nabokovfan87

so you're diffusing it using both methods? Given the tank size it makes sense. How does the drop checker usually look for you?

Keep it consistent. I'd say change closer to 50% each time, but I understand that isn't easy all the time. On your 407, how are the trays setup? Insert = foams Bottom tray = ? Middle tray = ? Top tray = ? Have you considered adding the spraybar option to the tank so that you can optimize the circulation for the CO2 diffuser? What about using an in-line diffuser as an option as well given that you have a canister? (if you're using one already, awesome) The light I am not familiar with, but in my understanding it's extremely effective / powerful. Once everything else is verified and checked off the list, then we can dive into the light issues, if there are any.

How often do you change water, how much, how is filtration setup, lighting setup?

Oh yeah... that's a pup deep in dreamland.

Ultimately, it could be caused by too much phosphate in the water or excess nutrients. How new is the tank?

You can see it all over the rocks as well. That's black beard algae to me in the early form. (see last 2 photos) Once it grows in and gets a bit denser, this is what it looks like: I believe this is staghorn algae, but it could be either BBA/Staghorn: Here's a much older photo of the algae on some seiryu Same stuff on the edge of caves, again, further back in time: Same timeline as the photo above, gives you an idea of the color spectrum of this stuff: THESE are brown diatoms on the seiryu. It's a bright, bright, bright brown. This is the original location where the BBA started in my tank. On a cave, source of iron, substrate in the new tank has iron as well.... Obvious formula for algae success. This is when it's thin, diatom like, and you just have this very stubborn immovable coloration: Here is red lava rock with a similar discoloration, again full of minerals for the algae to feed on.

Her behavior was basically the equivalent of asking me if everything is ok. She wasn't used to me sitting there in front of that tank, I had realized I didn't yet and didn't check on her as much as I should've. Usually I wake up, sit there and let the eyeballs operate and watch the tank. She's got her bump on her nose you could see and she does the "morning shimmy" 😂. She pops her head out.... "oh hey you" backs up into her cave then gently glides out to say good morning "I'm ok, I'm here, what's going on?" then she will do a few laps around the tank. She repeats that for a little while. If she's uncomfortable or stressed out she just won't ever come out of hiding. Good to see, good to capture it, and all I could think is how excited she'll be to have that extra room. I went to the big box store today to check on stock of things. I guess they got rid of 95% of the stuff that isn't branded for their in house store... thanks. I'm going to end up having to order some substrate online. I'll mod the filter up tomorrow and let that cure. Then I am going to fix the Tidal 55 and hopefully mail that off to someone for a special project. My plan is to write my own manual, explain features, and make a bit of fun project out of it. Mark up the box and cross out things not applicable, etc. Have some fun with it. 🙂 I checked on the co2 this afternoon and found out I had completely adjusted the needle valve extremely high and nearly gassed the tank. (Always make adjustments with the drop checker full) I'll end up dialing that in for a little bit now, get it "fine" and then redo everything once I get it on the new tank with the new pumphead and spraybar setup. I also noticed tufts of the black beard submerged in the substrate. As soon as I move things over I am sure I'll find a bit of algae in there that got mixed during the move. Not great, but hopefully it doesn't cause issues. .....It's always something.

I spent a little bit of time staring at the tank today and checking on everything. I put the plants back in the substrate from the move and as always the tidal was trying to suck them in. CO2 was a little low and so I turned up the dial. I'll verify it again tomorrow, but I adjusted the flow on the spraybar to push more CO2 around as well. When I move things to the new tank I'll probably be able to set up the more powerful pump and make it a bit longer. I have to figure out a better method. You'll see in the video above the algae showing up from co2 dropping a little bit. 😞 Clown Pleco sighting! I also relocated the hygro pinnatifida and I'm trying to decide how/when to update things.

