Carpet plant and Mid-ground plants melting. Kindly advice.

foxfish · 6 Sep 2014

I have the same bubble counter & I can help you reduce the bubble count!
Take it apart, cut down the nozzle end where the bubbles form & drill it out as much as you can while still leaving some wall thickness.
You will instantly notice a large drop in the number of bubbles... obviously this does not alter the amount of C02 required but it sure helps counting the bubbles!
The main point is, the diameter of the bubble exit hole, makes a huge difference to the amount of bubbles formed.
All of a sudden instead of quoting 10 BPS you find you are quoting 5 BPS & that is why quoting BPS can only ever be a basic guide line for the individual.

sciencefiction · 7 Sep 2014

There seems to be signs of macro nutrients deficiency on these pictures, particularly potassium and phosphate. I'd up all the macro ferts.
I am not certain if I got that right but your light is 89.5W in total(33x1.5W+4x10W) running on full power for 2hrs and then for 4hrs on just 40W on a 255L tank? That's quite low even by my low tech standards. I can see that being an issue with some of your plants not doing well..
If it were me, I'd have the lights on full power for 7-8hrs a day. I'd immediately remove any melting plants and replant just healthy parts. The melting sometimes appears to be "contagious" and spreads to the entire plant. I'd make sure CO2 is fully optimised to the point the tank can't take no more. Take a day off, then start increasing the CO2 every hour by monitoring the fish and shrimp. If some of them start acting crazy after a certain hourly increase, go back to the level at which they previously acted fine and leave it like that. That's the max rate the tank can take without killing any animals. If you get bigger plant mass one day you may try adjusting more. And do proper EI nutrient dosing, making sure you do put the recommended amount for your tank size and even extra. Do large weekly water changes.

Zak Rafik · 7 Sep 2014

hogan53 said:
Hi
Switch your UP atomiser to the out side of the filter after the other apparatus....you will get more bang for your buck!
Doing this should produce a fine mist....if the atomiser is clean!
This fine mist will travel further and deeper into all areas of the aquarium plus will be suspended in the water column for longer!
The bubbles are so small that they can be hard to see..

Hi hoggie,🙂
I did have my UP atomizer on the outside (meaning the atomizer was located after the Eheim 2080 and UV system BUT before the chiller and then straight into the tank via spray bar)
I notice the tank was filled with fine bubbles and because the exit point was the spray bar, the bubbled tend to reach the surface very easily.

Read on this forum many times, where members recommend to have the atomizer on the inlet to the canister filter as there would be more contact time for the Co2 to dissolve inside it. The main drawback was that the atomizer may get dirty more easily due to unclean water passing through.

Now with the new location, initially I noticed that there was hardly any fine bubbles from the spray bar and the drop checker turned green faster along with more "pearling" from the plants. The tank looked splendid!
But I do hear the occasional Co2 gas build up in the chiller and there would be a sudden "burping" through the spray bar.
I increased the Co2 rate after Ceg4048 assured me that my tank needed more Co2.
I put up the above video not to complain about the fine bubbles but rather to show that my Co2 rate is so high that despite the Co2 traveling inside the huge Eheim 2080 and the chiller, the gas still manages to exit as fine bubbles.

Apologize for my lengthy reply.
Cheers and take care.
Raffik

Zak Rafik · 7 Sep 2014

Hi sciencefiction,

sciencefiction said:
There seems to be signs of macro nutrients deficiency on these pictures, particularly potassium and phosphate. I'd up all the macro ferts.

My sybstrate is ADA Amazonia Aquasoil ( 40 odds old)

Currently on EI dosing ( started 7 days ago only)
Macros:
4 teaspoons of Potassium Nitrate ( but in liquid form due to the powder form being a controlled item in my country)
1 teaspoon of Potassium Phosphate
6 teaspoons of Magnesium Sulphate
Dosed at 10ml per 50Litre of tank water.
Dosing on : Tuesday – Thursday – Sunday

PLUS dosing 1/4 teaspoon of Potassium Phosphate on alternate days for GreenSpotAlgae control.

Do you propose I increase the above dosage?

sciencefiction said:
I am not certain if I got that right but your light is 89.5W in total(33x1.5W+4x10W) running on full power for 2hrs and then for 4hrs on just 40W on a 255L tank? That's quite low even by my low tech standards. I can see that being an issue with some of your plants not doing well..If it were me, I'd have the lights on full power for 7-8hrs a day.

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the watts per gallon calculation applicable for T5s or older and not for LEDs? :wideyed:

What do I do? Since this is my 1st high light/Co2 planted tank, I'm kind of lost now.😕

If you can refer to posts #32 & #33,

ceg4048 said:
I'm not sure how much light you are using but reducing the intensity will help, although this will slow the growth rate.

sciencefiction said:
The melting sometimes appears to be "contagious" and spreads to the entire plant.

Yes, I have observed that but it doesn't seem to happen all the time though.

sciencefiction said:
Do large weekly water changes.

In fact I'm doing twice a week PWC to control GSA.

I have read up on books and magazines and forums for the past 6 to 7 months even before I bought the tank. Guess I was reading the wrong information.😳

Patient is a vertue.
Cheers
Raffik

sciencefiction · 7 Sep 2014

Zak Rafik said:
Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the watts per gallon calculation applicable for T5s or older and not for LEDs?

Yes, Watts is not a correct measurement at all, but just gives the idea. PAR levels is better if you can measure.

Zak Rafik said:
Do you propose I increase the above dosage?

