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Re: [APD] Aeration & a planted tank



         Thanks, positively the fish population has everything to do with 
this. I have had more problems with fish gasping & some deaths in my 
*non-CO2* 50 gal tank... till I added a spray bar. Now that added a benefit 
of better plant growth and that's what got me thinking.. we have three 
options 1. CO2 injection, 2. DIY CO2 and 3. (new entrant - High Areation) 
Spray bar / agitation or circulator.

         Aeration or equivalent has a positive effect on both the fish and 
plants on the long run. I am all in favor of this.. no hassle planted tank. 
No high tech CO2, No messy DIY CO2 & less trimming i.e more control over 
your tank.

         About ammonia, I have always observed that when ammonia is high 
the fish become shy, flick & scratch themselves and hide in some dark 
corners.. on the latter why I don't know. While gasping or funnelling is 
either due to *Low O2* or "High CO2" (To expel excess CO2 from their 
bodies). For a layman aquarist it may not be easy to differentiate or deduce.

         Secondly on ammonia, you are right on the reasons below.. I would 
like to add that in non-temperature controlled situations, the decreased 
replication of the bacteria may also be a strong factor. I remember reading 
somewhere that these bacteria need 24 hours to replicate (double) and that 
by bacteria standards must be slow. So their ability to replace themselves 
will be low and the beneficial bacteria might reduce in a fast non linear 
rate.. resulting in an ammonia spike (more ammonia will mean more active 
plants.. means more O2 consumed at night!!).

Raj

At 26/08/05, you wrote:
>Well said.
>
>I wonder if fish population has more to do with causing a
>morning-gasping condition than lots of plants. My slow-grow
>(or "no-added-CO2) tanks have always been reasonably
>densely planted, but not overcrowded with fish the way my
>fast-grow tanks usuall are. some of the slow grows have had
>biowheels, which I believe are very good aerators, but not
>all of them. In the slow grows, temps usually pretty
>constant 78-80, GH and KH about 2 or 3, pH 7.0-7.2 --
>Excel, traces (Flourish or MasterGrow), and small amounts
>of KNO3, and KH2PO4 added regularly.
>
>Tom or Roger or whoever, in general, does ammonia level
>rise (due to lessened plant uptake regardless of O2 levels)
>during darkness periods? If so, this could be a cause for
>morning gasping? Of course, if O2 levels go low in the
>dark, that will depress bacterial activity, which could
>also result in slightly raised ammonia.
>
>sh
>
>--- Raj <ggrk at blr_vsnl.net.in> wrote:
>
> >
> >          Yes, Erik has done a great job of archiving that
> > thread. I
> > remember reading it. I agree you on the O2 level
> > possibilities. We have
> > terrific power outages here in India, part of life for
> > us..
> >
> >          I think the behavior of a planted aquarium is
> > highly variable. If
> > you consider 1. Thinly planted 2. Moderate and 3. heavily
> > forested with
> > that in mind 1. Thinly populated 2. Moderately & 3.
> > Heavily populated (not
> > forgetting the snails :-) ) and like wise water
> > hardness.. amount of
> > circulation.. CO2 injected or not.. agitation..  we end
> > up with too many
> > variables. In time some clarity will develop from list
> > members efforts and
> > discussions I hope.
> >
> >          Most setups discussed on APD are (I think)
> > moderately planted,
> > thinly populated and moderate to low hardness water.
> > Compared to my Heavily
> > forested tanks with moderately hard water (Kh 8+) and
> > heavy population
> > (they grow & breed)..
> >
> >          So anyone following discussions here have to
> > keep that in mind..
> > maybe an ideal tank definition needs to be (repeatedly)
> > stated with
> > variation above or below that.
> >
>
>
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>
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>The AGA's 6th Annual International Aquascaping Contest is open.
>
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>
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>
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-- 
Raj, vu2zap
Bangalore, South India.


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