I checked one of my male otos and it had the same thing where you could see the dark spot. Very small, but it's definitely there. I think it's just a gravid female or some sort of internal issue like fluid buildup causing that spot to be more visual, 100%

yeah. 50% or lower. Keeping it at 1/3-1/4 full is going to reduce the stress a on the tank. If you can run it off air+sponge, take the media from the filter and throw it in the tank, then run it off that until you can swap it out.

Try this to clean it out.

Finex planted looks like it's 8000K in terms of color temp. I can't find a spectrum chart. AC Light is 5700K Fluval planted is 6500K (used to be 7500K) To give you an idea on the difference/swing this is a good visual: (obviously an edited / computer filtered image) I've tried taking one of my fluval lights side by side with the exact same one that is a different size and they have their own discrepancy just due to when the lights were manufactured and the age/wear on the LEDs. I have an aquasky I tried to match to my fluval (make it less bright white) and it was a big failure. the only thing that came close was turning off all of the white LEDs and using only the color LEDs, reducing the par by a massive amount. Ultimately, yeah it would be nice to replicate another fixture using the dials, but at it's core white varies so much that it's difficult!

Tank has some black swordtails in there now and it appears they are very nippy. I'll end up moving Riddick as soon as I can. Two treatments of salt. Two treatments of kanaplex and there is still a tinge to his eyes of cloudiness. It's much improved. Not sure what to do from here but if it's genetics (cataracts) then I'm not going to add him to the breeding tank. He will do just fine with the bloody Mary shrimp and have an awesome life grazing with them. Thoughts on if anything further is required?

@Odd Duck Any ideas? I didn't forget about this, I've been eyeing my otos and trying to get a good angle or photo. The photos above are awesome. Hopefully we can find an answer.

Yeeeeeeeesssssss What's not to love.

Keep in mind that most danios want cooler waters than most tetras. I only mention it as a means of saying further research might be required for your list. Deciding which route you want to go with temp would help to better determine the focus / centerpiece of the tank. https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=aquarium+coop+cooler+water+species

brown and green diatoms I basically ignore without doing anything about them. Everything else... EH. I just rather figure out what's wrong and fix it.

Have you seen pecktec's pond?

Might all be versions on the theme with different finishes. All funky stuff. If you go to the ADA website itself you get a few listed there. I have an aquascaping magazine that has 5-6 stones but not much of the newer ones. This is what I saw listed as rhino stone: Mountain stone: Wolf stone: Elephant Skin stone: Keep in mind, it's not wet. Seiryu (grey) Seiryu (black) literally just means less white marbling. Different store.... Frodo stone: Grey mountain / manten stone: Anyways, I understand the confusion. Hopefully you're able to find what you're looking for!

What's the word? I can translate. Looks like mountain stone to me. This is why we have so many words for "sieryu" in different cultures. LOL. Might also be termed Rhino Stone.

Well, I just dosed the last dose into the tank... My mini bottle of Easy Green "Classic" is officially done. I think my first order from ACO (or one shortly thereafter) was a bottle of easy green and one of the 1L refill containers. I probably got two just because I had two tanks and didn't want to move things around the house too much. Heck, I even bought extra bottles of ACO liquid products so I could just have the bottles for other uses. Anyways, the ol' white label bottle of EG with the green plastic is officially retired after today. I have the fancy new labels with the bigger bottles on standby and I'm excited to be able to use them, but just a big nod to how influential, useful, and delightful that bottle has been for myself and so many others. Now I have 3 bottles of Seachem Iron to use up before I can get the trio completed. 😂

Found this: CC @Beardedbillygoat1975

I would check these out before feeling overwhelmed by the process. I don't think you have much concern if the things in the tank were kept wet. The real question for me is that it was in a rack with a circulating group of fish and likely had a lot of things introduced to that system. Just keep an eye out for issues and be sure to QT this tank properly to avoid contamination.

I totally understand this dilemma for you. I genuinely cannot fathom having a tank and not having otos in it. I need to order more when possible for the other tanks. They are just too fun to have.

Very nice quality shrimp! They look great.