Back in the trenches......
- Thread starter lousyweather
- Start date
Im going to dunp it into an O2 reactor I already own, input AFTER the canister, so no gas-locking there. Ive kinda been creeping on alot of Youtube videos, and wondering why some folks were just bubbling it in.....does not seem too efficient.
myswtsins
Global Moderator
Yes they are, thanks but the point of sharing it here was to prove I'm not crazy and oil-dri can be submerged for extended periods of time.
I've also used kitty litter for a year without it going all mushy but I didn't like the near white color and it is super light weight.I have no idea why so many people bubble it into the tank, maybe they just find it easier, maybe because that's what they've seen the "pros" do...? I prefer efficiency.
It depends on how you bubble it into the tank. Micro bubble air stone placed in a spot where water flow is descending and headed across the bottom of the tank is very effective, but that takes a special air stone to produce bubbles small enough to be pushed with the flow and not rise much.
If you don't have an airstone like that then a reactor to dissolve the CO2 before it hits the tank is needed.
If you don't have an airstone like that then a reactor to dissolve the CO2 before it hits the tank is needed.
Which tells me there was some organics still in your soil that decayed to produce that bubbling. That decay would also account for the hostile environment that caused the stems to rot. Completely mineralized soil has no organics left to decay.
The process only advances when the soil has both moisture and plenty of oxygen available, which occurs at the point when it is just damp, but not waterlogged. Because that is such a narrow window of time as the soil is drying out it takes many repetitions to get to the end result you want. I've seen the author of that article talk about the process taking two weeks or more with twice rewetting on dry days. If you don't have fair weather it takes even longer. Hot weather is an advantage for this process.
an update- got the 75 gallon tank, managed to get it home in one piece! Ordered a second 2217 Eheim canister,one for the CO2, the other for water movement/filtration. I am currently building the base....will include pics when it takes more form....a question though....I am researching heaters....I would like an inline unit...Hydor makes two....200 watt, and 300 watt. The 200 watt might be too small for a 75 in New England, but the 300 worries me if it fails, stays on, well, you get the picture....hot water! In a perfect world, I would put one after each Eheim, at 150 watts each, but Hydor doesnt make a 150 watt heater. Would putting 2- 200 watt units in be overkill, or a better idea than a single 300 watt?
Just a thought, cbryson, also dex BIL on FHC is a professional cabinet maker and may have some tips?I started an experiment today.....put some Oil-Dri in a bucket of water with some air agitation....just testing to see what it does.....hopefully it stays cohesive. We have several different oil pickup media at work, and its possible what i was recalling earlier was a different product than Oil-Dri.
As for reef versus planted.....both somewhat high startup costs, but, similarly, most of the stuff lasts for some time. For me, the stand is cheap enough, only a bit of time. Some of the other stuff, not so much, but certainly no worse than reef. And on a positive point, if something does die, will be relatively cheap!
I did see some dude precharge his oil-dri with a sprinkling of Osmacote just prior to putting down his substrate as well on Youtube....I do kinda of like the idea what the clay substrate will absorb nutrients in the hope that it can cme out later....wont get that with plain gravel or sand.
I have time....will do the stand first, once I get the tank in a couple days. Likely that will take me a ways....then probably get another canister for water movement, my existing one for the CO2. Tackle the lighting thing....I watched the DIY videos....often seem more fish-oriented, and no real data on PAR values with that setup. Plus, this thing is in my livingroom, so, dont really want the Jed Clampett look there for when the Architectural Digest folks come over to take pictures
Another plus....girlfriend likes the idea!
myswtsins
Global Moderator
Thanks for the update! A 300 watt heater would put you perfectly in the middle of the 3x-5x wattage recommendation but I understand your concern, heaters are evil. lol I do not think 2 200 watt heaters is overkill, especially if the room is naturally chilly. Doubling up on heaters is always a good idea in my mind.
Sounds like you are talking in code! But I understood it! lol
Ha!, sounds pretty cryptic now but made sense when I wrote it. Still chuckling about my words and your comment LOL!
Lady JinglyJones
AC Members
One thing about the siltier substrates (like Flourite) - they may be a pain to rinse (aaaand not the cheapest), but it's worth it when you watch your corries snuffling around, their barbs totally covered, bodies all a-squiggle. They're like little ploughs with eyes.
