Well, it's very rude to poo on someone's thread you know and that's a sizable one!
There! Now it's pretty at least!
58g Planted w/overflow and sump
- Thread starter myswtsins
- Start date
There! Now it's pretty at least!
Sorry for the giant post! I will provide quick bullet point at the end. Feel free to skip the babble. 
I tried to focus on additives, substrate and add water...did not work. lol While the tank was drained I figured I would switch the sumps around. That meant I had to completely gut my 72g stand to get all the goodies and then try to figure out how they would fit under this stand with the 20g sump and that led to this and that and blah blah.
My CO2 tank and doser w/containers will have to go outside of the stand unfortunately. There is enough room to fit the co2 tank next to sump but I wouldn't be able to get it out to refill it. So that's another project!
Stole the 3ft power strip I made for my 40 breeder and the entire CO2 system including the reactor which was still installed on the XP3 from my 72g. Discovered my last check valve was clogged and I'm thinking that might have been what gave me problems last time I had the system running. I had a nearly full tank go empty all the sudden without "dumping". My guess is the clog would have made a lot of back pressure and forced a leak somewhere. Which would be good in the sense that at least I found an answer? MIGHT mean my practically brand new fabco NV-55 needle valve isn't trash, yay! But I think it got water in it anyway so we'll see.
Tested my actual GPH since the tank was empty and I could just throw a bucket in there. Came out to about 520gph. About 100gph lower than advertised, big surprise. (Not really).
Ok, here we go. WATER!... is cloudy as heck. Let it run overnight, still cloudy. First fear is the iron is back (long story but trust me that would be the worst case scenario and would just throw this whole project out the window!) I don't think it is iron, not orange/green enough and no slick or odor, next. Turned the pump off and was shocked to find sparkles floating around. WTH!? Soooo when I was draining the water I decided to scrape the back with a razor blade cause there was mineral deposits. When the dry deposits were scraped they flaked off, flew around and kinda sparkled! I think that must be what it is. I've added some finer pads to the sump so we'll see. Might try a water change now that I'm pretty sure it's not iron.
And a cloudy water, un-leveled substrate picture to hold you guys over.
I tried to focus on additives, substrate and add water...did not work. lol While the tank was drained I figured I would switch the sumps around. That meant I had to completely gut my 72g stand to get all the goodies and then try to figure out how they would fit under this stand with the 20g sump and that led to this and that and blah blah.
My CO2 tank and doser w/containers will have to go outside of the stand unfortunately. There is enough room to fit the co2 tank next to sump but I wouldn't be able to get it out to refill it.
So that's another project!Stole the 3ft power strip I made for my 40 breeder and the entire CO2 system including the reactor which was still installed on the XP3 from my 72g. Discovered my last check valve was clogged and I'm thinking that might have been what gave me problems last time I had the system running. I had a nearly full tank go empty all the sudden without "dumping". My guess is the clog would have made a lot of back pressure and forced a leak somewhere. Which would be good in the sense that at least I found an answer? MIGHT mean my practically brand new fabco NV-55 needle valve isn't trash, yay! But I think it got water in it anyway so we'll see.
Tested my actual GPH since the tank was empty and I could just throw a bucket in there. Came out to about 520gph. About 100gph lower than advertised, big surprise. (Not really).
Ok, here we go. WATER!... is cloudy as heck. Let it run overnight, still cloudy. First fear is the iron is back (long story but trust me that would be the worst case scenario and would just throw this whole project out the window!) I don't think it is iron, not orange/green enough and no slick or odor, next. Turned the pump off and was shocked to find sparkles floating around. WTH!? Soooo when I was draining the water I decided to scrape the back with a razor blade cause there was mineral deposits. When the dry deposits were scraped they flaked off, flew around and kinda sparkled! I think that must be what it is. I've added some finer pads to the sump so we'll see. Might try a water change now that I'm pretty sure it's not iron.
- Added osmocote, peat moss and oil-dri about 2" in front to 4" in highest back corner (which ended up being almost ALL 10 gallons of the oil-dri!)
- Got my 3ft power strip, reactor, Co2 system and timers from the 72g
- Replaced the 10g with a 20g sump
- Discovered the 20g sump will not allow any other equipment under the tank with it.
- Tested true GPH, about 520
- Added water! Super cloudy, probably from the mineral deposits I scrapped off the back.
