Miller's Journal

[Supermassive]

On 11/21/2023 at 1:31 PM, Mmiller2001 said:

Indeed you can. Just have to lower the totals a bit.

I think if I was going to do EI the biggest pain would be having buy a lot of distilled water all the time. Is it possible to do EI while using tap water or is it really not recommended?

[JoeQ]

On 11/21/2023 at 12:45 PM, Supermassive said:

Is that because its more difficult to dial in without CO2 or because you just didn't want to put the effort in at the time?

Mostly too many dosing diffrences to remember, at the time I started EI I had 2 tanks. My classic EI dosing schedule looked like this.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday dose Macros.

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday dose Micros. 

Sunday, water change 50% plus it is recommended to add a gh booster if you do not know your calcium/magnesium ratio. 

Easy enough... My big tank got 7 squirts per day, small one 2 squirts per day. 

Fast foward and it was too much for my small tank. I needed to skip wed/thursday for the small tank only...... This led to me missing days, miscounting squirts and all around utter chaos to the point of me saying 🤬 it!!! My big tank is my baby, nothing interferes with my baby! No one puts baby in the corner!!!

On 11/21/2023 at 12:45 PM, Supermassive said:

 

 

🤣

Edited November 21, 2023 by JoeQ

[Supermassive]

On 11/21/2023 at 1:52 PM, JoeQ said:

Fast foward and it was too much for my small tank. I needed to skip wed/thursday for the small tank only...... This led to me missing days, miscounting squirts and all around utter chaos to the point of me saying 🤬 it!!! My big tank is my baby, nothing interferes with my baby! 

No one puts baby in the corner!!! 🤣

Lol, yeah that sounds like a pain. I think I need a long while to think about what I want to do. Thanks for the input.

[JoeQ]

On 11/21/2023 at 1:44 PM, Supermassive said:

I think if I was going to do EI the biggest pain would be having buy a lot of distilled water all the time. Is it possible to do EI while using tap water or is it really not recommended?

And yes you can use Tap (I do), using RO water allows you to be more precise when it comes to your dosing maths. 

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

On 11/20/2023 at 6:55 AM, Mmiller2001 said:

hank you. It was a stressful 9 months . I honestly couldn't have done it without my wife behind the scenes making the work flow easier. She's a trooper for sure.

I hate to hear you stressing out but I think we all come at the hobby from different spots. I’ve simplified things to a degree. But crossing the line back to stress in the fishroom is always calling to me! 

Fish Wives and partners of any form who support Nerms and fish nerds are a rare thing. Hold on tight! Congratulations and all the best in your next competitive endeavors! 

[Mmiller2001]

On 11/21/2023 at 11:44 AM, Supermassive said:

I think if I was going to do EI the biggest pain would be having buy a lot of distilled water all the time. Is it possible to do EI while using tap water or is it really not recommended?

Yes, just get a water report from your local water source and adjust appropriately 

[Mmiller2001]

On 11/21/2023 at 12:13 PM, Supermassive said:

Lol, yeah that sounds like a pain. I think I need a long while to think about what I want to do. Thanks for the input

Front loading removes the every other day dosing. It's one dose of Macros and done. Just dose Micros, and you can choose how often you dose.

On 11/21/2023 at 12:22 PM, Beardedbillygoat1975 said:

I hate to hear you stressing out but I think we all come at the hobby from different spots. I’ve simplified things to a degree. But crossing the line back to stress in the fishroom is always calling to me! 

This is the true problem. We are dicussing as I type this about getting a 40 gallon....again.

 

On 11/21/2023 at 12:22 PM, Beardedbillygoat1975 said:

Fish Wives and partners of any form who support Nerms and fish nerds are a rare thing. Hold on tight! Congratulations and all the best in your next competitive endeavors! 

Truth lol, she hates it, but loves the end result so she does it. At the end of the day, it's a piece of art that all our house guests are mesmerized by. It's a conversational piece for sure.

[nabokovfan87]

@Odd Duck I know you'd love to see it!

Check out the Comments by the judges on @Mmiller2001 tank! 🙂 🙂 🙂

https://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2023/show580.html

Quote

Oh my my. That is just brilliant! Wow. Wish this tank was in my house. A tank worth studying and emulating. This is in my Top 3 and as such I'll get critical. Still I struggle to find details for you to improve on but I'll try: remove about half of the fish and add a small school of bottom dwellers and some surface swimmers. The photograph does not do the tank justice.

 

[TheSwissAquarist]

On 11/21/2023 at 3:47 PM, Mmiller2001 said:

Thank you. First placed definitely deserved it. It was well executed.

https://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2023/show692.html

You should have got first place based on fish diversity IMO. Not that I’m biased, but 1st place only had some cardinals. 

