Aquarium Blog

2011-11-18T22:26:00.001-06:00

As of October 25th

As of November 18th

Background plants added

2011-10-28T00:00:00.003-05:00

Vallisneria americana(gigantea)

and some Rotala Magenta (Rotala macrandra v. 'narrow leaf')

Middle ground plants added

2011-10-27T23:49:00.004-05:00

Ludwigia repens 'Rubin’ (broad and narrow varieties)

I'm really digging the narrow leaf variety.

Rotala rotundifolia

Bacopa caroliniana

I've also added, but assume I'll remove soon:

Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Tropica'
Nymphaea lotus (zenkeri)
Hygrophila corymbosa 'Siamensis'
Cryptocoryne x willisii
Cryptocoryne wendtii
Hydrocotyle ? (Pennywort)
Echinodorus x barthii (red melon)
Echinodorus 'Ozelot Green'
Hygrophila difformis (Wisteria)

Foreground plants added

2011-10-27T23:34:00.002-05:00

Status of surviving plants
Amazon Swords- no algae
Anubias Barteri-central, green spot algae
Anubias Frazeri- right, green spot algae
Anubias Nana- left, green spot algae
Some moss on driftwood- mixed health
Cabomba- temporary, almost red
Anacharis- removed
Fauna:
3 Rummy Nose Tetras- healthy
3 Otos- healthy
2 Corydoras- healthy and large
5 galaxy rasbora- healthy

New plants:
I've added a number of plants.

Eleocharis parvula(Dwarf Hairgrass)

Echinodorus tenellus(Dwarf Sword)

Lilaeopsis mauritiana (Micro Narrow Leaf Sword)

Pogostemon helferi (Little Star

I'll stick with whichever seems to thrive with the conditions I can provide.

Restart and recovery.

2011-09-19T23:31:00.002-05:00

I suppose it happens to the best of us. I've been trying to remember exactly what happened. Almost two years ago it seems I became demoralized. Well, I'm back!

Flora:
Amazon Swords- survived
Anubias Barteri-central
Anubias Frazeri- right
Anubias Nana- left
Some moss on driftwood.
Outdoors:
Cabomba- good
Anacharis- good
Fauna:
3 Rummy Nose Tetras- healthy
1 Otos- healthy, I think I need another
2 Corydoras- healthy and large
3 new galaxy rasbora- healthy

And here is the rest of it.

2009-09-09T22:19:00.004-05:00

This was day 78. Working on dosing with Pfertz, eying my dry ferts. Reading more: Thank you for contacting us! Judging by the picture you've included, your tank would definitely fall into the "heavily planted" criteria. Since you are experiencing signs of potassium deficiency, I would recommend that you increase your n, k, and m dosing to 3 pumps daily. I would leave your p dosing the same, since you have measured consistent residual levels with your current schedule. Also, I wouldn't recommend an increased water-change schedule, since you already have an intensive schedule. Regarding water changes, what is your post-change dosing regimen? Increasing this slightly may also help with your deficiency issues.

The Planted Aquarium Podcast

2009-08-24T00:44:00.002-05:00

Here's something new for you!
Introducing The Planted Aquarium Podcast
http://www.theplantedaquariumpodcast.com/
You can provide feedback via this thread or private message and also via
ThePlantedAquariumPodcast@gmail.com
The web page and podcast are absolutely in their infancy. The first podcast is available at the web page listed above to stream or download. The podcast should also be available for subscription via iTunes in the next day or so.
Please understand our only motivation is to serve the broad planted aquaria hobby community. Orlando from Green Leaf Aquariums (http://www.greenleafaquariums.com/) was kind enough to be our first guest and we are quite grateful. If you have suggestions or comments please let us know. You can suggest who we should interview next. Maybe we could interview you! It'd be great to have a wide range of folks on the show, from typical hobbyist to seasoned expert.
Cheers! David and Jennifer Reading More: 5 star reviews on iTunes will be noted by name on the pod cast.

Aquarium Blog: Day 59 Planted, Flow improvement!

2009-08-19T00:08:00.007-05:00

I added a Hydor Koralia Nano 240 GPH 4.5 flow device today. I'm sure glad I did not get a larger version. Reading more: It's about the size of an egg.

Aquarium Blog: Day 54 Planted (Pfertz!)

2009-08-14T08:46:00.003-05:00

I performed my first significant trim yesterday. I cut back the Rotala Indica in the front about halfway down. I also removed a couple of Wisteria stems. It's so tough to trim. Silly I know. I'll learn. I've been using Pfertz fertilizers lately. For now the convenience is just really hard to beat. I'm still running a UV sterilizer. You can see the cable on the front right. I removed the hang on tank micron tank for the pictures. Both are in response to a couple of Ich nodules I spotted. I added a Rotala wallichii yesterday. What else? Dealing with some unwanted snails. Spot treating algae with hydrogen peroxide. Add some more root tabs. Reading more: Both German Blue Rams died. One of unknown causes and the second after relocation. I believe both deaths were stress related. They fought constantly with each other and the two Electric Blue Rams. I would have thought a heavily planted 55 gallon tank would have been large enough for the four of them.

