[Wet Thumb Forum]-Planted Tank Chemistries

[Sockfish]

Fig here,

Ok, the nanocube has been running with a danio in it and co2 bubbling out of my Hagen c02thingey. The danio is surviving. The plant pak from Robert here is due to arrive next week. The water is clear and the driftwood remains glued to the rock. All systems are go.

So. Could someone tell me or guide me to a list of what the ideal chems should be for plants? Other Nano-Lurkers want to know as well, true identities remaining hidden as they glide through the cyber underworld....there are more of us than I ever dreamed.

Heh heh heh...But seriously, folks--what are the specs to shoot for?

I await tutorment. Fig

[Sockfish]

Fig here,

Ok, the nanocube has been running with a danio in it and co2 bubbling out of my Hagen c02thingey. The danio is surviving. The plant pak from Robert here is due to arrive next week. The water is clear and the driftwood remains glued to the rock. All systems are go.

So. Could someone tell me or guide me to a list of what the ideal chems should be for plants? Other Nano-Lurkers want to know as well, true identities remaining hidden as they glide through the cyber underworld....there are more of us than I ever dreamed.

Heh heh heh...But seriously, folks--what are the specs to shoot for?

I await tutorment. Fig

[Margolis]

are you asking for chemicals or ferts? In my opinion, chemicals shoud NEVER be used in any aquarium.

[mudboy]

i agree. the only thing that goes in my tanks beside chlorine remover and ferts is a little baking soda and salt for the cichlids. when i first got into aquariums when i was a kid, i used to use stuff like pH down, but looking back, i'm sure my water parameters were like a rollercoaster ride for the fish. your fish are better off with a steady "wrong" pH than constant fluctuations.

[Sockfish]

Nope. I'm asking what the chems shoud be as in readings for GH, KH, Nitrate, Nitrite, ph. That kind of chemistries!

OK, again please? Thanks! Figz

[AquaLung]

Hi Fig. That's a very broad question, and a forum post can't do it justice.

Don't worry about GH for now.

Nitrites are really bad, they should be zero, but if you've got just one Danio and a bunch of plants, your Nitrites are probably zero.

Here's one suggestion: measure your tap water's pH and KH and then your tank's pH and KH, and you will know how well your Hagen thingy is working. Good luck!

[Hawkeye]

Its hard to say what is a the set levels. Every tank may very depending on plants, light, and CO2 levels.

NO3 5 - 10ppm, PO4 .2 - .5, K 10 - 20

Here are some good rederance sites

Chuck's Planted Aquarium Pages
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/articles.htm

Rex's Planted Tank Guide
http://www.rexgrigg.com/pg1.htm

Hawk

[KevinSC]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Margolis:
are you asking for chemicals or ferts? In my opinion, chemicals shoud NEVER be used in any aquarium. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

OK, let me add: Ferts are just a subset of Chemicals! I add the following chemicals to my tank every week: Trace mix, epsom salt, baking soda, potassium nitrate, potassium hydrogen phosphate, and dechlorinator. Without these chemicals my plants and fish would die! Definitely check the links suggested in the last post - they are very helpful. In reality, anyone who knows what they are doing with a planted aquarium can say they are an amateur chemist!

Kevin

[imported_carpguy]

Don't forget dihydrogen monoxide.

I wouldn't run a tank without it.