Can't grow anything, not even algae!

[zoon]

Help this newbie guys, because I can't grow anything, not even a spot of algae!

I have a 120 juwel lido with the t8 lights it came with (2 x 24W I do believe) they are on between 4 and 10pm. Planted in there are mini Java fern, Java moss, blyxa, various crypts and some hygrophila. But nothing is growing. The blyxa is slowly fading, the leaves on the hygro are coming away and the rest just seem static.

I am dosing liquid carbon (5ml per day) and alternating potassium nitrate (1/4 teaspoon) and potassium phosphate (1/8 teaspoon) with trace elements (1/8 teaspoon) with big water change on weekend as advised by helpful people on here, but nothing is happening!

My substrate is a gravel and sand mix, whine I know isn't perfect, but I can't change it. The water is always crystal clean and there isn't a spot of algae so I must be doing something right! The fish are looking fab and are very active

So wise people, what am I doing wrong?

 

[Vazkez]

Hi there I am not wise however I used to have same problem before I started to dose Mg.
I could be wrong tho 😛 Many nice ppl here wich will help you.
In meanwhile can you post pictures plz?

 

[ian_m]

And your magnesium is coming from.....

Add required EI doses of magnesium sulphate. Done.

 

[Vazkez]

And your magnesium is coming from.....

Add required EI doses of magnesium sulphate. Done.

I know this sounds random ... 🙂 Long story short one member on different forum advice this as my water have huge amount of Ca and almost no Mg. He said that I have such a huge different ratio between Ca and Mg that my plants getting poisoned and Ca preventing them to take any Mg. I took his advice and started to dose Mg as well as I dose 12g of epson salt on water change to bring the ratio of Ca to at least normal.

My plants recovered and started to grow...I know everyone has different water ....

 

[zoon]

Will give it a go. It was someone on here who said it just needed the above two salts. How much should I add?

How does the amount if liquid carbon and hours of light look?

 

[ian_m]

Try reducing light to 4 hours and adding correct EI dose of MgSO4. You would need to work that out as I dose using pumps, not dry salt.

Mg is the main atom in chlorophyll, lack of Mg causes all sorts of plant issues.

http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/deficiencies.htm

 

[Vazkez]

How much should I add?

http://rota.la/

for calculating dry or solution dosing 🙂

 

[zoon]

That's too confusing! I have a little 1/4 teaspoon measure that I use - whole one of potassium nitrate and quarter of potassium phosphate. How much of mag sulphate if I want to go via my measure?

 

[ian_m]

I mix 500ml EI solution up using 4tsp potassium nitrate, 1tsp potassium phosphate & 6tsp magnesium sulphate. Thus using your measurements of one potassium nitrate you will need 6/4 th's -> 1 and a half of your measurements of magnesium sulphate.

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

 

[zoon]

Thanks, will give it a go.

 

[Andy Thurston]

http://blog.fluidsensoronline.com/calculators/estimative-index/

 

[Yo-han]

Try dropping the liquid carbon, see how that goes. If even algae don't grow, perhaps you're overdoing it somehow. Another thing that came to mind is chlorine...