CX01 Breeding Platform

[Vspec]

Overview: Carmen eXperiment Breeding Platform

To further the understanding by caring, catering & breeding her chosen Apistogramma species.

My self appointed role is to start the aquarium log, provide assistance if needed & watch her create her chosen environment.

Carmy will update as things proceed.



To kick it off, lets get the basic’s down for reference.



Aquarium Size: 36x20x20inch.

Initial Set-Up Date: 22/06/10

Initial Start Up Equipment:

2 x Cups ceramic noodle (Cycle seeding- Temporary placement -Filter box & Sand bed surface)
1 x Sponge O2 riser
1 x O2 riser filter box
1 x 100w Aquaone heater (Temporary unit)
1 x Aquaone 7500 series air pump (360l/hr approx)
1 x T5 HO Glo 24w twin 2ft lighting unit. (Temporary unit)


Start Up Scope:

Water:
Tap Water initial Set-up. (RO water use pending)

Substrate:
Triple washed white sand. (Actual bed design pending)
(Further washed 2-3 times via tap water before inclusion)

Plants:
L/XL Forest garden ordered.
Dwarf Hairgrass current occupancy. (pending)
(Further stocking inclusions or choices pending)

Initial Inclusions:
Almond Leaves (order pending)

Mis items:
1 x quarts compound rock as a O2 riser weight.


Cycle Nutrient Kick Start: 2 x TetraMin waffers (72hrs)


Initial Benchmarks:

Preliminary testing 22/06
Tap water fresh - 7.6PH@23degC
Tap water de-gas - 7.4PH@23degC
Sand PH - 6.0PH/tap water@23degC







Initial 7day System Test.

Liquid Reagent Test1

Temp: 25degC
KH: 1deg
PH Low: 7.6 - off the scale
PH High: 8.8 - off the scale
GH: 2deg

NH3: .50
NO2: Nil
NO3: N/A

Comments:

(Digital EC/PH to confirm future readings)
PH values is larger than anticipated -even for a new system. Testing temp 2deg less! Re-do element testing for benchmark.



Water Test
Tap collection time: 6pm 29/06/10
Initial Water Temp: 20.5deg C
Ambient Room Temp: 18degC - raised to 22degC
Testing Water Temp: 21 - 22degC


Vial1 Test 6:15pm
PH Low: 7.6
PH High: 7.4
KH: 2deg
NH3: 0

Vial2 Test 7:15pm (de-gas)
PH Low: 7.0 /7.2
PH High: 7.4
KH: 2deg
NH3: N/A



Sand Test

Parameters:
Left over de-gas water @7:15pm
Initial 3 vial test
A1 : 1ml unwashed sand, 5ml water, reagent. 6.0PH
A2 : 5ml water, reagent, 1ml unwashed sand. 6.0PH
A3 : 5ml water, reagent, 1ml washed sand. 6.4PH

7 day sand test. Rule out any changes.
(Alphanumeric corresponds with vials.)
A - 29/06. 7:30pm. 6.0PH
B - 29/06 10:30pm. 6.0PH
C - 30/6 ( Day2 )
D - 1/7 ( Day3 )
E - 2/7 ( Day4 )
F - 3/7 ( Day5 )
G - 4/7 ( Day6 )
H - 5/7 ( Day7 )


http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww21/veriann/P1040400.jpg

http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww21/veriann/P1040406.jpg

And the journey continues.....

[Vspec]

7 day Sand Test. Rule out any changes.
(Alphanumeric corresponds with vials.)
A - 29/06. 7:30pm. 6.0PH
B - 29/06 10:30pm. 6.0PH
C - 30/6 7:30pm. 6.0PH
D - 1/7 7:30pm. 6.0PH
E - 2/7 7:30pm. 6.0PH
F - 3/7 7:30pm. 6.0PH
G - 4/7 7:30pm. 6.0PH
H - 5/7 7:30pm. 6.0PH

Conclusion: Identical results. **Myth Busted**


14 day System Test.

Digital / Liquid Reagent Test2
06/07/10

Ambient Room Temp: 22degC
Tank Temp : 22degC
EC /PPM: 0.1 / 30p
KH: 2deg
PH: 7.1
NH3: .25
NO2: 0

Comments:

Seeing better parameters. Interested if initial system load was adequate.
Continual Monitoring.

[Vspec]

Question Guys, As a point of interest in relation to my observation, do most people leave plants in or out during their own cycle period.?

[Hassles]

Question Guys, As a point of interest in relation to my observation, do most people leave plants in or out during their own cycle period.?

matters not - the plants will of course provide additional area for the colonisation of the bacteria and they will absorb some nitrates when nitrates are present. If you want plants chuck 'em in early.

take care

[ILLUSN]

if your going densly planted you dont need to cycle just let plants grow in and you'll never have any ammonia no2 or no3, if its going to be "lightly" planted cycle first with no plants untill you detect NO3 once you detect NO3 all species of bacteria are present in the filter so its ok to add plants, keep up the ammonia source or the bacterial colony will "shrink" as the plants grow in.

[Vspec]

Thanks guys.

My questions stems from the plants could be scavenging the initial NH3 load limiting the replication potentials of the bacteria. I was side tracked at the time by bad news & neglected to make note of a piece of anubis forest garden wood creation that was added along side the initial dwarf hairgrass. Hence no mention in the log.

Once it drops into the PH6 range bacterial efficiency slows, so given the focus narrows, I thought id bounce the question.

Ph slide is going as expected now. Bit of an initial blip!. Having the mix of tannic acid release, future editions of almond leaf / RO water & standard biological acidification should bring it the rest of the way.

Any serious research account though for this environment makes reference to maintaining an opposite Alk buffering capacity in the system.
Im assuming most people would unwittingly be achieving this with their frequent water change routines.

Its not such a factor on this tank, however on my own tests I’ll need to address this manually & hopefully as naturally as I can. RO/DI use will be exclusive, so given I’ll be breaking KH & GH down to their true respective element tests, hopefully I’ll be able to manipulate it logically based on the numbers.

[ILLUSN]

bacteria adapt, as they grow and divide they mutate (evolve) to better suit the conditions, i maintained excellent biological filtration in tanks with a ph of 4.5-5.0, basicly the low pH selects out the bacteria that can survive and these become the dominant strain in your filter, when seeding a filter it is best to start with bacteria from a tank with thesame pH as you intend to achieve.

just a note on biological acidification, generally this is caused by a build up of nitric acid which is best avoided (ie VERY dirty filter) use chemical means to keep your ph low (tannins, humeric acids, buffers to your RO water) as opposed to biological means.

[Vspec]

Traceable acidification happens regardless.
I understand what your saying though. Your the resident scientist so question for you...., In a DSB situation, I would assume if levels exists it would oxidise both sulfate & sulfide components?

[ILLUSN]

Deep sand beds usually work to remove NO3 form a system in such a way they produce sulphur derivatives as a by product. in any any event the oxidation of sulfide leads to the formation of sulphate once sulphate is formed it doesn't oxidise (unless you supply ionising radiation) it forms sulfuric acid in water.

[Vspec]

See, you may not be at the front of the welcome wagon for this place, however your responses are straight & true!! Thanks bud.

I had a sneaky suspicion it oxidised both for some reason.