Plants in my Tank

[liam]

Hi,

3ft tank with the following reading (tank is 1.5 weeks old):

pH=6.8
kH=4 degrees
gH=8 degrees
NO2= <0.9mg per litre
NO3= 5mg per litre
CO2 Testcube=dark green= ok
CO2=DIY
Temp= 29/30 degrees

I have some plants that are doing well any some a little slow. Lights PL 72Watts in front and FL 50Watts at the back.

1. Vallisneria - old leaves are rotting a little but also new shoots are forming. got some algae i think, not much yet, and it looks like tiny short hairs at the edge of the leaves. I am concerned about this and have cut and remove affected parts.

2. Telanthera Lilacina - growing well.

3. Glosso - growing well in the front as evident by the runners and sprouting of new leaves.

4. Cabomba Caroliana - growing well but the upper leaves seem to have turned a little brown 2 days ago...dunno why?

5. Rotala Macranda and Hottonia inflata - growing very slightly only. How to improve?

6. 2 unidentified plants. One growing very well. What are they?

Please refer to : http//homepage.mac.com/jeffreyliam/PhotoAlbum25.html for pictures of plants.

Fertiliser Frequency: To be Seachem - Flourish (half cap), 1 tablespoon salt, 1 capful Microb-Lite, kH-Plus (10ml) during water change of 25% weekly. I have yet to start on Seachem Flourish.

Fauna: 20 tetras, 1 killiefish, 2 SAE, 5 Yamatos.

Currently, 25% of the water has been changed. No Seachem added yet.

[PeterGwee]

Liam...first of all, is your CO2 measurement taken before lights "on" or before lights "off"? The prime concern for DIY CO2 is consistency output of CO2...get it between 20-30ppm range during lights "on" period might require frequent bottle resetting. However, once you it down and fixed, you can safely dose 5ml of flourish per 20gallon of tank water 2-3X per week (scale up or down according to tank water volume). Since you bother to measure NO3, why not find your PO4 level? Up it to 0.5-1.0ppm if it is low. For potassium, try to estimate dosing to a level of 20-30ppm using chuck's calculator or 1/4tsp per 20gallon dosing scaling up and down according to tank size.

Note though...nothing works if your CO2 is consistent and high. Good luck.[]

[David]

I will agree with Peter that your tank has insufficient CO2. With a KH of 4, your PH level should be around 6.4 to 6.5. Do increase your yamatoes, and add Ottos in your tank? I believe that the infected leaves of your Vals are near the top where the light is?

Cabomba Caroliana are a real PITA and they need strong light. if these plants are placed at the back with 50watts worth of FL, dont think they will do well and same for the Rotala Macranda and Hottonia

[liam]

Peter,

I took measurements during lights on from 12noon to 10pm.

I am concerned too that the Co2 DIY may not be consistent. Any alternatives a part from getting a Co2 tank of which I am not ready to invest in yet. Get another Nutrafin DIY in the tank?

[liam]

David, that's right...they appear only at the tips of the vals at the moment. so i am trimming all the tips off. vals looking very weird...

Peter, will get my hands on Po4 testkit but i think it will boil down to consistent Co2 eventually.

Thanks.

[David]

liam....if your vals are not fully establish in your tank, avoid trimming for now. Increase your yamatoe shrimp population and reduce fertilisation by perhaps 40 to 50% as your tank is still very new....you may want to consider pushing your KH level to 6 or 8 if you want to keep the current PH level.

[liam]

Did water change early today 25%.

Here are the readings as at 8pm:

pH=7
kH=4
gH=7
No2=<0.9mg / l
No3=<5mg / l
Po4= 0.1mg / l

Will dose more kH-plus tomorrow to increase kH.

[PeterGwee]

Huh? Increase KH? Your KH is already good enough...why do you need to increase it? Your CO2 is lacking as expected...a pH of 7 and KH of 4 would only give you a concentration of 12ppm. You need to mix a new brew to up the CO2 concentration and not increasing KH. Increasing of KH would only boost the pH up as well.

Your tank is entering Nitrite spike cycle...is there any critters in your tank? Try to increase water change frequency and bring down the nitrite level to a less toxic range. Another way, is to grow your plants well...they will take care of your water if you take care of them well. []

[liam]

ok. thanks. looks like DIY will last me 2 weeks at most.

rgds

[liam]

Observation:

Two bunches of Lilacina. One of them began rotting at the base where part of the plant is pushed into the gravel. The whole bunch floated to the surface.

Two bunches of Hottonia, one of them also not doing well. Same for Rotala Macranda.

Glosso seemed to have stopped growing for some reason. Other plants doing ok.

[liam]

Here's an update for my tank since:

3 footer with 122W. 2 DIY Co2.

The hair like algae at tip of Valisneria has disappeared totally. I am going into the 4 week now and I am quite happy with the outcome of the tank so far although I had to contend with the inconsistency of the Co2 brew.

Here are the reading at lights on (Temp = 30):

pH - 6.5 to 6.8
kH - 4
gH - 11
No2 - < 0.3 mg/l
No3 - < 5mg/l
Po4 - < 0.25 mg/l

I have also begun to dose Seachem Potassium in addition to Seachem Fluorish and I see some improvement in the Ludwigia and macranda. Glosso still a little slow but perhaps it needs time to settle in.

Thanks to all for advice.

[David]

Hi liam

glad to hear that your tank is doing better .....while dosing K is good, but you have to becareful of your calcium level....

[liam]

Thanks David.

I am considering doing this for the next 4 weeks:

1. Seachem Flourish - 1 ml daily
2. Seachem Potassium - 0.5 ml daily
3. Seachem Fe - maybe 0.5 ml daily (not sure yet)

Thot Ca and other nutrients are more or less taken cared for by Flourish?

[PeterGwee]

Liam...your GH of 11 is pretty high..Do you have coral chips in your filter or substrate? With that high GH, you are pretty safe range with Ca and Mg.

[liam]

I only have cotton filter, ceramic rings, and sponge in the cannister filter. Also using salt meant for marine aquaria.

ahh...wait. I am using Coral Life - Scientific Grade Marine Salt. No Nitrates. No Phosphates. But contains Magnesium and Calcium. That's causing the high gH.

Should I switch to other types of salt or dose less during water change? I add 1 tablespoon after 25% water change weekly.

[PeterGwee]

Thats fine...plants need Mg and Ca..they are nutrients and not useless stuff. [] ...Dosing daily with flourish can be a PITA..why not dose 2-3X a week? Assuming your tank volume is 50gallon, dose 5ml 2-3X a week should get you set. For K, why not get Dr Mallick's K2SO4..cheaper and last longer...

[liam]

I kinda enjoy dosing them daily, well at least for now.[]

Will consider Dr. Mallick's K2So4 next time. Will add Fe sometime next week or so. Will update again. My plants are growing but not to the extent of "flourish".

Thanks.