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60-P amazon scape

aquacoen said:
these nutrients are often in excess and lead to algae in the tank
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the general opinion in this forum is ( and it's demonstrated in many many cases) excess nutrients DON'T cause algae.
And in contrairy to the ADA website if there are many fast growing plants the amount of nitrogen in the tank and provided by animal waste aren't enough.
I used to dose 3 spoons of KNO2 in may large tank 3 times a week and didn't get algae. Some here have accidentaly overdosed their ferts in large amounts without algae.
 
Hi all,
aquacoen said:
(?what other trace elements I can't find on the ADA website?)
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There are <"seventeen elements required for plant growth">, plants need them in differing amounts, but they need about ten times as much nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) as any of the other nutrients, elements required in small amounts are referred to as "trace (or micro) nutrients".

Most nutrients are mobile within the plant, and it will move them to the newest leaves if they are deficient. This is the reason why deficiencies of potassium, nitrogen, magnesium (Mg) etc effect older leaves. Deficiencies of non-mobile elements effect new leaves, have a look at <"Duckweed Index says...">.

Looking at this image
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It looks like you have a deficiency of a non-mobile element (probably iron (Fe)), now you are adding iron new leaves should be greener. If one element is severely deficient it doesn't matter how much you have of the others, you aren't going to get any growth.

Plants are carbon based, and aquatic plants are carbon limited, but they can only make use of the extra carbon (that you are adding as CO2) if the other nutrients aren't limiting.
Edvet said:
the general opinion in this forum is ( and it's demonstrated in many many cases) excess nutrients DON'T cause algae.
And in contrairy to the ADA website if there are many fast growing plants the amount of nitrogen in the tank and provided by animal waste aren't enough.
I used to dose 3 spoons of KNO2 in may large tank 3 times a week and didn't get algae. Some here have accidentally overdosed their ferts in large amounts without algae.
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I think if you are adding CO2, this is entirely valid, you have to make the mineral nutrients non-limiting for the plants to be able to utilise the extra CO2.

I'm not a CO2 user, partially because I'm not interested in optimal plant growth. I just wan't some active plant growth. Have a look at <"Unlimited nutrients...">.

cheers Darrel
 
Thanks for your advice and information Darrel.
The plants are doing much better since I add fertilizers every morning.
(ADA Green Brighty K Neutral 3ml & ADA Green Brighty Mineral 3ml)

I changed the title of my journal to "60-P amazon scape" because I'm not sure if I'm still going to keep apistogramma's. I saw some Axelrodia Riesei in my aquarium shop this week. Great looking fish and very calm! Other recommendations on calm small south American fish are welcome ;)

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I still think my plants look a bit yellow. Might try adding nitrogen in the future but don't want to rush things. I think by adding fish my nitrate level will allready rise..

This week I added three Otocinclus Affinis (sold as...). After some reading I think it's actually O.Macrospilus. I'm not sure because the photos and discripition on many websites are a bit vague.. Would like to hear your thoughts ;)
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I was amazed to see how fast they clean up the algae I had on the glass and on the spiderwood!
When should I start giving them extra food? Any recommendations on what sort of food and how many times a week?
 
AndreiD said:
start co2 at least 2 hours before light are on and be sure you add enough co2
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Thanks for your reply AndreiD. About a week ago I made an adjustment. Now my co2 runs from 08:00 till 13:30 and my lights at 70% from 10:00 till 15:00.
My dropchecker is green when the light turns on and is light-green when lights turn off. Stauro is making new leaves, so fingers crossed ;)
 
Hi all,
aquacoen said:
I saw some Axelrodia Riesei in my aquarium shop this week. Great looking fish and very calm!
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They aren't often for sale, and I believe they aren't the easiest to keep, but they are really nice looking fish. Have a look at <"Apistogramma forums: Axelrodia riesei">
aquacoen said:
When should I start giving them extra food? Any recommendations on what sort of food and how many times a week?
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I'd try feeding them straight away. <"I used to give mine Bell Pepper, Green Beans, Courgette and Cucumber">, and I'd basically have vegetables available in the tank all the time. They also like <"structural leaf litter"> to browse on, and it would also be utilized by the Tetras.

cheers Darrel
 
aquacoen said:
Axelrodia Riesei in my aquarium shop this week
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Tap water is very soft here - local shop brings these in through a SA supplier - fish seem robust & relatively easy, though they don't display great color in sale tank
(they look grand in the planted display)
 
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A quick update. Tank is doing good. Added some new plants (Myriophyllum Mattogrossense and Hydrocotyle Leucocephala). Got rid of Heteranthera Zosterifolia. I found it difficult to trim it so it would grow more dense. Maybe I'll try again when I'm more experienced..

Staurogene repens is still having troubles. Added some new plants, these started melting the first week, now making fresh leaves.
Unfortunately one of the oto's jumped out two weeks ago.. The two left are doing good but they sometimes keep swimming very active against the front glass. They have plenty to eat.. could it be low oxygen levels? My ph is 6.1 at it's lowest. 6.7 in the evening.

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I'm now also dosing nitrogen. I can clearly see Limnobium Laevigatum getting greener leaves.
 
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After a four week holiday this is what the tank looked like. A friend of mine did the weekly water changes and daily fertilizers. I was very suprised by the healthy growth. Echinodorus radicans has finally made some emerse leaves!

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Unfortunately one of the leaves of Hydrocleys Nymphoides hung out of the aquarium when I got home. In the last weeks water had begun leaking..
So my cabinet has some major damage mainly on the right side.. A new cabinet journey will start soon.... :( This time with waterproof MDF? I do like the look of the veneer.. Is there a way to make the veneer+MDF waterproof in the future? The cabinet is now supported with some logs..

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Staurogene repens is now doing very well!
 
aquacoen said:
Unfortunately one of the leaves of Hydrocleys Nymphoides hung out of the aquarium when I got home.
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I know the problem.. :) Often experienced the same with floating plants.. Also a healthy leaf hanging over the rim can cause capilairy suction and spil water if the water is to close to the rim. A dead leaf as in your case will waterlogg and function as a syphon, same as grandmas trick to feed plants during vacation with a wool thread hanging from a bucket with water into the plant pot. Than the wool thread soaks up water and syphons the water slowly into the pot. Also once experienced it at a somewhat dificult to see and reach tanks back panel corner with growing algae and moss to the glass behind overhanging plants. The algae and moss grew out of the water till the tank top rim. Capilairy suction spilled water over the tanks rim on the table, it also created a salt deposit build up in that corner, soaking up water. At first i thought the tank was leaking, it always drained the tank 30mm bellow the rim than stopped. Gravity? After rubbing that corner clean problem was solved.

Lesson learned, if you leave the tank a few weeks, put a little less water in it.. :) It prevent leaves from hanging over.
 
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aquacoen said:
Hydrocleys nymphoides is making a flower. Though it looks like the bud is not going to open.. After two days it still looks the same.. Patience? ;)
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And than look quickly, the flowers only live a day.. :)
 
aquacoen said:
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I was also wondering. Is it normal that the submersed leaves turn yellow and die off now that Echinodorus radicans is making emersed leaves?
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I guess it probably is normal, my Echinodorus hybrid did the excact same thing, it doesn't grow both forms from the same rosette it is either emersed or submersed. And once emersed it triggers the plant to go entirely to emersed form.. Not sure if it is the same for all but they are rather remarkable plants.. I have sevral of the same growing in different conditions of depth. And they sense water depth, the plant growing in shallower water makes shorter leafstems and grows denser and less tall. :) The one standing not in water at all stays rather short with much smaller leaves and close to the substrate.
 
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