The Balance Experiment — Journal Recap

🧪

The Balance Experiment — Journal Recap

June 2026

🧪 The Balance Experiment — Journal Recap

Dates Covered: May 14, 2026 → June 25, 2026
Days Covered: Day 33 → Day 75

🎯 PROJECT GOAL

Continue refining the 29-gallon ecosystem by improving
long-term stability, reducing unnecessary equipment use,
lowering maintenance, and observing how the ecosystem
responds to controlled changes.

📅 DAY 33 — May 14, 2026

Water Parameters:
- Nitrate: ~10 ppm (low range)
- Temperature: 76.6°F
- Top-off: 4 containers
Observations:
- Fish normal
- Plants healthy
- BBA spreading slightly
- Flow unchanged
Major Finding:
- Flow optimization alone did not stop BBA progression.

📅 MAY 14–15

(Check Valve Incident)

Major Event:
- Check valve failed again
- Approximately 5 gallons of water lost
- Sump overflowed
Recovery:
- Moderate display water change
- Refilled sump
- Returned system to normal operation
Major Lesson:
- The weakest point in the system was no longer biology—it
  was plumbing reliability.

📅 MAY 19

(Phase 3 Begins)

Phase 3 Goal:
- Determine whether continuous daytime aeration is actually
  necessary for this ecosystem.
Trial:
- Shared air pump OFF during daytime
- Return pump remained ON
Results:
- Fish remained calm
- No gasping observed
- Fish appeared curious due to reduced flow
- Feeding behavior actually appeared improved
Major Finding:
- Reduced daytime aeration did not immediately stress the
  livestock.

📅 MAY 21

Water Parameters:
- Nitrate: ~5–10 ppm
- Temperature: 82°F
- Top-off: 4 containers
Observations:
- Fish normal
- Air accidentally left OFF longer than planned
- System remained stable
Major Finding:
- Even extended daytime air-off periods caused no visible
  stress.

📅 MAY 23

Water Parameters:
- Nitrate: ~10–20 ppm
- Temperature: 77.3°F
- Top-off: 5 containers
Observations:
- Fish normal
- Plants healthy
- Fish no longer appeared confused by calmer water
Major Finding:
- Fish adapted to the new daytime flow pattern.

📅 MAY 25

Air-Off Trial:
- Approximately 5–6 continuous daytime hours without air.
Observations:
- Fish remained normal
- No surface breathing
- No visible oxygen stress
Major Finding:
- The ecosystem tolerated long daytime periods without
  forced aeration.

📅 MAY 30

Pre-Water Change:
- Nitrate: ~40+ ppm
Maintenance:
- ~75% display water change
- Near-complete sump drain
- Java moss trimmed
- Java moss relocated into refugium
- Prime dosed
Operational Change:
- Air schedule officially synchronized with refugium lighting:
Day:
- Air OFF
Night:
- Air ON
Post-Water Change:
- Nitrate reset to ~5 ppm
Major Finding:
- The air-cycle experiment transitioned from testing into
  normal operation.

📅 JUNE 3

Water Parameters:
- Nitrate: ~5–10 ppm
- Temperature: 78.7°F
- Top-off: 4 containers
Observations:
- Shrimp noticeably more active grazing
- Fish normal
- Plants healthy
- BBA continued spreading
Major Finding:
- Air-cycle did not noticeably reduce BBA growth.

📅 SUMMER HEAT OBSERVATIONS

As apartment temperatures increased:

Tank Temperature:
- Frequently 82–84°F
Observations:
- Higher evaporation
- More 4–5 container top-offs
- Air pumps left ON during hottest days for livestock safety
Major Finding:
- Temperature became one of the strongest variables affecting
  the ecosystem.

📅 JUNE 6

Water Parameters:
- Nitrate: ~10–20 ppm
- Temperature: 82.3°F
Observations:
- Fish healthy
- Plants growing
- BBA continued spreading
Major Finding:
- The system remained biologically stable despite elevated
  summer temperatures.

📅 JUNE 9

Water Parameters:
- Nitrate: ~5–10 ppm
- Temperature: 82.5°F
- Top-off: 4 containers
Observations:
- Feeding amount reduced
- BBA appeared to stabilize slightly
Major Finding:
- Feeding optimization became a new area of focus.

📅 JUNE 15

Water Parameters:
- Nitrate: ~40 ppm
- Temperature: 83.4°F
- Top-off: 5 containers
Major Finding:
- The ecosystem again reached its predictable maintenance
  threshold approximately two weeks after the previous reset.
Working Maintenance Interval:
- Approximately 2–3 weeks.

📅 JUNE 21

Pre-Water Change:
- Nitrate: ~40–80 ppm
- Temperature: 83.2°F
Maintenance:
- Large display water change
- Near-complete sump drain
- System reset
Refugium Observation:
- Java moss extremely dense
- Pothos experienced significant growth
Future Plan:
- Next major maintenance cycle will focus primarily on
  refugium maintenance:
- Clean sponges
- Trim Java moss
- Trim pothos
- Remove trapped detritus

📅 JUNE 22

Post-Water Change:
- Nitrate: ~5 ppm
Observations:
- Fish normal
- System reset confirmed

📅 JUNE 25

(Current Status)

Water Parameters:
- Nitrate: ~10–20 ppm
- Temperature: 81.1°F
- Top-off: Pending after feeding
Observations:
- Fish normal
- Shrimp normal
- Plants healthy
- BBA appears stable with no obvious new spread

📊 OVERALL FINDINGS

Confirmed Findings:

✓ Tank is biologically stable.
✓ Fish tolerate reduced daytime aeration well.
✓ Return pump alone provides adequate daytime circulation.
✓ Summer temperatures significantly increase evaporation.
✓ Nitrate accumulation follows a predictable cycle.
✓ Water changes consistently reset nitrates to ~5 ppm.
✓ Refugium has matured into an effective biological filter.
✓ Refugium now requires routine gardening and maintenance.
✓ BBA remains the primary unresolved issue.

📈 EVOLVING HYPOTHESES

Most Likely Contributors to BBA:

Organic accumulation
Mature refugium trapping detritus
Localized hard surfaces
Nutrient availability
Feeding amount

Less Likely:

Insufficient lighting
Daytime aeration schedule

🎯 NEXT PROJECT OBJECTIVES

Continue:
- Reduced feeding experiment
- Phase 3 air-cycle operation
- Summer heat monitoring
Next Major Maintenance:
- Refugium Service Day
  - • Sponge cleaning
  - • Java moss trimming
  - • Pothos pruning
  - • Detritus removal
Continue Monitoring:
- Nitrate trend
- BBA progression
- Shrimp activity
- Evaporation
- Maintenance interval

PROJECT STATUS

Current Ecosystem State:

✓ Stable
✓ Predictable
✓ Mature
✓ Recoverable
✓ Plant-dominant

Primary Remaining Challenge:

Long-term BBA management while maintaining ecosystem
stability and minimizing maintenance.

journal29g-tankbalance-experimentphase-3air-cyclenitrate-controlbbarefugiumsummer-heatecosystem-balance