Some Help Please..

[Don636]

Hello all..

Recently posted, with my aqua nano 40, (some 55 litres or less given its planted and substrate etc) , that I was starting to use Easy Carbo liquid carbon at 1m per day together with 0.2ml per day Seachem Flourish to support the plants in the tank, namely 2 x bogwood with mosses trying their best to grow..also med sized java.fern, anubias x 2, Cryptocoryne x 3, Hygrophila x 2, dwarf hairgrass (recently added) and a moss ball, plus Taiwan moss on mesh.

The lighting is 3 x 8w normal output t5 giving me 2wpg roughly..though this seems to be in the low to low/medium lighting.

I am tempted to try the EI route and purchase the starter pack at roughly £18.00 and understand that with only liquid carbon..the concentration levels when making the dosages remain the same but the amount given each day is at lowered to 50per cent

1. Given the relatively low lighting..and liquid carbon..is EI salts a decent way forward or do i need to 'up' the lighting wpg to give more vigor to the plants growth. If so...TMC led tile or similar suitable?

2. Does the liquid carbon also have to be 'upped' to 1.5ml or so..am sure I saw somewhere about more plants growing in a tank means more liquid carbon per 50 litres?

The EI route would negate the need for Seachem Flourish obviously.

I am keen to try EI salts out but am getting myself confused over wpg and amount of liquid carbon...Pressurised carbon is not an option at this time, but may be later in this year (in a bigger tank )

If you don't ask questions..you don't learn, and the more I read..the more my head hurts. ))

Thanks in anticipation of any replies .

Don.

 

[darren636]

When dosing carbon you also need to add full spectrum plant food , flourish contains only trace elements- unless you are using individual bottles of flourish nitrogen, potassium , phoshpate? I would recommend EI for any tank.

 

[PARAGUAY]

I get your comment "if you dont ask" . I was using Tropica Premium and ran out so started using Nuetro + the plants I have are all the"easy" Java Ferns,Polysperma but the plants have gone in overdrive, cut the lighting down a bit,6hrs t5s .and tweaked the press. CO2.so far so good

 

[Don636]

Hi Guys.

Ok, thanks...EI ordered and will use that along with liquid carbon..read that same concentration of mixture for EI to be made but half the dosage because I am using liquid carbon......I assume 1ml of easycarbo per 50 litre (as it is 50 litres with substrate and bogwood/plants etc) would be ok?

Regards.

 

[Ady34]

Hi,

I assume 1ml of easycarbo per 50 litre (as it is 50 litres with
substrate and bogwood/plants etc) would be ok?

The lighting is 3 x 8w normal output t5 giving me 2wpg roughly..though this seems to be in the low to low/medium lighting.

i think you will need to at least double or treble dose liquid carbon with this lighting which is in the higher range imo. If there is livestock present try double dosing first and increase slowly.

read that same concentration of mixture for EI to be made but half the dosage because I am using liquid carbon

You can start with half ei dosage, but you may need to increase this slightly also especially if plant mass increases.
Cheerio,
Ady.

 

[Don636]

Thank you Ady

I thought my lighting was low to medium at best given that its not high output t5 (Boyu 3 x 8w overhead unit)

I am dosing 1.5ml for now, ( and seachem flourish ) with the EI kit stuck at the Post office but imminent apparently.

Just as well I bought 250ml of easy carbo then at poss up to 3 x dose..viz.. 3ml per day..lol

Better to learn on my 55 litre nano with plants and care than learning on a four footer which I am aiming towards.

Regards.