# Questions from newbie



## nanoguy (Mar 12, 2006)

Hey everyone,

I just joined the forum and have been searching around for a while looking for answers and have found alot of info. But...I need some direct answers to some questions. First I need to set everyone up. I have a 12 gal. JBJ nanocube with the 48w lights, stock pump and 50w heater. It has about 2 inches of the ECOcomplete sub. stocked with some microsword, dwarf hairgrass, java fern and some sort of val. (sorry for the common names, remember I am very new). Anyways, I am also growing lots of algae. No CO2or ferts. I need advice. Do I neeeeed CO2? I think that all the light and no additional CO2 is contributing to my algae problems and lack of plant growth. Sorry for the super long post I am just getting my foot in the door.


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## titan97 (Feb 14, 2005)

CO2 will definitely help. Is it required? No. On a tank that size you could use Seachem's Flourish Excel. Also, as the tank fills in, it will naturally be more resistant to algae growth (as the plants will consume the ferts before the algae could).
As for ferts, I'm assuming that you have some sort of fish also. They will provide some of the required ferts. Unless you can judge plant growth to tell what you are missing, you might want to get some test kits, mainly nitrate, phosphate, pH, KH, and GH. Calcium is nice, but not required. As for the ferts themselves, Greg Watson sells them dirt cheap. You should be able to get what you need for around $20-30, and that should last you a long, long time.
Posting your tank parameters (nitrate, phosphate, pH, etc) will help us help you.

Good luck, and welcome.

-Dustin


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## nanoguy (Mar 12, 2006)

Thanks for your advice. What does the excel do to replace injected CO2? As for parameters, I have never been very good at keeping up with testing because I am so busy (and lazy) but I guess I should get used to it. I keep a 120 gal oscar tank and the small "plant murdering tank" as I have come to call it was kind of a side project. I hope i didn't dive into deep. Was a saltwater tank before Hurricane Rita hit us and killed everything, I just wanted something different. If anyone has pics of their nanocube setups I would love to see them or pehaps talk about them. Thanks again everyone.


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

Hi Nanoguy Welcome to APC,

You can look at excel as a liquid type of CO2 that doesn't degas once you add it. It usually gets consumed by the plants in about 48 hours, so you have to redose the about 10ml about 3x per week.

I would seriously try DIY CO2 with a sweetwater stone (AS10) from www.aquaticeco.com. It's helped tremedously in my setups. No more green spot algae or fuzz growth, some brown algae still needs to go.

But Excel will work also for your size since 30ml per week won't put a dent in a 500 ml or 2 liter bottle of excel that fast.

-John N.


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## nanoguy (Mar 12, 2006)

Hey thanks for the advice John. I checked out the sweetwater diffusers on the website you suggested but I did not see an AS10 model maybe I'm just missing it. Does anyone have experience with the store bought reactors like the Hagen? I know it cost a few bucks more than building it myself but I think it is less likely to leak and looks alot better than a soda bottle sitting on my aquarium. Just some more newb questions I will try to put some pics of my algae tank soon. Thanks again.


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

When you're searching for it, AS10 would be the "part number." But here's an link that will hopefully work for a long duration:
http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/iid/9751/cid/

For the Hagen I assume we're talking about the hagen nutrafin ladder system? For that I still recommend using a 2 liter juice or pop bottle since they will last longer than the reaction in a smaller hagen canister unit. Longer being -2-3 weeks vs 4 weeks.

-John N.


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## nanoguy (Mar 12, 2006)

I have read a few articles on building a co2 reactor but your saying that I would connect the airline tubing from the bottle straight to the diffuser in the aquarium? Another problem I saw was that some people said that the bottle needed to be shook every few days some said don't, some said to keep it warm some said room temp., in other words I am getting conflicting advice elsewhere. By the way my newest readings show nitrate and nitrites at or near 0 and pH around 7.4 sorry but that is all I have test kits for. I'll try and get more info because I will probably go to the lfs today. Thanks


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## Blazerfrs (Feb 3, 2006)

You won't want to shake the bottle once you get it going- it will cause a burst of CO2 to be produced. This burst will likely overwhelm a passive diffusion system, and most will simply escape as bubbles to the surface of the aquarium (so it's wasteful). Also, the mix can froth up, causing your yeast/sugar mix to be injected into the tank (supposedly leading to possible fungus problems), or blocking the CO2 altogether (allowing pressure to build up and explode the CO2 bottle).

A properly set up system should require no shaking once the bottle is in place.


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

I think people shake it to remix the solution when it starts slowing down. I don't recommend it. Causes a burst of CO2, and the liquid can get onto the hose and into your tank...

The heating to room temperature is for places that get really cold like snow, and the yeast becomes more active when warmed up. Room temperature if it's not snowing or extremely cold will be fine. My DIY CO2 bottles produce good levels at 60 degrees F room temp.

I just pulled up my DIY CO2 Guide to help you out further. Let me know if it helps. http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...53-diy-co2-guide-with-pictures.html#post98781

-John N.


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## nanoguy (Mar 12, 2006)

Thanks again everyone for the info and I think I am going to try and build my own. John is that the AS10 diffuser in the picture of your DIY CO2 kit? The aquaticeco website only has a stock photo for all of the but I like the looks and functionality of the one on your other thead. I tried to find the Seachem Excel at both of my lfs today and nobody had any should I be using that with CO2 or in place of. What about a fertilizer? Both of the 24W lights in my Nanocube are 10000K blue and white bulbs. I figured they would be OK but maybe another spectrum would be better. I also bought 4 VERY small otocinclus cats today in hopes that they are very hungry and also cleaned and replanted with some wisteria and japonica. Please keep the comments and advice coming its been very helpful when I can't find answers elswhere on the forums. Later.