Day 46 Planted

2009-08-06T15:27:00.003-05:00

Noticed two ich spots today after being clean for a bunch of days. Sorta stumped by that, but in any case that's why you see the micron filter hanging on the front and UV in tank on the right. Most of my plants are doing great. I'm spot treating some algae on my driftwood. The above pic is interesting to compare to day 2 planted at the top.

Here is the beginning of my post. And here is the rest of it.

Day 33 Planted!

2009-07-24T18:34:00.004-05:00

I'm embarrassed to see it's day 33 since I planted this tank. I've been a bit demoraalized and haven't wanted to post! But, I think I've finally beaten back an infection of Ich and I'm finally feeling a bit better about the tank. I need to write a piece about defeating Ich, assuming all goes well in the next few days. Also, I'll report on the new Catalina Aquariums light fixture you see here. Also, Vic from Aquariumgarden.com came through with lots of dwarf hairgrass. Woo hoo!
Reading more: Give Catalina Aquariums a call before you order. I'll give a full review quite soon.

Aquarium Blog: Green Leaf Aquariums Review

2009-07-10T09:31:00.010-05:00

Green Leaf Aquariums Review
A+ to Green Leaf Aquariums!

Orlando from Green Leaf Aquariums just called. I must say I'm very impressed with the APC (http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/) community and Green Leaf Aquariums (http://www.greenleafaquariums.com/index.html). Orlando communicated to me that they'd been moving from one facility to another and had been less responsive to emails than ideal in the last few days. He also said he work with me on a reduced shipping charge to compensate. I'd have no reservations about ordering from Green Leaf Aquariums in the future and found Orlando to be a great/friendly guy / businessman!

Prompt shipping. Great products. Helpful customer support.

Kudos to Green Leaf!

Here was my post to http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/
Hi Folks,
I wonder if others have noticed that Green Leaf (Orlando) has not been responding to emails? I sent this a week ago and a followup with no response. Not a big deal. One of those instances where you realize you want to order one more thing. Called them first thing business hours twice (left message) and could not get anyone on the phone. They did ship the stuff I ordered in one box, but went ahead and charged me shipping for two orders. I'll still order from them and they ship promptly and I appreciate the product quality. Any thoughts? I will update here promptly if/when I hear from them.

"Hi Orlando,
I'm wondering if you'd be willing to grant me some shipping credit on my next order?
You were able to consolidate orders # and # and ship for $11.80 yet my total shipping charge was $23.80. The dry fertilizers look great. I've been very happy with Green Leaf Aquariums and look forward to my next order. Thanks for considering this!"
t.
Reading more: the logo is posted as an avatar on a local forum, so I don't think it can be considered copyrighted. I hope to hear from them soon and make this a very favorable post. Yup, I heard from them and am able to give Green Leaf a thumbs up. See the top of the post.

Hydor CO2 Review

2009-07-06T17:00:00.012-05:00

Part design and quality A+ (the parts seem to be made to exacting standards and made to last)
Customer support A+ (these folks were responsive and very helpful, I felt like I was working with an individual interested in helping me as an individual)

Update: my Hydor CO2 Green NRG Exclusive system continues to function well. The second canister installation was without incident. I am on day ten of bubbling at a rate of over 1 per second. I do hope to upgrade to a Hydor Advanced system with a larger tank soon!

If you are interested in my troubleshooting experiences see the links to the right.

My Hydor CO2 Green NRG Exclusive disposable canister depleted this morning after eight days. This system is for a nano to very small aquarium for sure. It could be that I lost some CO2 on setup, so I'll report how many days I get with each successive disposable canister. Oh, my bubble rate is about one per second for a 50 gallon tank. I suppose it's time to start looking for an upgrade. I'll be happy to transfer this system to a smaller tank however! In summary, Hydor customer support has been very responsive. They replaced my valve and two expended CO2 cartridges promptly.

With an update to the English translation of the instructions (see seventh Hydor troubleshooting blog entry), the Exclusive CO2 system is an elegant and user friendly solution to providing pressurized CO2 to the smaller/nano tank. I am considering the Advanced system for my upgrade. Reading more: The Hydor CO2 troubleshooting will continue as I'm not absolutely sure everything went well with this disposable cannister's installation. I did have some CO2 eject out the first safety hole before I could get the valve secured (twisted down sufficiently). I hope the silicone gasket did not tear! I'll keep you updated (all is well, see update above).

Aquarium Blog: Day 15 planted- Cabomba!

2009-07-06T12:57:00.008-05:00

Here's an interesting pic of the Cabomba (Cabomba caroliniana var. caroliniana,) I added five days ago. From what I read here: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/pl...wing-stem.html it must happen when the plant is tall/floating. Ah well, not the mystery I thought it was. Interesting pic nevertheless. I guess I could ask y'all this: If I buried this stem would I get a lot of vertical stems, or would the plant continue to grow one stem, or rot? Oh, the female rams (Freon and Krypton) seem devoid of eggs today. At least Krypton does. She had been looking bigger day after day and exhibiting some interest in creating a spawning spot. The males (Boron and Xenon) seem much more interested in tank hierarchy issues. Reading more: I may have to setup another tank if I ever want to spawn the Rams. There may be too many fish or it could just be water conditions. We'll see.

