Fert update
So, I have been using
@Happi's
Solufeed combo since January when I set up my tank and I thought I'd report back three months on. Overall, it seems to be working pretty well for me and the vast majority of my plants are looking pretty healthy and are growing well. I have been using salvinia, but it was almost doubling weekly (or thereabouts) and I'm getting bored of netting it out and it clogging up the skimmer, so I'm trying to get it all now. I think I still have a few minor deficiencies, mainly noticeable in the anubias - it is growing well, but the leaves look kinda pale, unless that is just what new leaves look like. I have also noticed that the nymphaea leaves were tending to rot off at the stem, although this seems to have improved somewhat. My lace plant is growing, albeit very slowly - I removed the leaves it came with as they looked battered, but the new ones are taking their time. The swords are growing a little too well (one is flowering), as is the Sagittaria natans - I have to pull this out in clumps as it is trying to take over! The Lysimachia has done nothing, though. It is sat at the back behind the bogwood and has barely grown at all - probably a lack of flow issue or lower light, or both.
My mix is as follows and totals a 500ml solution:
31.54g Solufeed 2:1:4
5.72g Solufeed Sodium Free TEC
3.81g Fe DTPA
10ml white vinegar
I must admit, I do get a bit lost in all the maths, but I am dosing 10ml daily - I think this puts me at EI dosing levels. Right? I dose first thing in the morning, several hours before lights-up. I know it's not ideal, but I have no other option due to my work.
I do a 50% water change weekly.
My stocking levels are probably towards the higher end. Since my last update, I have added twelve Rummynose tetra and four Bronze Corydorus.
I do have a small amount of algae - some green spot (I assume) on the leaves of some plants, and a tiny amount of filamentous algae on the tip of one or two sag strands.
Some photos below to try and show some close ups of the plants from the top. I'll be trimming up a few things tomorrow, so excuse the long stems!
Happy to receive any feedback re the fert regime, although I am content to keep going with it at the moment, though.
The only other point to note is that I get small crystalline pieces in he solution that seem to float around. Doesn't bother me, assuming it is not a product of some reaction that changes what I'm putting in.
In other news:
I had to dispatch a Cardinal with dropsy today, been getting steadily worse so saw no other option.
I have also lost a Nerite snail, which I think was feeding off some decaying leaf attached to the inlet and they got sucked in and lost his foot. There were actually two stuck in it when I found them, but one has seemingly made a recovery (although I am certain they lost part of themselves. The other one hasn't moved for days, but has like a hard door to the hole in his shell. I assume there is no way he is taking time to recover? He was well and truly wedge and looked dead when I removed him. I have also cleared some space in front of the inlet now to hopefully avoid further issues.
Lastly, a black neon leaped to his death last week. So, not a good week for me fish/critter-wise, but a bit of learning here and there.
Cheers
Mark