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im anxious to see the tank matty,havent really posted in the thread but have been following and reading it.

Glad to hear things are turning around for you. I can't wait to see some updated pictures.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Quoted from Matty Frag Rack

You want to see the cyano huh? Looks like jolly green giant snot. I've been going in there and vac'ing it out every few days. It's getting better though, I think I'm winning the battle. Hasn't changed much from earlier pictures though. I've been waiting to get rid of the cyano to try and mess much with it. I'm glad to say that the blyxa is growing and WAY happier than it used to be.....but I think I lost the star grass which surprised me. I thought it's growth would really pick up with the CO2. Ah well, can't have everything.

Cyano... sure why not? Want to see my bba?

My star grass isn't doing overly hot right now either. I have had a hard time from an aquascaping perspective keeping it in check. Maybe it didn't like all the up rooting and replanting. I am thinking I would like to try something like Didiplis diandra or Limnophila aromatica. How is that BN doing that I gave you?

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

The bristlenose is doing great:



Here's the tank:

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

The BN and the tank are both looking good. Even though you are having the green slime problem the plants are looking quite healthy. What ideas do you have for the tank once the green slime is gone?

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

I like the blyxa, rotala, and ambulia. Beyond that, I'm not sure what I'll keep or toss. Even the wood is meh as it is. Maybe it'll sink on its own and I can twist it into another configuration...or maybe add some more hardscape to liven it up.

Any suggestions?

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

nice tank, love the wood, really catches my eye

Any suggestions?

How about moving the crypt next to the driftwood. The Giant Hygro? to a more midground spot? I think the ludwigia should also be moved to a midground spot too.

Other than moving some plants around... how about some rocks?

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Some good ideas there, I'll see what I can do about some rocks.

Over the last few days I turned off the lights and put a blanket over the tank. About half way through (wednesday) I looked in there and it was like soup, so I did a 85ish% water change, and did another about the same size today when I turned the lights back on. Didn't see any cyano in the tank, so I think it worked. If I can keep it under control, I'll keep the tank up and running, otherwise I might switch it over to SW.....it's easier. Anyways, the plants have looked better, but they are alive and at least they aren't covered in snot.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

otherwise I might switch it over to SW.....it's easier.

I don't know why you are having so many problems... my tanks have been pretty bullet proof. I am sorry things aren't going easy for you. Let me know if I can do anything.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Yeah, it's not like I haven't kept a tank like this before with success. I don't really know what's up, but I'll probably give it a real go for about a month, maybe more before making a decision on the tank. So far so good, but I'll keep doing some testing to make sure my dosing is on track and it's not just a nutrient thing.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

I think you should just go all out Estimated Index. I have been using it since I started and it hasn't failed me yet.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

You know the EI for a 50g off the top of your head? I'm willing to give it a try again.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

40-60 Gallon Aquariums
+/- 1/2 tsp KN03 3x a week
+/- 1/8 tsp KH2P04 3x a week
+/- 3/4 tsp GH booster once a week(water change only)
+/- 1/8 (10ml) Trace Elements 3x a week
50% weekly water change

taken from http://www.barrreport.com/estimative-index/2819-ei-light-those-less-techy-folks.html

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Ah, thanks. I had forgotten where to find that info. I'll give it a shot.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

I wish you the best of luck. I would hate to loose another plant guy around here....

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Well still no cyano that I can see. The blackout didn't really help with the BBA that I have on the slower growing stuff, but I can beat that pretty easy once everything starts growing well again. I have some pictures, but haven't gotten to any trimming or anything so the tank is a mess. These are for proof that the blackout worked (so far) only. All the plants seemed to have made it ok, but are a bit leggy because of the blackout. I hope to get the bushyness back after the next couple of trims.

FTS:



Closeup on some ambulia:



Wings' pleco fared the blackout OK:



RTBS:

rtbs.jpg" border="0">

Driftwood used to be covered in slime:

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

The plants don't look quite as green and vibrant as they did before but it is a good thing you have knocked off the slime. The blyxa and the hygro look like it took the hardest hit. With good lighting, co2 and ferts I am sure they will pop back for you.

Nice RTBS by the way. I have a rainbow in my tank but I don't remember the last time it came out and swam through the tank. The only reason I know it is still alive is I see it hanging out by the filter intake every couple of weeks.

The pleco looks to be doing well How big is it now?

Do you still have Excel on hand? If you do a few heavy doses and direct shots should help over come that issue.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Still having a bunch of algae problems, but my fish are doing great....so no FTS but I have some fish pics to share. BN is almost 3 inches now and doing well.

Cherries I've had since I set up the tank:


The red tail black shark that I've had since a couple months after I set up the tank:


Boesmanis that have been with me for a few months:


The newest members, turquoise rainbows:


And a bit of a sample of what feeding time is like:

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Matt - great rainbows! I used to have some back in MI. I always seemed to get wet during feeding time. What kind of algae problems are you having now?