Can't Touch This

2009-07-04T18:28:00.002-05:00

Talked to the owner of a home built 52,000 gallon aquarium today in IRC. Check out his thread on building the tank http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8952 and his video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3j6JAJeGRzI! Reading more: nice guy too!

Aquarium Blog: Day 13 Planted- Ferts mixed!

2009-07-04T18:03:00.005-05:00

Mixed up my first batch of liquid fertilizer from dry. Mixing is easy but deciding on amounts is kind of a bear. After adding iron early in the day I thought I could see my R. rotundifolia growing in real time! Reading more: I'd say the downloaded version of Chuck's Planted Aquarium Calculator and the Fertilator page were most helpful in making the final calculations. See the links to the right. Check the forums for help!

Aquarium Blog: Day 12 Planted

2009-07-03T21:46:00.005-05:00

Pic of tank Day12, dry ferts as arrived today, and bachelor lunch I ate while looking at my tank (wife at in-laws)! Reading more: The dry fertilizers are from Green Leaf Aquariums. I've been quite impressed with them so far. Now I need to select a method of dertermining how much to fertilize. There are a handful.

Aquarium Blog: Drop checker arrived!

2009-07-02T13:35:00.003-05:00

My CO2 drop checker from Green Leaf Aquariums looks great!
The CAL AQUA crop checkers they also sell look nice, but if you notice I think they have a plastic plug in them. The Green Leaf drop checker is all glass and looks very clean. It does take some patience to get the testing solution in there, but it's worth the clean look. I think they should use my pic (assuming their profit is greater for their own product)! Green Leaf Aquariums also ships a standardized 4dKH solution included!
Reading more: I will say it's tough to discriminate the color from a distance. The Red Sea drop checker is easier to read from a distance, but doesn't look nearly as nice! Also the Red Sea drop checker does NOT ship with a standardized solution for mixing.

Aquarium Blog: Day 11 Planted

2009-07-02T09:22:00.006-05:00

You can click on the image for a better view. You can see floating up top the cabomba I brought in from my outdoor container pond. All the fish seem to be doing quite well. Yesterday I may have tweaked the CO2 at little high as all the rams seemed to be working for oxygen so I dialed that back for the day. I turned on the airstone when I noticed their stress so don't worry. Most of the plants seem to be doing well. I should be getting my new CO2 drop checker today. You can see my current one attached to the front glass upper right. It contains a solution that changes color depending on CO2 concentrations. The new one comes with a standardized solution that should provide improved validity. Dry fertilizer should arrive in the next day or so. Reading more: Any questions? Just ask! I'm not sure if lighting or nutrients are my limiting plant growth factor at the moment. I should be improving the nutrients when the dry fertilizers arrive. It'll likely be my birthday before I can justify a lighting fixure that will up my watts per gallon to the 3-4 range.

Aquarium Blog: Rotala macrandra

2009-07-02T09:17:00.002-05:00

Here you can see the test bed area of my tank. It's up front where I can observe new plants closely. Yesterday I added what I believe is some Rotala macrandra. It's considered a difficult plant to grow and needs high light, so I'm not expecting too much. Reading more: From a entry below you'll find I also placed some in an outdoor container. Who knows? Maybe it will really take off outside!

Aquarium Blog: Scarlet Badis

2009-07-02T09:01:00.002-05:00

These tiny fish are amazing. Their small size makes the aquarium seem just huge! They're also difficult to photograph, he, he. Unfortunately they seem to be finicky eaters. The first meal of the day is always some frozen daphnia and I'm pretty sure they're eating it. Reading more: I'll post a blog dedicated to feeding.

Aquarium Blog: Atlanta rocks!

2009-07-02T08:13:00.009-05:00

Seriously, what's going on in Atlanta?! Do you have some great pet stores there? Is there an Atlanta aquatic club? Could it be any hotter? Post a comment! Reading more: Every day I look at the traffic report for this website and Atlanta is almost always at the top of the list. I do have friends and faimly there, but I doubt they are visiting every day. What's up? I'm glad to have you visit! What would you like to see more of? What could I do for Atlanta?!

Aquarium Blog: New light fixture on the way from Big Al's.

2009-07-01T10:57:00.004-05:00

I just ordered Coralife F/W T-5 Aqualight Double Strip Light-36 from Big Al's. I've been pretty impressed with this dealer of aquarium supplies. They advertise a low price guarantee. I tried www.aquariumguys.com, but ran into the problem of ordering something the website listed as "in-stock" and getting an email that they were out of stock and the website never updated to "out of stock". Sometimes you get the feeling that "in-stock" is the default for a merchant regardless of stock status. That's a deal breaker for me. So far I've NOT had this problem with Big Al's and I've found their prices to be quite low. I will report on the new lighting fixture soon! Reading more: Let me know what your online dealer experiences have been.

