nabokovfan87

As I've mentioned and pointed to many times. TDS has zero bearing on what your GH and KH are. In turn, it tells you nothing about PH. https://www.2hraquarist.com/blogs/ph-kh-gh-tds/how-to-read-local-water-reports?_pos=4&_sid=aa42df318&_ss=r As mentioned above, this is incorrect. TDS has no indication of what is dissolved in the water. The only way to know what your GH and KH are is to test for GH and KH. If you have an inert substrate, and you have a tank that is established, then you can use TDS to track Old Tank Syndrome. (things building up over time, via TDS testing). Essentially, what you are saying here is that you can use total dissolved solids to test for old tank syndrome, true in some situations, but this is not useful for determining what is dissolved in your water (i.e. GH and KH) and as such, is not relative to point towards any plant fertilization issues. I hope the above makes sense and we can help to figure out what your issues are with your planted tank. Please take a look at this blog article by Aquarium Co-Op. https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/ph-gh-kh

KGT just put out a video with DW and she mentioned her enjoyment of dwarf sag. 🙂 Yeah 😞 that's unfortunate. Maybe a dose of RR is in order? I dig the moss! It looks like a rock. I totally forgot it was a piece of wood. It will be interesting to see if you can get the moss to grow tall and then have it pop out of the top of the jar.

It's a bug of the forums. Try to edit / crop the photo and it'll fix it when you upload it. It's ok though, it happens!

I wanted to clarify why you are seeing what you are seeing in the tank. You added soil. Those fines, the organics from the soil increase TDS. There is more "stuff" dissolved in the actual water in your tank. What also happens is that the minerals in the water are absorbed into the substrate for later use by the plants. That process.... that is the CEC we are discussing and trying to understand. This is why the focus is on GH / KH and not compared to TDS. By tracking what is really going on (GH and KH) then we can better understand if the soil is done charging and leeching. This is where we are getting our wires crossed and there's some confusion. TDS = "stuff" dissolved in the water. KH = buffer, directly tied to the PH stability of your water. This is a broad term, but it refers to specific ions used in the water. Details for what this means will be in the Co-Op blog post link here: https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/ph-gh-kh GH = hardness of your water. So in a very simplified example: In your tank, water is increasing in TDS because of the organics in the soil dissolving in the water. However, the water itself is Decreasing in GH and KH because those minerals are being absorbed into the substrate via the CEC process. Water changes help to remove the excess organics in the water from the new soil. After a few weeks this is not required. The tank will stabilize. Water changes will also replenish the GH and KH of the water so that eventually those values will also stabilize. Once that process is complete, then you would treat the tank as "cycled" and you can fine tune things like your fertilizer dosing.

You need to do water changes so that water in the tank is equivalent to the water you're putting into the tank. TDS does not matter. What matters is your GH and KH values, specifically how those values compare from the tank vs. the tap where you perform your water changes. Water changes replenish your minerals, via GH and KH. Absolutely not. Adding fertilizers at this point is a waste of fertilizers. You're going to be doing water changes a bit too often. Again, I think you're mixed up a little bit about the importance of GH and KH as opposed to the term "TDS". TDS = Total Dissolved Solids. This could literally be anything dissolved in water. Salt, cleaner residue, waste, organics, fertilizers, minerals, etc. Anything that dissolves in water adds to that TDS. Please try to understand, you keep mentioning TDS. We are trying to focus the conversation with regards to GH and KH only. Those are the relevant items to your concern. Here is another breakdown of what we are working with and the process, naturally, that you are experiencing. https://tanninaquatics.com/blogs/the-tint-1/the-substrate-you-stick-with-the-idea-of-cation-exchange-capacity

Not that much. No. The mats are only going to be a few mm thick. I use the metal and wood store brand ones. (I sent you details in DM) All of mine are just big box store ones though.

Ah, ok. I understand now.

No, the fish are fine!!! I think the only "rush" is the angel with the betta, things might get nippy if the angel is older. If there's any issues, just move the angel to a bucket with a sponge filter for as long as need be. (the bucket is tall, good for the angel)

Exactly. It's just a cushion, not meant to do a ton, but if there is any sort of unevenness on the top of the stand it would help to absorb some of that.

I'm sorry, I am sure there was a full thought there! If you aren't concerned with the stand, which I think we both agree you aren't and it shouldn't have caused any issues. If you aren't concerned with having a 29G in that spot again, then maybe a pad would give you some piece of mind! (circle which ever applies) 😂 I have not looked at the tank yet. It was dark when it all started so I have the tank sitting on my front porch with the substrate still in it until tomorrow. I will try to inspect it tomorrow and see if I can see anything. I know the tank was a little unlevel because the water on one side was slightly higher but not by much. But I never noticed it was off from the front to back. Before I set the new one up tomorrow I will make sure it's level all four ways. Check the stand itself... then worry about what goes on it. I tend to check the stand, tank on stand, tank on stand 1/2 full, then tank full. The weight can definitely shift things on you.

