Help!!!

[planter]

I just set a 4X2X2 planted tank due to shifting of my house. I just cant get my PH of 6.5. I also have hair algea. The following are the details of my tank. Pls help.


Tank Dimensions (LxWxH): 4X2X2
Lighting Intensity (No of Watts): 4X55W PL, 2X36W PL, 1X40W FL (TOTAL: 332W)
Type of Lighting (FL/PL/MH): PL and FL
No. of Hours your light is on: 12 hours
CO2 Injection Rate (bps) : 1.5bps
Type of CO2 (DIY/Liquid/Tank) : Tank
Method of Injection (e.g. Diffusor/Reactor): 3 ball reactor
Substrate Used : Lapis
How Thick is your base fert : 1-1.5CM
How thick is your gravel : 4-6cm
Liquid Fertilizers Used : SEACHEM Flourish
Frequency of fertilization : Twice weekly
Tank Temperature : 26-28°c
Type of Filter (overhead/internal/canister) : Ehiem 2026 & Jebao 918
Filter media used : CR, Biohome, Peatmoss
How long has your tank been set up : 3 weeks as on 26/10/04


Chemical Properties (Fill what you can)
---------------------------------------

Carbonate Hardness (kh): 2dkh
Total Hardness (gH):
PH : 7.4
NH4 (ppm):
NO2 (ppm):
NO3 (ppm):
PO4 (ppm):
Fe (ppm):

Bioload (Your Fish and Plants)


Plants
- Eleocharis parvulus (Hair grass)
- Lobelia cardinalis
- Nymphaea lotus var. rubra (Red tiger lotus)
- Hemigraphis colorata
- Hygrophilia corymbosa "kompact
- Bacopa caroliniana
- Cryptocoryne wendtii 'brown'
- Echinodorus uruguayensis var. minor
- Vesicularia dubyana, Java moss

Fishes
- Neon Tetra (40-50pcs)
- Cardinal Tetra (30-40pcs)
- Otto (3pcs)
- SAE (2pcs)
- Yamato (2pcs)
- Rummy Nose (3pcs)

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

[budak]

Quickie reply: think you have too much light (2.5 WPG should be enough) check using the tank calculator..... go down to 8-10 hours daily also better.

Too much light and fert + not enough Co2 = algae..... use the calculator to check your pH/KH/Co2 level.... go for at least 25-30 mg/l..... adding baking soda to get KH of 4-5 makes it easier. Don't use bubble count to measure Co2 - totally useless.

[planter]

[quote:f910411ef2="budak"]Quickie reply: think you have too much light (2.5 WPG should be enough) check using the tank calculator..... go down to 8-10 hours daily also better.

Too much light and fert + not enough Co2 = algae..... use the calculator to check your pH/KH/Co2 level.... go for at least 25-30 mg/l..... adding baking soda to get KH of 4-5 makes it easier. Don't use bubble count to measure Co2 - totally useless.[/quote:f910411ef2]

Thanks for the reply bro, The following action is what i'm going to do to try to slove the problem. Pls advice if i'm in the correct direction.

1. Water change- 50-70% (Reset water condition)
2. Cut down lighting to 292watt (2.5Watt/ G)
3. Cut down the photo period to 10 hrs in 5-4-5 intervals
4. Increase Co2 to 2bps

Hope that with the above changes will help. Pls advise if i'm right. Thanks.

[budak]

I don't recommedn lighting breaks..... why disrupt your plant's photosynthesising cycle? If your plants can't grow properly, algae will get an edge. Go for uninterrupted 8-10 hour cycles (you could have the lights switched on at mid-day so that they are still lit when you are back home), and ditto for CO2.

Don't use bps to measure Co2. use KH and pH to measure (use the calculator on AQ).... get your KH up to 4-5 using baking soda (search here for the dose) and increase your CO2 rate until the pH dips sufficiently to get 25-30 mg/l..... sustained CO2 will deal with most algae, with time.

Read also Tom Barr's article on the estimate index for fertilising... its in the "Articles for Dosing" thread in the Aquatic FAQ section..... this will help you understand what your plants need to grow well.

