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Having another bash

Yes, you can combine the both Nitrate and phosphate powders in the same volume of water. The numbers look fine for 3 doses per week. Just dose 10 ml at a time. make the numbers easy.

As far as traces, just assume 6g per teaspoon and call it good. There is no need for accuracy at all.

Just rinse your dropchecker with distilled water if you have it. If not just use a bit of the 4dkh water. Worst case just use tap water and you'll be fine. In general, avoid acidic or alkaline cleaning products for obvious reasons.

Cheers,
 
So say for the traces, 2tsp for 250ml water, then dose 6ml.

Sorry for the silly questions all the time, but I just want to make sure I get things right this time.
 
Hi,
No problems with the questions. It's better to ask. 😀

Didn't you say that you intended to follow the website instructions for the traces:

"Add 20g of Trace Mix Plus to 500ml of water. Then add 5ml per 100L, 3 times per week."

If that's the case then 20g/6 = 3 teaspoons to 500ml and then 6ml 3X per week.
If you use 259ml of water then the strength is double and then you only need to dose 3m 3X per week.

There is no single right way. If you study the EI tutorial in the Tutorial section you'll see a different recipe that achieves the same general goals.

Cheers,
 
Sorry I havn't updated, work went from dead to nutty.

The sunday before last, I had another blitz, took all the plants, cleaned them and replanted. Also mixed up my solutions and have been dosing.
I've put the proper solution into my drop checker and I've managed to turn it green without freaking out my gourami.

Cleanup2.jpg

The roseafolia has started to sprout it's new leaves, but the algeas starting to show it's face again :?

Cleanup1.jpg

So I'm wondering if there's something else I'm doing wrong that I can correct.
My running times are
CO2 1pm-8pm
Lights 2pm-9pm.

Also I have a spare set of lights, used to be on the tank when I 1st set it up, but was told it was causing my algea problems so I removed it. So I could go up to 4x24W if that would help matters.

Plant wise I still havn't done anything because of work, but I have this saturday off so I'm hoping to place an order to arrive that day.
I really do like the look of P.helferi, so I'd like to give that a try.
Looking at the crypts, I fancy trying the Wendtii "brown" and "green"

Any advice on my algea problem or aquascaping, as always, is appreciated.
 
Yeah, you really need to forget about lights. Lights cause algae, so if you have an algae problem the last thing you need is more lights. This is the single most important lesson you can learn and I can't stress this enough. Light is strictly an accelerator, so it accelerates bad things as well as good things.

If you want to add something more then add more CO2/Excel. That will be 10,000X more helpful than adding more lights.

It looks like the Althernathera has put out new leaves which mostly appear to be algae free. This is a good sign and indicates that you're on the right track, but Althernanthera grows at an agonizingly slow pace. I can't quite tell from the photos but there appears to be some type of hair/thread algae? That means you need more CO2/flow. Some of their stems appear to have some residual GSA which you can spot treat with DILUTED Excel when you do the water change.

Continue the super-massive water changes as often as your schedule allows.

Adding more plants will be good. Crypts are good because they help oxygenate the sediment and they are fairly hardy. P. helferi is a good carpet plant but like all carpet plants, they do not appreciate CO2 incompetence.

I would definitely think about daily Excel dosages.

There really are no magic tricks to speed things up. Just continue the basics: Regular nutrient dosing, good CO2, high flow (is a stronger filter out of the question?). Avoid the bad habits such as poor maintenance or overzealous lighting, and in a few more weeks things will start to come around.

Cheers,
 
Well I've placed an order.
I got the plants I mentioned as well as some Easy-carbo, think that's what he called it, I asked for excel and that's what he gave me, so hopefully it's the same thing?
 
Plants are now in, was more crypts then I expected and less P.helferi, so swings and roundabouts.

Plantedtank040710.jpg

I've also started dosing Easycarbo, I do it in the morning along with my solutions. I'm only doing 2.5ml at a time because the tanks only lightly planted.
With treating the GSA on the stems, you mentioned diluted excel/easycarbo, what kind of mixture of water/easycarbo should I use?
I take it I should use a syringe to squirt it directly at the affected areas?
 
