Changes
I decided to make changes in the aquarium. The biggest change was the modification of the right-hand part of the aquarium. I bought some Dragon stones in the Sklorex store to create rocks. I had to remove a big stone which was covered by the anubias plant. I split the plant into smaller pieces and located around the rocks. I placed the original stone vertically. A small piece of the anubias plant remained on its top.
At the beginning of January, I ordered a few things on www.juwelakvarium.cz: diversion nozzle set, razor edges for the algae cleaner and a metallic valve for the 4/6 tubing. I don’t recommend the valve for the CO2 because it leaks with higher pressures. I put the diversion nozzle on the filter output and redirected the water current in the aquarium. The original current flew against the frontal glass and split into two currents. It was not good for the plants nor fish. Now the current flows along the left-hand side of the aquarium and follows the frontal glass. The result is a calmer water flow in just one direction and less algae on the frontal glass. Now the plants can be placed in the space in front of the filter.
At the end of February, I also bought some things on the page www.rostlinna-akvaria.cz: NO2 Azotin and NO3 Azotan tests by Rataj, and a high-pressure tubing. I took measurements of water parameters. The iron, phosphorus and NO2 were good. But I was supprised that the NO3 value was on the limit of measurability approx. 5 – 10 mg/L. It was a very good result for me. Some time ago I stated here the Nitrat test by Aquar didn’t work any longer. So, I tried to measure NO3 with this test too and it didn’t color at all. When I used this test for a samle of 50 mg/L that comes with the Azotan test, the test colored. So, the problem was not in the test. The NO3 value in my aquarium was below the Aquar test’s sensitivity.
Some time ago I was mentioning a problem of an angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare) whose mouth started to decay. The mold started to expand to its fins as well. I isolated the anglefish in a 50-litter aquarium. I dissolved 100 g of salt in the 50 litters of water. I also applied eSha 2000. The mold’s expansion ceased and disappeared from its fins. Its mouth was not black anymore. But then its pectoral fins swelled, and its swimming was not coordinated. I moved it to the quarantine with salt again, but it didn’t help. The angelfish learnt to swim using the caudal fin. It remained in that shape several months. Then it started to hide in the cryptocoryne plants to avoid being drifted by currents. The last time I saw it was on 9th March. On that day I left for Cortina d’Ampezzo for skiing for a week. When I returned, I didn’t find it anymore. There remained just bones and scales on the sand. It seems it died, and the others ate it.
Concerning the fans for the LED cooling – I tried various types from eBay. But all of them started to be noisy. Finally, I found a fan on www.gme.cz: Sunon Maglev. It uses the magnetic levitation instead of the bearing. It costs about 160 Kč (US$ 7) but it is really quiet. I bought two pieces which I recommend.
