110 Gallon South American Biotope

[Shelster]

Love the rosy tetras!

Looking forward to seeing pics when you add yours from home

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I hope to have some decent pics for you when I do.

 

[DerpPH]

I hope to have some decent pics for you when I do.

 
Let the pic posting begin!  

 

[Rattatou1e]

Wow! 
I just read through this thread, It was like reading a detective novel until you switched to neons. I admire your dedication in trying to solve what killed the bloodfins, I would have given up way earlier. 

  Wonder what did it in the end. 

 

[Primous]

Eagles!!!
 
I never knew you had a journal, congrats on the "23 name tetra" they are "Hyphessobrycon bentosi" Rosy tetras are "Hyphessobrycon rosaceus" As for the breaking down and cleaning the tank don't use liquid carbon, it just prolongs the situation. Simply remove the parts that have BBA (some plants you wont be able to be salvage so throw them out.) Once you have the Co2 setup just allow it to turn on one hour before the lights, stable co2 will kill bba in a week or two...
 
I'm not sure about your fert regime? Shrimps or photoperiod because I went straight to the last page with excitement.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

 
You missed quite a lot if you skipped to the end!  (I have TWO journals actually.   The other one is here, and an update should be coming for that one soon too.)
 
 
Anyway... I am using an EI dosing schedule.
 
The CO2 is running 24/7, because of the lack of a solenoid currently.  I may invest in one at some point in the future.
 
 
Thanks for the suggestion regarding the liquid carbon... I am going to be doing a "One-Two Punch" to eliminate the algae and then hope that it never returns...  I will be removing the rocks (actually, I'm in the middle of that right now), will be using hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in a hope to kill the algae, or at least weaken it... and then go with some Liquid Carbon to finish off the algae...  This is going to be done DIRECTLY on the algae, to ensure that the algae gets plenty of dose to do the dirty work.  I am hopeful (ever hopeful) that this will kill the BBA sufficiently, if not OUTRIGHT, and allow the plants to really fill in.
 
 
I have a nice batch of new plants going into the tank currently:
Alternanthera reineckii
Cabomba caroliniana
Hemianthus micranthemoides
Ludwigia Peruensis
Ludwigia repens
Parrot feather
Shinnersia rivularis
Potamogeton gayi
 
 
I am HOPING (again, ever hopeful) that with the increased plant mass, the nutrients will be much more in demand by the plants and that the BBA will not be able to compete.. and will go away.

 

[Primous]

I know it's just my theory and I haven't started at the beginning of your journal but the real worry when it comes to excess, in my most humble opinion, is nitrate. If you can reduce (not eliminate it completely) the amount in your macro solution you might have less to worry about. Again that's just a theory I've come up with but it might just work.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Thanks Primous...
 
I'm not in a position to doubt any hypothesis put forward.  I am working on one hypothesis right now, and if it doesn't normalize, then I will make an another adjustment.
 
 
Tank took FOUR hours... emptying it, moving fish, cleaning rocks, scrubbing walls, etc...  then refilling, re-emptying, then refilling and reheating, then restocking...  FOUR HOURS!     Not what I expected - but there's no visual sign of any BBA remaining.  Hopefully I can keep it at bey for the future... One thing I will be doing is SPOT treating the first sign of it ANYWHERE!!!
 
 
Pics (which I promised before, will be coming soon.  My wife's camera batteries died, literally right as I was videoing the betta tank linked above!

 

[Primous]

Any updates eagles?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Yes, but nothing to show yet.  I'm on holiday at the moment, and don't have a functioning camera, I hope to update soon with a bevy of pictures.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Ok Update time:
 
Left:

 
Middle:

 
Right:

 
HM planted into mopani wood:

 
 
'rosy' tetras:


 
Two quick videos of the tank, trying to focus on each of the species of fish and plants...
http/www.flickr.com/photos/56876192@N03/11631114554/
http/www.flickr.com/photos/56876192@N03/11631114524/

 

[Ch4rlie]

decent pics Eagles, looking good.

 

[Ninjouzata]

Lovely pics & vids! Did you get a new camera? It looks much clearer now.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Not at all... just cleaned the glass and removed the algae.
But, the fact that it looks so much better means the algae regrowth is VERY slow.  

 

[Ninjouzata]

Oh.. woops Great job at battling it!