Zoom's 4ft system

zoom

IT LOOKS AMAZING

 

well done zoom

tank is awwwwwwsome

 

Update

For those of you who have been following the progress of the tank, here is a brief update of what has been happening in the lounge of Zoom!

As you saw in previous posts, I was dabbling a bit with DIY CO2, using the yeast + sugar method. I was running two 2litre bottles 24 hours a day. They were being fed into a ventury system of a small internal filter. The CO2 would enter the pump, and get dispersed in the tank as tiny little bubble. At night, when the lights went out, the internal filter went off as well. (It was dedicated to the CO2, and not used for any filtration). Therefore the CO2 would still enter the tank, but because it wasn't being dispersed, I felt it was less effective.

I had been using the plant fertilizers from Bio-elite.

Over a period of about 2 weeks, the following algae developed rather badly in the tank:





After some conversations with Laure (our algae enthusiast) and Professor Dirk, I believe that the problem came with an IMBALANCE between my fertlization to CO2 to lighting.

As a result, I did a 50% water change 2 weeks ago, and trimmed back on the plants that had the algae on. I even removed the plant with the long stringy leave (back left of full tank shot) as this was covered very badly. (I do have a smaller plant of this, so it's not gone completely). Thereafter I completely removed the DIY CO2, and have started using Professor Dirk's secret drop fertilizers. (DSD)

DSD is applied in a 2 part formula. You first you need to use the GH+ (hardening mixture) as our water in SA is a little on the soft side. Then the trace elements mix are added.

According to the DSD, the GH (hardness) of the water needs to be +4. The measurement of GH is based on the amount of calcium and magnesium in the water. Generally speaking our water in SA is very soft, and as far as I understand, if it's too soft, the plants won't absord the nutrients from the tracel elements mix. Professor Dirk believes that the water in Gauteng is +2, and that I should add the GH+ according to his formula to get to +4 gH. After testing the GH myself, as well as at an LPS, I found out that the water is in actual fact +6. I consulted again with the Professor, and he says that even though the reading shows +6, he knows that Gauteng add a lot of Calcium to the water, and not magnesium. So although the hardness may be high, it's an "unbalanced" +6, and still recommended me to add half the GH+ dosage to compensate for the lack of magnesium.

So at present I am dosing GH, trace elements, AS WELL AS K+ all from professor Dirk. I have been dosing for a week now.

I have been house-sitting for my folks for the past few days, and going home once a day to feed the fish. As I am only seeing the tank once a day, you can actually notice the difference in the plant growth.

The plants are growing very well, and will be in need of some trimming very soon.

The algae is still present, but it has not grown or spread any further.

Unfortunately my tank is going to be a bit neglected for the next 7 or so days. I am currently house-sitting for my parents for this week, and will be driving down to Vryheid on Thursday for a family funeral, only returning on Sunday. So when I get back I will be doing some heavy pruning, and water changs again.

I will keep all updated on progress as I go along.

 

looks good

 

Update2

Ok, so I managed to grab some photo's whilst I was at home this afternoon... You will notice the plant growth, and yes, it is in dire need of some HECTIC pruning!

I also feel tht the tank is severely "unbalanced" and I think I need to relook at the placing of some of the plants.

 

Would like to get some of that plants in the right back corner when you trim?

 

Send me a PM Vis

 

Zoom, I'm really loving your tank!

 

Thanks Linxie... it needs a bit of work... but will have to wait for now. Work duty calls, and I will more than likely be away in Vryheid this weekend.

 

tanks looks good there Zoom, i also had an algae problem, some brown hair like algae, but i cut back on my time for lights, and the algae has stopped, let us know if the DSD is a good investment...

 

I can immedietely tell you that it's a good investment. Been going for a week, and tank is growing very well.

 

how much would the DSD set us back?, this would include all the materials you mentioned in your post, ja?

 

Hmmm....

I pad R190.00 for the GH+ hardener, the Trace Elements, and the K+ mix. (Excl postage and packagine- can't give that price as I had food added to the package as well.)

I didn't buy the small bottles either, I bought 500ml of each... didn't see the point of buying small if I'm going to be paying P&P all the time.

