starting bare bottom with juveniles hoping for hi-tech planted by Christmas 2020

[MickO'S]

The only change today is nitrite and nitrate are slightly lighter in colour, at least I'm still moving forward........

Untitled by Michael O’Sullivan, on Flickr

signing off for today

Mick

[MickO'S]

Well,
I bought a couple of plumbing fittings to make a better system to get the water out for the water change, It's a T fitting with the pipe going from the small pump on a timer that takes 65 liters of water out 3 times a day at 8 hour intervals. the two lines coming out of the top of the T fitting are the aged tapwater and ro water returning to the tank. This is not fully set at the moment just where it is at the moment.
Untitled by Michael O’Sullivan, on Flickr
The t fitting facing the top of the tank raises the height of the water allowing for the bigger water change, up from about 45 liters.

The ammonia is just about there, 4ppm in 24 hours, The nitrite and nitrate still have a way to go to be efficient, but heading in the right direction.
Untitled by Michael O’Sullivan, on Flickr

My next project is the algae scrubber which will be in place by early next week.

Was talking to the staff at the lfs and it seems like there will be a good wait for the discus, a little disappointing but I'll have everything well and truly tested by then

Mick

[MickO'S]

So ..............

I added another full pot of pothos to my sump,
This boredom of not having fish to occupy my time makes lots of time for tinkering !!
Untitled by Michael O’Sullivan, on Flickr

This is probably way more than needed but they certainly wont do any harm to the setup. With the level of nitrates in the water they wont starve either!!

I also started my algae scrubber ala Joey King of DIY (ps some video last night. Impressive)
Untitled by Michael O’Sullivan, on Flickr

I had a decent nano BLAU planted aquarium led light that puts out some serious light. I have the backing box in place but no cover over the light yet and unsure what I'll do to shade the light but probably just another tub. I have the plastic mesh ordered, €1.62 but can only find it in the uk, €10 for delivery how annoying but no real harm.

With light on
Untitled by Michael O’Sullivan, on Flickr
to bright not to do some sort of cover.

I'm not doing water tests for a few days, maybe next week, I'll just keep adding ammonia to continue the cycle and see has there been any changes in nitrite and nitrate then !

Mick

[MickO'S]

So a little over a week since my last update,

In that week my aquarium has finished cycling and its only a matter of feeding the bacteria now until the fish arrive.
Untitled by Michael O’Sullivan, on Flickr

My auto-water change system has been functioning now for about two weeks and has not missed a beat despite a couple of electricity cuts in our area. The overflow safety worked perfectly and the back-siphoned water from the main aquarium just flowed out the drain on the sump as was built into the the designed of the system.
(Video on time lapse, takes 8 minutes in real time)



My DIY algae scrubber is also functioning well mechanically. The algae is starting to grow on the cable ties and other surfaces but not on the mesh. Obviously I have not roughed it up enough to let the stick. I'll let it alone for another week or so and see then but if it has not worked by then its out with the sandpaper again.



I put a black cover on the back of the light just to stop the light bleeding out into the rest of the sump area.
Untitled by Michael O’Sullivan, on Flickr


My pothos is growing really well in my sump, It's growing large glossy and strong waxy green leaves, and it looks great.
Untitled by Michael O’Sullivan, on Flickr


The root system is where most of the growth is coming from. They are on a serious charge to the bottom of the sump so they will always be in contact with the water. It has 2 hours contact time and 2 hours out of the water because of the water flowing out during the auto-water and reducing the level in the sump.
Untitled by Michael O’Sullivan, on Flickr


I've worked out all the figures on the water changes that happen every day.
There is 112% of the entire aquarium volume being changed out every day (24 Hours) with approx 17% of total water volume being removed from the system every 4 hours along with another 3% or so overflowing during the last 20 mins of the 4 hours between changes.

My ph is heading a little high from this level of water change and I may have to dial it back to 100% maybe even 90% per 24 hours, I'll just have to see.

