Help! J-P's Set up

[Flutter]

What if you soaked them in hot water in the bathtub with some Oxyclean? Apparently that evaporates into nothing though I heard the same thing about bleach...

[PolishPuff]

I think that tap warn water will do the job, that's what I did

[J-P]

Typically how long would ammonia take to start showing up on test results? I tried my didital tester today and it read 0, so I tried the standard drop test .. again zero.

The water temp is VERY cold also.... used cold water to fill it up, and then again I put the rock in that were still cold from outside.

[J-P]

Ok... I think I got the themes to the tanks:
Grandma's garden, Beach House, Dark Cave (these two I have already set up), Bamboo Forest and the long bottom tank will be called Forest Trails.
The plants on order are:
3 bags of Java moss
2 x Barclaya Red
3 Bunches of Java Fern
3 x Fissidens Splachnobryoides (don't ask me how to pronounce that one)
3 x Echinodorus Horemanii Red
3x Pellia
3x Red Tiger Lotus
4x Windelov Java Fern
5x Christmas Moss

I know it may sound alot but most of these are slow growing and I probably won't see the results I am looking for for at least 6 months (if I do everything right).

[Pufferpunk]

Later I can add liquid fertalizer as needed.

Wouldn't when the plants are young & no waste in the substrate to feed on, be the best time to fertilize?

[J-P]

Wouldn't when the plants are young & no waste in the substrate to feed on, be the best time to fertilize?

Well I am picking up the plant substrate tomorrow. Mostly Seachem Flourite Black Sand. RTR correct me if I am wrong, but the nutrients in the substrate should last about 4-6 months.

[RTR]

No, the Seachem substrates are not nutitiious until they have been in the tank for some time. I would do low dosing from day one as PP suggests. Getting plants established is key.

What is the lighting over the tank(s) to house those plants? Some of them are low-light and not demanding. Others are IME quite demanding or picky - such as the Barclaya and to some extent the Lotus (really a water lily, it is not a lotus despite the name).

Also be aware that the various mosses are likely to mix.

[Pufferpunk]

I'll post this again: http://www.yamatogreen.com

[J-P]

I'll post this again: http://www.yamatogreen.com

Yea I saw that ... can't get it here....

[J-P]

Ok getting a little depressed here ....

I got the surface skimmer today .. yes the one that cost me $200. It apparently needs a wet / dry pump to go with it. That's another $400 - $600!!! I tried to jurry rig the hoses to go directly into the tanks but the hoses are rather ridged and pushes the skimmer off the lip of the tank. I am very hesitant on getting a wet dry for this thing .. the most powerful wet dry I can get is only rated for 300 gallons @ $600! @@

That would mean I have paid as much for filtration as I did the tank itself! AND the filtration isn't even rated for this sized tank!

I just want a surface skimmer!!!!

[Pufferpunk]

Looks fine hanging on the tank, the way it is.

[J-P]

yes .. looks are decieving and so was the item description. The hoses on the back will drain directly on to the floor. I've got a few ideas and will try them out after work today.

[J-P]

Ok .. couldn't get the stupid thing to work... it required a wet dry filter to power it / pump / cycle the water.

Can anyone recomend a decent wet / dry filter? (hint hint PP ... product endorcements and sample products)

The skimmer is rated for max 1000 gph. I don't think I need anything that large.
These are the choices I have:
Eheim Wet/Dry 2229 Canister Filter With Media $460
Marineland Acrylic Sump - Model 1 $320
-Model 2 $390
-Model 3 $570
-Model 4 $600

Not alot of choices ... and big $$

This is going into the 250 gal bottom tank

[J-P]

Update:

I got a .44 reading for ammonia on this reading .. my tank is finally starting to cycle and my basement stinks of bad fish!!

[Pufferpunk]

Sorry, never owned a wet dry in my entire life. Definitely not for SW.