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What should I be dosing?

brumbird

Member
Joined
11 Feb 2014
Messages
69
Hi folks

I've been looking at this site for a couple of weeks now and have already picked up loads of information.

I need some help with my new tank, I'm confused about whether its low tech or not, I have Tropica specialised and Easycarbo but I'm not sure how much of each to add while the plants are settling in and the tank is maturing. I got a plant bundle from Plants Alive plus some extras.

I am getting grey algae on my hc and eleocharis, and its spread to other plants.

Ive used yoghurt for a DSM technique which I guess could still be affecting the tank.

I'm cycling with ammonia *runs for cover* so with all this information, what would you advise that I do to give this tank the best chance of success?
 
Because adding ammonia will not actually help to mature the tank any quicker and it kills a lot of the bacteria that you are trying to develop. There is a symbiotic relationship between plants and bacteria. Plants change the environment is the water and sediment, for example by pumping oxygen into the water and sediment to encourage the growth of certain bacterial species which produce products that the plant itself can use. Poisoning the tank with ammonia kills the bacteria and lowers the oxygen content of the water, fostering the development of anaerobic species that do not help the plant.

Bit and pieces of plant material will always be present and will decay, producing small amounts of ammonia that will then be used by the nitrifying bacteria. This is a more controlled and "natural" procedure without toxicity.

Additionally, when starting a tank, one of the best things you can do is very frequent and very large water changes. Plants appreciate clean water as this reduce the level of organic waste that they themselves produce, and which smothers them if not kept under control. This is a closed system with a very small water volume. It is not a lake cointaining millions of gallons of water, so it fouls very quickly.

Focus more on helping the plants to convert to underwater living. This is of critical importance. When you help the plants to survive, they in turn will take care of the rest of the tank. Feed lots of nutrients and lots of Easycarbo if that's what you want use. Keep the tank immaculately clean and keep the lighting at low intensity. The transition takes time and adding ammonia interrupts the sequence of events, which is counterproductive.

Cheers,
 
What percentage and frequency of water changes do you advocate? Will the grey algae kill off my plants?
 
When starting a tank you should do at least two 50% water changes per week. This should continue for 6-8 weeks.
When you do the water changes, make sure that you uncover the plants. This gives them a gulp of air which is effectively a gulp of CO2. Clean the surface of the leaves with your thumb and forefinger to remove the slime coat. That "bio-film" is an obstacle to the movement of critical gases and nutrient.


Will the grey algae kill off my plants?
This question indicates a fundamental misunderstanding of both algae and plants.
Algae occurs when plants are dying. It is not the other way around. In a planted tank algae are the top predators and when they sense a weakness in the plants they bloom in order to take advantage of the weakened prey.
So your algae is there BECAUSE your plants are dying. When you fix your plants health then they will be strong enough to resist the attacks of the algae, the algae will sense the conditions, and they will recede until the next opportunity.

That is the best way to think about algae. Poor health is the cause, algae is the effect.

If you can upload a photo of the damage we can assess more readily.
We need to know what the tank size is, how much light is being used, how much dosing is being used and how much liquid carbon or CO2 injection is being used.

Cheers,
 
I am a complete newbie in terms of planted tanks - my first tank only has 5 different plants in it and they are all extremely easy.

Do you guys generally use photo bucket? I can't find an attachment button for pics.
 
Yes, you'll have to use Flikr or photobucket or whatever.

Having 5 different kinds of easy plants means nothing if you kill them.

Easy just means that the plant can survive at lower levels of CO2 than "hard" plants, but you still have to satisfy the basic requirements of nutrition.

Cheers,
 
Just copy the direct link for your photo on photo bucket click the image icon next to the smilies icon in your reply box on here. A pop up will appear paste the url from the direct link press insert, voila!
 
When starting a tank you should do at least two 50% water changes per week. This should continue for 6-8 weeks.
At what point can fish be added?
Would you recommend adding a small 'test' dose of ammonia (say 1ppm) to ensure that the tank is ready for fish before adding them?
I'm thinking especially of tanks filled with slow-growing plants such as fern, anubias and crypts that might take longer to mature.
 
Interesting because I just changed my girlfriends gravel in a 30 litre tank, I removed everything, wiped everything down to remove all algae etc. Chucked away all her old plants, wood.
I put her old filter in a bucket of water, it took me around 3-4 hours. The water was pretty clear once done, so I returned her 3 otto's and the one cherry shrimp we have. He was a bit on deaths door for the first 24 hours, but it was probably the massive difference in water parameters. Anyway all otto's were grazing on the glass. I have no idea what they were grazing on I scrubbed it all. Anyway since then the tank has had 1 Ammonia, it don't go up or down. I know the test kits are wrong, so I don't care they would be dead by now if it were actually 1ppm?. So I can hopefully say I kept my filter alive, and its converting the ammonia quick enough before it reaches a high concentration, along side the many plants I have in there. For some reason I tend to find plants grow better when setting up a new tank.

There was nothing I could of done with the fish, but I tried my best to keep them alive and it worked. I did this as-well when I took down my 90 litre and got my 200 litre, my tank was heavily stocked, I just used all the biomax from my old filter, old plants, how ever I did water changes more frequent as there was a bigger investment in fish in this tank... all were fine, and ammonia never went above 0.25, even then fish showed no signs of stress.

Not sure how long it would take until its safe to add fish when a tank is brand new, the first time I got my girlfriends tank I just used fish food method, until my test kit read Ammonia, I have no idea what it actually was reading, but the odd thing is it took for ages , her Ammonia would never go down.. But when I did a large water change, and did the flake food again. The test kit never read Ammonia, got some fish etc, all was fine. So god knows what the Ammonia kits are reading, I have no idea what I would do now if I was start a tank again tomorrow, as you cant trust the kits =\ I guess just put some plants in etc and leave it for 2-3 weeks, then buy a small amount of fish and do frequent water changes and light feeding 3x a week or something... one things for sure I won't be adding pure Ammonia lol.
 
At what point can fish be added?
Would you recommend adding a small 'test' dose of ammonia (say 1ppm) to ensure that the tank is ready for fish before adding them?
I'm thinking especially of tanks filled with slow-growing plants such as fern, anubias and crypts that might take longer to mature.
NO. It's automatic. 6-8 weeks. That's all. isn't that simple? Use the 6-8 week to figure out CO2. Then get on with it.

Cheers,
 
I know for sure that I would rather take the time to have a healthy tank full of plants learning what they need in terms of lighting ferts co2 and regular water changes, clean filter etc. and finally adding fish after those few weeks, than look at a tank of 'goo' sitting in my living room and getting all in a tiz about results from a kit.
 
And me! I'm pasting the above link into the pop up box but all I'm seeing is a blue box with a white question mark in it (very avant garde arrangement for a planted tank... :))
 
Is this the picture you are trying to show?

IMG_20140228_065404_zps0f6874fe.jpg
 

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Yes thank you John, I am having a spot of bother with my ailing Nexus, it doesn't like copying things :)
 
IMG_20140228_065048_zps08d34ed8.jpg

Yeeeehah I've finally got it thanks Jafooli and John :) Have another pic of my ailing greenery.
 

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