You can siphon off the sand to remove organics and waste. Clean as much debris as you can. You can even move the substrate to a bucket and rinse it in the front yard since you are starting over cycling the tank. If you want to replace it with something you prefer, by all means that is perfectly fine to do as well. I would honestly just remove the internal filter and replace it with a sponge filter (a standard style like you see from Aquarium Co-Op) for the sake of making it easier to clean. In terms of explaining how the tank is supposed to function, pondguru has a really great video explaining the flow and operation of the filter. He also talks about some of the faults with it that lead to filtration issues. Please feel free to ask if you have any question about his video.

Maybe! Run all your test photos through a good image tool like lightroom though! 😂 It is either really easy or really difficult to read a test result. I'm not certain why that is.

Absolutely! Do you see any weirdness or feel the silicone on the bottom separating from the glass? Was there any crack or failure on the rim? Keep in mind these tanks are potentially fine, but the care at the local store may not be. Damage happens, unfortunately. Last time I went to get a tank it had a big deep scratch from a key or something.... a customer or employee walking by. The main thing is to not have twisting. A lean front to back or left to right is fine and acceptable, but not both. There is a King of DIY video where he found a pebble under his tank mat, which came off his shoe when setting up the tank. It was in just the right place (right below the rim) to cause the tank to explode after a few weeks under load. If you aren't, maybe add a rubber (yoga mat works) under the tank just for the sake of doing so to act as a cushion. It will also protect the stand from any drips over time. Some people cut the mats to the tank itself, I cut mine to the top face dimensions of the stand. I wouldn't be. I would verify all the seems are good on the new tank. The 29G lid will fit a 20L, same thing with your filtration and other stuff. I only mention it as a means to decrease deflection of the glass if that is a major concern for you moving forward. I understand your sentiment though about not wanting to replace it with anything larger in size, your setup sounds perfectly fine to me!

This all goes back to the CEC of the substrate. An active substrate means it will pull minerals from the water. The minerals you want it to pull is what essentially amounts to the recipe of equilibrium. It will feed the plants the NPK they need at the substrate level. You want to have a setup where GH > KH, preferable with GH being 2x your KH value. This is not a hard and set rule, but it's something I've seen high end aquascapers follow to the letter. There's 1,000,000 ways to run a planted tank. I ran into a lot of issues when my GH dropped on me, and personally it is something I note now. Alright.... let's break down the goal of what is going on. I will start by reiterating that TDS has absolutely zero bearing on GH and KH. GH and KH can impact your TDS, but TDS has nothing to do with what your GH and KH values are. The video above by Cory goes into further detail on this topic. 1. Tank is setup with initial parameters. 2. Water changes introduce and or sustain those intial parameters, optimally they are equal. 3. Your active substrate will absorb nutrients from the water due to CEC (ion exchange) which pull certain ions. This affects your GH and KH of the water. 4. To replenish those ions in the water and feed the soil you need to do water changes and/or dose in buffers. The following schedule has been recommended and whatever substrate you purchased should have directions similar. --->Week 1: Daily water changes ---> Week 2: 2-3 water changes ---> Week 3-4: 1 water change per week ---> Week 5-6: Normal maintenance From a common soil substrate directions page: 5. Once the CEC of the substrate is used and filled, then you will see the tank stabilize. Here is a chart from UNS showing the changes over time.

Agreed. The one on the right looks to be about 0.5 or so. Slightly difficult to tell but I lean towards a slight green hue as opposed to the pure yellow.

It looks great! Nice choice. It compliments the setup very well.

I wish I could help! I am sorry for the struggles. I am not saying anything negative! I REALLY love the look of that jar on day 1. A small section of stem in the back, the bigger plant to the left / front, and the grasses (especially at that height) are awesome to me visually. It's something I can't imagine I'd ever get tired of having in the kitchen or something. Maybe "what's next" for the jar is to get it back to having a rock visually? (I think you ended up removing it, if I am remembering correctly) Considering the prolific and efficient nature of the jar, it seems like the worlds best "breed for profit" setup too! Maybe the stem plant turns into a buce plant and some trade-in options for you at the LFS or local hobbyist? Some cool photos here: https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/bucephalandra My personal choice is the Kedegang variety, but there are tons to choose from.

