timbruun

If you friend has any bio media from any of their tanks that you could get would greatly speed up your cycle process.

Only problem with putting the rocks on top of the sand is if the fish start digging. Mine dig under everything that they can. They even pull the sand up from the egg crate

Entirely up to you. I have it in my african tank because it came that way and I guess I do feel safer with it. Others don't have it and have no problems either.

It's plastic. It's known as light diffuser also from hardware stores I believe.

It has shrimp and snails and a few endlers. So the smallest powerhead I can find I guess...But will it not keep adding co2 even if the powerhead isn't running?

I mean on a 5.5 gallon tank... lol

Does bottle size affect anything other than how long the co2 lasts? How big for a 5.5 gallon if it does matter? And I assume you adjust the mixture accordingly with bottle size. And can it be ran through a HOB or would you just lose it all? I keep my water level above the bottom so there is no fall. Other option is to just bubble it in.

Ok. That I knew. I thought you were meaning that the mechanical was causing water clarity issues.

I didn't know you could have too much mechanical filtration... Why would that cause problems?

I had mine gum up on me so I just used one of the cleaning brushes on the impeller shaft after I took the impeller out. Worked like a charm. I do notice with one of the ones I got used that after I do clean it, it's a bit noisy until it gets either some buildup on the shaft or centers itself. Something is worn but it works fine afterwards.

Thanks for all the great work Tanker. Everything has worked flawlessly for me from the beginning. Your work if much appreciated.

If you're worried get some egg crate/light diffuser. Works great and there there are no worries. Although alot of people just go without anything. I wouldn't use filter floss. It'll get pretty gross after a while.

It'll mix up. Talk to catshanon if you're wanting fluorite and play sand. He has some that is mixed up already.

Well that quikrete was awesome. Just changed over 2 tanks from gravel to sand. The sand barely even needed to be washed once and it was good. Very slightly cloudy in the one tank but that's partly because I dropped the pail and sand went flying. I had more issues with all the crap in the gravel turning my water black. End result is much better and easier to maintain. Thanks for the help everyone.

That's what I was thinking too. But how to fix it? Try putting it in a different spot.

I would take them out now. Did you rearange the tank before you added the new fish? Eliminate the territories?

I found it today. Bought a couple bags so I have some for later I guess. Much cheaper than elsewhere. Went to big al's for black sand to add to one of my tanks that I have already that is short. They didn't have any so I went to aquagiant and it was $29.99 for 1 bag. It's crazy. And it was only 20 pounds instead of 55 pounds of play sand for $7 at home depot.

And how much sand for a 55 gallon tank? 48x12 or so.

Hoping to get it today. Not sure if sil industries is open? Trying to stay south side if at all possible also.

You'll need to specify which africans you are thinking about. Some get along while others don't.

I can't find quickrete on the home depot website? Is it called anything else? I can find the King brand which has a bunch of different types. And Stone Mason sand.

Very few things eat black hair algae. I just cut off where the algae was and it hasn't really come back since. Only on a couple leaves that I'm going to trim off soon also.

So 10-12 hours will be ok with low light also? And I'll keep up with the excel but not with the flourish then. And it's not really new. At least to me. Probably new compared to most. It's been going for about 6 months. Plants were added after, don't remember when. I know when I added plants the brown algae came after that.

There is hornwort in both tanks. Doesn't grow like crazy like it's supposed to though...

So I did the math and I have 1.48wpg on my 90 gal and 0.55wpg on my 55gal. With that amount of light is it actually the light causing the algae? Or is it an excess of somethign else. The algae is only in the 90 gal. I switched my light schedule to on at 7am off at 12pm, then on at 3pm and off at 12am. So 14 hours total. Does that work? The only thing I add to the water is prime at water changes. Excel at half the dose because I think my vals were melting at full dose. And I did try Flourish to see if that helped. Maybe that's what's causing it? I didn't have green algae before that. I had brown algae/diatoms which disappeared on its own.