bloom
05-12-2003, 01:09 PM
I started my tank about 7 weeks ago and it's been planted for 1 1/2 weeks. Tank info is:
tank: 56 gal. 30x18x24(h)
Light: 1 Sylvania 20w gro-lux and 1 18w T8 "daylight" bulb that came with the perfecto hood (the bulbs are 24" long and the 2 strip lights fit into the 30" hood 1 behind the other).
Substrate: 15 lbs flourite and the rest fairly fine sand
CO2: Not planning on using a CO2 system. Even if one of the DIY systems would be good, I don't think I want to have anything else hanging in the tank.
Plants: 2 anubias congensis; 2 a. nana; 1 a. coffeefolia; 3 java fern; several hygro; one small sword that looks like it's in the process of resurecting itself; 3 bolbitis; 2 pretty good sized strands of hornwort. I may add a couple more nana or coffeefolia.
Water, about 2 days after 20% wc:
NO3--a little above .5, mayber .6-.7 ppm
Amonia and Nitrates--0
GH 6
KH 2
ph about 6.9
Nitrates were about the same right before the wc
Tap water is GH 5 and KH 3
I'm using Seachem Acid buffer with wcs to lower ph. I'll probably end up lowering the ph a little so it looks like 6.8 (the ph test that came with the AP master test kit is a little hard to read for me so far). Info. on the Acid Buffer bottle says it converts KH into available CO2.
Right now, all the plants, except for two, look like they're doing well and growing--new leaves on the congensis, coffefolis, hygro; new growth on 2 of the bolbitis and new little plants starting on one of the java ferns. There's one sword (amazon I think) that I got soon after I set up the tank. It lost all of its original leaves, but had some good roots and is putting out a new leaf now. Some of the congensis leaves have little black tips. For one of the nana, didn't bury the rhizome, but it's rotting. It's throwing off lots of green roots though, so hoping it will come back.
I've had a little thread algae--more to start off with right after I planted the tank than now, but not too bad. Just a few strands now here and there. Seemed to decrease when I cut back from 12 to about 10 hrs of light/day.
Clean up crew: 2 ottos; 5 amano shrimp. I'm planning on adding 1-2 SAE when they come in at my lfs later this week--probably just 1. Also have 3 neons.
I'm going to get 6 small discus in a few weeks. I'm going to grow the discus in the planted tank and plan on doing approx. 20% wcs every other day.
Basically, wanted to get some advice on whether I should be adding fertilizer/traces/flourish excell? (for C02) to the tank. All the advice I've received here already has been very helpful--much thanks. I'm guessing I won't need to add Nitrogen or Phosphate (don't have a phosphate test kit, and not sure how much is in the tap water. Some of the thread alage may have been due to using some old Discus Buffer I had to lower ph at first--has phosphates in it).
Should I start adding potasium (K?), other traces, Flourish Excell?
Many thanks again for the help. :bounce2:
Steve :)
tank: 56 gal. 30x18x24(h)
Light: 1 Sylvania 20w gro-lux and 1 18w T8 "daylight" bulb that came with the perfecto hood (the bulbs are 24" long and the 2 strip lights fit into the 30" hood 1 behind the other).
Substrate: 15 lbs flourite and the rest fairly fine sand
CO2: Not planning on using a CO2 system. Even if one of the DIY systems would be good, I don't think I want to have anything else hanging in the tank.
Plants: 2 anubias congensis; 2 a. nana; 1 a. coffeefolia; 3 java fern; several hygro; one small sword that looks like it's in the process of resurecting itself; 3 bolbitis; 2 pretty good sized strands of hornwort. I may add a couple more nana or coffeefolia.
Water, about 2 days after 20% wc:
NO3--a little above .5, mayber .6-.7 ppm
Amonia and Nitrates--0
GH 6
KH 2
ph about 6.9
Nitrates were about the same right before the wc
Tap water is GH 5 and KH 3
I'm using Seachem Acid buffer with wcs to lower ph. I'll probably end up lowering the ph a little so it looks like 6.8 (the ph test that came with the AP master test kit is a little hard to read for me so far). Info. on the Acid Buffer bottle says it converts KH into available CO2.
Right now, all the plants, except for two, look like they're doing well and growing--new leaves on the congensis, coffefolis, hygro; new growth on 2 of the bolbitis and new little plants starting on one of the java ferns. There's one sword (amazon I think) that I got soon after I set up the tank. It lost all of its original leaves, but had some good roots and is putting out a new leaf now. Some of the congensis leaves have little black tips. For one of the nana, didn't bury the rhizome, but it's rotting. It's throwing off lots of green roots though, so hoping it will come back.
I've had a little thread algae--more to start off with right after I planted the tank than now, but not too bad. Just a few strands now here and there. Seemed to decrease when I cut back from 12 to about 10 hrs of light/day.
Clean up crew: 2 ottos; 5 amano shrimp. I'm planning on adding 1-2 SAE when they come in at my lfs later this week--probably just 1. Also have 3 neons.
I'm going to get 6 small discus in a few weeks. I'm going to grow the discus in the planted tank and plan on doing approx. 20% wcs every other day.
Basically, wanted to get some advice on whether I should be adding fertilizer/traces/flourish excell? (for C02) to the tank. All the advice I've received here already has been very helpful--much thanks. I'm guessing I won't need to add Nitrogen or Phosphate (don't have a phosphate test kit, and not sure how much is in the tap water. Some of the thread alage may have been due to using some old Discus Buffer I had to lower ph at first--has phosphates in it).
Should I start adding potasium (K?), other traces, Flourish Excell?
Many thanks again for the help. :bounce2:
Steve :)