Help on monte carlo

[DreamerX5521]

Hi bros,
Although there is another topic discuss about MC, but the intention is different. So, i open up another thread to seek for help for my MC.
I have a 1ft tank (low tech with excel) setup for close to 1 month already and this is my first planted tank. Initially in the first 2 weeks, MC is doing fine with some of the leaves turned pale and i think it is due to the transition from emerse to submerse. I saw there are new leave growing out and notice some of them are creeping.
Till lately especially in the past one week, I realized the MC is not doing good, more than half of the plant are melting (along with half of my reineckii plant too that was planted on 2nd week). The melting mostly on the old leave while i do see some of the new leaves starting to melt too. So, would like to seek advice to see what's went wrong.

My 1ft low tech tank setup:
- Ada Amazonia (new soil)
- UP Aqua Pro Z series 30cm
- Shiruba PF360 HOF with Seachem Matrix media
- Fertilizer:

- First 3 weeks: Seachem Excel, Potassium, Aquavitro Envy (sometime dose Ista algae removal to remove algae. Moving to 3 week, I've dosed Seachem Stability to try accelerate the cycling process)
- 4th week: Seachem Excel, Ada Brighty Special Shade (suspect due to deficiency of certain nutrient so change to ada's supposed all-in-one fert)

The tank has been doing 50% water change at least twice a week, sometime even 90% when trying to plant new plant. All the while, I did not introduce any livestock due to the tank is not matured yet. Then only found out yesterday (Friday night) that the ammonia and nitrite is 0, nitrate is 20ppm, and pH7.8. Then, right away introduce one (1) 'longkang' fish to test the water and fortunately the fish is still very active in the new tank at the point of writing. One thing I've noticed that the water ph level has been constantly 7.8 since it was flooded. Today I found my tap water (in Tampines) is also reading 7.8 which means i've been drinking alkaline water all the while. I hope the API liquid tester kit is not accurate or maybe anyone here can confirm with the tap water ph level in east area? Anyway, I would like to check also whether the constant ph7.8 causing the MC melting?

thanks...

[kaen130]

I may not be the best person to advise you, but just to share my similar experience I had with my MC.

Me too was pretty new in growing MC, trial and error various methods until finally see some result.

Initially I increase the light with increase CO2 injection, it does help in growing them.

But later due to adding of livestock, I have to decrease the CO2 injected. Thereafter, my MC showed signs of problem again.

I read somewhere the more light you give to plant, the more CO2 and Ferts it requires to make food. If there's too much light and the plant may not be able to convert all to become food, it may hurt the leaves.

After reducing some lights, it works for me.

Since you are using Excel instead of CO2 injection, I believe the amount of CO2 available to your plant is even lesser?

If your light set has intensity control, can try lower the intensity?

If not, how long is your photo period? maybe can explore shorten the photo period?

And also see any other experts here have different opinion=)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[DreamerX5521]

Thanks bro. You have a point here. I'll try to reduce lighting period to see if it help. My current total photo period is 10hour. Will try to reduce down to maybe 7 hours. I'm now very tempting to add co2 to make it alive again, but i try not to do so as it is suppose to be low tech setup. Don't want to mess thing up.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[kaen130]

I think 10hrs too long? After reducing light intensity I running 8hrs photo period with CO2 injection.

Probably u can google about "siesta method". Heard about it for non-CO2 injection tank, but I nvr try before. Anyway is the trial and error which makes hobby fun=).

Otherwise can go for CO2 injection, it is simple, just the initial cost to get it setup


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[DreamerX5521]

I'll check the siesta method. Not sure how it differ frm walstad method. I've just reduced the lighting period to 7 hours. See how it goes for the next few days.
I already bought full set co2 system and now pending my 2ft tank setup. The 1ft tank is suppose for me to learn about low tech setup.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk