# 50% Water Changes



## Cyworld (1 Apr 2009)

Hey guys.  
Just a simple question.
I change my tank water 25% on wednesday or thursday and another 25% on saturday. But I only dose ferts on saturday.
If I do water changes like this would this basically be the same thing as doing a 50% every saturday?

Thanks in advance.


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## LondonDragon (1 Apr 2009)

Cyworld said:
			
		

> Hey guys.
> Just a simple question.
> I change my tank water 25% on wednesday or thursday and another 25% on saturday. But I only dose ferts on saturday.
> If I do water changes like this would this basically be the same thing as doing a 50% every saturday?
> Thanks in advance.



You would be better off dosing after every water change, what you doing is not going to help the tank a great deal during the week, specially when you taking some stuff out and not putting anything back in 
After every water change dose your ferts, that would make for a much healthier tank


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## Cyworld (1 Apr 2009)

Cool, Thanks London Dragon.  
I'm not sure if I am dosing things quite correctly though.
I dose 2 pumps of ADA green brighty step 2, 2 pumps of green brighty special lights, and 5 ml of tropica plant nutrition+. Would it be ok if I dosed like this every 25% water change 2 times per week?
The tank is around 43 gallons. I'll be sure to get a accurate measure when I have time.
My plants don't show any sort or nutrition defiencies, but there is quite a lot of staghorn algae growing on the glossos.
BTW, the plants in the tank are glossos, 3 fist sized blyxas, some moss on bogwood and some sort of ludwigia.
I'll try to post pictures.

Once again, THank you so much in advance.


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## LondonDragon (1 Apr 2009)

So thats about 180 liter tank, what kind of lighting do you have? pressurized CO2?
I have never used ADA ferts so I wouldn't know their dosages, but TPN+ is an all in one solution that has almost everything you need. Dosing 5ml once a week does seem very low, thats more like a daily dose amount and for your tank size even then would seem on the low side, how long have you had this tank up and running?


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## Cyworld (2 Apr 2009)

Yes, there is co2 injection in the tank. The lighting is 55x2. 
The tank has been running for about,,,,,uhhh,,around 4-5 months.
Wow, TPN+ 5ml per day seems quite a lot. Compared to what I usually dose (5ml per week).
Maybe, I should start dosing 5ml every other day and then start dosing everyday. Cuz it feels like a big jump.


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## LondonDragon (2 Apr 2009)

Do you use a drop checker to measure CO2 levels?

110w is a lot of light specially if you injecting CO2 too, algae will be the result if the plants don't get enough ferts.
Also flow in the tank is important.


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## Cyworld (2 Apr 2009)

No, I do not use a drop checker.
I'm pretty sure I have enough surface agitation because I use a spray bar that is almost as the tank width.
I'm not sure about the flow in the tank, but its strong enough to bend the blyxa leaves.
Algae will appear when the plants do not get enough ferts?
BTW, can you give me some tips on how to prune blyxas?
I tried cutting the leaves about an inch from where they start out but its been like 2 weeks and they dont seem to grow back.


Thanks in ADvance.


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## steve2tanks (2 Apr 2009)

Cyworld said:
			
		

> BTW, can you give me some tips on how to prune blyxas?
> I tried cutting the leaves about an inch from where they start out but its been like 2 weeks and they dont seem to grow back.
> 
> 
> Thanks in ADvance.



For my blyxa i just left it to grow for a while then it starts send off new shoots sort of like a V shape all i do is cut one side off then replant that,its just like trimming a stem plant really.Hope that helps


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## Nelson (2 Apr 2009)

Cyworld said:
			
		

> No, I do not use a drop checker.
> I'm pretty sure I have enough surface agitation because I use a spray bar that is almost as the tank width.
> I'm not sure about the flow in the tank, but its strong enough to bend the blyxa leaves.
> Algae will appear when the plants do not get enough ferts?
> ...


hi,
are you cutting the leaves or the stems :?: 
neil


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## Cyworld (3 Apr 2009)

I just cut some of the leaves.
should i just cut them near where they start out?


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## steve2tanks (3 Apr 2009)

I just cut them when they send out new stems,cut the actual stem part and replant it


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## Cyworld (3 Apr 2009)

Ok, cool.
Thank you for all the advices.


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