Aquarium Blog: The power of the sun!

2009-07-01T09:05:00.012-05:00

Getting in my car yesterday (after it was preheated by the Arkansas sun) I chuckled as I wondered how many watts the sun has and what a shame it cannot be harnessed as an aquarium light. Of course we know sunlight can benefit the indoor aquarium, but that's a different story. I then remembered I'd tossed some Hornwort, Cabomba, and Anacharis is my goldfish containers a while back. I checked them out and the Cabomba and Anacharis were growing like crazy. No real surprise, but at least I remember I have a free source of both now! Also it occurred to me I could create a test bed for my other aquatic plants and see if any enjoy growing outdoors! (Note these are isolated containers miles from natural bodies of water.) Oh, a goldfish in one of the containers seemed to say "please, if you're not going to feed us, bugger off". Reading more: I'll take and post some pics of the Cabomba and Anacharis in my tank later today!

Aquarium Blog: Day 9 Planted

2009-06-30T20:26:00.010-05:00

Wow, I'm really getting into this hobby. The fish are doing great, but I'm continuing to experience some plant die back. I have the Hydor Exclusive CO2 system up and running at about 40 bubbles per min. I'm dosing Seachem fertilizers and have dry fertilizers on the way. Ammonia and Nitrites are at near zero ppm. Nitrates are around 20 ppm (low?). So, I think I'm doing everything right. I just gotta be patient. Reading more: I'm considering getting a T5 36 double strip tomorrow. Shhh, don't tell my wife!

Aquarium Blog: Day 8 Planted

2009-06-29T18:29:00.006-05:00

Current fauna include (with names, if named):
2 Male Electric Blue Ram (Boron and Xenon)
2 Female German Blue Ram (Freon and Krypton/Helion)
2 Rummy Nose Tetras
2 Emerald Green Cory
5 Scarlet Badis
9 Cherry Shrimp (fish food?)
1 Mystery Snail

Reading more: my wife hates the name Freon.

Aquarium Blog: Hydor CO2 green NRG Exclusive

2009-06-29T17:22:00.004-05:00

I received my replacement Hydor "pressure reducer" and two disposable cartridges. I wore gloves screwing on the cartridge, he, he. First attempt the pin did not penetrate the disposable cartridge. The pressure reducer comes with two washers installed and I debated removing one, but instead just backed out and back in and succeeded. I hope the washer is intact. The pressure reducer leaked CO2 from a couple of places for about twenty seconds or so before it appeared to "settle". I thought that was pretty odd, but there are no leaks now and it's dispensing CO2 from zero to several bubbles a second as I adjust. I'm certain it's not a long term solution for a 50g tank as the disposable cartridges are not cost efficient for this size tank. I'm pretty happy to retire the DIY system after only one day. Reading more: I'm convinced I'm the only soul in the US using a Hydor pressure reducer. If you are make sure and let me know!

Rotala this, Rotala that!

2009-06-28T10:39:00.003-05:00

So I'm thinking my Rotala may be Rotundfolia rather than Indica. That's thanks to forum folks at Aquatic Plant Central (see link to right). I'll be adding this link to the right as well: Plant Finder. AReading more: The forums are invaluable. Check the links to the right. Thanks "ingg" and Cavan Allen at APC forum!

Aquarium Blog: Electric Blue Ram

2009-06-28T10:09:00.007-05:00

My parameters:
50g tank (36x18x19)
~100 watts standard fluorescent various plant grow tubes
about 10hrs full 1hrs 50 watts (I have a glass canopy these lights sit on that has some incredibly stubborn hard water deposits, so I'm guessing I'm losing at least 25% wattage)
Eco-complete substrate
pH (power of hydrogen, fun mnemonic only) 7.2 without CO2 closer to 6.8 with CO2
GH (general hardness) 100 ppm
KH (carbonate hardness) 150
Dosing Seachem as per their Aquarium dosing chart
I plan to mix my own once this wetness behind my ears dries.
Flourish tabs spaced 4-6 inches
Water temp 81F
Ammonia ~0ppm, Nitrite ~ 0ppm, Nitrate ~30ppm
Fluval 305 sponges and bio media only
CO2 DIY with Hydor diffuser on 24/7
Air stone during lights off
Reading more: I'll be testing GH and KH more carefully this afternoon.

Aquarium Blog: Day 6 Planted

2009-06-27T19:22:00.006-05:00

I'm fighting to keep my head above the information waterline!
This CO2 test kit, called a drop checker, comes with a standard solution for accuracy:
drop checker. I just ordered one. The Red Sea test kit just won't pass muster.
I'm using DIY CO2 at the moment so I need an accurate test kit as my injection is rough.
I'm using a dosing table for Seachem (mix my own later).
I've added an information source for planted tanks: The Barr Report.
I'm just waiting for trouble. Reading more: Added standard German Blue Rams, more soon.

