phantomfisher
Member
- Joined
- 9 Jul 2009
- Messages
- 56
I have been getting some very helpful advice from this forum over the past couple of weeks regarding my 400L planted tank and have made progress but still could do with a bit more help
I have taken on board the advice to prune away all the dead leaves of my Echinodorus Bleheri plants, increase Co2 injection and illumination and use dry ferts for all the plants in the tank. The result is a definite improvement and the Echinodorus Bleheri are looking better and pearl for a good part of the day but they are still not right. They are greener looking and there does not appear to be the brown blotches anymore however the veins of the plant leaves look more prominent and I don't think this is normal
Also I have noticed that all (16 plants) of my young crypt plants are looking a bit off colour with a few leaves on each plant going very green at the tips then disintegrating.
Here are the details of my 400L setup:
Lighting: 6 x 54watt T5’s, on 12 hours off 12 hours
Co2: 2.5 x bubbles per sec to achieve around 30ppm Co2 saturation. Co2 on two hours before lights on and off two hours before lights out.
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 50
Ammonia: 0
GH: 10
KH: 7
Phosphate: 0.25
Temp: 26.5
PH: Fluctuates between 6.70 to 7.20 depending if Co2 is on. I use a PH controller to monitor
Water: 50% change per week using de-chlorinated tap water
Filters: 2 x TetraTec 1200’s & 1 x 600L per hour power head
Clean water from the two filters is returned to the tank via 2 x spray bars which together cover the length of the tank. This combined with the Power head provides enough movement to make all the plants gently sway. Both filters include a carbon layer.
Substrate: Caribsea Ecco Complete to a depth of around 3†with a fine gravel layer on top.
Ferts: Aqua Essentials 'Trace Mix Plus - 20ml 3 x times per week (20g mixed into 500ml RO water for easy dispensing)
James Planted Tank EI Macro Mix - 35ml 3 x times per week (33g Potassium Nitrate + 7.2g Potassium Phosphate mixed into 250ml Water for easy dispensing)
I think that’s about it and as usual all help and advice is very much appreciated.
I have taken on board the advice to prune away all the dead leaves of my Echinodorus Bleheri plants, increase Co2 injection and illumination and use dry ferts for all the plants in the tank. The result is a definite improvement and the Echinodorus Bleheri are looking better and pearl for a good part of the day but they are still not right. They are greener looking and there does not appear to be the brown blotches anymore however the veins of the plant leaves look more prominent and I don't think this is normal
Also I have noticed that all (16 plants) of my young crypt plants are looking a bit off colour with a few leaves on each plant going very green at the tips then disintegrating.
Here are the details of my 400L setup:
Lighting: 6 x 54watt T5’s, on 12 hours off 12 hours
Co2: 2.5 x bubbles per sec to achieve around 30ppm Co2 saturation. Co2 on two hours before lights on and off two hours before lights out.
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 50
Ammonia: 0
GH: 10
KH: 7
Phosphate: 0.25
Temp: 26.5
PH: Fluctuates between 6.70 to 7.20 depending if Co2 is on. I use a PH controller to monitor
Water: 50% change per week using de-chlorinated tap water
Filters: 2 x TetraTec 1200’s & 1 x 600L per hour power head
Clean water from the two filters is returned to the tank via 2 x spray bars which together cover the length of the tank. This combined with the Power head provides enough movement to make all the plants gently sway. Both filters include a carbon layer.
Substrate: Caribsea Ecco Complete to a depth of around 3†with a fine gravel layer on top.
Ferts: Aqua Essentials 'Trace Mix Plus - 20ml 3 x times per week (20g mixed into 500ml RO water for easy dispensing)
James Planted Tank EI Macro Mix - 35ml 3 x times per week (33g Potassium Nitrate + 7.2g Potassium Phosphate mixed into 250ml Water for easy dispensing)
I think that’s about it and as usual all help and advice is very much appreciated.