- Haven't mentioned it yet but this is probably going to be a hard water tank
- Found out plants have been shipped and barely fit into a medium flat rate box!
- Lights have shipped but will be here between Sept 9-14, gallon of metricide 7-12
And a cloudy water, un-leveled substrate picture to hold you guys over.
Well, CO2 is scary enough for me not to do without all the sump stuff too! Just reading made me tired, lol. Clogged check valve, possible needle valve issues, does the fun ever stop?
The cloudiness looks pretty normal to me, it'll go away eventually, but you know that.
What holds your substrate from flattening out, the big rocks, wood? Mine always does eventually but I like lots of flow & filtration more than hills or terraces.
The cloudiness looks pretty normal to me, it'll go away eventually, but you know that.
What holds your substrate from flattening out, the big rocks, wood? Mine always does eventually but I like lots of flow & filtration more than hills or terraces.
CO2 is the biggest pain in butt! It gives me more trouble than anything else but also the greatest results. And no, the "fun" never seems to stop! lol But I'm not quite ready to give up yet!
I have never had cloudiness like this before, not even close. Usually I barely get a hint of cloudiness actually, I kinda pride myself on it but if it is cloudy it is cleared up in a few hours. This is weird stuff, watching it swirl around...looks like a mist. I'll give it one more night to clear up then it gets a water change. Only avoiding a WC cause I have to barrel my water with a heater beforehand since this water comes out as low as 56F so I'd rather not waste it if I don't have to.
I've only pitched my substrate a few times and I don't worry about it flattening out. *shrug* Not much of an aquascaper.
Side Note - All the fish are doing quite well in the 72g despite the 100% teardown and removing all that bacteria in the substrate. No signs of ammonia yet.
I have never had cloudiness like this before, not even close. Usually I barely get a hint of cloudiness actually, I kinda pride myself on it but if it is cloudy it is cleared up in a few hours. This is weird stuff, watching it swirl around...looks like a mist. I'll give it one more night to clear up then it gets a water change. Only avoiding a WC cause I have to barrel my water with a heater beforehand since this water comes out as low as 56F so I'd rather not waste it if I don't have to.
I've only pitched my substrate a few times and I don't worry about it flattening out. *shrug* Not much of an aquascaper.
Side Note - All the fish are doing quite well in the 72g despite the 100% teardown and removing all that bacteria in the substrate. No signs of ammonia yet.
I can critique others' scapes but mine, meh, not so much.
I'm happy your fish are ok. I was shocked once when I moved fish into a tote (yeah) with plants, some substrate & filtration; moved the tank a foot or so & replaced everything...disaster in an hour or so! Well, it took several days for the fish to die; all parameters looked great too. Netting stress or stirred up bacteria, I dunno, but it was awful. Much better luck to you & your fishes.
I'm happy your fish are ok. I was shocked once when I moved fish into a tote (yeah) with plants, some substrate & filtration; moved the tank a foot or so & replaced everything...disaster in an hour or so! Well, it took several days for the fish to die; all parameters looked great too. Netting stress or stirred up bacteria, I dunno, but it was awful. Much better luck to you & your fishes.
Ekk, sorry to hear that. Let's hope that doesn't happen here. One cardinal looked awful yesterday (NO color, sitting on the bottom, breathing heavy) and I was sure it was gonna die but today he was fully colored and begging for food with everyone else. I was worried my lone surviving rummynose would finally kick the bucket too considering he is at least 8 years old! But his nose is still as red as ever.
Guess I should start thinking about what dosing program I want to use till I get my doser, which is up to $97 now! lol It'll come back down, always does. Although this is the biggest price jump EVER. http://camelcamelcamel.com/Jebao-Programmable-Auto-Dosing-DP-4/product/B014KKCILE
Guess I should start thinking about what dosing program I want to use till I get my doser, which is up to $97 now! lol It'll come back down, always does. Although this is the biggest price jump EVER. http://camelcamelcamel.com/Jebao-Programmable-Auto-Dosing-DP-4/product/B014KKCILE
Hmmm, no you didn't. You told me how much it was at that time but never told me to buy it.I told you to buy the dosing pump.....
Yes, I understood that was what you were implicating though. Oops, well it's too late to read between the lines now !Hmmm, no you didn't. You told me how much it was at that time but never told me to buy it.
