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I made 2 shower filters for this 6 ft. x 18" x 24" tank. I used high-end components so each filter cost $500 (as much as my Fluval FX4) but they're worth it. Each is pumping 5,000 lt. per hour and holds somewhere between 5-10kg of media. Water circulation is strong and ridiculously well aerated. Ammonia and Nitrite remains rock solid at 0 ppm. A downside is they're noisy (it sounds like a river next to the dinner table) and it's taken some learning to incorporate sufficient anti-flood design measures. I've got all the bits to make another two for a new 4 ft. x 2 ft. x 2.5 ft. tank. The Fluval FX4 has sat unused in the laundry for 7 months. Ideally, I'll never buy any canister filter or internal filter again. I have one tank running a 3 ft. sump but am not overly impressed with running a sump setup compared to overhead shower filters. Internal build has been modified since these initial seven photos. The last 3 photos are from today with filters running. DIY_high-performance_shower_filter_-_Build_Guide_v0.3_(18-05-2021).pdf

Ooh excited to see how that mischling breeding goes! I have a recently molted EBB Female in this juvie colony of Princes and Clockwork Oranges so... Could be some weird mischlings here too. I got sidetracked by my new septi-annual passion, rare houseplants. Slow progress towards a 8'x10' shrimp/plant room in the shop. But the Midnights and Clockworks showed up today. Lemme potato these pics and I'll get some up.

Thanks. That Yates product is the first thing I considered but when you look at the MSDS it's "An aqueous solution of zinc and manganese chelated with lignosulfonate." That's a complex sulphate. It's not EDTA or perferrably... DTPA if we could get hold of that. The best thing I've found is a Micronutrients Trace Mix called Rexolin APN, 100g of Dry Aquarium Fertilisers. It has Iron DTPA 6%; Manganese EDTA 2.4% and Zinc EDTA 1.3% which is awesome! But it also has Copper EDTA 0.25% which I'd prefer it had zero copper. Even so, with nothing better to be found I'll order 100g today from here: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/153606793895?hash=item23c3adaaa7:g:4sIAAOSwEEVdVyvq It can also be purchased from here: https://jagaquatics.com.au/products/trace-micronutrients-mix-dry-aquarium-fertilisers-100g?_pos=4&_sid=f0844f6a7&_ss=r Both of those links appear to be from the same seller. I'm going to try it at 2g per 220 lt. Element ratios: 5g per 220 lt. 2g per 220 lt. Iron DTPA 6% 1.36 ppm 0.55 ppm Manganese EDTA 2.4% 0.55 ppm 0.22 ppm Boron 1.1% 0.25 ppm 0.1 ppm Zinc EDTA 1.3% 0.30 ppm 0.12 ppm Copper EDTA 0.25% 0.06 ppm 0.02 ppm Molybdenum 0.25% 0.06 ppm 0.02 ppm Cobalt EDTA 0.03% 0.007 ppm 0.003 ppm -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Regarding change water mix. Yes they were added in sequence (i.e. one after the other in order into the same container). Measurements were taken 5 minutes after each addition. RE: After adding CaCl2 in step 5, you measure 7.1pH. But in step 6, pH has dropped to 6.75. Why do you think that is? I think it's because Calcium Sulphate reduced the pH. The alternative answer is a faulty pH reading for Calcium chloride dihydrate. Next batch I'll specifically retest pH just prior to and just after adding CaCl2. Adding Calcium Carbonate absolutely increases pH dramatically. I think the reason it doesn't immediately increase KH is because of its poor solubility in 'pure water'. However it seems CaCO3 does dissolve over time in an acidic aquarium so it will slowly and thus gently help to limit the drop in pH and KH, which is exactly what I'm after. Especially when my change water is poorly buffered at KH 2 rather than KH 4+ which is wanted for pH stability. Next month when Hanna is due to be on sale, I'll buy their Alkalinity checker. Then there will be no doubt as the to accuracy KH measurements.