Oh no, help me!

[izzat]

Tank Dimensions (LxWxH, specify units): 120 x 40 x 55 (cm)

Lighting Intensity(No of Watts) : 108W
Number and type of Lighting (FL/PL/MH) : FL - T5
Age of light bulbs : 1 day old (10000K)
No. of hours your lights are on : Only for < 1 hour

CO2 Injection Rate (bps) : At least 4bps
Type of CO2 (DIY/Cylinder) : Cylinder
Method of Injection (e.g. Diffusor/Reactor) : External Reactor

Liquid fertilisers Used (Product name. E.g. Seachem Flourish) : Nil
Fertilization regime (Frequency and amount per dose) : Nil

Other fertilisers (Product name. E.g. Root Monster) : Nil

Other additives (Product name. E.g. Seachem Prime) : Nil

Type of Filter (overhead/internal/canister, Product name/model if possible) : Water Housing filter
When was the filter last washed : Nil
Filter media used : 5 micron and 1 micron wool, Biohome and Biohome Plus, Mr Aqua Ceremic ring
When was the media last changed : Nil
What was changed : Nil

Age of setup (i.e. since initial setup or last major re-do ) : 3 days

Water change frequency : Nil
Amount changed : Nil

Water surface movement (None/gentle/turbulent) : Gentle
Circulation (None/gentle/turbulent) : Gentle

Tank Temperature : 25°C

Chemical Properties (Fill what you can)
-------------------------------------
KH (dKH): Nil
GH (dGH): Nil
pH : Nil
NH4 (ppm): Nil
NO2 (ppm): Nil
NO3 (ppm): Nil
PO4 (ppm): Nil
Fe (ppm): Nil

Bioload (Number and type of fish and plants)
------------------------------------------
Flora
• Pogostemon helferi
• Hemianthus callitrichoides “Cuba”

Fauna
• 1 unidentified guppy

Describe your problem :
----------------------
Algae start to pop-up once I "tested" my lights for not more than an hour.
Have not begin my fertilisation regime but have started my CO2 reactor since day 1.

Additional info:
---------------
Tank setup on September 22, planted 99% HC (no lights on for that day)
On September 23, I just switch on my FL light (not T5), to take a photo of the tank and after that, the lights are off.
Bought my T5 tubes yesterday, September 24, which I began to test out if it was working. Once working, I left the lights on for not more than 1 hour.
Today, I noticed that the algae(bba?) in the picture below had showed up all around my tank





My tank is fully using ADA Amazonia, without any base fertilisers.

I was told/advice by someone as not to start my fertilisation regime until my tank is at least 2 weeks mature, but I have run my CO2 reactor for about 8 hours/day while not switching the lights on. I have since run a UV-steriliser to probably help me.


Qtn: Should I start my fertilisation regime since day 1 or should I wait until my tank is at least 2 weeks mature?
Qtn: If that algae is bba, oh man, do I have to do large water changes and clear off the algae (manually)?
Would starting my fertilisation regime now help to eradicate the problem?
Qtn: What should I be doing in the following days to come?

Currently, I have yet to fully run my whole lighting set, which has 4 x 54W T5 giving me around 3.10WPG

[PeterGwee]

Qtn: Should I start my fertilisation regime since day 1 or should I wait until my tank is at least 2 weeks mature?
Qtn: If that algae is bba, oh man, do I have to do large water changes and clear off the algae (manually)?
Would starting my fertilisation regime now help to eradicate the problem?
Qtn: What should I be doing in the following days to come?

Currently, I have yet to fully run my whole lighting set, which has 4 x 54W T5 giving me around 3.10WPG

You should and can start with fertilization of the water column at 1/2 strength till the plants start picking up speed. (The new CO2 finding is something you should look into. Direct CO2 gas bubbles to leaf surface by means of a good diffuser and good flow into the plants near the bottom).

Yes, remove them and correct conditions.

If your tank is low in plant mass (pack the tank with plants and add mulm!) add more. Fertilize and do not wait.

Regards
Peter Gwee

[izzat]

You should and can start with fertilization of the water column at 1/2 strength till the plants start picking up speed. (The new CO2 finding is something you should look into. Direct CO2 gas bubbles to leaf surface by means of a good diffuser and good flow into the plants near the bottom).

Peter, thanks for the prompt reply.

Alright, will do my water changes/removing algae and start my dosing at 50%
Will also add a diffuser into the tank.

How do I know if my diffuser is good?

Yes, remove them and correct conditions.

Correct conditions as in fertilisation?

If your tank is low in plant mass (pack the tank with plants and add mulm!) add more. Fertilize and do not wait.

Regards
Peter Gwee

Thanks, will make my way to Teo tomorrow to get more plants.
Would just floating stem plants work, or must I plant them into the substrate?

---------------------

I am using Dr Mallick PMDD fertilisers (KNO3, KH2PO4, MgSO4(7H2O), what do you recommend me for my liquid fertiliser?

[PeterGwee]

How do I know if my diffuser is good?

Fine bubbles. Its work to keep it clean though. Alternatively, you can use a powerhead and a spraybar along the rear bottom back pointing forward and feed the CO2 into the intake. Tilt the powerhead such that the intake is on top so when the CO2 is off, the bubbles can escape if you don't own a solenoid valve. The key here as Tom mention is even distribution of fine CO2 gas bubbles onto plant leaves (stomata..mostly located under the leaves for most species of plants.). Once it gets in the plant cells, it will be distributed inside the plant.

Correct conditions as in fertilisation?

