George's Nano Journal

[tetraman]

Very cool! It looks like a temporary pool in Afria.

 

[TammyLiz]

George, it did start out well and I think its a good first try on a nano. It was better than my first try . I think I'm starting over for like the third time now on my 2 gallon. One of these days, we will get it right, and I am glad you've shared the experience.

I fully agree about the importance of water changes and absolute consistency with everything you do to the tank. I have found it to be very true with mine as well. Maybe I should be taking pictures of my tank on the bad days to share with everyone, so all will know how much I've been through once I've gotten it right.

 

[lljdma06]

Oh no! Yep, I do water changes 2x a week in the 8g and the 2.5g and they are low-tech tanks, so now imagine a high-tech tank.

You can either let it get you down, or learn from it. Go ahead, open a bottle of beer, and start rescaping! The tank will be better than ever before you know it.

At least you can get HC! It's hard to come by in the US, at least where I live. I would be flipping out if that happened to me.

Nanos are extremely tough.

llj

 

[three-fingers]

It looked amazing as well...damn algae. Really sorry for you George .
I'm sure it will still turn out great though .

I'm feeling pretty scared of algae right now....i'm spending the night looking up things i should get to prevent/combat it . Alot of your posts have been very useful too .

 

[planter]

Hi George, Sorry to here the HC had to go. It sounds harsh but it is re assuring somewhat to know that even you are having trouble with the algae. Im struggling in my second nano attempt. My inspiration came from the pictures of the little Amano cubes at the museum. I set myself up with an aquacube 25, 3 nice stones (just like you), Nutrafin Co2 and some tropica substrate and planted with HC. Im about three weeks in and am finding it difficult! George I think I read you started dosing EI before the tank had cycled do you think perhaps this could have lead to an excess of nutrients - EI plus by products of Cylcing? In this new modern way of thinking Usually a lack of nutrients contributes to algae growth as a result of poor plant growth doesnt it?. I guess it just about acheiving a balance? Ive resorted to adding a few stems of Rotala from my main tank in an effort to use up those nutrients produced through maturation process as Ive seen this done here before. Im starting to think maybe I should have cycled the filter with lots of stem plants in place then perhaps drain and replant with the HC and start dosing ferts! . Thanks for letting us join in with this learning process George

 

[George Farmer]

George I think I read you started dosing EI before the tank had cycled do you think perhaps this could have lead to an excess of nutrients - EI plus by products of Cylcing?

I did add nutrients (including NO3 and PO4) from the outset, because there would be none in the water otherwise (no animals).

The only "cycling" there would be is the odd plant dying off as it adjusted to the new environment, this may have produced tiny NH3/4 spikes that may have triggered algae. My slacking in water changes didn't help that's for sure. That's the biggest lesson learnt about nanos - change water, lots of. I've learnt my lesson and even changed 75% yesterday morning after a 14 hour night shift - now that's commitment!

It's funny how many other people you learn also have algae issues etc. with nanos. I guess I never really paid much attention until I experienced these problems first hand. The best way to learn.

 

[-=Joel=-]

Would it be better to change 10% every two days in a nano maybe ?

I have gone down this route, sort of, with my hi-tech set up changing 20% every 3 days. It seems to work for me

My main reason for the change in water changes was down to the Discus and it has proved to suit both plants and fish

Joel

 

[George Farmer]

10% every two days may be ok in a lower growth, non-CO2 set up where there's a larger "room for error". In bigger tanks the volume provides more stability so smaller water changes are ok.

I'll be still doing 50% every other day once this algae's gone completely, currently I'm doing 75% daily. It's working so far.

 

[zig]

Another tank hits the dust, Bummer man, would planted tanks be too boring without algae to contend with? doubt it.

 

[George Farmer]

Hey Peter, all is not lost my friend. I'll post an update photo soon.

Algae is good, keeps us on our toes, stops us being lazy!

 

[Graeme Edwards]

What a bummer ahy George.

When i set my first nano, man it was an algea farm i tell you!! BUT like you we learn from it, and from those first MASSIVE mistakes came along SHAKKIE so we have all been there.
One thing i did with my SHAKKIE is on the days that i didnt dose Nutrafin PlantGrow i dose the same amount (10 drops) of Nutrafin Cycle. I did this for about three months. The reasoning was, if i added live nutrafying/nitrifying (??spelling??) bacteria, then the bacteria will be comnsuming the well nown ammonia,nitrite spikes in the erly satges of the tank being set up thus helping to reduce the risk of algae from showing up.

So 50% water changes every other day, 10 drops of PlantGrow the day after the water change, 10 drops of clycle on the day of water change, carbon in the filter and good Co2 help me get an aglae free cube.

Let me explain...

50% water change, like you i learnd the hard way!

The the 10 drops of plant grow was an educated guess, but i only added te fert the day after water changes because of concerns that ingrediants in the dechlorintor may affect my ferts, so this is why i dosed the day after water changes.

The 10 drops of cycle on water change day was done becasue of the above but also because i was concernd about the amount of water coming out (removing excisting bacteria) and tap water ( all be it dechlorinated )flushing round my young filter.

The carbon was added because of concerns for contaminants like pestisides etc in the tap water.I refreshed these every month.

So there you have it!

R,
Graeme.

 

[George Farmer]

At last, I am 100% nuisance algae free.

Big, regular water changes and careful CO2 and fert dosing have done the trick.

The CO2 is now on an Aqua Medic solenoid with the lighting (8 hours) - 1 bubble every two seconds using an AE Aqua Mini glass diffuser.

I am performing 80% water changes every other day using my tap water (hard and loaded with PO4). I dose 7.5ppm NO3 and 1ml Tropica AquaCare Nutrition with each water change .

I have removed my white/grey granite stones and temporarily replaced them with these pieces of slate. I don't like these much either so I will be getting some Dragon Stone or rocks from MA in Crowland, they have some nice grey/black with whitish "veins".

The hairgrass is really doing well and this photo was taken just after thinning out a load from the foreground. In its place I am trying to decide on either HC (again!), Java moss covered flat stone or Riccia.

The only present inhabitant is one "Bumble Bee" nerite snail that keeps the glass immaculate.

 

[mattb]

Really impressive, love them rocks in that link.

 

[Jen]

Looks absolutely amazing George. You would never know it was only 3 gals. It looks massive!

 

[George Farmer]

Really impressive, love them rocks in that link.

Looks absolutely amazing George. You would never know it was only 3 gals. It looks massive!

Thanks Matt and Jen.

The new rocks will improve things 100%. The foreground will be the biggest challenge. I'm really tempted with Riccia as it is so quick to get looking good. Hairgrass can also be used to keep the Riccia anchored, a technique that I've not seen many do, except Amano - so I expect it won't be too easy. It wont' be very sustainable in the long-term but ideal for me as I'm after some photos soonish to go with my PFK nano articles.

Here it is in "situ" - my kitchen with a blue background.

Note the 2006 ADA catalogue, it turned up this morning, direct from Japan. It is awesome.