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

It's really long sticky hair algae. Lots of it. I'll spend an hour at waterchange time and get rid of it. In a week it'll be back full force, but for a few days the tank looks pretty good. I've checked the CO2 levels and they are good now that I've gotten a diffuser. Before it was a little low using the HOB filter. Haven't gone about testing PO4 and NO3, but it should be ok. I can't keep up with daily dosing, so I add 10ppm NO3 and K and 1ppm PO4 at waterchange time and once more during the week. That used to keep up with my old setup. I'm thinking my filtration could be upgraded to get some more biofiltration and I'd see a bit less algae. Maybe an eheim ecco 80. I don't know if that would help out a lot, but I don't think the AC 70 is doing the job.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

I was starting to get some long stringy stuff in my 55G. I am not sure if it is in there anymore or not. I just got back from a week in MI. I will be doing water changes probably later today after unpacking everything. Mine was not growing nearly as fast as yours seems to be. I upped my CO2 and stated dosing Excel.

We should hook up sometime this summer... I have free time now...

Need any water lettuce?

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Is this the bright green variety of hair algea? During most of last year I had that in my big tank, it was relatively easy to remove most of it, but then wit would grow back in a couple of days. In the end I got rid of it by changing my lights, getting the CO2 dose fixed, and keeping up water changes with a steady fertilization. I don't know which one of those factors was the most important to get rid of it, but my guess is that it's a combination. It was nasty stuff, good luck with yours.

I know I talked to wings about it in the store, but I've purchased an eheim ecco 80 for this tank and made an inline CO2 reactor as well. At first it didn't seem to have any effect, but the super long, sticky, stringy hair algae has not come back since the last time I harvested it.

I haven't changed anything but those two factors. So I can't really pinpoint it to less fish waste (in trace ammonia) for the algae to consume due to better filtration, or increased CO2 diffusion into the water due to the reactor. I know that algae thrives off available trace amounts of ammonia, but it could also be that my old glass diffuser wasn't quite doing the job with the CO2 and the plants weren't able "do their thing" to limit the algae growth. Either way it seems that the environment has shifted to favor growing plants instead of algae.

Though I don't know which of the two (maybe it was both) to credit, the end result is a MUCH nicer looking tank. Since the algae has stayed away, I've been able to feed my fish quite a bit more, and they are looking fatter and very happy about it. I'm also thinking of increasing the amount of time both lamps are on to try and increase the reds in the plants. I'll also have to increase the ferts if I do that and dose a bit more trace and iron to get those reds.

I'll try and get a shot of it today after the lights come on and post it up. I haven't quite grown enough algae free plants to create an aquascape that I really like though, so bear with me.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

PICTURES!!!!!! Me want to see them!

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

I know! Empty promises and all that. I'll try again this weekend.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

OK, well here we go.

Here's some of the last bits left of the algea:

stringy hair type:


bba:


but the new growth is nice and clean:


FTS:


Now for some fishes, Boesmans:


male:


Turquoise:


Another:


RTBS:



It's been all this time and I really haven't worked much on the scape or put a proper background on, but the algae is mostly gone and the fish are nice and fat for sure!

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Pictures!!!

For not having a scape really worked on or planned out I think the tank looks pretty good. The blyxia doesn't look nearly as good as I would expect it to though.

I really miss having my rainbows. I think they are one of the nicest fish in the hobby. Pretty good pictures of some very fast fish too by the way!

I would post some pictures of my tank but my membership is still messed up....

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Very nice pictures! Very beautiful setup and fish! I love it. By seeing all of your tanks, it gives me ideas for my next tank (in my next life, since I'm still waiting for my current tank to finish cycling. *sigh*)

I showed the latest pics to my husband. He's so jealous! He wants a RTBS so badly.

Is there another name for the Boesmans? I tried searching in the profiles and couldn't find anything. Their soooo cute and colorful! Even my husband couldn't complain about them. (Ususally everything I pick, looks like bait to him. Or just plain girly. [His words])

TTFN --->Ta-Ta-For-Now
Kelly ;o}

Hi Kelly,
If you should decide on a RTBS be sure you read up on them
and only put one in a tank.

http://www.fishlore.com/Profiles-RedTailShark.htm

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Thanks guys!

Wings - yeah, I'm disappointed in the blyxa as well. It's just kinda blah now. I've ramped the lighting up a bit now so that both 96w bulbs are on together for 4ish hours in the middle. I would think that should be enough light for them. Don't know what else to do.

As for the scape, I think I want the narrow leaf fern and the crypts towards the center and some stems on the outsides and a bit shorter. Then I have to find some foreground plant that likes my tank. Might try myself a few e. tenellus.

Delenn- thanks, I hope to see your tanks soon!

Kelly - the rtbs are a really cool fish, you just have to realize they can get about 6" and have a bit of a mean streak. I have to keep an eye on mine to make sure he's not stressing the rainbows too much. The rainbows are aka boesmani rainbows to answer your question.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Thanks for the name of the rainbows. I noticed several species. All just as colorful as the next, but they need a much higher ph than I'm willing to go through the trouble for. I peak at 7.6.

Our original list of fish for the 55 gal included a RTBS. Once we read up on it we realized it was not suited. I wonder if my hubby ever gets his dream tank, if RTBS and a jaguar will hit it off? or just tear each other to pieces?

TTFN --->Ta-Ta-For-Now
Kelly ;o}

Delenn- thanks, I hope to see your tanks soon!

Actually, I have pictures of my tank up in the Photo Booth section. The only thing my tank is missing is the fish. It's still cycling and has probably another two weeks to go yet. It's getting frustrating, especially since I think I FINALLY have my list of fish narrowed down and finalized. It just seems like it's taking forever for the tank to finish cycling.