[Mmiller2001]

On 11/22/2023 at 12:55 AM, TheSwissAquarist said:

You should have got first place based on fish diversity IMO. Not that I’m biased, but 1st place only had some cardinals. 

That’s one of the rules. Minimal fish and usually just a few species, I lost points for too many. 🙁

[JoeQ]

On 11/22/2023 at 2:55 AM, TheSwissAquarist said:

You should have got first place based on fish diversity IMO. Not that I’m biased, but 1st place only had some cardinals. 

Were fish part of what was being judged. I would imagen scoring is based on purely plant arrangement.  I could be wrong tho, interesting question!

 

[Mmiller2001]

On 11/22/2023 at 4:34 AM, JoeQ said:

Were fish part of what was being judged. I would imagen scoring is based on purely plant arrangement.  I could be wrong tho, interesting question!

 

You are correct, I had too many. The fish should not take away from the plants.

[nabokovfan87]

On 11/22/2023 at 3:34 AM, JoeQ said:

Were fish part of what was being judged. I would imagen scoring is based on purely plant arrangement.  I could be wrong tho, interesting question!

It was in the feedback / comments. yeah.

@Mmiller2001 Just take it to heart though. You were right on the cusp of #1. I seriously believe it.

[madmark285]

On 11/22/2023 at 6:34 AM, Mmiller2001 said:

Minimal fish and usually just a few species, I lost points for too many. 🙁

First, a big congratulations. Your tank is amazing! 

I never really understood the minimal fish thing, it seems so unnatural for a natural setup. Your tank is nature at it's best and should be teaming with life yet the rules say, minimal life other than plants. 

 

[madmark285]

On 11/21/2023 at 2:13 PM, Supermassive said:

Lol, yeah that sounds like a pain. I think I need a long while to think about what I want to do.

Yep, sound like a good plan. Now forgive me for I have sinned, I bought Lyrow 6 Pieces Aquarium Plants and CNZ Artificial Plastic Plant for my tanks (29 and 40 gallon), they look great! 

Plastic plants can buy you time to decide on what path you want to take. My barbs now have a cool environment so I can work on my planned 75 gallon Mbuna tank. My fish room may have 4 tanks running. I may use a 20 gallon tank to grow plants which can be moved to the other tanks.

I truly suck at growing plants, I would start with  Anacharis Elodea. If I can't grow a high evasive weed then I should stick to plastic -:)

[anewbie]

I want to see next year entry; can you have it done by tomorrow ?

[madmark285]

On 8/12/2023 at 2:15 PM, Mmiller2001 said:

Yugang reactor build #3

I will let the paint cure for another few days before install. I just used regular paint as this will not make contact with the water.

 

Very cool, I love PVC pipe 🙂 

For the cheap yeast CO2 system, a smaller modified version of the Yugang reactor might be a good match. The yeast will start out going crazy then ramp production down. So use a pipe to store the CO2 could work. 

FYI, you can dye PVC pipe using this, Rekhaoil® Dyes for PVC Stains. I used this for my overflow box, I can scrub it hard to remove any algae with no worries about removing any paint. I painted a PVC overflow box with Fusion spray paint, the paint was seriously peeling off, I just left it alone for a year.

[Mmiller2001]

On 11/23/2023 at 11:55 AM, anewbie said:

I want to see next year entry; can you have it done by tomorrow ?

Oh boy, I almost died, getting one ready tomorrow would definitely kill me 😀

On 11/23/2023 at 12:41 PM, madmark285 said:

Very cool, I love PVC pipe 🙂 

For the cheap yeast CO2 system, a smaller modified version of the Yugang reactor might be a good match. The yeast will start out going crazy then ramp production down. So use a pipe to store the CO2 could work. 

FYI, you can dye PVC pipe using this, Rekhaoil® Dyes for PVC Stains. I used this for my overflow box, I can scrub it hard to remove any algae with no worries about removing any paint. I painted a PVC overflow box with Fusion spray paint, the paint was seriously peeling off, I just left it alone for a year.

As long as it’s non toxic, you can use anything. Yugang has another type of reactor called a CO2 spray bar, would work perfect for yeast type CO2 generation.

[Supermassive]

On 11/21/2023 at 1:52 PM, JoeQ said:

it is recommended to add a gh booster if you do not know your calcium/magnesium ratio.

I couldn't find anything about calcium or magnesium in any of the water reports I looked up for my area so ill probably get a gh booster. Are some better than others or are they all essentially identical? And it only changes GH and not KH right?

[JoeQ]

On 11/25/2023 at 12:42 PM, Supermassive said:

I couldn't find anything about calcium or magnesium in any of the water reports I looked up for my area so ill probably get a gh booster. Are some better than others or are they all essentially identical? And it only changes GH and not KH right?

