Hi All - And questions

[Anomander]

Hi Everyone, just checking in and have a question or 2.

I have a 240l (63gal???) tank which is my first freshwater since having marine tanks so just getting used to plants etc. I used seachem flourite and the sand version mixed together which although it says does not reed rinsing, and despite rinsing for an hour was still the worst substrate I have used for cloudiness. Even now a couple of weeks later my water isnt clear as fish still kick bits of dust up. Would more carbon in the filter help with this? I have a Fluval 406 external filter.

I have 2 EB Acaras and an EB Jack dempsey along with some neon and serpa tetras. Hard to get a pic with everything moving so fast. Also have 2 or 3 kuhli loaches and a balloon ram in there

Hoping to get more plants in there, buy a new light and move/hide the heater etc but just taking it slow.

I always wanted a green terror, would that be a bad idea with the Acaras/JD in a tank this size?

 

[Gourami Swami]

Hello, I would definitely not add a green terror. You may be fine with the cichlids you have now, since the EBJD's stay smaller and usually less aggressive than normal EB's. But I would not add any more cichlids.

The fluorite definitely is dusty stuff. I prefer eco-complete or shrimp soil myself. But once the fluorite fully settles the dust shouldn't be an issue unless you stir it up too much.
Your tank looks great! I agree I would hide the heater. I would also get some carpeting plants and see if I could get them to take off and cover all that open space. Micro-swords would be a good look imo.

 

[Anomander]

Thanks, yeah I think I would agree. Really want one but ill have to hold off. Especially since the Acaras are now spawning!

It is hard to find lights that let me keep the lid (which is a must) so I have been considering the aqualumi universal light which fits in the lid and means using 4 t5s instead of 2 t8s. Anyone with more knowledge than me think this would be a good idea?

Carpeting plants are definitely on the menu

 

[skjl47]

Would more carbon in the filter help with this? I have a Fluval 406 external filter.

hello; The carbon itself is not likely to filter cloudiness. While it can trap some stuff physically it mostly is for removing some substances from the water by an attractive process called adsorption. Carbon does no harm but is not needed on a regular basis. I have not used it on a regular basis for decades. The adsorption capacity also gets used up fairly quickly.

universal light which fits in the lid and means using 4 t5s instead of 2 t8s

Hello; Most any light can grow plants. I have used bulbs from incandescent to fluorescent to now LED and all have grown plants. I prefer a full hood with built in lights for a couple of reasons so would favor such. Note- you now can replace fluorescent tubes with an LED tube which fits into the same sockets. I tried a couple in fixtures over my home kitchen and bathroom sinks. I have not tried on tanks yet as I modified all my hoods a few years ago and took out all the fluorescent fittings.
I like to use lights toward the natural end of the spectrum, some where between 4000 to 6500 Kevin frequency.


Hello; One other note. Looks like a couple of swords in the tank. Swords are heavy root feeders. I like to stick some sort of plant tab fertilizer right into the substrate right at the roots of swords.

 

[Anomander]

Yeah I put some in near the swords however they were in little capsules like the ones you take that dissolve. Few days later I noticed little yellow balls all over the substrate where they had came out when the capsule dissolved. Annoying!

Can you recommend any that wont do this?

Yeah I agree I prefer a hood as opposed to open top as it is in my living room, that is why I was looking into the one mentioned above, it is made specifically for this tanks hood.

Thanks for the advice so far.

 

[tlindsey]

Yeah I put some in near the swords however they were in little capsules like the ones you take that dissolve. Few days later I noticed little yellow balls all over the substrate where they had came out when the capsule dissolved. Annoying!

Can you recommend any that wont do this?

Yeah I agree I prefer a hood as opposed to open top as it is in my living room, that is why I was looking into the one mentioned above, it is made specifically for this tanks hood.

Thanks for the advice so far.

Welcome aboard

Fluval root tabs are what most recommend. I personally use them and had no issues notice Amazon Sword's improved after the use of the Fluval root tabs.

 

[skjl47]

I put some in near the swords however they were in little capsules like the ones you take that dissolve. Few days later I noticed little yellow balls all over the substrate

Hello; I jam the plant tabs deep into the substrate at the roots, not on top of the substrate.
I use to find a fert called "plant tabs" but not for many years. It was good with swords. I now use Flourish Tabs by seachem. Not as good but they do work enough.

 

[Anomander]

Sorry didnt make that clear, I pushed them into the flourite as far as I could. That is why I was so surprised the balls came back up.

 

[skjl47]

Sorry didnt make that clear, I pushed them into the flourite as far as I could. That is why I was so surprised the balls came back up.

Hello; Never used root ferts in a capsule so have no experience and no idea hat the issue may be. One thing seems clear tho, if the little balls are the ferts then they are not going top help the swords when spread about the tank.

 

[tlindsey]

Welcome aboard

Fluval root tabs are what most recommend. I personally use them and had no issues notice Amazon Sword's improved after the use of the Fluval root tabs.

Sorry correction not fluval but Flourish root tabs.