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

The AS10 sweetwater stone is the one pictured on their website, looks like a white block. The one in my DIY CO2 Guide is a mini mighty diffuser from www.aquabotanic.com.

If you would rather not go through the DIY process, although its fun I think while other people get fed up with remaking the solution every month, you can simple use the excel only.

You can purchase a one or two bottles of a 2 liter bottle of Excel from bigalsonline.com. Each bottle will probably last you more than 4 months based on 30ml a week.

It doesn't hurt to supplement either Excel with DIY CO2, or visa versa, but it's not necessary. You can run one or the other.

-John N.


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## nanoguy (Mar 12, 2006)

Hey thanks John, I just ordered some Excel from Petsolutions along with all the equipment for my 120g oscar tank. I also bought a bottle of juice (cherry-limeaide if your wondering) from Wal-Mart to build my DIY yeast reactor. Maybe I'll like it maybe not, we shall see. I like the miny mighty diffuser but I think thier on back order maybe I'll go with the other on for now. Anyways, thanks again and keep up the good work. Nanoguy


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## nanoguy (Mar 12, 2006)

Ok do I know Im the new guy and my first tank isnt even in full swing but Im toying with the idea of starting anothr small tank. It would be low tech, I have an eclipse style hood on a 15 high tank that is empty and I think I might do the sunpaq retrofit 36w I think. DIY CO2 and simple easy plants with ecocomplete sub. I am surfing around for ideas but I am open to ideas and suggestions on landscaping, plants, equipment etc. Thanks in advance for any ideas, everyone has been very helpful so far. Nanoguy


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

> Ok do I know Im the new guy and my first tank isnt even in full swing but Im toying with the idea of starting anothr small tank.


Oh, oh, sounds like the bug has bitten you!  What you describe, 15gal with 36W retrofit and diy, sounds fine. Check out the plantfinder here on apc and you can search under lighting requirements or ease of growth, if that's what you're after. As far as ideas for 'scaping, look through the aquascaping forum and check out the AGA site and their contest entries from the past several years for some beautiful layouts: http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2005.cgi. You can also check out the IALC entries which apc hosted here recently for more wonderful tanks.


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## nanoguy (Mar 12, 2006)

*val questions*

Hi everyone,

I have some type of val. that I got at my lfs that has fairly broad, flat leaves. It was growng well in my tank at first but soon grew out across the top and down the other side. since then it seems to be taking a turn for the worst. The leaves are collecting algae faster than my otos can handle and they are starting to look transparent. I havent started using c02 yet but will soon and I am waiting for my excel to arrive. New leaves are coming up now but I don't know how to trim the old ones. Im not sure what species it is, I looked on the plant finder but not sure how to find it for more info. I appreciate any help.


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## Dewmazz (Sep 6, 2005)

nanoguy said:


> Both of the 24W lights in my Nanocube are 10000K blue and white bulbs.


That's where most of your algae is coming from. The lights you have are 10000K and probably 460nm. Those are meant for corals. Here's my experience with actinics from another post:

...with actinics, I've read many of the posts here at APC and other aquatic plant forums about actinic bulbs encouraging algae growth, especially the blue ones. Their K temperatures peak at the ideal photosynthesizing nanometer, which is good for plants but excellent for algae growth. Actinics are usually used for microalgae growth in marine set-ups, providing food for invertibrates and corals. I'm sure, however, that in a heavily planted aquarium with lots and lots of fast-growing stem plants, algae shouldn't be as much of a problem. I recall trenac saying something about avoiding actinics when I first described my 10 gal. set-up. In 3 days, all the sides of my rocks, plants, tank, and gravel were covered with diatoms. After changing my bulbs and getting two otos, it would take at least 3-4 weeks for it to get that bad...

Exchange them when you can for something in the 6000 - 10000K range.
And if you still ned help understanding diy co2, try here: http://www.qsl.net/w2wdx/aquaria/diyco2.html
I hope some of this has helped. And good luck!


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## nanoguy (Mar 12, 2006)

Thanks Dewmazz, I will check into different lights for it. Any suggestions where to look? I have another question for everyone. I get up early and go to bed late, I usually am not home during the day and dont get to see my aquarium with the lighs on much. I read somewhere that you can "break up" the photoperiod to come on early turn off during the day for a few hours and then turn off later in the evening. Does this affect plant growth? I cant leave it on all day that would be way too long a light period. Thanks again.


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## Costanza (Feb 1, 2006)

I've had one of these 12g JBJ Nanocubes for a little over a year now. An ongoing problem I've had with this tank is algae; specifically, BBA or something that looks like it (maybe tuft algae?). Anyways, I've heard of other people having the same problem with this particular aquarium. 

I do have properly administered CO2 in the tank also; and many a times I've played with the level to control the algae. This only seemed to slow it down.

My first theory was the heat, so I removed the flap door on top. Although this cooled down the aquarium, it didn't stop the algae. I took it all apart, bleached the filter parts (etc.) and on my next try I cut the lighting down to 6 hrs a day. This has seemed to work but, again, it was only a delay; eventually the algae came back. So now, I have put Eheim Substrat (bio-media) into the filter chamber. We'll see what effect this has in a month or two. 

I really attribute this aquarium's algae-susceptibility to its lighting. The tank is advertised as 12 gallons, but in reality there is only about 8 gallons of water in play (12 gal minus the volume of the substrate and the 1-2-ish gallons that run through the built-in filter). With that in mind, the lighting is way too over powering: two 24watt compacts. All in all, you are putting almost 50 watts over 8 gallons.


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

lol, this thread was 9 months old. =P


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