Ok. Thank you Josh. I never even bothered to ask, but what is CSM+B? Does this contain magnesium
Chelated Secondary Micronutrients + Boron.
The name is slightly elusive. Generally speaking, it is easier to just say plants need nutrients and those nutrients are covered by a Micro fertilizer and a Macro fertilizer. The Micro is the one you have. The Macro contains Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium. But we don't "include" stuff like hydrogen - or Oxygen - in the discussion ... but we clearly need those. Also, sometimes people don't consider carbon as a nutrient ... but we need lots of it too.
There is some nice history here and I don't know it comprehensively enough. But if you look at <
this thread > you can read up on some of it. Fertilizing is something else. Some companies mixed salts into distilled water and sold it at exorbitant prices (and they still do ... and people buy them). Once some scientists figured out what was in it, the hobby changed.
@dw1305 <
post here > is great. It is certainly an eye-opening read about the hobby as a whole. My favorite is the pump in a bucket ... and I'll add for $600.
<
Thinking of the aquarium as a system > instead of a "cause and effect" relationship is important. I've linked a previous post of mine that covers everything I was about to re-write
😛.
Does this contain magnesium
CSM+B should contain magnesium (although sometimes referred to as a secondary macronutrient - it is referred to as "micronutrient" as well).
I think this may be part of my problem?
The dosage of magnesium is so low that CSM+B won't make a difference. Is it possible that we have an issue with magnesium ... of course, but not because of CSM+B. Mg makes up General Hardness of the tank (which is complemented by Calcium) -- you are devoid of nutrients due to RO, so what you add to your water at "remineralization" is what you have. A few degrees of GH means you have much more magnesium than what CSM+B provides in a daily dose.
I think we need to accept that our aquariums have a wide range of "things going on (that may cause problems)" ALL at once.
So, if you have fantastic, equally distributed Flow, devoid of nutrients, then you have issues.
Or if you have Eutrophic conditions (high nutrient) but poor Flow throughout all of your tank, then you have issues.
Or if as the scape grew, Flow (nutrient delivery) was blocked, then that segment of the stem (which was engineered for its surrounding) needs to reconfigure ... goes through an unhealthy patch, then maybe gets to a more nutrient available area and looks healthy again <-- this scenario was ultimately a flow problem ... or was it that you didn't trim properly ... as you can see it becomes a complex system - And we try to play God.
Enough with the philosophy
😛.
I think what we really need is a full set of photos of the tank now. We need Close ups of each plant, filtration set up, drop checker at lights on and at 2 hours in etc.
What to focus on now:
1) your filtration and the output --> This will influence your CO2 distribution as it dictates your flow. I have not used a 60P, but it is small. I have seen some tanks with HOB filters for flow but the direction is not so good - but it may be ok for the 60P ... you mentioned a canister - any updates on this? The output that comes with it is probably fine.
2) Make up your dosing solutions
3)
Keep the tank clean
4) Play with your CO2: Drop that Bazooka as close as you can to the substrate and then see how turning it on earlier helps/doesn't.
Watch the fish - do they become lethargic? Do they gasp? If they look fine, some views say, then we have more room for CO2 injection rate - others leave it and limit nutrients.
Hope that helps!
Josh
