Stan's freshwater 240 gallon extravaganza. Trials and tribulations of a sunlit aquarium

[Stan510]

..and if it does ever leak? I will re glue it. They actually make an acrylic glue that can be used underwater I read someplace. I should get a tube to keep onhand.

 

[Stan510]

Now that I passed the 2 week mark with no water changes? I'm starting to get more of a pond vibe looking at it more than I get a Natural Amano or any aquascaper type tank.
Some plants are deep green than I've had them get since I started almost all over in November..the California summer has just about kicked in and clear sunny days in a row until November are in store.
For sure,no large fish are ever going in and in fact I think I might go for some Albino Giant Danios to go with the mostly Rainbow tank. I could go for more Clown Loaches too. One is the loneliest number you'll ever do....

 

[Martyn87]

@Stan510 - I've loved this thread. I'm doing something similar at the moment and have a 85g tank right next to the window so it gets full light for at least 7-8 hours a day, my 9 Rainbows are just settling in and starting to slowly colour up too! What did you find was your biggest trick here with getting the really strong growth and colouration?

 

[Stan510]

Feeding them often. Try for many small feedings a day..as many as possible. Rainbows on raw shrimp and dry foods...non live foods,seem to grow slow for a few months,then they grow faster when they start to get some size. They eat anything offered and with gusto. Even cooked vegetables like Broccoli,Corn,Peas..Spinach. They turn down almost nothing. They are as close to the perfect aquarium fish family as I've seen in 45 years of fish keeping.

 

[Martyn87]

Thanks Stan. Completely agree my two yr old loves watching them with the guppies and they all shoal together. Same question for your plants too, sounds like it was the extra iron but how did you manage the dose, or was it just by eye?

 

[Martyn87]

How was the battle with algae too? I saw a bit in your tank but it's a challenge to manage with a sunlight tank...

 

[Stan510]

Thanks Marty. The algae went way down as soon as the iron kicked in. Last summer it was rampant... I removing gobs of it 2 or 3 times a week.That led me to try Hydrogen peroxide...it helped. It also killed most of the plants.
Then..LFS guy said try iron. I thought I would try it.....this time. Everything changed after that.
Be careful on ferts. They can be potent. Iron..goes inert a day or two after its done the job.
So now, Its accept plants grown on window sun will look a bit different. More compact,and probably not perfect...why the Garras and ancistrus are handy .
I might have set this tank up in July 2018,but i really only added most of the plants you see since November 2019.

 

[Martyn87]

How much iron did you end up dosing?

 

[Stan510]

I just did what the label said. Now,I do it in no more of the same amount...but more by feel now. If I feel the plants are slowing down more than usual..then add iron.
Funny but iron is prescribed for people who are slowing down due to a tired metabolism. Seems to work the same for plants.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Funny but iron is prescribed for people who are slowing down due to a tired metabolism. Seems to work the same for plants.

Lol. That is ironic.

 

[Stan510]

One more thing..I have quite a few active and some large Rainbow fish. If you have a lighter fish load,the algae will be much less. Its all a balance. Your filter might be more efficient,less fish...easier to keep it algae free.
I've seen a few Tom Barr vids..and a Neon passes for "large show fish" in his tanks. Hence ultra clear water.

 

[JuiceBox52]

Lol. That is ironic.

Lol "iron-ic"

 

[Martyn87]

One more thing..I have quite a few active and some large Rainbow fish. If you have a lighter fish load,the algae will be much less. Its all a balance. Your filter might be more efficient,less fish...easier to keep it algae free.
I've seen a few Tom Barr vids..and a Neon passes for "large show fish" in his tanks. Hence ultra clear water.

Thanks but I’m planning to have 7 equally fat rainbows! Algae here we come!

I’ve always tackled algae successfully though I do a 70% water change throw phosguard into the filter for two weeks and put parcel tape over the light for two weeks. When two weeks are up Dose with EI 1/2 measure and hey presto the algae is gone... we will see how I do this time!

 

[Stan510]

I'm up to 16 days of no water change. I was doing 40% or more every week. So far plants are greener than ever and I did yesterday dose a combo of Seachem Iron and Garden Iron with zinc. For this size tank I use 2 or 3 capfuls of the Sea Chem and with the less concentrated garden iron,it in total comes out to 3/4 of a soy sauce up.. It's what I have (shrug shoulders) Also did the clean up..wiping down,removing old leaves and as always mowing my stargrass lawn. What a difference since I first posted a photo of it here. Its growing like every Co2 article about plants says they do. Only they don't need Co2 at all and still grow very fast.

Next week I probably will do some change. I've been wanting to re pot some plants to larger or like with the Sword,put fresh potting soils under them after washing off the old used up soils. The water change will help to keep the balance.
Fish are fine with the new routine. If not,I would change it back in a second. But.so far so good.

 

[Stan510]

I'm telling you guys and gals,I might not go another week with no water change. Everything's healthy..but I detect a tint to the water from the organics when the sun is beaming down. Unless you use carbon,that can't be filtered. Driftwood tannins,food,algae and plant and fish excretions..adds up.
But,darn,the plants are so green on me adding so little..ha.