[planter]

[quote:d8dbe21004="budak"]I don't recommedn lighting breaks..... why disrupt your plant's photosynthesising cycle? If your plants can't grow properly, algae will get an edge. Go for uninterrupted 8-10 hour cycles (you could have the lights switched on at mid-day so that they are still lit when you are back home), and ditto for CO2.

Don't use bps to measure Co2. use KH and pH to measure (use the calculator on AQ).... get your KH up to 4-5 using baking soda (search here for the dose) and increase your CO2 rate until the pH dips sufficiently to get 25-30 mg/l..... sustained CO2 will deal with most algae, with time.

Read also Tom Barr's article on the estimate index for fertilising... its in the "Articles for Dosing" thread in the Aquatic FAQ section..... this will help you understand what your plants need to grow well.[/quote:d8dbe21004]

Thanks for the advise. Can i use "sera KH up" to increase my KH??
What is the dosage like??

[af2373]

for my 100l tank, 1ml of Sera's KH raises KH by 1. do not raise KH hastily, livestock may not be able to take it. i raise it by at most 1dkh a day.

[Plantbrain]

Baking soda works great for increasing the KH.
Cheap too.

You'll need to increase the fert's if you wish to have this much light.
Fish waste aklone and some traces 2 a week is not going to be enough.

You may want to use just the 4x55w

You'll want to get KNO3, KH2PO4 as well as Flourish.
Adjust KH to 3 to 4

Add 1/2 teaspoon KNO3 every other day
Add 1/8" teaspoon of KH2PO4 of the same day as KNO3.

Add 25mls 3 x a week of the traces(on off days for the KNO3/KH2PO4.

Do not worry about the chemical names, it's just fertilizer.

Nothing will go well without making sure you have 20-30ppm during the entire photoperoid.

That's about it, prune and clean off any algae, do 50-70% weekly water change.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[planter]

[quote:1b5b085e31="Plantbrain"]Baking soda works great for increasing the KH.
Cheap too.

You'll need to increase the fert's if you wish to have this much light.
Fish waste aklone and some traces 2 a week is not going to be enough.

You may want to use just the 4x55w

You'll want to get KNO3, KH2PO4 as well as Flourish.
Adjust KH to 3 to 4

Add 1/2 teaspoon KNO3 every other day
Add 1/8" teaspoon of KH2PO4 of the same day as KNO3.

Add 25mls 3 x a week of the traces(on off days for the KNO3/KH2PO4.

Do not worry about the chemical names, it's just fertilizer.

Nothing will go well without making sure you have 20-30ppm during the entire photoperoid.

That's about it, prune and clean off any algae, do 50-70% weekly water change.

Regards,
Tom Barr[/quote:1b5b085e31]

Thanks for the advise. its a very detailed advise.
After hearing so much advice from the bros here.
The following is my action plan.
1. Water change- 50%-70% (Water Reset)
2. Cut down lighting to 292watt
3. Photo period of 10hrs
4. Increase KH to 3-4dKH
5. Increase Co2 to 20-30ppm
6. Dose fert as per above.
7. Lastly pray...heehee

Pls advice have i miss out anything??

[planter]

[quote:0caf818eab="Plantbrain"]Baking soda works great for increasing the KH.
Cheap too.

You'll need to increase the fert's if you wish to have this much light.
Fish waste aklone and some traces 2 a week is not going to be enough.

You may want to use just the 4x55w

You'll want to get KNO3, KH2PO4 as well as Flourish.
Adjust KH to 3 to 4

Add 1/2 teaspoon KNO3 every other day
Add 1/8" teaspoon of KH2PO4 of the same day as KNO3.

Add 25mls 3 x a week of the traces(on off days for the KNO3/KH2PO4.

Do not worry about the chemical names, it's just fertilizer.

Nothing will go well without making sure you have 20-30ppm during the entire photoperoid.

That's about it, prune and clean off any algae, do 50-70% weekly water change.

Regards,
Tom Barr[/quote:0caf818eab]

I have bought some fert last night. But i have problem dosing the fert.

I bought the following.
-Lushgro Aqua
-Lushgro Micros
-KH2PO4
-K2SO4
-KNO3
-MGSO4
-NaHCo3

Can any bro advice me on the usage of the different fert and the dosage of it that suits my tank. Thanks