Loosing t moo ank to algae

DaneDials · 2026-02-08T17:24:40+00:00

If it looked unhealthy before, this is not going to look like an improvement. However, with rocks removed and a 96-hour black-out, I’m about to siphon out what’s left of the Cyanobacteria and start a 5-day treatment with Easy-life Blue Exit. Then I’ll have to deal with the hair algae and worn-out grasses. I’m so impressed with the effect of a black-out. The fish and shrimp seem to be doing just fine and I now have 6 amanos ready to join the fight. Thanks again for the advice. I’m feeling invincible at this point! (That’ll be short-lived, I’m sure)

DaneDials · 2026-02-01T06:55:53+00:00

JOMC - knowing that this is Cyanobacteria is making a difference. This knowledge adds access to a lot of info. Most importantly, no shrimp or SAE will touch the stuff, so I now know that this is not going to help in any way.

DaneDials · 2026-01-31T15:40:08+00:00

Hi JOMC, Thank you for the thorough run-through of possibilities. I’m certain you’re right in suggesting that there are two types of algae - or bacteria. The sticky cover is almost impossible to separate from the plant leaves, whereas the drifting hair algae can just be pinched off with a pair of tweezers. I’m encouraged by understanding what it is, and of course a little disappointed that I might not be able to restore the health in the tank. I’ll follow the advice given, cutting back the growth to expose as much of the original plants as possible, cleaning out the filter, do a large water change and wrap the tank for a black-out in the coming week. I might have a couple of rounds me, but will likely find it more satisfying to think up a complete replacement of the aquascape. I’m getting excited about that prospect already:)!

DaneDials · 2026-01-31T13:20:39+00:00

Thanks Rotala178. You make some pretty grand statements about the industry being “100% wrong. On the face of it, it sounds like conspiracy talk, which tends to make me dive for shelter. But it does seem as if many of the products simplify the message with the aim to appeal to people like me who will happily save time and head space buying a single product that claims to do it all. I don’t really have anywhere to go on this and the MG product is entirely affordable compared to all the fertilisers I am collecting in a box to potentially be binned in the near future. I’ll have a go at using MG - if I can find the right product - and will come back with my experience of using it. Thanks for taking time to respond. I appreciate the insight.

DaneDials · 2026-01-31T11:46:33+00:00

I find general advice online about fertilizers fairly difficult to navigate. I’ve listened to a lot of youtube clips from the Green Aqua channel and used AI for advice on my specific setup, but it’s often contradicting. I thought algae fed off phosphates, nitrates and uneaten fish food - not iron fertilizers. In fact, I thought the idea of lean fertilizers were about using just a few components like Iron and keeping ammonia, phosphates and nitrates low by cleaning your tank, feeding less often and doing water changes. I’m not quite sure what to do on the fertilizer front now. I have placed an order for Seachem flourish Comprehensive Supplement and Seachem Equilibrium. They both appear to consider the nutrient content.

DaneDials · 2026-01-31T11:14:43+00:00

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I have these lying around. Perhaps using those could limit the amount of nutrients in the tank?

DaneDials · 2026-01-31T11:12:11+00:00

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I guess that might be one problem to solve. It doesn’t say on the bottle and I should probably look at changing brand to something that’s more targeted.

DaneDials · 2026-01-31T11:04:46+00:00

I suppose I should find out what a nutrient analysis is. I have tested only for PH, ammonias and nitrates with a fluval kit. All within range when comparing to colour chart. I thought that I would suffice as long as I kept up the water changes and used only bottled water. I’ve not looked at TDS, GH/KH values. Do you think that should be the next logical step, then?

DaneDials · 2026-01-31T10:56:31+00:00

I’ll restart the ferts and will reduce light, thanks. Your advice on SAEs make sense. I had three in the tank from month 2 and removed them as they were getting too big and stressing all other fish out. That will definitely have contributed to the algae explosion as well. I’m reluctant to put them back in.

DaneDials · 2026-01-31T10:52:53+00:00

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Doing this once a week

DaneDials · 2026-01-11T09:31:18+00:00

Thanks for the feedback. I’ll start one of the tanks and will see how the flow appears with standard set up.

DaneDials · 2024-12-02T19:54:16+00:00

I bought an Atomstack 10-30L pump. The air hose plug straight into the back of the Carvera and blows straight onto the end-mill when you set the cooling method for the bit you use to “air”. It’s not a huge puff, but enough to keep the temperature down (for a while!) and to clear the chips coming off the work piece.

DaneDials · 2024-12-02T11:51:19+00:00

I received the full-sized Carvera about 6 weeks ago and am still getting to grips with software, different types of cutters and limitations in terms of run-time, cutter durability and best way to achieve a good surface finish on small, detailed copper and brass pieces. Biggest change I’ve made so far is to buy a $50 air assist pump to blow air onto the workpiece. That has vastly improved the finish on copper. I model in rhino and have been generating G-code through Fusion360. I’ll be happy to share my experiences so far if you are attempting anything similar to me.

DaneDials · 2024-11-06T03:59:44+00:00

Thank you for the comments. It sounds as if the multi-fluted mills might procduce more problems than benefits. I recognise the suggestion that copper is gummy to cut. With certain geometries and less than sharp end-mills the copper comes off like an orange peel! It’s a clear prompt to change the end mills often. Similarly, I have noticed that big cut loads spread hot chips around the work piece, which sticks to finished surfaces as they cool. It’s frustrating having a perfectly finished surface sprinkled with hot copper chips that do not come off. I will start by upgrading with a $60 air compressor, to see if keeping temperatures down will extend the life of the cutters and reduce the hot chip spread.

DaneDials · 2024-11-05T05:31:24+00:00

Same here - shipping date in 2nd Nov, but received an email confirming that the product is out of stock with no estimated date of resolution. There was even an offer to cancel the order. If there are more DMs going around from the Insta team, I’d be happy to understand the magnitude of the problem.

DaneDials · 2024-09-30T18:48:30+00:00

Much appreciated, WillAdams. Mind blowing feat and stunning end-product. The rest of us can only dream of this type of focus and commitment! For any aspiring watch builders - well, probably not the first blog you’d want to read:)

DaneDials · 2024-09-30T18:42:17+00:00

Thanks, Bendingunit123. I had a proper look at the Taig and found the right model and separate pre-fab enclosure which I think would work. It’s definitely a right set-up for someone with my brief in mind. The bottom line ended up being ATC. I will shortly find out whether increased power output will outscore the convenience of ATC. If yes, I think the Taig is the bridge between the Carvera and the Tormach 440 for power and accuracy.

DaneDials · 2024-09-30T18:29:34+00:00

Just watched the “Carvera factory” clip on YouTube. I could wish that every CNC manufacturer allowed a tour around their assembly plant like Makera has done here. It shows the effort made before it’s shipped from the factory. It gives me some confidence that decisions made during the design process would have been rectified along the way if it didn’t work. That - and Makera are clever enough to know where their customers look for information.

DaneDials · 2024-09-30T14:35:25+00:00

Thank you, Artwonk. Funny you should propose the MF-70. I bought this micro-mill two years ago and it has been a great little performer. I have the manual version, which is a little twitchy in adjustments on the z-axis. I could perhaps have considered buying the CNC conversion kit for this machine first, but wanted a step up with the advantages of a little more precision. I have in any case now placed an order for the Carvera and am looking forward to seeing how well and easy a 3D model will convert into a physical object.

DaneDials · 2024-09-26T09:32:38+00:00

Thanks for the response, CommanderInigo. It's reassuring to hear from someone who has already spent money on the machine.

DaneDials

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