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Advice needed for general approach.

kilnakorr

Member
Joined
16 Mar 2020
Messages
208
Location
Denmark
Hi

I seem to have a few difficulties with my 360 L planted tank.
I'm not in a bad spot, but seems growth is slow and some plants (red plants) struggle a bit.

About a month ago, several plants started growing curly leaves, and colors turned from red/pink to deep purple.
As I was never really satisfied with flow from flowheads, I installed another external filter and added spraybar along the sidewall.
The last couple of weeks, I've tuned in CO2, to the point where fish a few fish was gasping at the surface, and I turned CO2 down a bit.
According to PH, CO2 is good and stable when lights come on till lights off.

Been doing EI since start of setup, about 5 months ago, mixing solution from dry ferts and dosed daily.

Issues started, as I added fish and started feeding, which I guess changed the balance a bit, and I started seeing some algae.
I turned down the light, and upped the waterchanges to 2/week at 50%.

Now algae is not a big issue. Just a little on the fuzz on the glass after several days, and som GSA on some older leaves.

Question is, if the lack of growth is because of the low, maybe too low, light? Could it be lack of nutrients, because of the increased waterchanges - a combination?

I have no PAR data so can't give other info than watts and lumens.

I'm not sure if I should increase light intensity and/ or maybe ferts?

Let me know what info is needed. I feel a lot of this planted tank is also trial and error.
 
If you have increased your WC, have you made any changes to your fertilisation to compensate?
Not much, so I could be a bit low on ferts.
However, the 'deficiencies' / wierd color and growth in the red plants, started before the frequent waterchanges. The crumbled leaves was most likely lack of CO2, and should be fixed.
The coloring is still wierd, and general growth is slow, so I'm wondering if I should increase light intensity.
 
Hi all,
Question is, if the lack of growth is because of the low, maybe too low, light?
I'd try and increase the light intensity. If you get a <"quick flush of green algae"> you know that all the nutrients are available for plant growth.

That is why I like a floating plant, it isn't CO2 limited and it is <"adapted to growing in intense light">. You can whack the light on full, and then you've excluded PAR from the list of possible deficiencies.

I originally used Lesser Duckweed (Lemna minor) as my floating plant (and hence the <"Duckweed Index">), partially because it has a <"very quick turn over of leaves"> and responds rapidly to the deficiency, or new availability, of a <"non-mobile nutrient">.

cheers Darrel
 
I'd try and increase the light intensity. If you get a <"quick flush of green algae"> you know that all the nutrients are available for plant growth.
Thanks for the advise Darrel.
Although, I have increased water changes, and don't have an exact number on ferts, I doubt I have bottomed out (I should see deficiencies everywhere). I also dose daily.
I'm gonna increase light intensity, and see what happens growth wise. Maybe keep up the 2/week waterchanges, but add back some ferts afterwards.

Think I'm gonna take a few pictures for future reference.
 
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