# New Tank Tropica Dosing Advice



## paranoidandroid (18 Nov 2020)

I have recently started a new tank (new to the hobby) and I am experiencing some doubts concerning the adequate dosage of fertilizers.
Tank:
- 250L
- Medium Planted (some stems and some slow growing)
- Filter: Oase Biomaster 600 thermo
- CO2 injection

I started the tank 8 weeks ago with a Chihiros RGB90. I started dosing Tropica Premium after week 3, 2ml/day (equivalent to half the recommended dosage). After week 5 I started dosing 4 ml/day (the recommended dosage).
Meanwhile I decided to upgrade the light to a Twinstar 900SA. I was already starting to have some green spot algae on the anubias and on the driftwood and since the light upgrade this became worse.
Having read that GSA is many times related to deficiencies in Phosphates, I tested and in fact I read 0 ppm. One week ago I started dosing Tropica Specialised 8 ml/day but I haven't noticed any changes so far, GSA is still growing in the driftwood and I keep scraping it. My photoperiod is 6 hours at 100% + 1 hour ramp up + 1 hour ramp down.

Do you think I should increase the Tropica Specialised dosing even more?

Thanks in advance.


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## Wolf6 (18 Nov 2020)

I'd lower intensity somewhat first, if you are getting it on the wood so badly. I'm no expert by far but whenever I get bad algae I dial down light duration or intensity. Seeing your duration is fine, I'd dial down max intensity to 60-70% and see if that helps.


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## Zeus. (18 Nov 2020)

Hi and welcome to the forum,

As Wolf pointed out it could be due to your increased light intensity, I would have it at 50% until algae resolved, then slow step 10% increases every 4-6 weeks.





Whilst you may be dosing the recommended levels for you fert, TPN has no N or P which may be the root cause of the algae issue, Plus compared the EI dosing is a bit on the weak side (overpriced water IMO) with a 250l tank going down the DIY fert route will save you lots, Im sure you should be able to pick up salts in Portugal with a bit of a search.


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## paranoidandroid (18 Nov 2020)

Thank you both for you quick replies and suggestions!
Regarding the fertilizer, I started with the Tropica Premium but then I changed to the Specialised, to include Nitrates and Phosphates.
I will reduce the light as suggested and increase it gradually once the algae issue is solved.


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## paranoidandroid (18 Nov 2020)

I'm attaching a photo of the type of algae I am getting. It is really hard do scrub off.


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## Zeus. (18 Nov 2020)

paranoidandroid said:


> I'm attaching a photo of the type of algae I am getting. It is really hard do scrub off.


If your using TSN then its more likely to be the light, increasing the fert dosing above what it recommends will do no harm as long as your doing 50% WCs (except the cost), trouble with LED is they can be so powerful but look great.
Do you have an active clean-up crew working at present eg shrimps/snails?


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## paranoidandroid (18 Nov 2020)

Zeus. said:


> If your using TSN then its more likely to be the light, increasing the fert dosing above what it recommends will do no harm as long as your doing 50% WCs (except the cost), trouble with LED is they can be so powerful but look great.
> Do you have an active clean-up crew working at present eg shrimps/snails?



After all the reading on the subject I am inclined that the long-term solution is to increase the TSN dosage in order to be able to use the Twinstar 900SA at 100% (I am currently reading 5 ppm Nitrates and 0.05 Phosphates with a 8ml/day dosage). It is not clear to me to what level of ml/day should I dose.
I am doing 50% weekly WCs. I do have a cleanup crew composed of shrimps, otos and SAE. However non of them is interested in the GSA


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## dw1305 (18 Nov 2020)

Hi all,


paranoidandroid said:


> I'm attaching a photo of the type of algae I am getting.


I'm not trying to be funny, but it just looks lovely and natural, think of it as the <"highly beneficial periphyton">.

Green algae are problematic to get rid of, because they have the same <"photosynthetic pigments and photosystems"> as all the higher plants. Which means if conditions (light + nutrients) are suitable for your plants, <"then green algae will grow on exposed surfaces"> as well.


paranoidandroid said:


> I do have a cleanup crew composed of shrimps, otos and SAE


<"Snails"> will clean it up.

cheers Darrel


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## paranoidandroid (18 Nov 2020)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I'm not trying to be funny, but it just looks lovely and natural, think of it as the <"highly beneficial periphyton">.
> 
> ...


I understand your point. In fact, in the driftwood it looks natural. However I have two concerns: 1) that it continuous to expand to less controllable and less natural degree; and 2) the plant growth, namely the anubias and the alternanthera reineckii mini.

What type of snails do you recommend? I read that nerite snails eat it by they are not very effective at it.

Thanks again for your support.


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## Wolf6 (18 Nov 2020)

paranoidandroid said:


> What type of snails do you recommend? I read that nerite snails eat it by they are not very effective at it.