Aquarium Blog: Electric Blue Ram

2009-06-27T08:41:00.006-05:00

I decided to give a couple of Electric Blue Ram (EBR) a try. One of my LFS folks thought they were being sold as a sexed pair, but I'm pretty sure these are two males. I very much like the Microgeophagus ramirezi as a species, but I'm not so impressed with this coloration. Could be my lighting or their age. I'm going to provide two typical GBR females (I doubt EBR females are easily found) and see how things go. Reading more: Currently the 50g tank houses the two rams, two emeral green "cory", two rummy nose tetras (more soon), five scarlet badis, and a few scrimp.

Day 3: Five Scarlet Badis and Five Cherry Shrimp added!

2009-06-25T00:19:00.006-05:00

I was able to add five Scarlet Badis and five Cherry Shrimp Today. Oh, and one mystery snail. I'm working to improve my aquarium photos. I gotta figure out how to do a manual focus! Reading more: I hope to add Rams on Friday.

Day 3: I mistake Jave Fern Reproduction for Parasite/Disease

2009-06-24T09:52:00.003-05:00

I read that Java Fern can develop spores on the underside of leaves which develop into plantlets.
Wow! That's interesting. Reading more: First place I read this was here http://fishandfishery.blogfa.com/post-9.aspx. Fish and shrimp in a few hours, I hope.

More Day 2

2009-06-23T20:32:00.009-05:00

Only plant "pearling" today was Vallisneria.
One plant actually seems like it has grown overnight if that's even possible: Rotala Indica.
I have what my wife calls a "control panel" look going on the left side that I will hide or remove soon. Reading more: Adding some fish/shrimp tomorrow I hope.

Day 2

2009-06-23T15:12:00.012-05:00

I Placed my Anubias Nana on the driftwood this morning. They look great. I also repositioned my other Anubias and Java Fern such that thier rhizomes were not buried in the substrate (thanks www.aquariumadvice.com forum dwellers joy13 and FishEggs!) . LFS pro noted they had ammonia problems with an Eco complete install in the past. So, I bought a test kit and am happy to report ~0ppm. I've read bad batches of eco complete were shipped a couple of years back and that Caribsea responded well to the problem. In any case, I'm loving mine so far. I'm just learning to take pictures of the aquarium. LFS pro also thought my day 1 pic looked like "new tank syndrome", but it's my photography. In "real life" the water does not look hazy. Ah, with a little saturation tweak the tank looks more like real life. I'll take another bigger pic tonight. Reading more: I'm learning. The forums are great (try www.aquariumadvice.com). I'm pretty sure the LFS pro would have given me the same advice the next day, but the immediate feedback of a forum can be really helpful.

Hydor CO2 instructions in English wrong! Fig 1 correct. Seeking confirmation!

2009-06-23T08:17:00.005-05:00

Dear Mr Mastin,
we thank you for your contact.
Thanks to your inquiry, we have verified the instruction's texts and there is an error in the English translation.

The right text should be:
"Take the pressure reducer (N) and make sure
that the regulation knob is closed (turn anti-clockwise)
-Fig. 1-, then turn the pressure reducer
upside-down and make sure that the o-ring is in
the correct position and there are no particles or
dust inside the connection or on the top of the
cartridge. (M). Screw on the CO2 cartridge slowly..."

This is an error born during the english translation: in fact the translation in the other languages is right. We guarantee we are already correcting the text, and we apologize for this inconvenience.

In reference to the indications of turning the reducer upside-down, this is only for inspection that the o-ring is correctly positioned and there are no particles.We should have probably added a sentence indicating to turn back in an upright position the pressure reducer before screwing on the cartridge.

Thank you again for informing us, we will update the English translation as soon as possible.

May we suggest you contact HYDOR USA directly to get a replacement cartridge.

Best regards.

Paolo Mariotto

HYDOR SRL

Reading more: How refreshing. The cynical side of me says the staff attorney must be on vacation.

Day 1 Planted

2009-06-22T23:09:00.004-05:00

I'm declaring "day 1" of the planted tank. Looking pretty good. I just learned that Anubias should have their rhizomes out of the substrate, so I corrected that and will provide an updated pic soon. See the posts below of a list of the plants. As a reminder, this is a 50 gallon tank with 100 watts of fluorescent lighting, eco-complete substrate, and no CO2 (yet). My water is warm, slightly acid, and moderately hard. Reading more: I may be able to add a emerald cory or two tomorrow. More fish in a week.

Missing dwarf hairgrass and yellow hornwort. Follow-up (AquariumGarden.com)

2009-06-22T17:40:00.005-05:00

My email to aquairumgarden.com and the reply:

Hey Vic,
I received my order today (36 Discus Assortment order placed 6/11/09).
Pros:
Lots of plants that traveled well.
Cons:
-Lots of anacharis and yellow/brown hornwort.
-And no dwarf hairgrass as indicated on the web and especially disappointing as I specifically requested some ground cover.

I attached a picture of the anacharis and hornwort.
I don't really care about the yellow hornwort, but it would be nice to have some some ground cover.

