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Plants improved, but how?

Mikeyd

Member
Joined
7 Jan 2013
Messages
41
Hi,

I am a bit puzzled and wondered if anyone can help.
I left my tank for 3 weeks over Christmas as I was away and couldn't get anyone to feed the fish for me. I used a tetra holiday block but it hardly disintegrated at all. Obviously I didn't do any water changes in the 3 weeks.
I have hair grass and its never looked great some yellowing etc. I don't add ferts or co2 (so guess this is why). The thing is my hair grass is now greener than it ever has been! Anyone got any suggestions as to why it improved?

Thanks

Mike
 
The only thing I can think of is a bigger supply of nitrates due to a lack of water changes, normally though plants get other nutrients from doing water changes so it's quite strange but good news at least

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2
 
Thats pretty good considering no ferts or CO2. I am having difficulty keeping all my hairgrass so I would like your secret ;)
 
Well I did wonder that so checked them, normal readings are 5ppm but after 3 weeks away 0ppm!! Guess that's because the food block didn't work so very little waste was created.
 
Even still any waste that was produced has stayed in there to process as opposed to being removed so who knows :) if your readings are safe you could probably get away with less frequent water changes

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2
 
It may be due to residual co2 levels. By Water changing too frequently on low tech setups, you'll gas off the co2 or remove it and I don't have to explain co2's vital importance in maintaining and growing aquatic plants.

The fert levels in a low tech setup would be a lot less than a co2 injected setup ( I think clive stated recently, to mix ferts 1/10th of the strength of EI mixes and low tech set ups will be fine).

Cheers,
 
Mike

Did you reduce your lighting period or turn them off whilst you were away - if you did - this could be your answer. Light drives plant growth so a reduction in lighting or an off period will reduce the plants consumption of residual fertz within the water column.

I ran out of Co2 gas over the new year - 4 days with no gas - so I tripple the dosage of liquid carbon, other fertz remained the same but I dropped my lighting period to 2 hours and the growth of my crypt was fantastic - they look great before, but look even better now.

Regards
paul.
 
The lights were left as normal, 8 hours a day, 2x24w t5's. The only other thing I thought of was that I added reflectors about 5 days before I went away.
Maybe less frequent water changes are the answer then? Reference gassing of co2 my filter outlet points at the surface, should I lower it a little?

Mike
 
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