[CrownMan]

This may be not be the norm with Amazonia, but I have setup 2 new tanks with it over the past 7 weeks and have not had any ammonia spikes but have had a high Nitrite spike in both tanks. One tank is 7 weeks old and the other tank is 1 week old tomorrow. I planted both tanks heavily at the start, they both have CO2, high light and I dose EI. So far, no algae. The Nitrite spike lasted a little over 2 weeks in the 7 week old tank and I did 3 water changes a week for the first 2 weeks. The 1 week old tank is not going to get but 1 water change a week and I will see if that affects how long the Nitrite spike lasts.

Anyway, this has been my experience with 2 tanks. YMMV. BTW, I used 2 different ammonia detection tests on each tank, the Seachem Ammonia Alert and Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Ammonia test kit. Nitrite testing was also with 2 different test kits.

 

[CrownMan]

Looking good. Sounds like you have a good plan for the cloudiness. Frequent water changes are the norm for about 2 weeks. I think you said you are getting in some Rotala Rotundafolia. That will be a good addition. They are fast growers. If you need a few more, let me know.

 

[CrownMan]

Looking good. Yea, the purple cabomba is one of my favorites (behind Ludwigia Cuba), however, as a UT at Arlington kinda guy, "MAROON" should not be a word in your vocabulary. You will also find that the tall Hygrophila will get a nice "burnt orange" color as it grows closer to the light. If everything grows well and ammonia/nitrites become normal, foreground plants will be a nice addition to fill up the front. With the high tank height and medium width you have, you can get away with some taller foreground plants, such as the chain swords, smaller crypts, etc.

Keep the updates coming.

Welcome to the wonderful world of aquatic gardening.

Mike

 

[CrownMan]

HC is such a difficult plant to grow well. I like the chain swords such as E. Tennulus or dwarf hairgrass to start out with. If they grow well and you don't like them, they are easy to remove, sell or trade and try with a different one. If your light is on the low to medium side, a clover or dwarf crypt might work well.

During this early period though, I recommed you use a lot of fast growers for the first few weeks to help get the water parameters to a normal state. If you are heavily planted, lights could be on for about 7 - 8 hours a day. The cabomba will give you a hint when the lights have been on enough for it -- it will fold up its top. Stay on the alert for algae.

Good Luck,

Mike

 

[CrownMan]

I K2SO4 is the chemical to dose Potassium that Niko is talking about adding. KNO3 is what we dose for Nitrates, it also has a little potassium in it. KH2PO4 is mainly phosphorous with potassium but is dosed so little that the potassium doesn't really count.

Since you're not getting Potassium from the other 2 macros, dose the K2SO4 at 1/2 tsp 2 to 3 times a week for your 40Gallon tank. Niko chime in if this is too much or not enough.

Another option I use is to dose Seachem Equilibrium which doses lots of Potassium with Calcium, Magnesium and some Iron. I do this in all my tanks due to Arlington water having very little magnesium. Calcium is needed for my snails and like Niko says, it is hard to overdose Potassium.

It would be wise to get a concesus on this though. Niko knows more about your lights and soil issues than I do.

 

[CrownMan]

You might want to consider keeping a bottle of Seachem's Excel around in case you have a glitch with the DIY CO2. It is an alternate Carbon source that some people, myself included, use as their only source of Carbon in a tank. The Purple Cabomba you have was grown in an Excel only tank.

The only recommendation I can make on getting the color back is to add Iron and traces. I dose daily in all of my Carbon supplemented (Excel and CO2) tanks with Seachem's Iron and Seachem's Flourish Comprehensive. Even the new Aquasoil tanks. I dose approximately 1ml per gallon on the Excel tanks and 2ml per gallon daily on the CO2 tanks.

YMMV.

 

[CrownMan]

It was either Blyxa Japonica or Echinodorus Bolivianus. You will be able to tell if there is a daughter plant that can grow off a runner. In that case it will be Echinodorus B. cause it is a chain sword. The Blyxa J. propogates by growing another stem off of the main stem.

Good idea checking with Niko.

Good Luck and keep posting pics.

 

[CrownMan]

Bacopa Carolinia. It is used as a spice in the orient. It has a minty smell to it when freshly cut. As it gets near the light it will produce some red coloring in the top leaves. The chain sword grows low for me in my non co2 tanks but will grow about 6 to 8" tall with heavy co2 and ferts. There is some debate on the name but I call it Echinodorus "Cheryl Rogers" because I got it from her at a plant club meeting about 18 months ago. I think I gave you some mermaid weed also and that may be one of the other plants you are asking about. Proserpernica Palustris I believe is the latin name.

 

[CrownMan]

Looks like it could be Ludwigia Repens.

 

[CrownMan]

I have a spot for it next to my variegated wisteria in the new 20long. Hopefully I can grow it ok.

How are the cherries doing? They might hide until they get totally acclimated. When you do the next water change, the males will start swimming all around the tank.

Thanks

 

[CrownMan]

Nice Tank. Plants look great. Are they perling yet?

I have a few more Rotala Vietnam and Blyxa if you need them.

Mike

 

[CrownMan]

The L. Pantanal is looking great. I like the way it looks from the top. Keep up the good work.

 

[CrownMan]

Tank is looking great. The belem looks very healthy and the new light ought to help keep it that way.