Hi mate,
That's looking so much nicer! I know that was a lot of hard work. You can use a spray bottle or syringe, or even a paint brush dipped in a solution of say, 5ml Excel to 1 gallon of water. You can try stronger ratios, but this is safe. Apply it to the plant and let sit for a few minutes. If you're attacking hardscape like rock or wood (or even glass) then you can just use full strength and scrub with a toothbrush or similar.

Another method if you are not doing it in conjunction with a water change is to turn all filters/pumps off. Use full strength Excel in a syringe and squirt slowly over the submerged plant and let it drift/sink over the area. The water will do the dilution for you and turning off the pumps will keep the water still so as to maintain contact between the chemical and the target. After 5 minutes or so turn the filters/pumps on again.

Cheers,
 
DEL,
Looking at this "Light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel" shot some more, I was thinking it might be better to move your diffuser over to the left corner where your filter inlet pipe could take up some CO2 bubbles and send it back out through the spraybars, and then the rest would be captured by the Koralia and spat out towards the front and down. Try different placements and injection rates. You can also bump up the Easycarbo dosing if you are still having trouble with hair algae.

Cheers,
 
Sorry it's been awhile since I posted.

I managed to cut out the internal filter, wasn't that bad in the end, I took some pictures a few days ago, so this is what the tank looks like at the moment, though I did have a quick trim on sunday.

Plantedtank1008101.jpg

I've got the diffuser on the left now under the Koralia, sorry that I've only just noticed the previous post. Is it o.k to put the diffuser under the inlet, it won't cause any problems at all?

I've been sticking to my cleaning and dosing routines, though I have bumped the easycarbo up to 5ml daily. But I'm still struggling with algea, though not as bad as it was in the past.

Plantedtank1008103.jpg

Plantedtank1008102.jpg

The algea on the gravel is quite annoying, my gravel vac doesn't really pick it up, though it is quite small, I do it by hand normally.

Fish wise, is it still too soon, is it wrong to look into fish and shrimp to help with the algea problem?
 
Well, I mean, fish don't fix algae, they just eat it. So get more fish if you like fish, but don't depend on them to fix your problem. You can try doubling your dosing, especially the PO4. Is that Rhizo on the gravel shot? If so that means you need more of everything...

The P. helferi looks like it's in good shape, which means you are on the right track. Clean your spraybars with bleach.

Try the diffuser in different places and see what the results are after a few weeks. Under the inlet is fine, but if your filter objects it will start to gurgle as the gas builds up inside the head. Try it just to see if it's an improvement.

Keep it going mate, you have to be pleased with that so far. :thumbup:

Cheers,
 
I've doubled my dosing the past week, trace, macro and easycarbo. Unfortunately I missed a day of dosing macro solution, was late for work and my solution had run out and I didn't have time to mix a new bottle :thumbdown:

Fish wise, I would like to start restocking.
After the CO2 accident, I'm down to 1 dwarf gourami and 4 cories.

Stock wise, I was thinking of adding :-
Another 2 cories
4-6 Cardinal Tetras
2-3 Otto's
1 Bristlenose catfish
And in time some ammano shrimp

I know I shouldn't depend on the tank inhabitants to solve my problems, but I wouldn't mind a team of caretakers.

Is this kind of stock list too much for my tanks?

The 1st thing I would like to add is the otto's and catfish, possible as early as tomorrow since I have the day off.
But I do have a question about otto's, is there a reliable way to tell them apart from chinese algea eaters?

1 last question, more aquascaping, the green crypts are starting to get dwarfed by the hygrophilla, shall I move them further forwards? What is the best method for repositioning, i.e should I trim the roots back?
 
Hi DEL,
Yeah that stock list sounds all well and good mate. I'll let someone else advise you on physical differences between species. You might have to do a search of the forum topics to find specifics unless someone has a clever tip or trick regarding identification.

