Have tried to follow Tom Barr’s generous recommendations. I now plan to start macro nutrient fertilization. I’ve bought KNO3, KH2PO4, K2SO4. I’ve seen Chuck Gadd’s calculator and Tom’s Estimative Index, but I’m hesitant to start adding these new chemicals to my tank.
My hesitancy derives from a combination of low chemistry confidence and having 10 beautiful F4 Altum Scalare in my tank (+ Corys, Otos, Amanos and one Ancistrus). The Altums are 5 months old, eating well and should outgrow the tank in the not-too-distant future. Apart from not wanting to do anything that might jeapordize these fish, I have no idea of the fertilizer impact of the considerable amount of food they are consuming, which is mainly frozen artemia and Tetra discus bits plus occasional live earthworms. I have not noticed any difference in plant growth in the one month I have had the Altums.
They are in a 250 liter (66 US gall.) planted tank with pressured CO2, open top with one 150 watt MH light 20 cm above surface. CO2 goes through an AM 1000 reactor in line following a Eheim 2028 filter and a UV filter. KH from tap is 0, increased to 3-4 with Sodium Bicarbonate. Temp is 26.5 C, pH is 6.5-6.7. I have tested for nitrates, which seem close to zero, although the result is ambiguous with my Tetra test kit. Our tap water is reported as containing 15-20 µg/l of Fe, 50-70 µg/l of Manganese and 4 mg/l of Ca. Not sure of the significance of these. Have been dosing TMG intermittently, about 5ml every 2 days sometimes less. Change 20-25% water weekly. Substrate is 5-6 cm of 2-3 mm gravel on top of mixture of peat, mulm, a little garden soil and laterite (there’s no Flourite here in Norway).
Tank has been running 5 months, mix of stem plants and swords, some floating wisteria to compete with algae. Plant growth is clearly better than in my smaller non-CO2 planted tanks but not spectacular (and certainly not up to the standards of some of the tank photos I see here), pearling only when I lower the lights closer to the water. My plants tend to become ‘leggy’ or ‘stringy’ even when fast growing, especially in the top half of the tank. The taller plants also tend to become covered with green algae as they approach the surface. Also some small tufts of dark algae on the substrate and wood, and some green string algae on the dwarf swords. Overall algae quantity is not unsightly but could be better. Most pleased with deep red Ludwigia repens, E. tennelus lawn (kind of), emergent E. cordifolius 'Tropica Marble Queen' and an Aponogeton ulvaceus that has woken from dormancy to produce successive emergent flowers. Had some nice Rotala Macrandra but that has become long and thin while still red. Had some anubias but they became covered in green algae so I removed them. Now looking for thicker, better quality, more vibrant plant growth, and ideally less algae.
Would appreciate any suggestions.
My hesitancy derives from a combination of low chemistry confidence and having 10 beautiful F4 Altum Scalare in my tank (+ Corys, Otos, Amanos and one Ancistrus). The Altums are 5 months old, eating well and should outgrow the tank in the not-too-distant future. Apart from not wanting to do anything that might jeapordize these fish, I have no idea of the fertilizer impact of the considerable amount of food they are consuming, which is mainly frozen artemia and Tetra discus bits plus occasional live earthworms. I have not noticed any difference in plant growth in the one month I have had the Altums.
They are in a 250 liter (66 US gall.) planted tank with pressured CO2, open top with one 150 watt MH light 20 cm above surface. CO2 goes through an AM 1000 reactor in line following a Eheim 2028 filter and a UV filter. KH from tap is 0, increased to 3-4 with Sodium Bicarbonate. Temp is 26.5 C, pH is 6.5-6.7. I have tested for nitrates, which seem close to zero, although the result is ambiguous with my Tetra test kit. Our tap water is reported as containing 15-20 µg/l of Fe, 50-70 µg/l of Manganese and 4 mg/l of Ca. Not sure of the significance of these. Have been dosing TMG intermittently, about 5ml every 2 days sometimes less. Change 20-25% water weekly. Substrate is 5-6 cm of 2-3 mm gravel on top of mixture of peat, mulm, a little garden soil and laterite (there’s no Flourite here in Norway).
Tank has been running 5 months, mix of stem plants and swords, some floating wisteria to compete with algae. Plant growth is clearly better than in my smaller non-CO2 planted tanks but not spectacular (and certainly not up to the standards of some of the tank photos I see here), pearling only when I lower the lights closer to the water. My plants tend to become ‘leggy’ or ‘stringy’ even when fast growing, especially in the top half of the tank. The taller plants also tend to become covered with green algae as they approach the surface. Also some small tufts of dark algae on the substrate and wood, and some green string algae on the dwarf swords. Overall algae quantity is not unsightly but could be better. Most pleased with deep red Ludwigia repens, E. tennelus lawn (kind of), emergent E. cordifolius 'Tropica Marble Queen' and an Aponogeton ulvaceus that has woken from dormancy to produce successive emergent flowers. Had some nice Rotala Macrandra but that has become long and thin while still red. Had some anubias but they became covered in green algae so I removed them. Now looking for thicker, better quality, more vibrant plant growth, and ideally less algae.
Would appreciate any suggestions.