Not to mention nerites leave eggs all over the hardscape, which is even worse then algae if you ask me. Before restarting my tank I had to scrape all the disgusting and old yellow eggs off all my hardscape, took me hours. Every little nook, dimple or cranny had these hideous eggs


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## Zeus. (18 Nov 2020)

When you plants fill in it will clear also, If you able to take bogwood out and poor boiling water over it it will kill the algae and clean up crew will sort it out, or soak in cheap bleach good rise and prime in bucket. Nerite snails leave eggs all over the place for some time so can be a PITA, some folk hate snails but I have Ramshorn and MTS in my tanks (plus pest snails) and apart from them jamming the ehiem skim up when its been off for 10mins to allow the shrimp the escape the skim, I find them both great at helping clean the tank.


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## dw1305 (18 Nov 2020)

Hi all, 


paranoidandroid said:


> I read that nerite snails eat it by they are not very effective at it.


I haven't kept Nerites, because I have soft water.


Zeus. said:


> I have Ramshorn and MTS in my tanks (plus pest snails) and apart from them jamming the ehiem skim up when its been off for 10mins to allow the shrimp the escape the skim, I find them both great at helping clean the tank.


Same for me <"Red Ramshorn (_Planorbella duryi_)">, Malaysian Trumpet (_Melanoides tuberculata_) and Tadpole Snails (_Physella acuta_). I also have a couple of crustaceans _Asellus aquaticus_ and <"_Crangonyx pseudogracilis">._

cheers Darrel


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## Wolf6 (18 Nov 2020)

Zeus. said:


> When you plants fill in it will clear also, If you able to take bogwood out and poor boiling water over it it will kill the algae and clean up crew will sort it out, or soak in cheap bleach good rise and prime in bucket. Nerite snails leave eggs all over the place for some time so can be a PITA, some folk hate snails but I have Ramshorn and MTS in my tanks (plus pest snails) and apart from them jamming the ehiem skim up when its been off for 10mins to allow the shrimp the escape the skim, I find them both great at helping clean the tank.


The eheim skimmers have a shrimp and snail ring (EHEIM SKIM 350 FLOAT INSERT), dont know how well it works, but just a heads up that its there


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## Zeus. (18 Nov 2020)

Wolf6 said:


> The eheim skimmers have a shrimp and snail ring (EHEIM SKIM 350 FLOAT INSERT), dont know how well it works, but just a heads up that its there


I have used various devices from home made to mesh from Aquarium Gardens, both work well but are counter productive in some ways, as in stopping snails and shrimp they also stop small leaves getting in which then blocks the skimmer up as well, I find having the skimmer on 90mins then off 10mins from lights off till CO2 on allows shrimp to escape and the snails and shrimp eat the decaying leaves in the shim and weekly cleans of the skimmer is normally enough, obviously after a carpet trim skim needs more frequent cleaning


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## Jayefc1 (18 Nov 2020)

Hi @paranoidandroid I agree with all the advice above and just wanted to say I agree most with the 100% lighting and I think for a new tank the light period is too long if I'm reading correctly 6hr full power and 2 hrs ramp up and down  lose the extra 2 hrs do half hrs ramp up 5hrs light half hour ramp down the extra light is just feeding the GSA and the plants have already done there photosynthesis so the Algee is just taking advantage 
Just my opinion 
Good luck


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## paranoidandroid (18 Nov 2020)

Jayefc1 said:


> Hi @paranoidandroid I agree with all the advice above and just wanted to say I agree most with the 100% lighting and I think for a new tank the light period is too long if I'm reading correctly 6hr full power and 2 hrs ramp up and down  lose the extra 2 hrs do half hrs ramp up 5hrs light half hour ramp down the extra light is just feeding the GSA and the plants have already done there photosynthesis so the Algee is just taking advantage
> Just my opinion
> Good luck



Thanks for you advice. What about the 5 hrs, should I keep 100%? And afterwards, after how many weeks can I increase the light period (I was aiming at a total of 8 hrs)?


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## Zeus. (18 Nov 2020)

paranoidandroid said:


> What about the 5 hrs, should I keep 100%


50% max, check your [CO2] by doing a pH profile 'if' algae settles/reduces in 4-6 weeks increase 10% max wait further 4-6weeks. Checking you have good flow might help also, filter stuff with filter media can often be a cause of reduced flow esp if using filter floss and/or fine media which quickly blocks- I use course and medium sponges only with a little ceramic in the filter trays, filter trays stuff with ceramic media really reduce filter output.


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## Jayefc1 (18 Nov 2020)

Again I would have to agree with @Zeus. Start at 50% work up in either 5% every two weeks or 10% every four weeks when the tank is mature and the balance has been found between co2 ferts and light the plants will out grow algee almost every time its all about patience and again as zeus says check your flow when you have good growth and your plants are all healthy your co2 dialed in and the ferts are right you can then start to increase the photo period


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## Nico Felici (24 Nov 2020)

In addition to what's been suggested, if that's an option for you I'd consider adding a couple of fast growing plants for the time being. At two months old you're still not 100% mature and stable so they could only do well.


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## paranoidandroid (25 Nov 2020)

Thanks. I do have some Rotala Rotundifolias and some Ludgwigia Repens. Both are doing quite well.
As suggested, I have reduced de light intensity last week and I can already see the results. I scraped most of the green spot algae last Friday and I see no significant growth since then.

I will wait one more week and then slightly increase the light intensity.


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## Zeus. (25 Nov 2020)

paranoidandroid said:


> I will wait one more week and then slightly increase the light intensity.



Patience my Padawan


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