Hulks Escape!

[Minanora]

I'm sorry to read about the loss of the Danios. Maybe there's some residual chemicals in there that they were sensitive to as well. That's the only thing I could think of besides your notes.

I run carbon in my new tanks during their cycle, just in case of leeching plastics or any lingering manufacturing residue from equipment. My cycles are fishless. I even use my quarantine tank with carbon for new plants and anything new that goes into the aquarium or filters. I am a little paranoid. I ran a plastic injection molding machine for about 10 years, did CNC milling as well. I remember all the chemicals used for various tasks surrounding the manufacturing processes I participated in. Plastics are a special thing indeed.

[Atitagain]

Got 1st round of plants in, wife has shut down spending on tanks till after atleast the new year (understandably so) so used what I have to get started. For sure will be adding moss to wall and flying blocks (I have some not close to enough tho) and some more Anubias to use as almost carpeting I think I want mostly nana petite then another Barteri. Gonna steer clear of rooted plants on this one.

I have Java fern on left wall, some Anubias throughout footprint, then some PSO on right wall (I’m sure I will be removing this and adding more Java fern) can’t really see plants that well in blue light but I just think it’s cool so…

the radiation sign will be replaced as well it’s just a sticker and I need something better.

On 11/18/2021 at 9:34 AM, Minanora said:

I'm sorry to read about the loss of the Danios. Maybe there's some residual chemicals in there that they were sensitive to as well. That's the only thing I could think of besides your notes.

I run carbon in my new tanks during their cycle, just in case of leeching plastics or any lingering manufacturing residue from equipment. My cycles are fishless. I even use my quarantine tank with carbon for new plants and anything new that goes into the aquarium or filters. I am a little paranoid. I ran a plastic injection molding machine for about 10 years, did CNC milling as well. I remember all the chemicals used for various tasks surrounding the manufacturing processes I participated in. Plastics are a special thing indeed.

I used pre cycled sponge filters checked parameters, you maybe right I will take hulk out and give a good bath in peroxide or something. TY

[Minanora]

The plants!!!! YESSSS!!!! I love it!

I'm an insane person: For treating plastics, I generally raise my quarantine tank temperature to about 85 while running carbon, at least on the things that I'm comfortable with skipping the sous vide. I seriously do this to all of my airline that goes into the tank, every airstone. Every sponge that I plan to use.... If I get "unbranded" sponge material from Amazon I always put it through the sous vide at 110 for a few hours with several water changes and rinses. That way, no matter what tank I use it in, or what temperature the sponge gets to it won't leach anything into the water. In my experience plastics leach at different temperatures rather than being cleansed by things like peroxide. Plastic has pores that hold onto gasses from manufacturing, along with tiny particles of mold release spray, etc. As plastic warms up, these pores open and these things leach out.

[Atitagain]

On 11/18/2021 at 12:02 PM, Minanora said:

Plastic has pores that hold onto gasses from manufacturing, along with tiny particles of mold release spray, etc. As plastic warms up, these pores open and these things leach out

Never thought about this good info. TY

[Griznatch]

Sorry about your danios..  I too get a smile every time I check this thread, awesome tank!

[Atitagain]

More plants or I should say a lot of a new plant. Java moss, since there will be so much moss in here I think (for now) it will be a shrimp only tank. I have started with 16 cherry shrimp. I will probably over feed a little and do more water changes at first because this tank isn’t that well established and I want them to breed.
Started off with some bamboo Hors d’oeuvre sticks, cut them down to the size I needed. Used super glue gel and attached balls of moss to them. 
 

Then I stuck all of them in the wall and flying blocks. It helps to separate the nuclear reactors (sponge filters) from the wall. But it will need to grow out to have its full effect for that.

[Minanora]

Got your eye on any particular plants that you're going to add next? After the new year of course. 🙂

[Atitagain]

On 11/27/2021 at 8:45 PM, Minanora said:

Got your eye on any particular plants that you're going to add next? After the new year of course. 🙂

Definitely some more anubias and kinda want to wait till moss grows out a bit to get a feel but I’m thinking I need something different on the sides. Something taller like dwarf chain sword. Any suggestions?

