# 3 weeks old tank - no nitrites, no nitrates... is it possible???



## craig981 (1 Dec 2014)

Hi, i'm completely new here and i tried to find the answer but maybe i missed it if there was similar post already so please forgive me.

i set up my dream tank after 10 years of not having any. Its roma 240 with standard lights and Eheim Filter.

Fish: 9 small angels to let them pair off, 20 neon tetras, 8 corydoras

Plants (I wanted to keep it simple and low tech, but the tank is planted quite heavily already):
20 vallis spirallis, 20 vallis tortifolia, 20 vallis natans, 3 amazon swords, 3 small echinodorus (i cannot find what it is but i liked it in shop), 20 hygrphila, eleocharis here and there and dwarf pistia 1/3 of water surface.
diy root tabs in planted sections.

Everything looked promising after first week with no fish. All Valls were shooting runners. tortifilia started to shed old leaves but grew new ones in the same time. but then everything kind of stopped. small hair algea appeared on all valls taking all shine of it. i checked nitrites and nitrates every couple of days and the test kit shows 0!!!
Is it possible? Where did i go wrong? Please advise


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## Jose (1 Dec 2014)

The plants consumed their reserves and the nutrients from the water. You need to add liquid ferts. Root tabs are not enough depending on the light.


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## craig981 (1 Dec 2014)

Thank you.
the light was 12h of 80W... nothing grows right now. spirallis and natans new leaves are orange-red and short, tortifolia half shorter as well. what ferts should i go for? something with N or without hoping that fish will generate it?


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## Jose (1 Dec 2014)

Dont rely on fish for ferts. Its not a balanced source. I think they sell a good fert in this forum but im not sure where to find it. Hopefully someone will shime in soon enough. You need a macronutrient fert with N, P and K and a micronutrient fert with iron etc.


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## Jose (1 Dec 2014)

http://www.sudeepmandal.com/hobbies/planted-aquarium/low-tech-planted-tank-guide/


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## craig981 (1 Dec 2014)

thank you. i read the article. it explains a lot


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## Jose (1 Dec 2014)

http://www.aquariumplantfood.co.uk/fertilisers/dry-chemicals/starter-kits/ei-starter-kit.html


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## matt (24 Dec 2014)

For a low tech tank 80w of light is far too high,and 12h a day is far too long.Algae will soon take over your tank.

Cut your lighting by at least half,and no more than 7h a day.

With a good substrate you should not need to add ferts,plenty of low tech guides and journals on here,have a good read


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