Substrate Advice Needed - Established Tank

[MummyW]

Hi all,



Yes, that is really soft water, it is actually softer than the rainwater I get in S. England.

It is easy to <"add compounds to water">, but really difficult to remove them, so a water that is a <"blank slate"> is a great starting point. <"Those of us who have moved from liquid rock to soft water, are you surprised how easy is is to now grow plants?">

If you want to add some dGH & dKH you can use shell sand (pyo from the beach?) or <"oyster shell chick grit">.

cheers Darrel

Thank you, I’ll have a look at those!

We seem to have very good water, for humans too as they’ve started putting in water machines around the country where you can top up water bottles etc straight from the mains while out shopping etc 🤣 I do notice when I go to another country that the water tastes very different to ours!

 

[MummyW]

Yes, your water is fine. I’d probably just add a bit more sand at the back to create a slope. It wouldn’t hurt (aesthetically) to add some rocks too.

I’d suggest you add root tabs. I’d also suggest that you dose 10-20ml of TNC complete every week. Only dose that volume if you’re going to add some more plants. The easiest thing to do is look at the plants on the easy-medium lists on tropica etc and pick some you fancy. I suspect most of them will grow fine.

We have very similar water. Later today I’ll list the plants that have really thrived for me.

Thank you, I really appreciate any help 🙂

 

[MummyW]

Ok, your water seems rather good in many ways. I'm envious. But it doesn't have much in the way of NO3 for your plants so we should focus a bit on your fertiliser routine. You have 1 part per million NO3 out of the tap. My water has 30ppm! Your water is pretty pure in so far as dissolved solids (56.25 uS conductivity - mine is 700+!) Your water is soft (a great start for plants) . Mine is very hard (not easy for plants).

Hm. I had issues with dwarf water lettuce withering away (and frogbit) . What solved that was upping the micro nutrients and more light. And softer water (but the latter not a problem for you it seems).

LOL - how tall is your tank??!

I also have one - like it a lot.

Do you have a regular fertiliser routine or is it a bit random? Details please 🙂

I’ve just been dosing based on the bottle instructions, but considered aquarium soil or something to help with nutrients. Just so new to this I haven’t a clue haha!

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I do notice when I go to another country that the water tastes very different to ours!

I really like our hard <"chalky water"> to drink, but it trashes <"your showers, kettles etc">. Soft water is very different and always feels (to me) like it is dissolving your tongue.

cheers Darrel

 

[LFNfan]

There's a fair bit to get your head around for sure (and that's from someone who has a bit of a green thumb above the waterline). It has taken me a couple of years to kind of figure it out - all from help and advice here.

dosing based on the bottle instructions

Dosing based on bottle instructions is a good start but the Seachem Flourish Excel product seems like a bit of hocus pocus based on what's on their website so I doubt it's actually doing your plants any good in and of itself. You could dose it 'till the cows come home and it would probably not help the plants very much (!).

@ recommended TNC Complete - which is a good 'all in one' fertilser and will contain the nutrients your plants need to get growing (together with the light, obviously - and your ten hours seems like a good duration there). TNC is what I used when I started and I was pretty happy with it.

I'm not sure what the other Maidenhead Aquatics fertilisers are that you mentioned above - maybe they are better than the Flourish Excel stuff! I'm sure @simon_the_plant_nerd will have some good fertiliser too, given he's a plant nerd 😉

I recon once you get the fertiliser sorted, your water lettuce will start sprouting mini water lettuces in about a week. In a month you'll be giving them away!

 

[MichaelJ]

Soft water is very different and always feels (to me) like it is dissolving your tongue.

I agree. Hard water tastes way better than super soft water. We use a house hold softener (Potassium Chloride ion exchange) and the water comes out stripped of Calcium and Magnesium... granted, its good for our piping and we can get away with using less soap, detergent etc. (and we are definitely not short on our Potassium intake), but the taste leaves much to be desired. Also, we will have to make up for Calcium and Magnesium intake by other means than our drinking water.

Cheers,
Michael

 

[simon_the_plant_nerd]

Hey, I’m really shocked how pleased people seem to be with our water haha! I would appreciate any help at all, I feel like I might have bitten off more than I can chew and I’m spending my life on YouTube and forums etc haha! I should have known that I’m rubbish at gardening so this wouldn’t be easy!