Have a look at the Tutorial Pruning - A general guide to plant maintenance
You can move the plants wherever you see fit based on growth rates and aesthetics. Generally you do want to trim the roots if you are uprooting and moving. Make a habit of doing all this moving about at the large water changes so that you ensure that any ammonia and detritus you kick up gets removed and diluted.

Cheers,
 
I was a bad boy last weekend, I was so busy building a new that I didn't prune or do a water change on the tank.

But aftera bit of maintenance today, this is what she's currently looking like.

Plantedtank1209102.jpg

(for some reason the forums cutting off a good part of this picture, here's a direct link)

I've had to aggressive with the hygrophila, but it has filled out brilliant. I am worried about the plants underneath it, though they seem o.k, I'm wondering if I should cut it back more to let more light down.
I have noticed a good drop in algea, there's still spots on the gravel, but they're tiny compared to what they used to be.

I'm not sure what to do about my Rosefolia

Plantedtank1209101.jpg

While the tops of the plant have nice red leaves, the leaves at the bottom suffer, changing to green and plagues by what seems to be greenspot algead.

Is there a way to spread out the P.helferi?
 
Yes, that's looking much more like the way tanks should be. You need to prune the P. helferi at the nodes and re-plant the cut sections. That will fill in your foreground.

The lower leaves that give you trouble are suffering from poor flow. Even though they get much less light, they also get much less CO2 and nutrients. A simple trim might solve this, or you may also need to increase dosing a little. A greater mass of plants also requires a greater mass of food.

So now that you know how to grow plants, you need to "Level up" as they say in the X-box gaming world. Now you need to think more about the scape. Perhaps re-introduce some hardscape like small bits of wood or stone (no sunken chests, please). The background plant is becoming unruly and needs to be trimmed as I'm sure you well know.

Cheers,
 
Sorry to ressurect an old thread, but me and the fish tank are still going at it tooth and nail with algae problems.

Again the picture are being cut, I'll post direct link
Plantedtank1408111.jpg
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff26 ... 408111.jpg

I've moved the spray bar closer to the top of the tank to help with aeration which the fish seem to appreciate.
Unfortunately I lost the P. helferi, it became nothing but a bed of algae.

I've also changed my dosing, I'm using the chemicals and guide from here http://www.aquariumplantfood.co.uk/fert ... r-kit.html

Standard Ei Dosing [This is a guideline only]

Macro Solution
Mix, Shake & Leave to Dissolve Overnight:
4tsp Potassium Nitrate
1tsp Potassium Phosphate
6tsp Magnesium Sulphate
500ml water

Micro Solution
Mix, Shake & Leave to Dissolve Overnight:
1tsp Chelated Trace Elements
500ml Water
Dosing

Macro 3x a week. (10ml per 50ltr of Aquarium water)

Micro 3x a week. (10ml per 50ltr of Aquarium water)

20-50% weekly water change.
Click to expand...

I was originally dosing 25ml daily, but I've upped that to 35ml in the last week to see if that makes a difference, I'm also still dosing 5ml easycarbo daily.

My roseafolia is still looking a bit sad and top heavy.

Plantedtank1408113.jpg
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff26 ... 408113.jpg

I had a prune earlier and had to remove all the dead/dying leaves, which made them look a bit bare.

I still have some Taxiphyllum Barbieri (tough little bugger) in the tank which is attached to a very small rock

Plantedtank1408112.jpg
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff26 ... 408112.jpg

I've bought a new rock for the tank, what would be the best way to attach some Taxiphyllum Barbieri to it, cut some off and attach it with fishing wire? At the moment I've just pinned the 2 rocks together and hope the plant gets the idea...
 
Hi Del,
You can use fishing line or netting to attach. It'll look awful for a while but will look nice once it fills in. I like the rescape. It looks like you've grown artistically and technically.

Add more CO2 and/or move the Althernanthera to the front to get it going again.

Cheers,

Cheers,
 
Thanks for the comments.

Still doing the hard yards, but hopefully I'll get there.
 
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