My 125 gallon build a.k.a. in the deep end...
- Thread starter 1cooljeep
- Start date
Awesome tank, that sucks about the tank. Get some Ken Kennedy Angelfish. They are known to be of the most elite strains.
Thanks. I've been dealing with an Angelfish breeder that has Ken Kennedy strains of blues. I must say, they are spectacular. I've been tempted, but they are pricy! I loved my black veiled angels, they were beautiful. Downside was, tough to see against black background. Maybe blues would be better? We'll see.
Updates and new addition
Having some trouble posting pics to this site, getting redirected to an annoying "Lucky Winner" website. I think its working now, so here's the latest addition to the aquarium. I was at the local fish store the other day and saw these beautiful Congo tetras. They are very iridescent and starting to get their feather tails. Really cool fish, so I walked out with 6. They are still camera shy, but I did manage to snap a quick shot or two of them.
I also recently added a surface skimmer to one of my canister filters. Wow, what a difference. I've been getting an oily slick after 1-2 days following a water changes that builds up and dulls the light coming through. I bought one of these for $10, grabbed some tubing, a T-fitting, and spliced it into the intake. In 10 minutes, the surface was crystal clear and has been for 3 days. The shimmer is back and the tank seems brighter. Great investment. Its big, but I was able to tuck it in behind the Red Ozelot, which is huge. Love it. Here's the new fish...
Congo tetra
Tank update
Having some trouble posting pics to this site, getting redirected to an annoying "Lucky Winner" website. I think its working now, so here's the latest addition to the aquarium. I was at the local fish store the other day and saw these beautiful Congo tetras. They are very iridescent and starting to get their feather tails. Really cool fish, so I walked out with 6. They are still camera shy, but I did manage to snap a quick shot or two of them.
I also recently added a surface skimmer to one of my canister filters. Wow, what a difference. I've been getting an oily slick after 1-2 days following a water changes that builds up and dulls the light coming through. I bought one of these for $10, grabbed some tubing, a T-fitting, and spliced it into the intake. In 10 minutes, the surface was crystal clear and has been for 3 days. The shimmer is back and the tank seems brighter. Great investment. Its big, but I was able to tuck it in behind the Red Ozelot, which is huge. Love it. Here's the new fish...
Congo tetra
Tank update
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myswtsins
Global Moderator
Why haven't I ever posted in this thread!? :bowing: Superb wood work and beautiful tank!! This is the kind of work I aspire to do one day. Those congos are stunning, one of my favorites. I also have surface skimmers on my planted tanks and they ARE amazing! Although one of them seems to letting air into the filter somehow lately...??
Update...and the battle with brush hair algae
I thought I'd post a few updates on the tank today. Been having a tough time with the brush hair algae. All parameters are the same, and yet the stuff keeps growing. Only change has been the surface skimmer. Wondering if the clearer water has increased the effective lighting and I need to tone it down some. Plant growth is great and all the fish seem happy. Just have these short grey brushy hairs all over everything.
Updated tank shots 11/27/11...
Shot of the edge of the Red Ozelot showing the accumulation of algae...
Any advice? The prospects from my internet searches don't yield much hope. Maybe a few Siamese Algae Eaters?
I thought I'd post a few updates on the tank today. Been having a tough time with the brush hair algae. All parameters are the same, and yet the stuff keeps growing. Only change has been the surface skimmer. Wondering if the clearer water has increased the effective lighting and I need to tone it down some. Plant growth is great and all the fish seem happy. Just have these short grey brushy hairs all over everything.
Updated tank shots 11/27/11...
Shot of the edge of the Red Ozelot showing the accumulation of algae...
Any advice? The prospects from my internet searches don't yield much hope. Maybe a few Siamese Algae Eaters?
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Only way I got rid of it was an increase in CO2, upped the flow across the most effected plants, and vicious trimming of affected leaves. You can back off of the photoperiod, but it didn't seem to help me much.
I hesitate in suggesting "livestock" solutions since that isn't really the cure, only a bandaid.
I hesitate in suggesting "livestock" solutions since that isn't really the cure, only a bandaid.
Updates...the battle continues
I've made significant changes to my 125 to try to gain a leg up on the brush hair algae, both in appearance and technique. Too early to tell yet, but I'll keep you appraised of the results. Clearly, something had to be done as the algae was beginning to overrun the tank.
First, I completely removed by giant red ozelot from the tank. It had grown another flower shoot and was making pretty little white and yellow flowers, but it was dominating the tank. Despite my best pruning efforts, there was just no way to keep the leaves from shading the entire center of the tank. This is where the algae was at its worst, so it had to go. As you can see, the center is more open now, and the light gets all the way to the bottom, which hopefully will help my problem.
