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Post by Crazygar on May 3, 2020 14:33:40 GMT -5
1 hour 10 minute session!
I'm a little puzzled how it took so long, but hey, when you are having fun...
Today I accomplished:
- Trimmed, removed, replaced Hygrophila pinnatifida. Once we start having meetings again, I will be bringing some of this in!
- Propagated the AR 'Mini'. Now I have two pieces, which will grow slowly until they look nice again.
- Trimmed the Blyxa around my CO2 diffuser. Blyxa really loves this aquarium
- Cleaned the glass inside and out
Next week, filter, Hairgrass, Stauro and HC mound. I may start doing some of this during the week, saving me time on Sunday to concentrate on the equipment or more time consuming tasks. Something to consider.
Dosing Pump will require the standard line flush shortly as well.
Starting to assemble parts for the upgrade. I have 2 Stainless Steel Pipes (Jet, Intake) on the way from Amazon. 12/16mm to fit an Eheim 2215 (cardboard removed).
The tank is on track for the September AGA contest. Since the entire planet is self-isolating I expect fierce competition this year. I am not expecting to win, but I will enjoy taking part. If I get some pro tips from the pros, that will be worth all this effort.
As usual, pH chart and pics to follow in their respective order. The glamor shot will be posted here and our Facebook Group as well.
Today's album was Evanescence, "Evanescence". I was still up in Saskatoon (2011 release date) when this album came out. I am a huge Evanescence fan and this is my personal favorite album from her.
Gary
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Post by Crazygar on May 4, 2020 17:52:57 GMT -5
Some of the Buce is once again ready for propagating. Going to try and fill the shadowed area in the front with Buce and keep the Hygro in back (sounds like an Aquatic mullet)
pH is looking good. Interesting to see the values change slightly after water changes...
Gary
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Post by christopher on May 9, 2020 10:22:00 GMT -5
Blyxa sure is high impact in this tank.Lots going on in a small tank
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Post by Crazygar on May 10, 2020 5:45:08 GMT -5
I plan to tone that down with a good trimming today. I hear you on that Chris, I want the focal point being the Buce/Hygro.
Hairgrass, Blyxa, Hygro, Stauro and HC are all getting trimmed today. The session will be extensive today as the look in there, I just have to start tweaking a few things.
Gary
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Post by Crazygar on May 10, 2020 14:24:18 GMT -5
1 hour and 20 minute session. I am getting really fast and good at trimming the tank. I start at the back moving towards the front. It helps me work on the look I want.
This session I did;
- Trimmed the Blyxa. Yes it was choking out my CO2 diffuser and removed a rather large clump of Java Mess. I continue to remove this stuff, 2 years later
- Trimmed and replanted the Hygrophila. Such a wonderful plant, I cannot believe I Aquascaped without it in the past
- Trimmed the Staurogyne repens. It is back nice and green and lush. I believe I was over trimming
- Trimmed the Buce (only a few pieces) and replanted some in the front of the wood in hopes of filling it in
- Trimmed the Hairgrass, as usual, spent more time cleaning this up from the water column. With carpet plants, a necessary evil
- Trimmed the HC Mound and found out this is the Cherry Shrimp nursery. As I touched the mound, a small cloud of little red things shot out of the mound. Baby shrimp.
- Left the AR 'Mini' alone, as always, the slowest growing plant in the tank
I did not do the filter today, but I have to next week. Which is fine as I am going to guess I am going to start finding shrimp in there. Whatever is found, returns to the main tank. Nothing else to report other than waiting for registration to open for the AGA this year.
Picture and pH to follow tomorrow. As always, I will post also in the Windsor Aquarium Society Facebook Group.
Album(s) this week, Depeche Mode, "Music For The Masses" and half of "Violator".
Gary
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Post by Crazygar on May 11, 2020 18:04:28 GMT -5
pH this week
Hygro is going crazy!
Gary
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Post by Crazygar on May 17, 2020 14:34:07 GMT -5
1 hour and 20 minute session. The following was done:
- Filter, partially cleaned, did find a few renegade Shrimp which were returned to the main tank
- Cut, trim and replace Hygrophila. It was starting to take over and look a bit unruly
- Blyxa trim as usual
- Cut and replace a bit more of the Buce
For the most part I left everything else alone. Just letting things grow out and get to a point where I have a tank worthy of the AGA. Quite honestly, I have not much more to say other than the pH was weird this week.
The place where I get the water may need to change their membrane. I will see tonight when I take my reading if the pH is wildly different or similar.
Album this week was DJ Melon/DJ 3Lime, "Sexy Trance #14", feeling in an upbeat mood and well, this album is great to work to!
As usual, pH and picture tomorrow, though I sneak peek will be posted this evening.
