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2.5 weeks, maybe not yet cycled.
My 2ft cube has been established for 2.5 weeks, all Echinodorus. I have been monitoring the water condition and these are my readings:
(a) Amonia/Amonium = 0 mg/l
(b) Nitrite = 0.3 mg/l
(c) Nitrate = 50 mg/l
(d) PH = 6.7
(e) KH = 3
(f) CO2 = 5 bps (between 15-20 ppm)
Additional info
(1) Water Volume = 47 gallons
(2) Lightings = T5HO, total 96W
(3) Gravel with fertilizer
(4) Water circulation is OK as I can see my Echinodorus swaying slightly.
In the 2nd week, I noticed some hair grass algae, so I added 1 pleco and 3 cories. 4 days ago, I added one inexpensive discus (1 inch in size) as discus is known to be very particular with water chemistry. All fishes seems to be doing fine.
Plants are doing OK. E.Tenellus are greenish and have began to run. But no oxygen bubbles are seen (no sizzling effect). I hope it's due to plants not being established yet. Am I right?
I am concerned about the nitrate level so I added 4-5 small duck weeds to help in lowering it. I did one WC (30%) 4 days ago. Nitrate level went down to 25 mg/l but after 2 days, it's back to 50 mg/l. I would like to find out from AQ experts if my tank is OK or not? When can I start dosing Flourish? Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
2.5 weeks, maybe not yet cycled.
I have been using Nutrafin Cycle to aid in the cycling process. Read in some threads that cycling planted tank is faster than fish-only tank.
You do not want 0 nitrate levels in a planted tank, because it contributes to a growth of blue green algae that stinks comparably to a public toilet.
The nitrate level in your tank can be ignored, because plants will take up the nitrate present while they're growing. As long as your fish are doing fine, nothing to worry about.
You can already start dosing Flourish and the other fertilisers.
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