! A lot of stems plants suffer bottom leaf algae or die off from shading and people do just as you say, lop the tops off and replant them.

Water sprite can do that (over take and shade out). Don't be shy with the scissors!