Gary
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Post by Crazygar on May 18, 2020 19:17:59 GMT -5
The Tank
pH for the week. A bit of wild ride
Gary
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Post by Crazygar on May 21, 2020 5:35:59 GMT -5
I noticed something the other day when doing one of my partial water changes... my Hairgrass has accumulated quite an amount of Mulm. So for the next few water changes I will be cleaning this up. The water on Tuesday was pretty brown. Would explain a few things actually.
Adding this to my main routine during all water changes.
Gary
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Post by Crazygar on May 23, 2020 14:29:50 GMT -5
Thursdays water change was also tank water/mulm sampling day.
A few tiny shrimp managed to get caught up in my Mulm removal craze so I broke siphon to let them return to the tank.
Without thinking, I replaced the siphon in the water and took a long draw off it. End result: A good amount of Tank/Mulmly water directly into my mouth (some may have continued further).
After the gagging, spitting and eventual drink of what seemed a pint of Mouthwash, a small job turned into a bit of an adventure. Though I can safely say, I prefer Freshwater over Saltwater.
Still had to retrieve about 3 or 4 tiny shrimp from the bucket. Some of the adults are finally starting to die off, but not without producing loads of young to replenish the stock. I have way more Shrimp that my original purchase of 20.
Gary
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Post by Crazygar on May 25, 2020 5:22:10 GMT -5
Updates to follow, was out for most of the day yesterday and did not return into well into the evening. It was nice to see tons of boats back out on the Lake, normalcy.
Gary
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Post by Crazygar on May 31, 2020 14:12:38 GMT -5
Wow, I actually missed a week. Last Sunday I was enjoying being outside and company. While I did a quick water change in the morning I really didn't do much.
During the week, I cleaned the glass a few times, spent time picking away at floating plant debris (the bane of Hairgrass, Blyxa and HC) and basic things.
This morning, while I was prepping for the maintenance cycle (holy crap do the plants grow in 2 weeks) I decided I might as well clean the filter while I am waiting. I noticed some reduced flow on it.
No shrimp this time, but a piece of pillow stuffing decided to wedge itself in a place that was almost puzzling to how it managed there (somehow, managed to wrap itself up in the impeller). So one hour before, for one hour, I cleaned the filter, replaced the stuffing, no shrimplets this time. Reassembled and just filled up before I had to clean the main tank.
This session: 2 hours and 5 minutes. I managed to accomplish:
- Trim the Blyxa, holy crap was it starting to get gigantic again. The trick with this plant, let it be and you'll get lush growth in no time
- Trim the Staurogyne. It was starting to invade out into the Hairgrass lawn and into the HC Mound. Cut those out, trimmed back what I could and voila!
- Trim the HC Mound. It was looking more like a plateau than a mound, some precision trimming cured that
- Cut/trimmed/removed Hygro as my standard routine now. Another plant that grows swimmingly well
Also, I have a large amount of Baby Shrimp in the tank. I am going to safely put the Shrimplet numbers triple or higher than the adult population. Everywhere I looked, there was at least two or three.
I scrubbed the rocks lightly with the Toothbrush that I had dipped in Excel before scrubbing.
The tank seriously needed a good trim, it was getting overgrown. I will put a "non-pretty" picture tonight (with all the powerhead still in) and of course pH and pretty picture tomorrow.
Also, I have noticed that either the membrane at the water place needs changing or my pH pen needs calibration. Going to order some calibration liquid from Amazon as I cannot find my other ones (of course, day of, or after I will find the other packets). pH was not lowering as much and the previous weeks and seem to swing a bit wildly.
I do need to do a PM on the CO2 setup so maybe during the week this will be one of my tasks. Tomorrow I am "babysitting" the major software updates/changes I implemented at work, so I may even have time in the morning.
Gary
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Post by Crazygar on May 31, 2020 14:21:30 GMT -5
Oh, the album this week, Red Sun Rising's "Polyester Zeal". Good old rock (2015 ha ha). From Ohio, this band brings back a great sound and awesome songs. If you are going to check them out here is a list of songs that are a must listen:
- My Muse
- Blister
- Bliss
- and their version of Alanis Morissette's "Uninvited" (which they totally own)
Gary
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Post by Crazygar on May 31, 2020 19:45:11 GMT -5
CO2 on, lights at 55% (50% at 9pm). Glamor shot tomorrow! Gary
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Post by Crazygar on Jun 1, 2020 18:02:37 GMT -5
And that is with the Hygro pruned back. Next week, Hygro and Hairgrass. Both grow extremely fast and dense in this tank.
Blyxa is back to it's former glory.
My pH Pen must be needing calibrating.
This morning the pH was 7.47, lights on and CO2 running for 4 hours its only at pH of 7.01?
I don't think so. Going to measure it again at 8pm.
A different pH Pen may be required to give me another result. If they are the same, then it is the water, if the other pH Pen reads different, then it's a calibration issue.
Gary
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