I have changed the point at which my water returns to my aquarium, The three returns now have their own pipe for getting into the sump area. I had the water pipes going through the Outflow / overflow pipe but thought there was too much of a risk getting a blockage and potentially causing a flood, thats fixed now though with this change.
New pipe photo with two water pipes and an air line for the algae scrubber
Untitled by Michael O’Sullivan, on Flickr


I'm getting a single pump doser to add safe mixed with ro water to always have tap water nasties covered that may get past the aging barrel.

I think that's all my progress for the week covered.

My fish have been ordered and and I'm getting 5 different varieties of Stendker discus and a total of 14 fish.

Cant wait,
Mick

[MickO'S]

So ................

My LFS ordered my fish from stendker discus on Friday for me 14 or 15 fish arriving for me in the shop in the next 7 to 14 days and then they say a two week quarantine after that. I'll wait and see if they are as diligent about this as they say they are ! I'm hoping they are but its a big space commitment so I'll see but will push for what they have already told me.

My Ammonia and Nitrates are smashing 0 every 24 hours after adding 4ppm bottled ammonia to my water
Untitled by Michael O’Sullivan, on Flickr

but my nitrates are are heading up to between 40 and 80ppm
Untitled by Michael O’Sullivan, on Flickr
In some lights the reading is more 40 and others its more 80pppm.

Any thoughts on this guys ????

Mick

[MickO'S]

Rather than any thoughts as a question.............. is nitrate this high a normal part of the cycle and will it settle down after a while, its very high and I'm not happy with it !!!

Mick

[Second Hand Pat]

Mick, once nitrates just really high and I think you are there it is my understanding it can stall your cycle. Try doing a 50% water change to bring the nitrates down. My guess is you want them under 40. For adding fish you want them 5 or under.
Pat

[MickO'S]

Thanks Pat,

I luckily have a few weeks to get this sorted! I’ll do a couple of water changes and see how it goes!

There is nothing easy about this hobby !
I haven’t even got fish and I’m stressed off my head !!

Mick

[Paul Sabucchi]

I'd do as Pat suggested and do a water change. While you wait these 3-4 weeks you can reduce the ammonia to 2 ppm and bump it up again 4-5 days before you collect your discus (the day before BIG water change and no more ammonia)

[MickO'S]

This has worked out great guys.
Down to 5ppm nitrate, I've reduced the ammonia I'm adding by half and this has had the desired affect.

My next project is setting up my dosing unit to add my seachem safe to keep the tap nasties in check.

Mick

[MickO'S]

Wahoo ) My fish have arrived in the store today )

Paul, after you asked me on your thread had they arrived I decided to call the shop. The fish had just arrived and an out of breath shop worker was unboxing them.

Ill head over the the shop tomorrow and take a look and a few photos of them and maybe a video.

Thats the last of the procrastination now !!. Im going to have to get the last of the equipment hooked up and running to give myself at least a week to test it before fish arrive


Mick

[Paul Sabucchi]

This is when the rubber meets the road! Exciting times!

[MickO'S]

Yes,
Where all my theories and systems are tested in real life with live animals depending on them !
I’m accepting that I won’t grow out monsters in my system but good sized and shaped fish will keep me happy 😊
Here in Ireland I have not seen to many 8 inch + fish, 7 inch by top breeders is about the best around! Anywhere over 6.5 inch will be success. (I think anyway &#129300

Well ! Time will now tell how it goes.

Mick

[danotaylor]

Sweet Mick!! What variants did you get in? Looking forward to seeing them mate!

[MickO'S]

Thanks Danotaylor

I decided on a mixed aquarium of fish, all Stendker but a mixed bag of colours !
I'm getting 5 set of 3 so 15 fish in total.

I have ordered
3 Blue Diamonds
3 Solid Fire Reds
3 Pigeon Blood Blue
3 Pigeon Blood reds
3 Leopard Snakeskins

They are between 6.5cm and 8cm in size so young but not but hopefully not impossible !!! lets hope they are good !!!!!

Mick
Ps not even sure they could get what I had ordered but I'll happily make do