Before and after shot.
Secondly, I cleaned all three filters over the last 3 weeks, cleaned off the spray bars (which were coated!), and I've begun aggressively pruning the most affected leaves back. I'm not taking it all at once, nothing would be left, but I'm taking 20% at a time. Clearly a long way to go...
Updated tank scape after pruning
Next, I added some biological help. I got 6 Siamese Algae eaters to try to keep the algae in check. There's so much I'm not sure they'd ever get through it themselves, but if I can it under control, maybe they can clean up and keep it in check.
Siamese algae eater doing what they do (1 of 6 new in tank)
Finally, I've changed my fertilizer dosing philosophy. I was using PPS-Pro, but I'm afraid I am under dosing nitrates with this method and that's leading to the problem. My water parameters are as follows:
Temp 80.5, pH 6.6, ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 10, dKH 5 (89-107 ppm), dGH 10 (179 ppm), CO2 (from table) 37 ppm.
All these seem OK except possibly the low nitrates. If I'm limiting that as a nutrient, the algae may be outcompeting the plants. Therefore, I've changed (2 days ago) from PPS-Pro to E.I. dosing. Initially, the 50% water change worried me, but I was doing 25% weekly without too much trouble, so 50% shouldn't add to much.
I'm dosing 1/2 tsp KH2PO4, 1/2 tsp K2SO4, and 1 1/2 tsp KNO3 three (3) times per week (M, W, F), and Plantex CSM+B 1/2 tsp three (3) times per week (T, Thr, Sat), with the 50% water change on Sunday. I was doing MgSO4 with PPS-Pro, but given my relatively high GH, I thought I'd leave if out and see what happens. If the GH drops over time, I'll add it back in following the water change on Sunday. Hopefully the increased available nitrates, increased effective lighting due to getting rid of the ozelot, and keeping the CO2 high will win the day. Let me know your thoughts.
Regards, David
Oh, and my Congo Tetras have finally ventured out from the back left corner and started schooling around. He's an obligitory shot of them now that I can get them in the open.
Congo Tetras
I've made significant changes to my 125 to try to gain a leg up on the brush hair algae, both in appearance and technique. Too early to tell yet, but I'll keep you appraised of the results. Clearly, something had to be done as the algae was beginning to overrun the tank.
First, I completely removed by giant red ozelot from the tank. It had grown another flower shoot and was making pretty little white and yellow flowers, but it was dominating the tank. Despite my best pruning efforts, there was just no way to keep the leaves from shading the entire center of the tank. This is where the algae was at its worst, so it had to go. As you can see, the center is more open now, and the light gets all the way to the bottom, which hopefully will help my problem.
Before and after shot.
Secondly, I cleaned all three filters over the last 3 weeks, cleaned off the spray bars (which were coated!), and I've begun aggressively pruning the most affected leaves back. I'm not taking it all at once, nothing would be left, but I'm taking 20% at a time. Clearly a long way to go...
Updated tank scape after pruning
Next, I added some biological help. I got 6 Siamese Algae eaters to try to keep the algae in check. There's so much I'm not sure they'd ever get through it themselves, but if I can it under control, maybe they can clean up and keep it in check.
Siamese algae eater doing what they do (1 of 6 new in tank)
Finally, I've changed my fertilizer dosing philosophy. I was using PPS-Pro, but I'm afraid I am under dosing nitrates with this method and that's leading to the problem. My water parameters are as follows:
Temp 80.5, pH 6.6, ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 10, dKH 5 (89-107 ppm), dGH 10 (179 ppm), CO2 (from table) 37 ppm.
All these seem OK except possibly the low nitrates. If I'm limiting that as a nutrient, the algae may be outcompeting the plants. Therefore, I've changed (2 days ago) from PPS-Pro to E.I. dosing. Initially, the 50% water change worried me, but I was doing 25% weekly without too much trouble, so 50% shouldn't add to much.
I'm dosing 1/2 tsp KH2PO4, 1/2 tsp K2SO4, and 1 1/2 tsp KNO3 three (3) times per week (M, W, F), and Plantex CSM+B 1/2 tsp three (3) times per week (T, Thr, Sat), with the 50% water change on Sunday. I was doing MgSO4 with PPS-Pro, but given my relatively high GH, I thought I'd leave if out and see what happens. If the GH drops over time, I'll add it back in following the water change on Sunday. Hopefully the increased available nitrates, increased effective lighting due to getting rid of the ozelot, and keeping the CO2 high will win the day. Let me know your thoughts.
Regards, David
Oh, and my Congo Tetras have finally ventured out from the back left corner and started schooling around. He's an obligitory shot of them now that I can get them in the open.
Congo Tetras
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