Thanks! David

Dear David,

Thank you for your interest in our products and your order with us.

We are glad to hear that most plants arrived in good shape. We apologize for the yellow hornwort: unfortunately, such things happen sometimes with live item shipments especially during hot weather.

Unfortunately, we do not have hairgrass in stock at the moment - we may be able to get some this or next week, we'll make sure to send it to you if that happens. Also - would you please let me know what kind of ground cover you are looking for? We may be able to include it as well.

Once again, we apologize for the issues and thank you for your purchase. Please let us know if you have more questions, we'll be happy to help.

Sincerely Yours,
Vic.
AquariumGarden.com

Nothing more to report.

Impressed with Hydor Customer Service

2009-06-22T15:11:00.002-05:00

Here is the email I received today from Hydor Customer Service!

David

Thank you for the photo. You can't just put those parts back in. I will have to send you a new regulator. I also send you a new CO2 canister. I need the following information.

SHIPPING ADDRESS

The key to this system is to not over tighten the canister. Also make sure there are no sharp edges or debris in the regulator. Follow the picture instructions. You turn the rugulator top counter clockwise to close it.

Once I get your shipping info, I will send you the parts.

Sincerely,

Mike

Hydor USA, Inc.
Customer Service
4740 Northgate Blvd #125
Sacramento, CA 95834
866-493-6787 Phone
866-629-4937 Fax Here is the beginning of my post. And here is the rest of it.

Plants have arrived! (from AquariumGarden.com )

2009-06-22T14:47:00.012-05:00

The pics are arranged 1-8 with 8 at the top and 1 at the bottom. The narrative is below. See post below for narrative.

Plants have arrived! (from AquariumGarden.com)

2009-06-22T13:47:00.041-05:00

Pics above are the contents of each bag!
Priority Mail box unpacked. So far so good (pic 1, check jpg label to confirm which pic is which).
First bag labeled Anacharis and Java Fern (pic 2). Second bag labeled Wisteria, three included(pic 3). Third bag labeled Rotala Indica, Anubias Nana, and Hornwort, lots of Hornwort that looks yellow (pic 4). Fourth bag labeled Anubias Barteri and Hygro-gaint (pic 5). Fifth bag labeled Vallisneria-Corkscrew (pic 6). Sixth bag labeled Anubias Frazeri and Sword-Ruffled (pic 7). Seventh bag labeled Vallisneria-Italian and Sword-Amazon (pic 8).

Summary,
Pros:
Lots of plants that traveled well.
Cons:
Lots of anacharis and yellow/brown hornwort.
No dwarf hairgrass as indicated. Especially disappointing as I specifically requested some ground cover. "The plants are selected to tolerate discus tank environment conditions, specificaly - higher temperatures up to about 85F. The plants we include are a collection of several anubias species, hygrophila species, anacharis, hornwort, rotala indica, wisteria, java fern species, amazon and ruffle swords, and also some dwarf hairgrass."
See above for pics of all plants as received.

Reading more: No more here.

Hydor Help!

2009-06-22T09:18:00.008-05:00

Here is the email I sent to Hydor customer care this morning (hydor.usa@hydor.com;
customercare@hydor.com).

Hi!
I've recently been having trouble with a CO2 green NRG Exclusive kit I purchased.
The first time I attached a disposable cartridge I turned the cartridge too tightly and one of the silicone disks tore.
The second time I attached a disposable cartridge I turned the valve in the direction indicated on the instruction picture and burned my hand.
The instructions and instruction picture do not match.
When I removed the disposable cartridge the needle valve came out.

-Can you please give me a diagram of the valve so I can make sure I put the spring and needle in correctly?

-Can you replace the two wasted disposable cartridges?

-Can you explain how to install the disposable cartridge as the instructions in English say one thing and the picture shows another (the text says turn clock-wise and the picture shows counter-clockwise).

Thank you very much.
David

and

Also the instructions read:

"Take the pressure reducer (N) and make sure
that the regulation knob is closed (turn clockwise)
-Fig. 1-, then turn the pressure reducer
upside-down and make sure that the o-ring is in
the correct position and there are no particles or
dust inside the connection or on the top of the
cartridge. (M). Screw on the CO2 cartridge slowly..."

Note that the instructions say "turn the pressure reducer upside-down" and next instruct to "screw on the CO2 cartridge". Having the upside-down when screwing on the CO2 cartridge would seem especially dangerous if someone had turned the valve counter-clockwise as indicated in Fig 1.

Thank you,
David

And here is the rest of it.

