Plants failing to grow with diy dosing and co2

[deeproots]

Hi all. As per the description I'm really struggling with my DIY aio fertiliser and plant growth. I can't even grow moss!!. I have a 280 litre tank with co2 at about 2bps. I've built an all in one using the ifc calculator and I'm dosing 12ml daily. I first set it up to match thrive + but my nitrates were showing close to zero after a week of dosing according to my test kit. I revised it by doubling the potassium nitrate and ran it for a few more weeks but the plants are still refusing to grow apart from the Amazon sword and the java fern. I have:

Pogostemon helferi
Taiwan moss
Bacopa salzmanni purple
Althernanthera sessilis
Royal blood red

I've switched to EI mid plus some extra iron from chempak so nothing should be short but I'm still seeing almost zero growth. Substrate is black fine gravel (I have stratum under my substrate "hill" on the last pic) and I've had no problems growing in the past with commercial fertilisers. Pics attached including my ifc page.

My lighting is fluval plant 3 59w plus a nicrew on about 10 hours a day.

Water is 50% rain water and 50% hard tap water.

What am I doing wrong?

 

[Connswater]

My 'pennyworth'. I'm a high light person, I like my plants to grow fast and out-compete algae, and produce leaves fully down the stalk, high light doesn't work for shade plants in my main tank.

I personally on a 280 litre tank would be tempted to use three one hundred watt floodlights, about a foot above the water level, for 8 hours a day and make sure my CO2 was 20+ ppm (as many bubbles per second when lights on, as is needed to hit the target) when plant photosynthesis is robust after some hours with CO2 and full light you will get vigorous pearling, the latter is not necessary, but if you get pearling you will get good growth, and, if you think it is a bit too much you can dial back either on light intensity (by raising the lights or turning one off) or duration (but I find 6 hours the absolute lowest limit to sustain plants). I'm a lean dose bloke so I'll let others advise on nutrients.

I've only been able to grow shade loving plants and floating plants with Nicrew lights, crypts and Java fern and salvinia. I've never used the Fluval but at 59 watts it can't be producing a lot of lumens. The cost in £ per lumen would keep me awake at night.

When using LED bars, which I currently do on a two foot tank, I find that about 6-9 inches of width per bar is about right. On a bigger four foot tank, 18 inches back to front, 250 litres, I have grown high light plants successfully with three bars - one Superfish 52 watts, one Dennerle 66 and one Hygger 72 watts, but I found the latter LED bar still a bit light deficient for my needs, two cheap 24 watt All Pond Solution's LEDs worked better.

However, I prefer floodlights, cheap, and when mounted about a foot above they allow easy access. Mounted in a hood (which I have done) close to the water surface, I would use four 50 watt floodlights. Darrel recommended some very cheap and cheerful floodlights recently, lights I have used with good results.

 

[Oldguy]

I have a 280 litre tank with co2 at about 2bps

I would check how much CO2 is dissolved in the tank water. Bubbles per second is not a good measure. Try upping the CO2 till you have a very fine mist of bubbles in the tank. Watch you fish for signs of sluggishness or distress, if observed reduce CO2. The proper way of assessing CO2 is with a drop checker.
If the CO2 is fine them you may have a circulation problem. Often the two go together. Circulation should be about 5 to 10 times the tank volume. Take the pump/filter value off the box they came in.
Try planting some easy plants.
Check the magnesium content of your tap water, the supply company should have typical values for your post code.
Happy water gardening.
P.S. @Connswater has pipped me to the post
P.P.S. I use cheap 200watt equivalent LED full spectrum spotlights.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

However, I prefer floodlights, cheap, and when mounted about a foot above they allow easy access. Mounted in a hood (which I have done) close to the water surface, I would use four 50 watt floodlights. Darrel recommended some very cheap and cheerful floodlights recently, lights I have used with good results.

P.P.S. I use cheap 200watt full spectrum spotlights.

I have <"no sense of aesthetics"> so in terms of what you get for the money is a "no-brainer".

cheers Darrel