# Tank Update



## Emc2 (Oct 29, 2005)

The tank has reached it's adolescent stage. It's awkward but still beautiful. I replaced the 250 10,000k metal halides with 1250 watt double ended 8,000k ADA bulbs (extra green). I can take the sunscreen off now and hopefully the heat won't be as much of an issue.


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## Jason Baliban (Feb 21, 2005)

The tank is coming along great!!! I cant wait to see it today!!

jB


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## Emc2 (Oct 29, 2005)

Thanks Jason (and thanks for your help today). As usual it was great having you guys over.


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## Jdinh04 (Oct 7, 2004)

The tank is looking great, maybe its just the photo but I would suggest adding a few crypts that gives off some color. Its great that the swords are now growing submersed leaves, give it a couple more months and i'm sure you'll be satisfied!


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## Emc2 (Oct 29, 2005)

Thanks John. I was thinking the same thing. I'd like a little more color in there. I may see how a few stems of alternatheria work out on the left.


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## Jdinh04 (Oct 7, 2004)

I guess you do could that, can you give a list of plants that you have in there; I don't think it was posted yet.


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## Emc2 (Oct 29, 2005)

Sure. I'll put it together. I've been planning on putting together an article for the web site. Someday I may even get it done.


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## Dusty (Apr 30, 2006)

Wow your tank is beautiful!


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## Emc2 (Oct 29, 2005)

Thanks Dusty. I can't take credit though. I planned the tank and the system but Jeff Senske did the actual scape.

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...ic-gardeners-association/15272-thank-you.html

Feel free to come check it out anytime. It's nice to have people who actually appreciate planted tanks see it. The last person who looked at it asked me if it was freshwater or saltwater. :faint:


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## brad (Jul 10, 2005)

Lookin' good Erin. Keep the pics coming.


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## Emc2 (Oct 29, 2005)

Thanks Brad. Good to see you again.


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## Emc2 (Oct 29, 2005)

The growth in this tank has been amazing. I had a bad outbreak of bba for while. I increased the co2, potassium, nitrate and traces and decreased the lighting. It's starting to reach that sweet spot. Now I'm ready to start messing with it again so I can watch it all go to hell.

I'm not happy with the circulation pump. I'm going to remove it and replace it with an eheim pro III and a co2 reactor. I've been using the circulation pump (an Iwasaki 30) as my reactor. It does a great job. Problem is that every 5 seconds I get this white mist of co2 all over the tank. Looks like crap. The other problem is that the current filter is on a GFI that keeps tripping. It's happened three times that the filter has gone off for an unknown amount of time. I'm also going to add a uv filter to the output of one of the current eheim.


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## Jason Baliban (Feb 21, 2005)

Wow!!

That thing is really growing like crazy!! I'm coming over to see it in person!!

You might even have to do some trimming on your moss

jB


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## Emc2 (Oct 29, 2005)

Thaks Jason. I made a run out to TFP today. I picked up another 2 liter bottle of excel. It's yours if you want it. Otherwise I'm sure it will get used.


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## DelawareJim (Nov 15, 2005)

How's the tank looking lately?

2 litre Excel? You dosing excel plus CO2 injection?

Cheers.
Jim


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## Emc2 (Oct 29, 2005)

I was Jim. I turned the CO2 off a few months ago. I'll try to post some update pictures this weekend.


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## Dusty (Apr 30, 2006)

Holy cow your tank really has come along! Can't wait for the pics!


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## Laith (Sep 4, 2004)

Emc2 said:


> I was Jim. I turned the CO2 off a few months ago. I'll try to post some update pictures this weekend.


Nice tank.

I'm curious as to why you turned the CO2 off...


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## Emc2 (Oct 29, 2005)

Thanks.

It was mostly design error that caused me to turn the co2 off. I ran the co2 into an iwaki 30 pump. The pump chopped the co2 up into a fine mist of tiny bubbles and spit it into the tank. The problem was that the bubbles looked awful and that the flow on the pump was too strong. Some of the swords in the back couldn't thrive because they were getting sucked in to the intake of the pump. I could turn the co2 off with a timer but I couldn't turn the pump off for any extended period of time without a build up of stagnant water in the pipes. So, I ended up turning the whole thing off. The plan was to replace the pump with a second filter and a reactor. The growth and the overall balance in the tank has been good since I shut the pump and the co2 off so I've just left it that way while the filter and the reactor sit in my closet. 

Too much information huh?


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## Emc2 (Oct 29, 2005)

This photo is a couple weeks old. I've done a major trim since.


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## DelawareJim (Nov 15, 2005)

Erin;

I've got to stop by and see it! It's incredible since I saw it last at set up.

Oh by the by, could you bring my blue cooler to Jason's on Saturday? I'm planning on doing some collecting after the meeting.

Cheers.
Jim


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## Emc2 (Oct 29, 2005)

Sure Jim. It will be good to see you. Maybe you should do some collecting at the meeting though - sounds like Jason has some nice stuff to get rid of.


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## DelawareJim (Nov 15, 2005)

I already e-mailed him yesterday morning for the Crypt. parva. I'll probably grab some stemmies for my Endler tank too.

The collection trip is to hunt the Glosso that has been mapped by the US Geological Survey in Bucks county and Jersey that Jay Luto posted.

It'll be good to see everyone at the meeting again. Work has taken so much of my time this summer.

Cheers.
Jim


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