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

I can't wait to see the moss grow out!!! (I suck at growing it so I like to see others do it successfully)

[Minanora]

On 11/27/2021 at 6:10 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

I suck at growing it

I suck at growing java moss. I do okay with Christmas moss at least.

@Atitagain That sounds good to me! or Dwarf Sagittaria if you don't want it to spread so quickly. At least for me that's how it goes. My sagittaria has grown much more slowly than my chain sword; and is a bit taller. Less ferts on the sagittaria though.

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

Firstly it’s awesome and continues to get cooler and cooler. Condolences on danios. I love shrimp tanks so I am all for it. I think the moss will really fill out the tank. I agree with getting to the point of your first trim of the moss before making any planting decisions. I’d consider crypts but I’m a crypt Nerm so there you go!

[Atitagain]

@Beardedbillygoat1975 I am considering crypts for sure. I was having some trouble with the ones I have but I think their starting to come around. Got them from ACO a while back, wendtii green 4 pots it split up to like 7 plants I have 4 left and 2 are good other 2 not so much but hopeful. Thank you!

[Atitagain]

It will be 3 weeks tomorrow for the plants I had to trim up some melt back on the Java fern. While I was in there went ahead and trimmed to Java moss, didn’t really need to be done, coulda waited a week maybe even two but went ahead. Growth of the moss is good, slow of coarse but good.

the stocking decision if finalized, the shrimp will stay and it will eventually be a skittles tank thinking of getting 3 more color variations besides the cherry. The plants will stay as is. I want a lot of moss! To kinda make it a moss farm. Then after moss is very well established (6 months-ish) add accent plants. I’m even removing the Java fern and all the Anubias. My thinking is give the moss all the plant food of that tank. Then once I have enough moss transfer the farm to different grow out tank. If needed. First pic I have a new overhead light added  as well as the top of tank light brightens it up 

But my favorite light set up is with the white light from overhead and the on tank light is blue. Adds to the depth IMO

 

[Guppysnail]

ORD. 💙 This is looking great the idea to give the moss the food and room to flourish is excellet. Take care with blue lights. In my tanks even a little blue light grows algae like mad. Especially hair algae. I do not use any and even electrical taped over the ones I could not completely turn off. 

[Atitagain]

On 12/10/2021 at 10:56 PM, Guppysnail said:

Take care with blue lights. In my tanks even a little blue light grows algae like mad

I do not use the blue light except for pics or showing to someone.

[Minanora]

I LOVE IT! Moss is amazing! I look forward to watching it fill in. The lighting is great. What light did you get?

Shrimp is a fine choice. I have fallen in love with the Orange Neocaridina I got. Shrimp only tank is extremely peaceful.

[Atitagain]

On 12/10/2021 at 11:50 PM, Minanora said:

I LOVE IT! Moss is amazing! I look forward to watching it fill in. The lighting is great. What light did you get?

Shrimp is a fine choice. I have fallen in love with the Orange Neocaridina I got. Shrimp only tank is extremely peaceful.

Thank you, 

the light is just an led that came with another tank. The moss I hope will fill in nicely and be used so the shrimp will thrive and when I’m breeding I can use it in breeder boxes and grow out tanks.

[OnlyGenusCaps]

On 12/10/2021 at 9:56 PM, Guppysnail said:

Take care with blue lights. In my tanks even a little blue light grows algae like mad.

Interesting.  I've heard this often, but my experience is quite different.  In my p-salt tank the lights are quite biased toward blue and I primarily get diatom algae and just a little green on rock surfaces.  I only have to the clean the acrylic like every 3 weeks.  Sorry, I don't mean to take us down the garden path here.  But I do love the "scene lighting" in this tank.  It's so wonderfully cinematic!  I'd turn the dramatic lighting on for a couple hours each night just to enjoy my handwork if I'd made such a masterpiece! 

