Newbie, but I have a plan.....and would like it checked!
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fr499y
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I’ve never used them and wouldn’t go out of my way to buy them, so probs not 
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Andys temperate tank
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You'll get more media in the filter instead of the balls. Much better long term.
64l kitchen tank: 16 golden tetra.
5ft 425L: 3 blue angel fish, 30 rummie nose tetra, 20 black neon tetra, 1 longfin bristlenose plec, 2 corydoras sterbai, 24 corydoras duplicareas,2 SAE.
5ft 425L: 3 blue angel fish, 30 rummie nose tetra, 20 black neon tetra, 1 longfin bristlenose plec, 2 corydoras sterbai, 24 corydoras duplicareas,2 SAE.
I have got 3 kg of the Biohome in the three trays. They say to use about 1Kg per 100L, so with my 130L tank, I have more than twice that amount. But I am taking a guess that you can't really over filter...Andys temperate tank wrote: ↑Mon Oct 16, 2023 21:03 pm You'll get more media in the filter instead of the balls. Much better long term.
More questions......
CO2 check valve. I have one of these sitting here and know it should go between my regulator bubble counter and the inline diffuser. There's only going to be about a foot or so of CO2 tubing between these, so it probably doesn't matter where it goes does it? Just as long as it's in there. Or should I use a bit more tubing and put the check valve at the lowest point of the tubing run? Or highest, or whatever?
UV steriliser. Is it worth getting one of these? I believe that if so, it needs to be turned off during the tank cycle. But, if I was going to get one, should it go on the inflow to the filter or the outflow?
CO2 check valve. I have one of these sitting here and know it should go between my regulator bubble counter and the inline diffuser. There's only going to be about a foot or so of CO2 tubing between these, so it probably doesn't matter where it goes does it? Just as long as it's in there. Or should I use a bit more tubing and put the check valve at the lowest point of the tubing run? Or highest, or whatever?
UV steriliser. Is it worth getting one of these? I believe that if so, it needs to be turned off during the tank cycle. But, if I was going to get one, should it go on the inflow to the filter or the outflow?
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plankton
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LookoutTrout
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I've seen theories that if you have enough filter material it will be self cleaning and after a while it can reduce nitrate without anaerobic processing.
Often theories like this only work under certain conditions and for a limited time so take that with a big pinch of salt, but generally more media is better. The no water change theory sounds great until you start questioning details.
My biggest worry watching pondguru videos is he jams so much media in there that water won't circulate properly in the canister and you get a small channel water flows through with the rest stagnant.
Often theories like this only work under certain conditions and for a limited time so take that with a big pinch of salt, but generally more media is better. The no water change theory sounds great until you start questioning details.
My biggest worry watching pondguru videos is he jams so much media in there that water won't circulate properly in the canister and you get a small channel water flows through with the rest stagnant.
And more questions still.....
Lighting period. I now have an app controlled power strip for this aquarium, so I can set schedules. The tank will eventually have quite a lot of plants in it (assuming I can keep them alive), and comes with an LED light system. It will also have CO2 injection. So what's the best lighting schedule to use? The tank will be sat fairly near to a large window, but it won't get any direct sunlight on it. I have read anything from 8 to 12 hours is appropriate.
My power strip will also allow me to set "x hh/mm" before or after sunset to turn on and off. So I could create schedules based on that.....but I am pretty sure I will want the aquarium illuminated in the winter evenings so I can look at it while I am at home. This would mean that it could potentially easily get more than 12 hours light per day. So maybe best to let it just get natural light from sunrise, and then turn the LEDs on at maybe 1200 for 10 hours so it is lit until around 10pm? Would that be the right kind of thinking?
As for the CO2 injection, I understand that that should be turned on 1 or 2 hours before the lighting comes on, and off 1 or 2 hours before the light goes off. But should this be from when natural light comes on (i.e. 1 or 2 hours before sunset), or before the LEDs come on?
Sorry for all these questions, but as you can see I do tend to overthink things!
Lighting period. I now have an app controlled power strip for this aquarium, so I can set schedules. The tank will eventually have quite a lot of plants in it (assuming I can keep them alive), and comes with an LED light system. It will also have CO2 injection. So what's the best lighting schedule to use? The tank will be sat fairly near to a large window, but it won't get any direct sunlight on it. I have read anything from 8 to 12 hours is appropriate.
My power strip will also allow me to set "x hh/mm" before or after sunset to turn on and off. So I could create schedules based on that.....but I am pretty sure I will want the aquarium illuminated in the winter evenings so I can look at it while I am at home. This would mean that it could potentially easily get more than 12 hours light per day. So maybe best to let it just get natural light from sunrise, and then turn the LEDs on at maybe 1200 for 10 hours so it is lit until around 10pm? Would that be the right kind of thinking?
As for the CO2 injection, I understand that that should be turned on 1 or 2 hours before the lighting comes on, and off 1 or 2 hours before the light goes off. But should this be from when natural light comes on (i.e. 1 or 2 hours before sunset), or before the LEDs come on?
Sorry for all these questions, but as you can see I do tend to overthink things!
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fr499y
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co2 an hour before main lights come on and a hour before they go off. The reason for this is it takes a while for the co2 to build and you want it avaliable when the lights come on. Same reason for it going off an hour before 
2 hours before is just a waste of co2.
8-10 hours light is more than enough for a co2 injected tank. I run 10am - 8pm on mine
2 hours before is just a waste of co2.8-10 hours light is more than enough for a co2 injected tank. I run 10am - 8pm on mine