Record a video and/or take a bunch of photos, especially of the stand. If the tank failed it may be a setup issue. If the stand got soaked, you may need (at the very least) a new top for that stand. It's a dicey situation and there's a variety of reasons for tanks to fail. That being said, apart from replacement, step 1 is to get aqueon on the phone! I can speak to their great technical support via the phone and there is a warranty associated with your tank. Record and document what you can in the event that you need it. I would check the tank level on the stand as well as document any assembly discrepancies you see on the black trim, silicone, or glass. Once you have the tank off verify again the level on the stand itself to check for any twisting that may have caused any issues. Another thing I try to be extremely conscious of is leaning on the tank causing any sort of issues with the center braces or trims. Less of an issue with a 29, but just something to keep in mind moving forward. I am very, very sorry this happened and I hope any setup issues we (or aqueon) can help figure out with you. Caveat aside, I am right there with you in terms of that 29G tank being a bit intimidating. That glass deflects a good amount. I would recommend a 20L because that tank will bow less on you and be slightly less weight, but the stand and footprint of the tank is exactly the same. It is simply a lower height tank. My plan personally was to do this with one of my own tanks. Maybe it is time to upgrade to that 40B which has a bit thicker glass and slightly better build quality? I do believe the sale is still going on, but that would only make sense if your stand is no longer usable. Emergency situation though, right now is to drain the tank, start to dry things out and get the fish into a situation where there isn't any further issues. It sounds like you've got all of that sorted out. You can toss the filter and a few fish into a 5G bucket and keep it running via air or toss any ceramic or other media into another tank and just let it hang out. Again, I think you have all of that sorted out! It is fine to let the wood sit. Substrate and wood you can move and do what need be. Both can sit in a bucket for the time being until everything else is fixed. Depending on the type of rocks (lava rocks yes, others not so much) it would help the cycle. The new tank I wouldn't be too concerned with. Day 1 you can add the angel solo and then cycle the tank. Keep an eye on everything of course. The best thing would be to dose in your bacteria starter (I've used them all, I prefer seachem stability) and then go ahead and get through at least 7-10 days without adding anything further apart from the one fish. Get your filter back into the tank, your substrate, rocks, wood, and just run it as if everything was fine. *with the caveat above about setup being the main concern*

Considering it's just a 10G, maybe the best thing to do is to pull shrimp one by one.... Shrimp into QT, verify no scuds, shrimp into new tank. ....and then try to be sure you have a mechanism for using (feeding them to fish) the scuds or something to keep them in check. Unfortunately, a lot of shrimp tanks can get overrun and it's frustrating. I ran into similar issues trying to find something to predate on detritus worms, but nothing really worked apart from manual removal. https://aquariumbreeder.com/scuds-in-shrimp-and-fish-tank/

I would suggest a sump. Premanufactured sumps being a bit easier as well as one that may be designed to go as a system with the tank and stand. The reason for this, for me, isn't really about a lot of the reasons mentioned above, but simply that it gives you the ability to better see and care for your tank. You will have a refugium for plants, OTS, and so many other advantages, but the big one is that you can very easily open up a door and go "yep, it's good". There are entire life support systems designed for sumps and the ability to use dosers and other things all connected pretty easily..... Battery backup.... It's too much flexibility to pass up for the sake of an all in one unit. A sump for me, frees you up to have so much more "all things on one" than any canister could ever compete with.

TDS has no bearing on KH and GH. Those are separate things. You can raise TDS and completely leave GH and KH unchanged. You can raise GH or KH and in turn raise your TDS. https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/ph-gh-kh The above video and article should help to clarify any confusion.

Nana is about the right size I think on a wall. Even the nana petite would look wonderful. You can always fall back to those two as a reference. Not fully grown, not really robust either due to recovery efforts, but here's an example of mine: Nana and Nangi I believe. Then the last photo is petite. Here's another, side by side of nana and nana petite. Coffeefolia gets about double or triple what the nana can get. Nana can get bigger than what you see here. There is some that get even bigger still but that range of coffeefolia and Nana is sort of the sweet spot.

😂 They can be like corydoras for sure. The male shrimp love to do that. In my tank the baby shrimp are usually around the air or directly behind it on the glass.

Not all. Some. By "the same" you mean the SJ is still there? The shrimp wanted me to ask if they could have the air bar in there for keeps. They like the tiny bubbles! It'll be interesting to see if you notice them hanging around it. Best of luck with everything. Hoping for success for you and them!!!

Minima and Congensis is similar to Nangi. Lanceolata looks like a larger form compared to Nangi, Congensis, or Minima. All very similar. Anubias Nangi is a hybrid variant of Anubias created from crossing Anubias Nana and Anubias Gilletii.