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Dosing for a fairly new planted tank

Calli21

New Member
Joined
28 Apr 2021
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5
Location
Preston
Hello everyone,
this is my second attempt at having a planted tank, a few details 90 x 60 x 45 with sump filtration total 280 l jecod 6500 pump plus 2 wave makers. Fluval plant 46w lighting running at 50% I am dosing with liquid carbon 5ml per day and TNC complete 20ml per day and wondering if I am dosing the right amount. It is 7 weeks since planting and although some of the plants are settling in others are melting such as the Bucephalandra which has practically gone. I do seem to have issues with emersed plants. Water parameters ph 6.8 / 7 ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 20 ppm phosphate 0.5 - I find dosing ferts daily is pushing up the nitrate up to 40ppm, so is 20 ml too much? also doing 50% water change weekly. Some diatoms but no algae so far. Any advice gratefully received.
 

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Hi,
Bit of a mixed answer ~ I don't think the nitrate levels at 40ppm in its self will be causing any harm.
Having said that the standard dose of TNC complete would be 28ml per week and like most pre bought fertilisers this would be on the weak side, you're dosing about 5x this dose, which for your non co2 injected tank probably isn't required.

At 84ml a week (3×std dose) tnc complete would provide the following. Which to me would be enough for a liquid carbon only tank.

Screenshot_20210501-071657_Chrome.jpg

The above advice is purely born out of trying to save you a bit of money, if you do reduce the dose, do it gradually and watch the plants for any deficiencies.

If you really want to save some money, especially with a tank that size you might want to consider mixing your own dry ferts.

 
Last edited:
Thanks for your reply John, did think I might be overdoing the ferts. Will have a look at the dry route, thanks for the link.
 
No worries mate.
I think going the DIY route would definitely have benefits, even other than cost. Not sure what the tap water is like in Preston but if its anything like mine in Burnley it will probably be lacking in magnesium, with the diy version you can easily add extra of that into the mix.
 
Hello everyone,
this is my second attempt at having a planted tank, a few details 90 x 60 x 45 with sump filtration total 280 l jecod 6500 pump plus 2 wave makers. Fluval plant 46w lighting running at 50% I am dosing with liquid carbon 5ml per day and TNC complete 20ml per day and wondering if I am dosing the right amount. It is 7 weeks since planting and although some of the plants are settling in others are melting such as the Bucephalandra which has practically gone. I do seem to have issues with emersed plants. Water parameters ph 6.8 / 7 ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 20 ppm phosphate 0.5 - I find dosing ferts daily is pushing up the nitrate up to 40ppm, so is 20 ml too much? also doing 50% water change weekly. Some diatoms but no algae so far. Any advice gratefully received.
Hello,
Melting plants are always a sign of poor CO2. The amount of liquid carbon you are adding is insufficient for the amount of light that you are pumping into the tank. This is almost always why tanks fail. Everyone seems to think that more light is better. While this philosophy works for your lawn it is completely reversed for submersed plants. You'll need to either add more liquid carbon or reduce the lighting or both.

Cheers,
 
Hi Clive, thanks for the info, I’ve got my lighting at 50% so I’ve turned them down some more and I’ll increase the liquid carbon.
many thanks.
 
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