I'd cut,clean all damaged parts of plants and then see if any further melt happens as the already damaged parts wont' recover once affected. What is the dosing in ppm for potassium nitrate? Is the potassium nitrate in a solution?, at what strength?

Zak Rafik · 7 Sep 2014

Hi sciencefiction

sciencefiction said:
What is the dosing in ppm for potassium nitrate? Is the potassium nitrate in a solution?, at what strength?

http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b631/Zak_Rafik/photo1_zpsb880f267.jpg

25ml of the liquid per week.

Thanks
Raffik

sciencefiction · 7 Sep 2014

Do you start with macros or micros after a water change?

Edit: sorry, I forgot you only dosed for a week. I just tried to figure if there's a day or two when the tank maybe running with shortages.

Zak Rafik · 7 Sep 2014

sciencefiction said:
Do you start with macros or micros after a water change?

Hi
Actually your question is on perfect timing. 🙂
I'm supposed to do a water change today (Sunday) and dose Macro but for some "reason" I couldn't.
I will do a 50% PWC tomorrow ( Monday) but I have to dose Micros.

So do I like dose Micros or Macros. ?
Cheers
Raffik

http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums...4-7289-4EE1-BB10-6615E5F8CD3F_zpsjcqcqzaq.jpg

sciencefiction · 7 Sep 2014

I'd dose Macros after a water change, as they are needed in higher amounts and less likely to be available after a water change. Water contains certain micro nutrients so they aren't going to be that critical.

Zak Rafik · 12 Sep 2014

Hi everyone 🙂

Updates to my 52 days old planted tank as of 12th Sept'14.

Things are looking up a lot more positive now. :joyful:

All plants have mostly stopped shedding their leave or melting.
I would say I have a progress about 95%. The Repens have started to grow new shoots and "pearl" as well.

I dont' know what was that one major thing that corrected this situation or it could be a combination of many.

The changes made are as below:

Dosing EI fertilization into it's 14th day.

Dosing Excel ( liquid carbo) 2 caps everyday for the past 14 days.
Thanks to Clive (ceg4048).

Total PHOTO-PERIOD : 6 hours.
Reduced lighting by 50% for LED lights for the last 11 days.
(due to LED light's dimming constraints, its now 100% all lights ON for 2 1/2 hours and then 3 1/2 at 50% intensity)
Thanks to Clive.

ceg4048 said:
I'm not sure how much light you are using but reducing the intensity will help, although this will slow the growth rate.

Removed the UV light from Eheim 2080 resulting in flow improvement. Now the canister had only the chiller attached.

Removed some filter media from Eheim 2080 to quicken the flow about 4 days ago.

Tried to reduce the temperature to 25c but the chiller kicked in more often and so reverted to 26c.

Started the Eheim 2075 with the UV attached about 4 days ago. Filter media consists of course and fine sponges and Purigen. Flow from canister was reduced to 40% so that UV light will be effective.

Co2 solenoid timer set to ON 3 hours before lights ON.
Changed the position of INLINE Co2 diffuser yet again.

At first, it was in between the Eheim 2080 and the chiller and then secondly changed to the intake pipe -(that is before the canister filter and chiller).
I observed with the 2nd position, Co2 gas would build up inside the Eheime 2080 and the cooling pipes of the chiller.

That led to a constant dull bubbling noise from the chiller along with sudden bursts ( or "burping") of Co2 gas via the spray bar ( which I think is wasted precious Co2).
The major issue was that due to the Co2 being trapped inside the 2080 canister and the chiller coils,
I noticed Co2 gas bubbles being discharged into the tank via spray bar well after the Co2 solenoid was switched OFF and even when the lights were OFF.

This was verified by the Co2 drop checker being lime green well after 3 hours after lights OFF.
Again Co2 gas is being wasted and not good for fish in the tank when not being used by the plants.

With the new position, I noticed that the drop checker turned green / lime green even before the lights switch ON and the plants started to "pearl" only after 30 to 40 minutes after lights ON.
Thanks to hogan53

hogan53 said:
Switch your UP atomiser to the outside of the filter....you will get more bang for your buck!
Doing this should produce a fine mist....if the atomiser is clean!
This fine mist will travel further and deeper into all areas of the aquarium plus will be suspended in the water column for longer!
Cheers🙂
hoggie

Vazkez · 12 Sep 2014

Hi again,

You have very nice setup up there 🙂
Also glad to hear that things improving now 🙂

Good luck

Zak Rafik · 13 Sep 2014

Vazkez said:
Hi again,

You have very nice setup up there 🙂
Also glad to hear that things improving now 🙂

Good luck

Hi Vazkez 🙂
Thank you for kind words.

Cheers
Raffik

tim · 13 Sep 2014

Nice turnaround with the plants, you can cut the excel dose gradually, if your issues return it will indicate your co2 is still falling short, only increase your photoperiod when your sure your plants are thriving, I generally use six hours with t5 lights and find it's plenty.

Zak Rafik · 13 Sep 2014

tim said:
Nice turnaround with the plants, you can cut the excel dose gradually, if your issues return it will indicate your co2 is still falling short, only increase your photoperiod when your sure your plants are thriving, I generally use six hours with t5 lights and find it's plenty.

Hi Tim
Thanks for the great tips. I'm no hurry to increase the photoperiod for now but just wanted to know. And yes, Excel does help.

Cheers
Raffik

Carpet plant and Mid-ground plants melting. Kindly advice.

foxfish

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sciencefiction

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Zak Rafik

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Zak Rafik

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sciencefiction

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sciencefiction

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