What is Lacking?

[marilyn1998]

I have a 90gallon tank. Been planted since March 2006.
PH 7.2
Temp 85
Ammonia 0
NitrIte 0
Nitrates show 0, but calibrating test kit shows 0 too. So no number there.
GH and KH are both 7
Phosphates 2.5
Chelated Iron .5
186 watts of light for 2 WPG. 130 of it is compact. 10 hours a day on timer.
Substrate is pebble rock only.
Plants are root fed with Seachem pellet

EI dosing ferts with Greg Watsons PMDD at 1/16th tsp 6 days and 10ml of Excel.
On 7th day doing 50% WC. Running 24W UV lighting 24/7.



(1) On my glass I have what appears to be diatom algae. It wipes off with my fingers, but nearer the substrate level it is tuff to get off. It only shows up from the sides looking across the tank.

My E Bleheri is getting holes in it. My Ludwigia repens and Annubias Nana have black spots/edges that dont seem to come off. New growth on all plants is fine until it gets mature.

What do I need to add?

Remnants of algae on glass make it look water spotted:Oh, and the two blue discus on the left are caring for eggs they laied today on the driftwood!

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i268/marilyn1998/Lily%20Eggs%20Algae/100_1484.jpg

Spots on Annubias:

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i268/marilyn1998/Lily%20Eggs%20Algae/100_1482.jpg


Sword holes:

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i268/marilyn1998/Lily%20Eggs%20Algae/100_1479.jpg


Black on higher Repens leaves: Also you can see the algae on the glass on the right.
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i268/marilyn1998/Lily%20Eggs%20Algae/100_1477.jpg

More Sword holes on another plant:

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i268/marilyn1998/Lily%20Eggs%20Algae/100_1476.jpg


Thanks for helping. Hope you can see it in these pics.

[dandestroy]

PO4 are way to high in relation to NO3.

Tell me if I'm wrong but you are probably using some king of buffer for your water pH (the high PO4 value probably comes from this).

I'm surprises that you don't have more algua with that much PO4, its probably cause your NO3 is so low and that both plants and algua competes for it.

But again when I say PO4 to high and NO3 to low, it shows that there is variation that can works.

from what I can see algua are not that bad at all.
As for the hole, in the middle of the night go turn on the light, and check if you have some litle snail snacking on your plants

[lhforbes12]

Marilyn,
I have to say that I agree with Francois about too much PO4, it should be at about 1 ppm. Also your Fe is very high, that should be around 0.1 ppm. The holes in the leaves suggest low K to me. You might try adding some more K2SO4 (Potassium Sulphate). Some fish do like to eat Echinodorus leaves though, so that could also be the problem. Since your fert levels are so high I would change to dosing 3 times a week at the rate you're using now, and see if that helps. I would also be adding a bit more Excel, also because you have such large rocks for your substrate I'm wondering if your Flourish Tabs may be leaching into the water column. I think running the UV at that rate is a good idea. Your tank looks excellent to my eyes though, keep up the great work!

Larry

[marilyn1998]

Dandestroy,

No snails and not buffering. This is the highest my PO4 has been. Also, my Iron isnt usually as high either. Dunno why it changed, but I dont rely alot on the test results. I will check and see if someone is snacking on my plants!!


Larry,

I am thinking of adding a bit of K2SO4. If I add maybe 1/2 cap more of excel will that be good??? Gonna change the substrate out in Aug when I am on vacation to the SMS. :)

Thanks guys for helping!!! And for the compliments.

[lhforbes12]

Larry,

I am thinking of adding a bit of K2SO4. If I add maybe 1/2 cap more of excel will that be good??? Gonna change the substrate out in Aug when I am on vacation to the SMS. :)

Thanks guys for helping!!! And for the compliments.

Marilyn,

I think adding a *little* K2SO4 may help. As to the Excel I would probably be dosing it at 1 cap day after wc, 1/2 cap every other day following.

Day 1. WC
Day 2 1 Cap Excel, dose ferts
Day 3 Nothing
Day 4 1/2 Cap Excel, dose ferts
Day 5 Nothing
Day 6 1/2 Cap Excel, dose ferts
Day 7 Nothing

[marilyn1998]

OOh, LArry! I have been dosing 2 caps of excel everyday. could that be the problem?? I will start adding as you suggest. Thsanks!

[lhforbes12]

Marilyn,
Excel isn't the cause of your high PO4 or Fe if that's what you were asking.

[Alight]

I had a similar problem recently with my swords. Turned out to be a macro deficiency. Swords are major root feeders so the ferts in your water column won't make much of a difference. I cured the problem with Jobe plant spikes. Break one in half and use both piece for each sword plant. Put them as deep into the pots as you can. You should see result in less than 5 days.
Trim away the affected leaves to give the new leaves more space to grow.

Until you get a real reading on your nitrates, I wouldn't worry too much about the phosphates. Usually, phosphates help control the green spot algae on the glass (high phophates gets rid of it). Usually, high phosphates and low nitrates results in blue-green algae (I've proved this myself, more than once, now).

Clean the glass with a straight razor blade. The algae may stay away a long time.

The black spots could also be macro deficiency, or could be black beard algae or staghorn algae. If the latter, CO2 injection is the solution, or Fourish Excel squirted directly on the problem spots (when you put it in, just direct it to the black stuff.).

Al Light

[marilyn1998]

Thanks Al!

I did a through cleaning last night. Found that the substrate had a blue/green algae at the glass. Cleaned it out really good. Gonna grab the jobes. Larry had told me about them too a while back.

I am going to also change out the substrate on Sunday when Jim is gone golfing.
(1) Do I need to add peat first on the bottom? How much and special concerns as to kind?
(2) Do I need to rinse the Soil Master Select?

Gonna remove all the bad/old/algae leaves when I replant. Then add the jobes and macros, excel and micros. I also lowered my light to 130watts to help keep the light as my limiting factor. (per Tom Barr).

Tank is really looking great tho!!! I am just a perfectionist! Thanks to all who have helped guide me!

[traco]

So are you going to go full substrate and no pots now? Make sure you take pics, can't wait to see your new look in the tank.

[Kindredspirit]

It does look great Marilyn! Was this the green one? Forgive me I shld know that huh? Well I dont ~ ********:mad: lol!


Looks awesome it really does! Oh vaca ....SMS? Whatz that?

Marie ~ http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/16/16_3_134.gif