Randall from Texas

I am running 1 bps on my 100 gallon. My plants struggle and algae takes over without co2. Any co2 is better than none.

I got a baking soda and citric acid kit just dabble and see if it would put just enough into my high temp discus tank to help the plants. It gives off enough to help them grow but as mentioned above it's not consistent at all with each recharge. I wish I had saved my money and just got a regular co2 setup first.

What's your tank size and parameters? Fertilizer schedule? I run co2 on my 100 gallon at only 1 bubble per second. My water is crazy hard, high buffer, and 82 degrees. I only run co2 for 6 hours with a 5 hour photo period. 1 fluval 3 and 1 coop light at full power. I dose easy green 10 pumps once a week and feed daily. I don't have a drop checker or co2 testers. I run enough co2 for the plants to pearl for about 3 -4 hours and keep the nitrates around 50 ppm on the coop test strips. Post your data and some of the experts will weigh in.

I had a single fluval 3 on my 100. I could grow anything. I added the coop light and the plant response is incredible. Everything grows better with the double lights. Bottom plants are much healthier.

Ammonia is plant food. Plant them and let them soak it up.

Just got mine. It's truly impressive stacked against the fluval 3 I have. Great job coop team!

Filtration doesn't need to look clean. It just needs to not be full of gunk so it can keep taking more gunk out of your water. You should not need to replace sponge filters for years and years. I've never used pot scrubbers but it sounds like you have a good system. Once they start falling apart they won't hold very much, makes sense. Might be time to replace them if you are using them for water polish pads.

Get some bacopa in there. I have it in my discus tank.

Are you using a powered solenoid to control co2 time? If so it could be heating up your valve and thermal expansion could be changing the needle. I set my rates when the co2 has been on for a while so the needle is at normal operating temp. Also gas will go the path of least resistance so when you change one it affects the other. A higher psi will help mitigate that.

Yep I did a large water change on all my tanks yesterday. Tap was 88. Not an issue for my south American tank but all my others were gasping till it chilled. Just do more partials. I think rainbows would have the most issue. Have a good airstone and smaller more often changes like others said.

What's your stock list?

https://www.amazon.com/Vision-Indoor-Outdoor-Camera-Assistant/dp/B08R59YH7W/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=3MA6XQHVRAC47&keywords=wyze+v3&qid=1649185185&sprefix=wyze+v3%2Caps%2C1160&sr=8-3 This with an SD card. You can put the camera flush against the glass and the ir light won't cause glare. Or put it at 45 degree angle and it won't glare. But they work.

You're thinking of FLIR, which uses a whole different tech. You're are correct. Won't work well. It can't 'see' through glass.

Wyze v3. Home Depot has them with microsd cards for 30ish. Full color starlight sensor, unbeatable night vision.

I recently asked Cory during the early chat session of a live stream if he thinks you can get the salt up enough in a planted tank to treat anything before hurting the plants. His response: "No" That being said, I just put 2 cups of salt in my 100 gal high tech recently to see if it would help slow the ich outbreak I was suspecting and it knocked some of my plants back hard. My water wistyria really shed a few clumps. Amazon sword wasn't bothered. Anubias is fine. The crypts didn't care. Neither did the bba haha. My tds meter read over 1k ppm lol. I won't say it didn't help but after a week I did end up using med. 2 ich x treatments later and it's gone.

I knew I wasn't the only one! If anyone wants to see the next level of nerm get a wyze cam so you can check your qt and main tanks when you're on vacation lol. Or supposed to be working, at work.

Catfish and spiny fish in general do not get along with nets. I've even had angelfish get stuck.

Had to Google that lol. So a Texas red is a cross between a Rio grande (or Texas) and a red parrot. So I think you're right. It's a hybrid, of a hybrid maybe lol. Cool looking fish! I've not seen any Texas reds in person. Now I want one.

I agree not a same species pair. I still think hybrid, could be a jack Dempsey.

Dwayne Brown got scientific on us. I was basing my guess on color and the fact that Rio grande ciclids are not legal since they are super invasive. I looked into getting them since they're the only Texas native ciclids. and only hybrids are allowed on technicality.

That's a hybrid rio grande cichlid.

Looks great! Set the lights on a timer if they're not already. Start at about 8 hours and see what you get. What fertilizers are you planning on using?

This is my 100 that I call the 'blackhole'. All black sand, small patch of brown gravel, 4 large obsidian rocks, all black tank and stand. Black background. Some wood. Imo it makes every plant and fish stand out. I have black German blue rams now and it seems to make them brilliant. Snails to control the detritus is a must with black sand.

I'm up to 6 hrs full blast fluval plant 3 and about to add a 2nd (or the coop). I am managing the bba. It looks natural. I also have a single Fat Oto cat, 1 blue eye lemon. Catfish are awesome.

I will confirm the black beard algea in my high energy 100. I'm keeping discus and it's been a struggle from day one. 1.5 years in. About 80 lbs bdbs.