Newman's 40 Gallon Planted Tank

[Newman]

In addition to the CO2 i have replanted some of the plants as suggested, or as i saw best fit. this is what it looks like right now:

[Newman]

Also, as I just found out from an online volume calc, my tank isnt exactly 40 gal, its more like 37.5 gal. Its filled with 35 gal of water. (I knew my mom was lying about the volume all these years lol)

[emmanuelchavez]

Originally Posted by Newman

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But i wonder how im going to gravel vac the gravel from now on...since it automatically mixes the two together. (it also produces a LOT of mud when gravel vaccuuming)
What do you think i should do?

You can just hover over any visible gunk to get that out. You can leave the stuff that gets inbetween the gravel. It helps provide nitrates for your plants. Although, it would give white gravel a dirty look with all the gunk inbetween the pores. It would hide it better if you used only flourite.

Originally Posted by Newman

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I have a very important question:
I have a tank-back aquaclear filter in my tank (not a powerhead filt.) Is what i'm doing with the bubbles wrong by aiming them at the intake like that? should i continue doing this or should i just let the bubbles rise up to the surface?

Thanks for any advice.

You can keep aiming them at the intake. The impeller will chop up the bubbles and add the co2 into the water column a bit more efficiently. If yous till have the bubble wand, though, you'll want to remove it, as it outgasses CO2.

[Newman]

Thanks for the vaccuuming tip. so you suggest using only flourite? (I hope 2 bags wil be enough. thats 30 lbs for a 40gal)
OK, if by "bubble wand" you mean my long airstone, then thats not a problem. What ive done is i put the airstone (and pump) on a timer) and it turns on only at night to supply the fish and plants with needed oxygen. I find this also helps reduce the impact on the CO2 on the pH at night, since it doesnt let the CO2 dissolve much. Plants dont need the CO2 at night as far as i know. at about 7 am the air pump shuts off and the CO2 concentration goes back to what he plants need in the day time. At least thats the theory. I have no way to prove this yet.

Problem is, as you can see in those last two pics, is that my filter (which is rated for 50 gal i think) puts out one good current, which causes a good mount of oxygen to enter the water always. will this pose a problem for the CO2?if it does, how can i solve that problem?

There is no bubble wall/wand/airstone active in those two last pics. all those air bubbles are caused by the filter.

Thank you all for the help.

[no.1chuy]

if you're gonna layered substrate you might have to gravel vacum it like sand if you dont wanna mix them. just pass th vac very close to the gravel and move it back and forth quick enouf to stir the trash up and vac it. and with the diy co2 you either wanna get a diffuser or just keep doing what you're doing just make sure the water level high enouf so there isnt a lil waterfall from the water being filtered back in. i have a ceramic bubble stone and it does a good job at diffusing the co2 bubbles maybe you could do both? i think if you let the bubbles rise to the surface it just defeats the porpose

[no.1chuy]

lol didnt even notice manuel already beat me thats what i get for typing a post and walking away without posting it.

[Newman]

Haha thanks. I tried using a ceramic airstone, but it wasnt fine enough, so im going to return it today. The best ive gotten is from the chopstick method, which as you can see from all the above pics produces very fine bubbles. So to sum it up, im diffusing with a chopstick and aiming the fine bubbles at the intake.

thanks for a good description of the vaccuming process. I think if i have enough flourite i will get rid of the white gravel. Any tips on how to lower the flourite into the water and in what, to eliminate massive upkick from the start?

Good call on the waterfall man, i completely ignored that fact. Of course ill do that (DOH!)

[Newman]

Did a few things today. Changed substrate out fully. Topped off the water to eliminate current. And added two small peices of driftwood to the 10 Gal for soaking. Tested the water. Everything is perfect except for the damn GH which rose to 31 dGH (550ppm) I tested before i touched the tank today.

This is what it looke like after the change:

[no.1chuy]

i like the substrate color thou i kind lean to darker colors on anything i like this plant set up better too so are you thinking of adding more plants

[Newman]

Water cleared up perfectly. Still boiling the driftwood pieces, hoping to get all that brown tannin out of them -_- taking so long.

Second pic is all of the tank's inhabitants summed up in one picture. the pleco is enjoying some romaine lettuce. (and yea sorry you have to look at it sideways :P)

Yes, the plant plans can be viewed i think in either the first or second post in this thread.

I will still add Christams moss attached to small peices of driftwood, one on each side. Marimo moss will be attached to a driftwood piece in the center. The rest of the fore-ground will hopefully contain dwarf hairgrass.

Once the cabomba and anacharis have grown tall, i will plant them fully in the background (note how some are way too close up)