gdcox76 Posted October 29, 2009 Report Share Posted October 29, 2009 So instead of taking up space here with the photos, and as a project just to experiment with how googles "Sites" option works I have been messing around with a web page just for my aquarium pictures. Here is the link http://sites.google.com/site/gsaquariumprojects/home I have a Green Water problem as the last pictures show. I haven't figured out what to do about the green water at this stage yet. I don't really want to do a blackout as the plants are really starting to grow really nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
werner Posted October 29, 2009 Report Share Posted October 29, 2009 Nice! I think you need a lot more plants in there- I can still see the back of the glass! The plants should be fine with a blackout. Go for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PacMan Posted October 29, 2009 Report Share Posted October 29, 2009 Mineralized Soil eh, i thikn im going to give that a try for my next tank im planning. Tank looks good BTW. As for the green water problem. Check this site out. might help you out. http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/algae.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oneiroid Posted October 29, 2009 Report Share Posted October 29, 2009 I have a Green Water problem as the last pictures show. I haven't figured out what to do about the green water at this stage yet. I don't really want to do a blackout as the plants are really starting to grow really nicely. Great start! I can't count the number of times I've started to create an independent aquarium journal online, only to abandon it (them). Green water has been a problem for me in the past as well. There are lots of ways of preventing it, but when you got it, prevention isn't really the issue anymore. Blackouts are absolutely out of the picture for my aquariums - there is no way I can risk varying the photoperiod by even a day. I've tried various "chemicals", and would never go that route again; my livestock was never impressed by this treatment and the treatment itself was never consistent (any of them). I finally invested in a UV sterilizer - and to my surprise, my pea-soup tank of about a month ago turned crystal clear after about a week. I removed the sterilizer and it hasn't come back since. This is a normal technique for ponds, and is a great safe alternative for the indoor tank. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gdcox76 Posted October 29, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2009 (edited) Someone in Calgary want to borrow me a UV sterilizer for about a week...LOL. The mineralized soil was supposed to be to do away with the ferts, however the more reading I did I found that the consensus was that there where still some plants that would not do well or perform as well with that alone. An example would be Heteranthera zosterifolia or Stargrass. I really like it so I did some more reading. I found some info although very vague indicating that the mineralized soil and a moderate fert regime could go hand in hand. The gentleman that originally posted about the mineralized soil seems firmly apposed to this. However my thinking is that by using a system like PPS Pro which is designed to give you approximately what the plants will use up totally in a day shouldn't be a hindrance in any way. Now my green water problem could be a result of my experimenting. Over all the plants love the soil you can notice a marked difference from when you put the plants in to about a week later when they have developed roots into the soil layer they really get perked up. You should see some of the root structures on some of these plants in only a couple weeks time, I've still been rearranging so I have had to pull up plants to move them, there pretty impressive. And Werner I'm sure I can find somewhere to put more plants if I'm creative.....esthetically I am in need of some really dark green I think, I added some Nomaphila Stricta yesterday I'll see it will be good addition just because it is a broad leaf plant as opposed to a lot of the rest. Edited October 29, 2009 by gdcox76 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oneiroid Posted October 29, 2009 Report Share Posted October 29, 2009 (edited) Now my green water problem could be a result of my experimenting. Yes, this is a possibility for sure. I know my last green tank was due to a canister filter failure which in turn threw off the water chemistry. But! If you run a UV sterilizer while you are experimenting with ferts, this will ensure any algae in the water column is removed, and even better - the UV treatment will not change the affectiveness of the ferts you are playing around with so you can leave it in there for as long as you think you need it. Of course, this will not prevent other algae outbreaks on your plants or hardscape which may occur during this time as well. And I agree with wener whole-heartedly: plant it up to the hilt! Edit: The UV sterilizer doesn't actually remove the algae, it kills it. You regular tank filtration will trap and collect the dead diatoms, so be sure to clean out your filter media often during this process. Edited October 29, 2009 by Oneiroid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gdcox76 Posted November 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2009 Well 24 hours after installing the UV sterilizer my tank is crystal clear...WOW! I had to take the weed whacker in after the plants because everything went crazy during the last week while I couldn't see anything. Just when I got that under control my Co2 cylinder ran out .... I may want to change up to a 10 lbs tank if I'm going to be filling this one every 2 months. I'll post some more pictures in a couple weeks I'm going to let it recover from the pruning I gave it. I have cuttings from these plants if anyone is interested Rotala Rotundifolia Limnophila sessiliflora hygrophila polysperma 'sunset' Shinnersia rivularis "Weiss-Grun" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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