Gh is a mixture of calcium and magnesium, gh boosters do have calcium in them but not enough to massively change KH. For that you would need a KH booster, all the brands are fairly similar with a few exceptions.

There is also this if you are interest in knowing your cal:mag ratio.

https://www.amazon.com/hz/mobile/mission?p=AwIK2C7xrTEr73vmNKDmlrgLVAX%2FgZAufWdhYB5q8uTdIuNqBep71M%2FZT5OxdylXO8oLRPgXqnHe5hNJIpCEsf%2BGHzwYKcI2kUth9cpdRoBVeg88jjWLN6TM2dv4lH76S4gNJsypkraJ4bX8g7MN%2FgQrKHwaRPPivpHgIqenwCd3hlndOgZ6WmSMu1xH3NkrMQCZrU%2BKHJ%2FHXFUOo5WFmfke3MAu2uyQBc%2B4bQZYQ%2F3RkiVHfCmgEQNdstWQW6nlU5rz%2FO8wnWs7r33GMtU0eB9IfrlNYgLtC0f5GO9y5%2BVipbUoHEoiJZMgltI4QOZXLeMuGqaOVTKKpkjb4lXdnLymK8q2ITtX2L4BUWQSsWCuYWXr3rI1JUj5jsssCWAMayt%2F44PH68CSNc6j1M%2F4kSsF7WrG0PtR%2Fzf4hDTKynGey%2B86b1DLfw%3D%3D&ref_=nb_sb_ss_di_ci_mcx_mi_ci-mcx-ksf1_0&crid=2JKNAJFC6EXK5

It's not a great test kit, but its good enough to get a good idea of where you are deficit

 

[Supermassive]

On 11/25/2023 at 1:19 PM, JoeQ said:

Gh is a mixture of calcium and magnesium, gh boosters do have calcium in them but not enough to massively change KH. For that you would need a KH booster, all the brands are fairly similar with a few exceptions.

Is there any potential downsides of using a gh booster other than changing KH a little? They also contain potassium so if my fertilizer already has potassium could it potentially get too high? I've heard it takes a ton of potassium to cause issues but idk actually how much.

 

On 11/25/2023 at 1:19 PM, JoeQ said:

There is also this if you are interest in knowing your cal:mag ratio.

That link isn't working for me. I'm in Canada, it probably doesn't like that. There is one combo cal/mag test kit I see but its for salt water. API has a calcium test kit but the only magnesium kit I see is again for salt water.

[Mmiller2001]

On 11/25/2023 at 10:42 AM, Supermassive said:

I couldn't find anything about calcium or magnesium in any of the water reports I looked up for my area so ill probably get a gh booster. Are some better than others or are they all essentially identical? And it only changes GH and not KH right?

Should just be GH, but most boosters have potassium.

I’d personally would just chose CaSO4 and MgSO4 (epson salts).

[JoeQ]

On 11/25/2023 at 1:53 PM, Supermassive said:

Is there any potential downsides of using a gh booster other than changing KH a little? They also contain potassium so if my fertilizer already has potassium could it potentially get too high? I've heard it takes a ton of potassium to cause issues but idk actually how much.

 

That link isn't working for me. I'm in Canada, it probably doesn't like that. There is one combo cal/mag test kit I see but its for salt water. API has a calcium test kit but the only magnesium kit I see is again for salt water.

The thing most people dont realize is, GH doesn't refer to just water hardness. It is made up of plant nutrients. Some say secondary plant nutrients which plants need a good amount of, but not as much as your primary nutrients: Nitrogen, Phosphate, Potassium npk. You aren't going to alter water parameters drastically by using a minimal dose. You are only adding enough to ensure your plants have a supply of calcium, magnesium and sulfur (which is included in magnesium aka Epsom salts)

Mmiller2001 is correct dry dosing the nutrients is easier, but dry dosing involves a learning curve that can seem overwhelming. I actually started with a liquid gh booster first because of ease of use and my plants thanked me Bigly for it!

[JoeQ]

Edit: correction, i used equalibirum first. That showed me the importance of calcium, magnesium and sulfer. I switched to a liquid gh booster because IMO equalibirum has solubility issues.

As for down side, the downside is if you don't know your calcium /magnesium ratio your plants MAY NOT be growing to their full potential.

[Supermassive]

@Mmiller2001 @JoeQ I tested GH in my tank and its exactly where I expected to be and where it has always been, between 60 and 80ppm. I use 50/50 tap and distilled to get KH and PH down. Is that too low for a moderate to heavily planted tank? Should I look for a GH booster either liquid or dry?