Add mulm to the filter, remove algae, pack the tank with weeds, crank the CO2 (within safe limits of critters) and dose well.

Would just floating stem plants work, or must I plant them into the substrate?

Yes, but you might shade the HC? Just get more HC and plant them in clumps all over the entire substrate bed. Do not wait for things to grow in! Leave about 1-2cm apart from each clump would do.

Regards
Peter Gwee

[izzat]

Fine bubbles. Its work to keep it clean though. Alternatively, you can use a powerhead and a spraybar along the rear bottom back pointing forward and feed the CO2 into the intake. Tilt the powerhead such that the intake is on top so when the CO2 is off, the bubbles can escape if you don't own a solenoid valve. The key here as Tom mention is even distribution of fine CO2 gas bubbles onto plant leaves (stomata..mostly located under the leaves for most species of plants.). Once it gets in the plant cells, it will be distributed inside the plant.

I will cut off the External reactor and use a diffusor + probably a Seio pump to evenly distribute the CO2 around the tank.
Would it work?

Add mulm to the filter, remove algae, pack the tank with weeds, crank the CO2 (within safe limits of critters) and dose well.

As of now, I am doing 1 of 3 water changes, of which, I have 90% cleaned the BBA on the glass.
As for some BBA growth on my rocks, I used Hydrogen Peroxide and dropped a few drops on the rocks since I do not have Excel on hand.
Will start dosing tomorrow when I get weeds.

Yes, but you might shade the HC? Just get more HC and plant them in clumps all over the entire substrate bed. Do not wait for things to grow in! Leave about 1-2cm apart from each clump would do.

Currently, spaces between each clump of HC are about 1" +/- and the whole substrate are filled with them

Since the stem plants are only going to be there for a few days/weeks, I think it might be quite suitable?
When should I remove the weeds completely? Proper growth of the HC?

[izzat]

Just an update:-

I started to switch on the lightings today, 1 day after I throw in "weeds" into the tank.
There were some algae on the tank wall, not too sure if it's BBA, as the outbreak was not terrible and quite minute.

My weeds were bubbling just 5 minutes after the light was on, and I only had 4 hours of Photoperiod.
CO2 bps is like about 5bps or so, can't really count as it goes very fast

Since I started to dose KNO3 and KH2PO4 yesterday(tuesday), will be adding my traces today.
I will see how it goes and update again, hoping that in 2-3 days, the algae will be gone.

[izzat]

Peter/Terence/Tom,

Need you feedback/advises on my fertilisation regime.

Current regime
1/2 teaspoon of KNO3
1/8 teaspoon of KH2PO4
10ml of Seachem Flourish

Macros and Traces are dose every alternate days.

CO2 is around 5-6bps. [I believe the CO2 level is high as the Yamatos that I bought are all wiped out ]

This regime is carried out when I am running 2 x 54W T5 (~1.55WPG).

I have just bought another 2 T5 tubes and I will increase my lighting from 2 x 54W to 4 x 54W which gives me around (~3.10WPG) starting this Saturday after tomorrow's water change.

Questions

1. Should I increase the CO2 Bps? If so, by how much more?
2. Should I double my Macro/Traces dosage? 1 teaspoon KNO3 & 1/4 teaspoon KH2PO4, 15-20ml Seachem Flourish?
3. Any other areas that I have not looked into?

I have removed all the weeds, and currently, I have only Hemianthus callitrichoides “Cuba” in the tank.
Snails are the only residents in the tank. The HC have already started to grow

[|squee|]

Ok just some thoughts,

1. Observe your plants, if they're doing great no reason to increase your CO2 input furthur.

2. It sounds fine, how big is your tank? You're only growing HC also, I've no experience with how nutrient hungry the plant is though.

3. You might want to add some (not full dose) Seachem Equilibrium after every water change for calcium and magnesium (not sure if Flourish already has this)

[izzat]

Thanks Terence,

It's a 70Gal tank, 120 x 40 x 55cm

I do add Seachem Equilibrium every alternate water change (1/2 teaspoon)
I measure a pH of 5.4 and KH of 5 when I wanted to measure my CO2 level, which is roughly 597ppm

[PeterGwee]

Izzat, try 15ml of flourish on alternate days apart from the macro dosing. For the case of the shrimps, did you acclimatise them properly? Try the drip loop method posted by KF aka Juggler. (Works very well ime. ) If they still drop like flies then it could be from excess CO2. Try to have slight surface movement (eg. a hole from the spraybar return about 1/8" under the surface water shooting across the surface.) but not too much (CO2 loss) and turn off the CO2 at night. When doing the visual method, do the rate increase slowly and monitor for a couple of days before increasing it when needed.

Regards
Peter Gwee

[izzat]

Thanks Peter,

I will dose 15ml of Seachem Flourish on alternate days, but do I have to increase the amount of dosage for my macros?

I did acclimatise them properly, which took me about 2 hours to complete the process, but I did not do the drip method I have another fauna, Sturisoma panamanse which I have added about 1 week ago, but just 24 hours after they were introduced, 1 started to show signs of going to Heaven, so I took both out and left them in an aerated pail.
I tried to introduce them again into my tank 2 days later, and 1 of them went to Heaven, which I thought he was actually resting
Currently, I have the other one in the aerated pail.

Oh ya, I have not been running any filter in the tank, because my DIY filter screwed the flowrate for my chiller.
I will get one cannister filter asap, and my tank has lots of BBA/dirt particles *No BBA growth spotted*
The BBA particles/dirt can actually be easily cleaned by Algae crews but they just can't survive in my tank