[Guppysnail]

On 12/11/2021 at 7:59 AM, OnlyGenusCaps said:

Interesting.  I've heard this often, but my experience is quite different.  In my p-salt tank the lights are quite biased toward blue and I primarily get diatom algae and just a little green on rock surfaces.  I only have to the clean the acrylic like every 3 weeks.  Sorry, I don't mean to take us down the garden path here.  But I do love the "scene lighting" in this tank.  It's so wonderfully cinematic!  I'd turn the dramatic lighting on for a couple hours each night just to enjoy my handwork if I'd made such a masterpiece! 

I wonder if the saltwater and differences in algae that grows may have something to do with this?

[OnlyGenusCaps]

On 12/11/2021 at 7:01 AM, Guppysnail said:

I wonder if the saltwater and differences in algae that grows may have something to do with this?

My apologies, I should have written the name I've given the tank out fully.  I was referring to my pseudo-saltwater tank, which is in fact freshwater. 

I'll get to test this idea again this spring when I hope to finally, and at long last, finish my tank that I will light like a deep rock reef in one of the African rift lakes.  I'm hoping to make my own lights and primarily use a royal blue as the background lighting with white spots to accent.  That should be a good test of the idea that blue light will grow algae if nothing else!  🤪 

[Odd Duck]

@AtitagainTank is looking good!  I still love the theme!

[Atitagain]

ORD 👍

@OnlyGenusCaps can’t wait to see the African rift lake tank, sounds very interesting. The lighting sounds good. Make sure when your testing your lights do it with water in the tank. I had to tweak mine after filling.

Still ORD 

@Odd Duck 👍

thank you !

[Torrey]

@Atitagain I agree with the 'theater' lighting it does add depth. Now I am going to be looking for blue LED for the back of the 4'😅

@OnlyGenusCaps I have not found blue lights to grow algae, either. My fry grow out tank has a multicolor LED on one end of the tank (furthest from my bed), and a white LED spot light closest to my bed (double duty as a reading light).

When fry are still at eyelash stage, and I am feeding round the clock, the LED lights are on 24/7 and still didn't promote enough algae growth to outgrow the eating habits of danio or endler fry, especially after I added a snail clean-up crew.

@Guppysnail I wonder if there's a buildup of specific nutrients?

Wish I had better testing equipment or that my step-mom still worked at her lab to give a thorough breakdown of water composition of the different tanks.

This is the first fall/winter with fish tanks getting a bit of reflected 3 pm sunlight (all our windows are north facing, and have trees. Our apartment is a cave) and only the tall, converted drink containers have grown any algae that is significant enough to feed snails and amphopods. 

My green hair algae that put the nerite (Watson) and beautiful pond snail (Pebbles), and the red ramshorn (Tramp) in the food coma, was grown under the all white light (shop light) and not in the blue LED lit tank...

[Now, I want more tanks and lights to experiment]

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

 There is theory of course behind different color lights but I'm wondering if the LEDs are strong enough in some cases because as @Torrey and @OnlyGenusCaps has experienced- I have a rim light that was part of a glofish set up and you cannot turn off the blue LEDs while the white ones are running- I pilfered it and am using it on my Aquatop. I don't find any more algae growth in the tank than any of my other tanks. I did find that when I added a bit more light to the tank (all white LED) I definitely got more algae. 

@Atitagain the tank looks so cool with the blue, can you put that part on a timer so you can at least see it part of the day?

Edited December 12, 2021 by xXInkedPhoenixX

[Atitagain]

On 12/12/2021 at 5:58 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

@Atitagain the tank looks so cool with the blue, can you put that part on a timer so you can at least see it part of the day

Yes but I have to lose the white light and I want the moss to grow quickly. I turn it on the blue sometimes when I’m about my room, for pics, and if someone comes over I’ll leave it in blue.