CO2 Madness

2009-06-21T18:47:00.005-05:00

Rather than continue to obsess with the Hydor CO2 Green NRG Exclusive valve I have, I decided to possibly purchase a Hydor CO2 Green NRG Advanced kit retail from the LFS. The Hydor website notes that the Adavanced system "can be connected with the special adapters to any rechargeable or disposable canister". I purchased a 24oz rechargeable CO2 canister, had it filled, and took it to the LFS. I told them if they could connect the canister to the Hydor advanced system I would happily purchase it. These folks are super nice and were willing to help. First try the owner turned the valve counter-clockwise as indicated in Fig 1. (just like I did with my valve) and CO2 escaped from the second exhaust port. Fortunately, his hand didn't burn as mine did. The 0-ring, pin, tiny air filter, and spring shot out when he aborted and removed the cartridge (spring lost). Second try was with another of the same valves from another kit. This time with the valve turned clockwise as indicated in the text. No gas escaped the second port, but so much gas was escaping the first safety port he aborted the attempt. He suggested I purchase a on/off valve for the canister and he'd be willing to try again. That's a good idea, but WTH is going on with these valves? I have another pair of disposable cartridges on the way so I might give the Exclusive system another go first, with leather gloves on this time. I really hope I can get an exploded diagram from Hydor so I can double-check the Exclusive system I have. Also the LFS promised to speak with his Hydor rep. Please let me know if you have any experiences with these valves or know anyone that does. Reading More: The final move of the LFS owner was to show me a Milwalke CO2 regulator and suggest this might be a wiser purchase.

Leaning Toward Completely Insane

2009-06-20T12:01:00.004-05:00

Turns out the Hydor instruction text is likely correct and Hydor Figure 1 provided with the instructions is wrong.
Here are the instructions: "Take the pressure reducer (N) and make sure that the regulation knob is closed (turn clockwise) -Fig. 1-", I thought when turning the valve counter clockwise as indicated in Fig 1 a spring controlled pin would be released such that CO2 would be blocked from escaping into the central well. Unfortunately it didn't and this time the CO2 escaped from a different pressure relief hole. You might say that clockwise is "righty tighty" is obviously closed but Fig 1, and the fact that a small plus sign to the left of the word Hydor and a minus to the right led to imagine minus meant closed and Fig 1 was correct and counterclockwise was the way to go. A further indication these instructions are screwed up is that next statement referencing the valve reads "Slowly turn clockwise the regulation knob on the pressure reducer checking that the CO2 reaches the bubbles counter, then proceed with the first regulation setting the desired amount of bubbles". Following the text instructions the valve is already in the completely clockwise position! Geese. Open/closed, plus/minus, clockwise/counterclockwise! I have a nice CO2 burn on my hand now and a second wasted CO2 cartridge. Reading more: Aaaaagh. Sorry no more.

Hydor CO2 Troubleshooting

2009-06-19T19:42:00.012-05:00

Here I describe several days of Hydor trouble shooting, including working with Hydor customer support. See the links to the right for more related entries. Please know that my comments pertain to the Hydor CO2 Green NRG Exclusive/Advanced system.

I have attached the pressure reducer to a new 74 gr cartridge firmly by hand. When I open the pressure reducer no gas escapes. When I turn the pressure reducer from open to closed I can hear brief puffs of escaping gas but then it stops immediately. No consistent gas is released. When I screwed the cartridge gas on the first time some gas escaped around the threads so I know the cartridge is pressurized. When I unscrew the cartridge slightly some gas escapes around the threads so I know it is still pressurized. Any advice?
---As I unscrewed the valve somewhat some plastic was extruded from what I assume is a pressure relief hole. Now CO2 will flow from this hole when the valve is somewhat unscrewed from the cartridge.---Well, I got the pressure relieved and unscrewed the valve so I see what was going on. It looks like there were two "o-rings" in the valve, two clear disks with a hole in the center. One of them looks shredded. Was the unit supposed to ship with both rings inserted? I screwed the cartridge on with hand strength only and I'm not a strong guy. Any thoughts out there? I'll grab a new cartridge tomorrow. I wonder if operating with one "O-ring" is acceptable. I did attach the valve to the provided air line and dipped the end into water and saw no movement at all, so I'm still concerned. Reading more: Please Comment. I'm waiting to hear from Hydor. I'm tempted to go buy another cartridge and try again with only one disk inserted, but the cartridges are over $20.

Hydor CO2

2009-06-18T23:11:00.017-05:00

I received my Hydor Co2 system in the mail today. It's the "CO2 green NRG exclusive" model.
Reading more: The dis advantage of this model is that it only works with the proprietary small cartridges. Other models work with paintball cartridges and larger tanks. The "CO2 green NRG advanced" model would be the way to go as I understand it has an adapter for paitball sized canisters.

Python Water Changer

2009-06-18T22:35:00.007-05:00

I just gotta say I really appreciate having a Python No Spill Clean & Fill thingy. It's very convenient for partial water changes. I can barely remember years ago using a tube and bucket. I'm continuing to do daily small water changes. Reading more: I'd be happy to answer questions you may have about this product.

Just In: Blood for your aquarium:

2009-06-17T11:43:00.011-05:00

OMG, check this new release from Hydor! I love it, I mean I hate it, oh good grief! It's blood streaming out of a cow skull. What's not to love/hate? I have been noticing more decorations utilizing led lighting of late. I'm going for a more natural look, but for those darker aquarium fans out there, this might be for you. Um, do I need to say it? Er, it's not really blood.
Reading more:
Check the Hydor link for ordering details. I'd write more, but I don't have more to say right now. Why not leave a comment?

