29G Aquarium — November 2025 Wrap-Up

🧪 Water Parameters & Testing

• Nitrates ranged: 5 ppm → 40 ppm, trending downward with increased consistency
• Highest reading: 40 ppm before large water changes
• Lowest reading: <5 ppm after recovery and stabilization
• Final week: consistently 5–10 ppm

💧 Water Changes (Major)

• 75% display / 90% sump performed most weeks
• Heavy trims and glass cleaning early in month
• Poly-fil adjustments, new coarse sponge added to return chamber
• Prime used for every water change (standard routine)

⚙️ Filter Media Updates

• Removed poly-fil from refugium chamber (too restrictive)
• Added coarse sponge block to stabilize return pump chamber
• Added bag of Seachem Matrix for additional biomedia
• Replaced Purigen once during the month
• Dosed Stability with each media addition

🌱 Fertilizer & Dosing Routine

• Excel spot dosing continued for targeted BBA areas
• Standard capfuls maintained between spot treatments
• Thrive Plus dosing refined:
  • Switched from split 4+4 pumps to single 4-pump doses
  • Later adjusted down to 2-pump doses on low-nitrate days
• Plant response: Noticeable new growth, healthier green tone in stem plants

🧵 BBA Status Throughout the Month

• Beginning: Medium patches around hardware and high-flow zones
• Mid-month: Excel spot-dosed daily → sections turned fully red
• Final week: Main problem area completely BBA-free
• End result: ~95% BBA-free, expected full clearance by early December

🐌 Cleanup Crew Activity

• Malaysian trumpet snails helping keep overflow screen clean
• Mystery snail losses (2) may have contributed to short nitrate spike
• Snail/shrimp populations stable; grazing increased as algae declined

🍽️ Feeding Pattern Changes

New schedule activated mid-month:

Results: Fish behavior remained strong, cleanup crew activity increased. Schedule worked extremely well.

📌 Key Observations

• Excel spot treatment + shrimp grazing = most effective BBA combo
• Removing poly-fil significantly improved flow and reduced micro-debris
• New coarse sponge collecting debris that previously bypassed chambers
• Stability dosing helped smooth transitions after media changes
• Algae wafer rotation kept snails active while preventing overfeeding