Patrick_G

My trick is to fill the tank very slowly. I'll put a bowl in the tank and slowly pour the water into that. The trick is to not disturb the top layer. I haven't tried it with organic potting soil but in tanks with lots of mulm it works perfect.

Mine was very clear when new but it's become a bit cloudy over the course of a year.

I haven't tried one of their regulators, but they're popular and have a good reputation. Maybe someone who has used both GLA and Fzone can comment.

@tolstoy21 those Tetras look prime! 😀

Ok, I know good advice when I hear it! I think I might try adding a group to the 75 after I rehome the juvenile Swordtails. Aquarium Co-op has some of Dean’s right now so that might be a cool option.

Very nice! That Windelov Java fern is very neatly trimmed, I wish I could get mine to grow that way. 😀

Ok, great, that’s what I was thinking of doing. I haven’t totally settled on breeding Angels yet, but they’re on the list. Here’s the 75, you can see why it might hard to find the eggs! 😄

Yup, that’s more or less what I was thinking.

We’ve been keeping them for a few years now. They’re fun little pets. You tank looks good to me, they’re full aquatic so they don’t really need anything to sit on, but they do seem to appreciate some floating plants on the surface. They might eat the guppy fry, but maybe not so be prepared for some babies. Here’s our tank

I have one myself and although I haven’t set it up I’d say it looks better built and costs less than the FZone one I’m currently using. Many other forum members recommend GLA regulators but they’re a bit more expensive.

I just got caught up with your journal. Congratulations on the third Angel spawn working out! Now I’m thinking that I might like to try breeding some Angels. I have a 75 gallon, but it’s almost completely overgrown, I’d probably never find the eggs in the jungle. I do have an empty 20 gallon tall. Would using that as a breeder be an option?

I’m thinking of two ways to solve your problem. I’m sure there are lots of other good ideas too. 1. Initial water change of 2 gallons with straight store bought distilled or RO water. That will drop your ph to the low-mid 7s. After that you’ll do a weekly water change 1 gallon with 1/2 tap water and 1/2 distilled or RO. That should keep you I. The low to mid 7s. You’ll additionally add some botanicals like Catappa leaves to help naturally lower the PH, commercial substrate like Fluval Stratum will help too. Using this method you’ll only need 2 gallons of distilled water a month. 2. Use a product like Seachem Acid buffer to lower the PH. You’ll have to tinker to see how much you need to add to get to your target PH. You’ll mix up as much as practical and keep that on hand for weekly water changes. Do all your water changes with that water, mixed exactly the same each time and you should be good.

It has one stage for the tank pressure and one for the output pressure, it can be confusing because some regulators have two gauges but are single stage. The Aquarium Co-op one is a true dual stage unit. It’s supposed to prevent something called end of tank dump where all the co2 in a tank discharges at once.

You can also add a piece of piece of filter floss on the spillway. It’ll regulate the flow and catch particles, a win win in my book! This works great https://www.aquariumcoop.com/collections/filtration/products/fine-poly-pad

2.5’ thick!

If your tanks are close together you can run both off of one co2 regulator. I’ve been running very low concentration on my 75 gallon, about 2-3 bubbles per sec. Like you, I’m basically trying to prevent my plants from stagnating. I have a dual stage regulator and I feel pretty confident that I’m not putting my fish in danger.

Nice looking tank. Don’t forget a background, black window film, paint or just some poster board works.

Mine was taken on the Beach outside of Savannah, Georgia. I’m smiling because I had just finished eating some low country boil. My banner is my little patio pond.

I makes me feel grouchy and short tempered too. I wish my doc would have told me that becoming a jerk was a definite possibility on this drug!

I just got caught up on your journal. I’m a fan of hexagonal tanks and yours looks great. I’d be a bit hesitant to add any more fish. Both Mollys and Swordtails get really big. In a 20 gallon long aquarium you’d be ok but that shape has more surface area and horizontal swimming room. Maybe a few small Corydoras or some Otocinclus would work, but 6 schooling fish in addition to the cleaning crew might be too much.

This is the plant I have trouble with, Bolbitis Heteroclita Difformis. I haven’t tried the mini version but I’d definitely trust @gjcarewopinion on it. I do have decent luck with Bolbitis Heudelotti.

Nice looking tank, I really like the papyrus! Is the grow light in a reflector or is it a ceiling fixture of some kind?

It looks like a nicely laid out nature scape that you’ve put a lot of work into. Not much difference between this and a newly finished scape by someone like George Farmer or Jurijs Jutjajevs. Although there’s much easier ways to make money you could definitely do this professionally. Great photography too!

I totally agree, it’s a pet peeve of mine that Bolbitis heteroclita is sold as an aquarium plant in big box stores. I looks good in a plastic tube but it’s doesn’t seem to grow underwater.

I also think you should post your water parameters. I general I think you shouldn’t give up on the “beginner” plants that are giving you troubles. I wouldn’t put too much time into them but definitely give them a second chance.