Plants, Aquariums, and Cons

2009-06-16T23:22:00.011-05:00

I've found Rex's Planted Tank Guide to be quite useful. As a teacher and scientist I've been irritated by advertisements for the water purification gadget (the Eco-Aqualizer) you see to the right. Rex gives an excellent analysis. Find it here: bad science. Add your web site suggestions via a comment. I am also enjoying The Planted Tank. The forums are great and I like to browse the submitted aquariums.

Lighting

2009-06-16T22:57:00.008-05:00

Aqualight Lunar Blue Moon Glow
The DrF&S price looks reasonable.
I'm inspired by this pic of a tank lit by the above light.
Note: not my pic.
As I mentioned in my first post my lighting consists of two 36 inch and two 24 inch fluorescent tubes (100 watts total). The doublestrip 24 inch fixture was on hand and I purchased the doublestrip 36 inch (DrF&S) $94.99. The bulbs are a mix of Flora Sun 24" 17W ($15.99), Nutri Grow Plant Lamp 36" 30W ($16.49), and Spectra Rays Full-Spectrum 24" 20W ($11.99).
More to come. I'll do a post on my thoughts regarding these tubes.

Tannic Acid

2009-06-16T19:48:00.005-05:00

My Malaysian driftwood is releasing tannins as expected, but not as much as I thought it might. As you can see the water is only a little brown. Aesthetically, it looks natural. What about water conditions? The pH I inherited from the previous setup was over 7.0. The eco-complete substrate may raise the pH a bit, whereas the driftwood tannins may lower it. My goal is an acidic environment for Blue Rams (pH below 7). I'll be patient as see how the water stabilizes over time and I'll continue to do small water changes every day or two. I won an auction for a Co2 generation system day before yesterday. I'll report on this when it arrives. Injecting Co2 should keep my pH where I want it. I have more to learn about water chemistry for sure. Wow, check out this heated discourse on water chemistry. Total alkalinity/buffering capacity 120ppm. Total hardness 120ppm. Nitrite at or near zero. Nitrate 80ppm. I found this article on driftwood. There's lots of good info out there in various forums as well.

What's under there?

2009-06-16T12:22:00.004-05:00

Here's a peek at what's under my tank. I'm looking forward to giving the Seachem Matrix a try. It'll go in the Fluval 305. See anything interesting? The plan is to work on water quality this week. Add plants Monday, assuming they arrive then. And add fish shortly thereafter.

Is anybody out there? I'll post a picture of the tank with then now tannin added water later today.

Objective

2009-06-16T00:45:00.002-05:00

I hope to have a heavily planted tank with Blue Rams as the fish stars. Some of these tanks are my inspiration. I plan to only post original pics, so I'll forgo posting any pics of other folks plants or fish. Instead here's a pic of me and my buds. L to R, Pat the archeologist, John the statistician, Luke the carpenter, and me, David the psychologist. I'm doing 10-20% water changes every day so I'll post an update when I do that tomorrow. It'll be interesting to see if the driftwood affects the Ph of the water.

We've been friends since high school. What to know more? Just let me know.

Current Occupant

2009-06-16T00:30:00.003-05:00

Emerald Green Cory or Brochis splendens.
He/she has survived in this tank for years, even back when Earl the red ear pond slider lived here. I'm happy to have him here eating and pooping, but I feel I either need to get him some species mates or find him another home.

Would he be a good member of a community tank with blue rams? I wonder if he would eat any eggs they produced. I read female Green Corys have more girth and males are more slender. I'm thinking this is a female.

Driftwood

2009-06-15T23:40:00.003-05:00

I'm pretty excited to showoff the piece of driftwood that will be the decorative centerpiece of the tank. I acquired it from the local fish shop (LFS). The tag it came with identifies it as Malaysian Wood XXL. You can find the website listed on the tag here, although I don't see the XXL listed. I paid $55 for this piece. The price seemed quite reasonable. When I showed my wife the price tag she did not complain. It's quite large, about 24Lx13Wx18H. I anticipate some tannins.

The piece in it's original form had one spar that was a little off. The LFS dude suggested I take a chainsaw to it. It never occurred to me to modify the pieces of driftwood I'd seen. A jigsaw did the trick.

Beginning

2009-06-15T22:36:00.000-05:00

Aquarium: 50 gallons (36 L x 18W x 19H inches) already on hand. Originally served as home for a red eared pond slider (Earl).
Substrate: Eco-Complete Plant Substrate from http://www.drsfostersmith.com/ (DrF&S). Four twenty pound bags, shipping only $11.99.
Lighting: two 36 inch and two 24 inch flourescent tubes (100 watts total). The 24 inch fixture was onhand and I purchased the doublestrip 36 inch (DrF&S) $94.99.
Heating: Jäger TS Automatic Heaters 150 watt (DrF&S) $27.99.
Filtration: Fluval 305, on hand.