My very first tank journal

[Jon-san]

Does Seachem's Stability perform the same function as Nutrafin's Cycle? Coz I'm currently using Cycle and I'd rather they not contradict or counteract each other. Thanks for the advice!

[Jon-san]

Readings taken today:

PH: 6.0
Nitrites: Out-of-the-chart
Nitrates: Out-of-the-chart
Ammonia: 0.0 mg/l

Have added a capful of Seachem's Stability. Have also added ~15 stalks of Amazon Frogbits. Let's see what happens next. Am hoping the Frogbits can help to absorb some of the Nitrates. At the same time, also added in 2 packets of AC to start leeching out some of the tannins. The teh-o colour getting too strong. Waiting impatiently for the Nitrites to start falling. Lol...

Originally Posted by Jon-san

I read about that too. Was planning on using Purigen, but after reading your post, I'm having 2nd thoughts. Any chance you could elaborate more about your experience with Purigen and AC? Like how long you left the media in and how much of the media you used? My tank is only a ~40l tank, so am not too sure what quantity of AC I should use. I currently have a packet of AC that came with my Hagen. Not too sure if I should use it, as I read somewhere that media packaged with filters tend to be of a lower grade. Thanks for sharing and thanks for visiting too!

I used about 1L bag of AC on my old 2 feet tank(50L) with dw. Tried for about 3 month, changing a new bag every month. Water still the same brownish colour with 40% water changes twice a week.

For Purigen, I used 250ml for my 150L tank as mentioned previously, it's my 4th week into using it. I placed it in my canister filter. Opened to check last week, half of the media is still white. I will probably recharge them in a couple of weeks and place them back, and see if the water improves.

[Jon-san]

Thanks for replying, Psych. Wow, 3 months with AC and coming 1 month with Purigen? Has there been no change at all to the colour of the water? No further darkening, perhaps? Or is your wood still leeching tannins. Pretty long time already. Do you add your AC to the tank or the filter system? Have added 2 packets of AC to my tank, but I place them where the return flow from the HoF enters the tank. Readings taken, but no changes in any of the values yet. PH still at 6.0, Ammonia at 0.0 mg/l, Nitrites and Nitrates still out of the charts. Water tint appears slightly less dark. Will keep an eye out over the next few days. Am observing alot of minute bubbles forming on the surface. Rather unsightly. I hope it's not due to over feeding.

[Jon-san]

Posting up some pics.

Freshwater Loach



So cute, this fella. Can't help taking more pics of him.



Another Tank Shot



The Siamese Algae Eater



The Oto



Thanks for visiting!

[Ouuuigh]

Originally Posted by Jon-san

Posting up some pics.

Freshwater Loach



So cute, this fella. Can't help taking more pics of him.



Another Tank Shot



The Siamese Algae Eater



The Oto



Thanks for visiting!

VERY NICE! got the amazon feel ! Should keep some amazon fish will make it nicer.

Originally Posted by Jon-san

Thanks for replying, Psych. Wow, 3 months with AC and coming 1 month with Purigen? Has there been no change at all to the colour of the water? No further darkening, perhaps? Or is your wood still leeching tannins. Pretty long time already. Do you add your AC to the tank or the filter system? Have added 2 packets of AC to my tank, but I place them where the return flow from the HoF enters the tank. Readings taken, but no changes in any of the values yet. PH still at 6.0, Ammonia at 0.0 mg/l, Nitrites and Nitrates still out of the charts. Water tint appears slightly less dark. Will keep an eye out over the next few days. Am observing alot of minute bubbles forming on the surface. Rather unsightly. I hope it's not due to over feeding.

Hi again Jon, the AC was used in my old tank. I recently upgraded to a 3ft a month ago. So the 3ft was a new setup and crystal clear water. After adding the dw ALONG with Purgien, it started to turn brown in 2 weeks. The wood is definitely still leeching tannins as it's new, that's why I placed in Purigen to help me counter it. But then again maybe without it, it could been alot worse. The thing is when I last check the Purigen, alot of it are still white, and the water is turning browner.

For me I placed my AC in my canister filter as I prefer to process chemical filtration first before bio. But I guess it's ok to place them anywhere as long as there is a constant water is flowing through them.

My water isn't as dark as yours yet though, and your ph is way lower than mine. Mine is dropping steadily, at 7.3 now. But I look at your pics I actually really like how the water colour compliments your setup! Nice amazon blackwater look. Also love your Kuhli loach, I have 4 myself, cute little fellas.

For the bubbles, I also had that problem due to the oil/fat from the food I feed. I installed a surface skimmer and it seems to have taken care of the issue.

[Jon-san]

Originally Posted by Ouuuigh

VERY NICE! got the amazon feel ! Should keep some amazon fish will make it nicer.

This tank is actually undergoing the cycling process. The future inhabitants will be cories + 1 other middle-surface swimmers, probably neons. Am looking forward to the end of the cycle! Thanks for your kind comments and suggestions.

[Jon-san]

Thanks for sharing. Agree that the water colour could have been much worse without the Purigen. I never quite expected the DW to leech out this much tannins, else I would have had the AC in from day 1. Without turning on the tank lights in the afternoon, I can barely make out the fish swimming at the back end of the tank.

And yes, I'm struggling to keep the PH higher. It's dropping 0.5 every 2 days. Short of using sodium bicarb amd WC, what else can we use to maintain the PH. I have a small bag of CC from my dad's old marine setup, just added recently, if that doesn't work, I might have to think of something else again.

[Jon-san]

Just took another set of readings.

PH: 6.5
Ammonia: 0.0 mg/l
Nitrites: 2.0 mg/l
Nitrates: 50.0 mg/l

Am very glad to see that Nitrites has come down to measurable levels and Ammonia has remained at 0.0 mg/l. It remains to be seen if Nitrites will drop all the way to 0.0 mg/l soon. Also, Nitrates is measurable too. 50.0 mg/l is somewhat on the higher side. Is my journey almost at it's end? Lol... Will see in another 1 or 2 days time.

Tank colour looks like it's moderating to a lighter shade, though it's really hard to tell unless I start taking samples. But I doubt I have enough glass containers to do that. Lol... Just keeping my fingers crossed that it lightens further. Can't wait to take more shots when the cories are in.

Maybe it's time to remove that SAE from the tank. Have been observing it and it seems to be going very often to bully my poor loaches when they come out to forage. Am glad though, that the loaches have settled down enough to even start eating. Last 50 meters to the finish line...