Fry grow out test with an algae scrubber. Water change health and growth rate test

[Luke in Phoenix]

As I was alluding to earlier, if your going to combat bacteria/protazoa/parasites via UV, your going to have to make some alterations to your system.

-Rick

Rick, You would be so proud of me. I installed an 80 watt Emperor Smart UV High-Output on the main display return pump line. measured the gph and it's about 360 gph for the 80 gallon tank plus 20 gallon sump. Go big or go home! The only bad thing is it takes up a ridiculous amount of space!


I thought this guy had some good insight into the UV sterilizers: http://www.americanaquariumproducts....ilization.html
In my experience the sterilizers have been a must have with or without an algae scrubber.

[Luke in Phoenix]

After some culling I still have about 25 fry. Here are some pics of them.


What do you think about these? Deformities? Normal?

2016-01-6 A.jpg2016-01-07 B.jpg2016-01-07 C.jpg2016-01-07 D.jpg

[Luke in Phoenix]

Last Update:

I kept the last 25 best fry and grew them out to an average of 1.5" (on tape) and ended up with 24 great fry. So about 24 good ones out of 60 for this test. A higher percentage of good fry than I thought I would get after first noticing some with dorsal fin deformities.

PH: 7.1
TDS: 530
KH: 3
Calcium: 0-20 ppm
Phosphates: 1 ppm
Nitrates: Up to about 20ppm. Started to increase after feeding approximately 12 cubes / day.

-All fish Active and healthy

Water Changes since August 2015:
- 50% August – November 2015
- 5% - December 2015
- 5% - January 2016

The last 24 fry were removed from the algae scrubber system. 4 pairs continue to lay eggs in the display tank.


If anyone is interested, I’ll post about trying to grow out some more in February continuing the severely limited water changes with an algae scrubber and we’ll monitor spawning success and fry development.

[rickztahone]

Pics?

[nc0gnet0]

how old were the fry at 1.5", and why did you stop? You were jut getting started........

[Luke in Phoenix]

I thought a cull rate of over 50% was a failure. Something went wrong. I want to try again and see if I can get closer to an "average" spawn using an algae scrubber.

Here a few pics of them on 1-14-2016:
They hatched on 12-1-2015 so they were almost 1.5 months

20160114_094541-1.jpg20160114_094552-1-1.jpg20160114_094602-1.jpg

[Luke in Phoenix]

ps. sorry my picture skills really suck! The fry move really fast and are hard to photograph...

[Rapture]

A couple questions for you:

Is an algae scrubber that much more effective than other fast growing non-algae plants that could either be located in a refugium or directly in the tank?

Did you siphon out any uneaten food or fish waste?

[Luke in Phoenix]

A couple questions for you:
Is an algae scrubber that much more effective than other fast growing non-algae plants that could either be located in a refugium or directly in the tank?

I've never tested it but I bet there are fast growing plants that would be just as or more effective than algae. Water hyacinth and water lettuce were discussed earlier in the thread as good candidates.

A couple questions for you:
Did you siphon out any uneaten food or fish waste?

Yes, usually every day or two with an EHEIM Quick Vac.

Welcome to Simply Discus!

[Rapture]

Thanks for your replies and warm welcome.

I hope you see a difference in your next batch.

[nc0gnet0]

I've never tested it but I bet there are fast growing plants that would be just as or more effective than algae. Water hyacinth and water lettuce were discussed earlier in the thread as good candidates.

It is my understanding that the answer to this question is no, but I could be wrong.

[Filip]

Luke , I'm curious about your experiment.
What is happening ? Are you still on it?
Are they still growing good ?

[Luke in Phoenix]

Luke , I'm curious about your experiment.
What is happening ? Are you still on it?
Are they still growing good ?

Hi Filip,

I gave away the good fry and am planning on trying again using the same WC frequency, I just haven't had time yet. Hopefully within the next couple of months.


The display tank continues to do well except for 1 fish which I'll discuss in a post right after this one.
4 pairs continue to lay eggs and the good ones try to raise wrigglers in the tank. In the pictures below you can see the orange pair with wrigglers on the green intake tube as of yesterday.
They eat well, behave normal and look great.

I also threw in a couple of floating plants in the top of the tanks. They are growing pretty well so far.


Only Water Changes since August 2015:
- 50% August – November 2015
- 5% - December 2015
- 5% - January 2016
- 32% - February 2016
- 50% - March 2016
- 2% - May 2016

Water stats as of today.
- 0 nitrates (sometimes fluctuates between 0-5)
- 0 Phosphates
- 2 KH
- 260 TDS
- Less than 30 PPM Calcium
- 390 Redox (I've started to monitor this)
- 6.3 PH
- 84 degrees

Pics of the tank yesterday:
20160509_124401-1.jpg20160509_092818-1.jpg20160509_124532-1.jpg20160510_091421-1.jpg

[Luke in Phoenix]

All fish appear very healthy except for one. This is the only fish that has developed some spots on his side and lost some color in areas(pics below). I'm not exactly sure what it is. Somebody on here may know?

Of course I suspected the water quality but this also occurred with a new batch of beef heart / seafood mix I started giving him. I switched the food and he seems to be improving and eating well. I'm not sure why the others haven't been effected. Maybe because I believe this to be an older discus?

It looks like some of his scales turned white but i think they may actually be missing and it appears white because of the missing scales.


I have not administered any medicine and I think he is improving. I will experiment a little with the different food I am giving them although I'm sure it could be water quality related or something else. We'll see what happens.
20160509_124542-1.jpg20160509_124546-1.jpg20160509_124425-1.jpg

[Filip]

This looks like HITH to me . Location and holes leads me to think of this first.
Metronidazole and high temps.followed by daily 90% WCs should heal this in about 2-3 weeks period.