You know what I would suggest you do... send a PM to the professor, chat to him about your set up. Give him your email address, and he will mail you his pricelist, and some reading material to go through what you need. Then place the order with him. (I beleive he si away at the moment for a few weeks tho!)

 

cool, thanks Zoom, i was never really interested in the CO2 injector, i believed fertz was the way to go, i will speak to him when he gets back...

 

I have been away from home for 10 days... Housesitting my folks house, and then 2 days in Vryheid to attend my grandfather's funeral. During the housesitting perios I was able to shoot home once a day to feed the fish.

On Wednesday, I noticed that my lonely female guppy was seriously big, and did not look happy at all. As with previous guppies, I did not expect her to make it through the night. I've had many pregnant guppy's die trying to give birth, which is why I actually think guppies are pertty pathetic fish.

Anyway. I put her into a breeding net thinking that she's on her way out... she'll either dies trying to give birth in the net, or being placed in the net will stress her or something to that effect. Fed her and left her.

On Thursday afternoon I got an sms from my wife, (who had come home to feed the fish while I was at work) asking me when did we have guppy babies??? I currently have 30+ guppy fry now in the breeding net in the community tank. Not the ideal, but it's working. The betta's are very interested... food I bet!!

I did a 30% water change this morning, and pruned about half a 5litre bucket of plants.

The tank is growing very wild with Prof Dirk's fertilizer! For anyone that is interested... I am prepared to take any FUTURE clippings with me and leave them at my office. (Florida Hills, Roodepoort, Johannesberg). If anyone is interested, you will be more than welcome to come by and pick them up. Today's clippings I tossed into the bin... but just letting you all know for future clippings... which seems to happen every fortnight now! (If you are interested, PM me your email address, and I'll make contact with you next time I clip.. first come first serve!)

 

Wow congrats on the guppy babies [ they are not really pathetic ]

 

I'd love to see guppies take over the world but yes, your betta would love them as a snack .. BTW tank looks real good.

 

Just a few pictures/updates.

Nothing major has changed. Did a good clean this weekend as well as a good clean of the filter. The algae is still in the tan, but not growing, just not dying. I've managed to actually cut a lot of it out from pruning... so it is slowly getting removed.

I recently discovered that the algae I have is actually due to an imbalance between the Calcium and Magnesium in our tap water, which I know about. In discussions now with the Professor on how to rememdy. Will update when we know what to do.

(I know there are guys on the forum to whom I promised clippings to. Please bear with me as I do not want to give any clippings away at the moment as they contain this algae, and I would hate to infect your tank as well. It has taken me short of 6 months to get it under control.)

Here's a few pics:

 

Nothing much to update...

Just thought I'd show some pictures of the 2 angels fry that are no longer fry... They are from the angel pair I had (gave them to Slojo about 6 weeks ago). So I gave 2 adults away, but managed to keep 2. HeeHee....

 

I believe an update is in order:

Nothing much has actually changed on this tank. I did a fairly heave prune over the weekend as I have had a problem with staghorn algae. I have also introduced 4 Clown Loaches to the tank, as the snail infestation was getting a bit much. They have made a noticeable difference.

Here is a full tank pic:



Some "arty" pics


Pictures from either side:


I've got this filter in for 2 reasons. (1) to aid with added circulation, and (2) to catching floating debris. I actually don't know the implications of having this filter at this angle, but been running it like this for a few days now, and no problems yet:



My "Big Boy"


And you can be guaranteed that you will find the smaller of the ancistrus in this cave 99.5% of the time. She isn't in there now because she was feeding on a pellat during the "photoshoot"



The only real changes that have happened in the past 2 months is the addition of the loaches, as I've mentioned. I have only lost 2 Pristella Tetras (this weekend.) I believe this was due to either pH shock or chlorine. On Friday evening I decided to do a 50% waterchange, and as soon as I had taken the water out, I found out that my water conditioning (anti chlor) was finished. I ran water into the bath and aerated it for an hour, but I did notice that when I put the water into the tank that it had a white haze to it. So I think there was chlorine in the water. I suspect pH shock also because my LPS said that suddenly his tap water has changed from 7.4 to 8.4... and he is in a bit of a predicament whether to use this water, or mix it with RO water to bring it down. I haven't tested our water yet. (being a bit lazy.... sorry!)

Anyway... that's all for now:

Regards
Ashley