# Planted tank help



## William broadley (9 Feb 2020)

Hi all,
great website, fantastic to be able to ask questions and get responses from like minded people, with real experience. Im now 4 months into my first planted aquarium and have got to the point were I need guidance to get the results I really want. I'm willing to put the effort in but just seems to get the same results.
Struggling with algea and deficiencies in plant mass.
Please see attached images of my tank.
Thanks in advance,

Set up is as followed,

Juwel lido 200l
Built in LED light 2x 14w multiflux unit ( lights on for 7hrs reduced from 8)
Internal 600 I/h filter
External 307 fluval canister filter
Ehiem 350 surface skimmer
Koralia circulation pump 900l/h

Substrate is 4 cm of tetra complete substrate and topped off with tetra gravel and 4cm.

Tank temperature is 24c
pH is 7.6 - 7.9
KH is 6 / GH 10 using conditioned and de- gassed tap water, WC currently is 40% every Sunday. ( degrassed in 25l containers for 24hrs with air pump) ph of tap water increases from 7.2 - 7.8

Tank water quality 
API test indicate nitrate of 40 - 60
Phosphate 0.5 /1.0 hard to tell
Dosing tnc complete at recommended dose after water change, plus half dose of aqua one iron supplement.
Neo plants root tabs ( Aquario)
Not dosing any alternative CO2


Fish stock is;
8 neon tetra
6 Amono shrimp
2 bamboo shrimp
2 nitrite snails - had 6 but laying so many eggs
2 Malaysia algea eaters
5 cory catfish
6 rosy tetra
All above seem happy and in good condition.


----------



## Siege (9 Feb 2020)

A few thoughts/questions.

- looks like mainly too higher light compared to lack of co2. When not using co2 you need to find the balance.

- more plants will always help, especially floating  plants.

- lose the power head, you don’t need it.

- would be worth going to aquarium gardens, only half an hour from you (not an advert, just doesn’t make sense not to!). I assume you picked your root tabs up there.

- your gh will be about 18, KH 12, ph 8.2 out of the tap. Don’t worry about testing.

S.


----------



## William broadley (9 Feb 2020)

Thanks for the replay siege. Aquarium gardens is the place I get all my plants and supplies from. I will remove my power head, only added because I believe I needed more flow at the back of my tank. I did try floating plants but they get push around the tank due to flow from outlets. Do you think that my lights are too powerful, they seem weak. I have read that maybe to two smaller light periods instead of one might be better. 
Thanks 
Will


----------



## William broadley (9 Feb 2020)

What kind of floating plants would you recommend and should I decrease outlet flow. The skimmer will not be needed if floating plants are used? Would this help with co2 displacement


----------



## William broadley (9 Feb 2020)

Should I remove some of the slow growing plants and replace with fast stem plants. 
If so I would appreciate any suggestions. Thank


----------



## dw1305 (10 Feb 2020)

Hi all,





William broadley said:


> Should I remove some of the slow growing plants and replace with fast stem plants.





Siege said:


> more plants will always help, especially floating plants.


No, don't remove any of the plants, you <"need more plants"> as @Siege says. 





William broadley said:


> What kind of floating plants would you recommend


<"Any floating plant"> is really useful, because it isn't CO2 limited and can give you an <"indication of nutrient level">. I called this method, of using a floating "canary", the <"Duckweed Index"> and my "Duckweed" of choice is Amazon Frogbit (_Limnobium laevigatum_).

I use _Ceratophyllum demersum_  (Hornwort or Foxtail) a lot as my "stem" plant, <"it is a sub-surface floater">. 





William broadley said:


> aqua one iron supplement


I'm not familiar with this one. Because of where you live you may need an iron source that is <"more suitable for hard water">.

Click on the linked threads for some pictures and more information.

cheers Darrel


----------



## William broadley (10 Feb 2020)

Thanks for all the replies. 
Went to aquarium gardens today and decided that I will struggle to achieve what I want from my current setup, if I add the floating plants and others plants mentioned it will definitely help, which the shop workers agreed with, but then it changes what i first started out to achieve. So with their help I will move over to injected co2 and change some of the plants while adding more plants.

I will keep you updated but not sure where to post it.
Thanks.


----------

