I'm back after a some time....

[xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx]

So my laptop was clinging to life support and finally gave out which is why I've been missing... I was finally able to get a brand new laptop yesterday!!! My 45 gallon tank is doing well, and the plants are growing like crazy!!! However I wasn't able to get co2 this month again due to the laptop finally dying off lol... But I am getting co2 100% next month as a Christmas present for myself!!!

I've got everything needed for it but the co2 cylinder (tank)...

The battle with the hair moss has finally been won!!! Started using API Algae-Fix and after a couple of weeks the algae is very limited, but now I'm battling blue green algae... Currently the tank is in a complete black out with towels covering the entire tank, I'm 3 into the black out and got 4 more days left before I turn the lights back on.

I know live plants need light, why not get goldfish or cherry barbs... I don't want to add a bigger bio load to the tank, and blackouts in my opinion work best against blue green algae.

The Riccia has really taken off like crazy, I have five 8"x4" mats of Riccia floating around the tank mixed with some Java Moss on the driftwood. Once I get a co2 cylinder I plan to tear down the tank, and use new driftwood pieces covered with Riccia.

 

[xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx]

Ok, so I still need to get a 10lb co2 cylinder for the tank... But, I have located the 48" T5HO quad fixture I wanted to get a couple months ago... So I'll probably be ordering that before the co2 cylinder just because it would allow me to get the lighting my 45 gallon long planted tank needs, and once I get my lighting on the right track then I can worry about finalizing the co2 system!!!

 

[xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx]

So instead of the t5ho quad fixture I just ordered another 48" Green Elements EVO 6500k LED fixture for $89, and since I'm very satisfied with the first EVO I got on my tank (plant growth is steady and healthy) I figured adding a second EVO to the tank will give me what I'm looking for when it comes to the lighting.

Next month I have to renew the plates on my Durango so once that's done I'll go over my finances, and see what's left and if there's enough I'll get a co2 cylinder!!!

 

[xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx]

So the Evo LED fixture will be here today, just waiting on UPS to deliver it sometime today!!! I've decided that ultimately I do want to get a T5HO quad fixture for this tank because it'll allow me to target both chlorophyll stages wavelength peaks, which will then able the plants to get healthy growth at a steady pace.

Soooooo, I'll just see how I feel over time and if I still want to go with T5HO...

 

[isde02]

I would love to see some pics

 

[xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx]

Yeah, but currently battling a blue green algae outbreak.... So it's lights out for a few days, then clean up time of whatever may have died during the lights out period...

 

[xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx]

So tomorrow depending on how I feel, I'll hopefully get started on cleaning up the plants and giving them a H2O2 peroxide solution dip to remove any algae and snails from them... I ordered a couple Cyperus Helferi which came in today, they'll get the dip too! I want to drain the tank and set it back up with a piece of driftwood I think would look great in there, and cover it with some riccia that I've been growing which are 2 x 8"x"4" mats of riccia, and a 6"x4" mat of riccia.

So hopefully tomorrow I'm feeling up to the task!!!!!

 

[xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx]

So today I cleared out all of the plants from the tank, and in the morning I'll be draining it and washing the flourite and get it set back up. The new layout looks good in my head but we'll see how it looks in the tank lol!!!

 

[xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx]

Finally got the tank drained, and set back up!!!! With the new driftwood piece it makes my tank look so empty lol, so I'll have to get more plants!!!! Pics to come in a couple of days to give the tank time to clear up, and get my one lonely Dwarf Rainbow Fish back into the tank... Had him since he was a 2mm in size, he was hitch hiker on some plants a while back

 

[xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx]

So after spending $200 on 2 x 48" Beamworks EVO 6500 LED's I finally switched back to a 48" T5HO quad 4x54w 6500k fixture... The LED's work great and all, but weren't intense enough so I went back to T5HO!!!! The LED's would be great for a medium lighted planted tank, but I intend a high light tank...

My order of glossostigma elatinoides seeds came in yesterday, I plan to tear the tank down because the flourite substrate is covered with algae so I plan to soak it in very hot water (might even boil it). This will kill off ALL algae embedded in the substrate!!!

When I set it back up I'm going with a dry start method and used the glosso seeds, I might wait to set it back up so I can get a co2 cylinder for the tank, and then I'm set!!! I do plan on order 2 WavePoint Ultra Growth Wave bulbs for the new fixture, and it'll have the following front to back...

6500k bulb
ultra growth wave bulb
6500k bulb
ultra growth wave bulb

This will help to target the chlorophyll peaks in the plants, and give me excellent growth!!!