My first planted tank

[jvision]

Yeah.. it can be hard to get a tank full of plants right off the hop. The best way is to rely on the generosity of fellow hobbyists. Also, the local club auctions are a good way to get lots of plants for good prices.

[jbot]

your lighting is a little on the weak side, probably low enough that you shouldn't really need CO2. But since you have it you might as well use it! Are you using the paintball canister? What type of reactor are you using (how are you diffusing the CO2 into in the tank water)? In any case, your current fertilizer scheme will not be enough to ensure proper plant growth (with the use of CO2 you're plants will soon deplete the nutrient pool). You need to add macro and trace ferts. Dry ferts are cheap (compared to liquids) and relatively easy to obtain online. I use Greg Watson ferts, but others are available. It looks like you're getting off to a good start, but before you get any further I would take a look at this website for some solid tips on everything you need to know before setting up a planted tank: http://www.rexgrigg.com/ - if you have any questions about (high temperature) planted tanks I'd be happy to help.

Edited August 11, 2008 by jbot

[Linsay]

your lighting is a little on the weak side...

Really? I'm at 2.4 WPG. What do you suggest?

Are you using the paintball canister? What type of reactor are you using (how are you diffusing the CO2 into in the tank water)?

Yes to the paintball canister. The reactor is a part of the Red Sea kit, looks kinda like a power head.

In any case, your current fertilizer scheme will not be enough...

I'm beginning to agree. I'm getting a bit of an algae problem. green and brown (hair algae maybe? - looks like 'old mans beard' lichen or spider webs). I put my son's BN in there just now in hopes he'll help a bit, I'll be taking him out tomorrow morning. I'm not at all concerned about poor water conditions (It's just that I had to undergo some pretty intense negotiations with my 4 year old to get him to let me borrow his BN :tongue: ), I've been testing it every couple of days and I'm still sitting at 0 NO2, 0 NH3, and about 5 NO3, pH 7.1 . I also tested the PO4 and Fe and both were 0. I added some NPK and trace ferts last night. If the pleco doesn't work out I'm going back to the store for some Rosy barbs. Any suggestions experts?

With new plants

[Joseph Elliott]

If you need a good algae eater try ameca splendens they are rather plain looking fish but man can they eat algae. I bought 5 less than a week ago and they started on the black algae first, then moved on to the green and hair algae, now 90% of the soft algae is gone. They don't seem to touch the harder algae on the glass or the plants. Definitely my new favorite fish.

Edited August 13, 2008 by Joseph Elliott

[jbot]

2.4 WPG is on the low side. 2 WPG is a minimum. I have upwards of 4 WPG on some of my tanks. I think you're 2.4WPG is good for starting out, but you will likely be limited with regards to which plants you can grow (esp. low ground covers).

I'm still sitting at 0 NO2, 0 NH3, and about 5 NO3, pH 7.1 . I also tested the PO4 and Fe and both were 0

Well, that's your problem right there! You want your nitrates (NO3) in the 10-20 PPM range, PO4 1-2 PPM range, iron 0.1-1.0 range, and K in the 10-20 PPM range (you can't OD on K, so dose away). Also, most iron kits lie, so be cautious when dosing iron. Get yourself a GOOD macro fertilizer (preferably separate to make for easier and more precise dosing depending on your needs at the time). Do not dose everyday, every other day should be fine. Also, reevaluate how you are diffusing your CO2 into the tank and use this guise to ensure that you are getting enough into the tanK (http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_co2chart.htm).

Once you get the fertilizer (including co2) situation under control your plant growth should improve drastically and you should not have much algae to contend with (seriously)! If you do still have algae, try a few amano shrimp (they're amazing!!!!) and get yourself an algae scrubber to wipe spot algae of the glass (if you have any of that kind). Excel treatments applied directly to the algae will kill the algae, but careful not to OD on the stuff. Algae growth is a sign that your plants are not growing or you are lacking in a specific nutrient so your plants can't outcompete the algae for the remaining resources.

Edited August 13, 2008 by jbot

[byte]

Algae problems are usually a lack of a nutrient or CO2. If you can the balance of ferts., CO2 and light right, the algae will go away as fast as it came. Is your pH dropping by about 1 point with the addition of CO2?

Here is a websites to identify the type of algae...

http://www.aquariumalgae.blogspot.com/

Here is a chart to help tell what you are missing by the type of algae...

http://www.rexgrigg.com/Algae1.html

The fertilizers made for aquarium use are very weak. For my 45 gallon at 5.5 wpg, I would have to be dosing about 65 ml of Seachem Nitrogen a week.It is way cheaper to find a hydroponics store to sell you dry chemicals. For about $30 you can get enough ferts for a year.

Edited August 13, 2008 by byte

[jvision]

Algae are opportunists - when plant growth slows b/c of a nutrient deficiency, algae will grow.

The way I run my tanks is to make light the limiting factor - I overdose NPK, traces and CO2. If I do see algae, I turn up the CO2 a bit more and it goes away. I do also have an algae crew - a BN pleco and a pair of whiptail cats in my 135. I've also used SAE and Amano shrimp quite often.

[jewels]

I second Joseph Elliots motion. Amecas rock! I have had them since March and they keep it spick & span Do not over feed! (they do better lean) . I saw them @ Pisces a few weeks ago; Do yourself a favor and check the Canadian Aquarium Connection, BlaineP has always got tons.

[firestorm]

It looks like hair algae you have there. And many fish just love the stuff, like the rosy barbs should eat some of it. siamese algae eaters are quite good with algae problems too, mine had eaten up all my black beard algae when I got them. You will definitely need to get your nitrates higher than what they are. I supplement my 40 gallon tank with seachem comprehensive ferts every 3 days, and have 2 CO2 bubble ladders and an extra DIY yeast canister on the tank. Never had the need to supplement with any excel. Your husband saw my tank the other day. Right now I have borrowed my T5HO light strip off my 90 gallon tank until I get another T5HO unit to fit the thing. Between the 2 bulbs I have 108 watts of light for my 40 gallon tank which works out to be about 2.7 watts per gallon. It also depends on the type of plants you are keeping as well to how much wattage you need. The 2 plants I gave your husband have done fine with lower wattage lights, but were not the red color they should have been. I have had my temp lighting on my tank for a week now, and I can see a huge difference with the plants, and the red ones are turning really nice and red. I am guessing the biggest reason for algae growth is from lack of nitrates. What are the inhabitants in the tank right now? Maybe you just need more fish to produce more waste to create more nitrates. Hopefully this helps you out.

I have been looking for ameca splendens for some time now, I wonder if pisces still has some

Edited August 19, 2008 by firestorm