I’m in Colinton Mains 🙂

I shall send you a PM.

 

[MummyW]

There's a fair bit to get your head around for sure (and that's from someone who has a bit of a green thumb above the waterline). It has taken me a couple of years to kind of figure it out - all from help and advice here.


Dosing based on bottle instructions is a good start but the Seachem Flourish Excel product seems like a bit of hocus pocus based on what's on their website so I doubt it's actually doing your plants any good in and of itself. You could dose it 'till the cows come home and it would probably not help the plants very much (!).

@ recommended TNC Complete - which is a good 'all in one' fertilser and will contain the nutrients your plants need to get growing (together with the light, obviously - and your ten hours seems like a good duration there). TNC is what I used when I started and I was pretty happy with it.

I'm not sure what the other Maidenhead Aquatics fertilisers are that you mentioned above - maybe they are better than the Flourish Excel stuff! I'm sure @simon_the_plant_nerd will have some good fertiliser too, given he's a plant nerd 😉

I recon once you get the fertiliser sorted, your water lettuce will start sprouting mini water lettuces in about a week. In a month you'll be giving them away!

It seems to be doing much less than the MA fertilisers to be honest! I’ll give the other one a shot and @simon_the_plant_nerd has kindly offered to give me some fertiliser and floating plants to get me on my way 🙂

 

[jamiep]

I'm Edinburgh too. I'm about to trim my plants so you can have the cuttings. And floating plants. I've also mineralising powder for the livebearers if Simon can't get you some. Oh, and I've just mixed up a new batch of fertiliser too

 

[LMuhlen]

I think my issue with the poop other than it looking bad, is that I’m terrified of ammonia spikes and hurting my little fish friends!

Regarding the poop, going from the theories of a former forum member who, at one point, talked about having snail poop accumulating in some of his tanks; He said that:
Poop is mostly carbon. From that, I'd say that it shouldn't worry you too much regarding ammonia, as the ammonia is excreted by the fish directly to the water, as if it were pee.
Poop not being consumed by bacteria in some of his tanks was due to them having very small amounts of nutrients in the water, so the bacteria weren't interested in the extra carbon from poop.

If that is true, it could be your case, since you have very soft water, with few nutrients, and a lean fertilization regime. Maybe when you get a fertilization regime going, you'll see a reduction in poop laying around.

In a more traditional sense, poop accumulating on the substrate can be avoided insuring there is adequate flow near the substrate, that can drag the poop until it is captured by the filter. It is a battle against circulation dead spots.

 

[AlecF]

As part of Team Edinburgh just say if you want some botanicals, alder cones, and in a few months perhaps some baby cories.

 

[tam]

Have you tested your tank water for nitrates, just curious what reading you got if you had? I wonder if you are actually having the opposite problem to excess ammonia - not enough ammonia/nitrates for the plants to grow well. A lot of fertilisers don't include nitrate they are more like vitamins (micro) but without the main course (macro). The fertilisers being suggested are 'complete' and have both so might help even if you haven't seen a difference previously.

All aquarium/stand combinations seem to assume you are in the 6' range and do not account for variations in armpit height. A lower stand is a solution but also not the easiest fix with an existing tank.

You might find things like a tukey baster (suck up mulm or give it a whosh to send it back into the water column to get sucked up by the filter) and a pair of long aquascaping tweezers (makes planting/replanting plants and popping in roottabs easy) helpful as they extend your reach. I know people use glass scrappers on sticks, but I had trouble with the one I tried it just seemed a awkward angle may have been the brand though.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I wonder if you are actually having the opposite problem to excess ammonia - not enough ammonia/nitrates for the plants to grow well.

You are not getting any nitrate (NO3-) addition from the water, so I think that is very likely.

cheers Darrel

 

[MummyW]

I'm Edinburgh too. I'm about to trim my plants so you can have the cuttings. And floating plants. I've also mineralising powder for the livebearers if Simon can't get you some. Oh, and I've just mixed up a new batch of fertiliser too

You guys are all amazing! I will take anything you lovely people can give to help me create a more successful planted tank! I didn’t realise things like plants were going to cost so much 🫣 having recently had to stop working to care for my son I’m at the point where I’m considering using google lense in local water to look for plants haha!

I will happily take cuttings etc if you let me know where to collect from 🙂

 

[MummyW]

Have you tested your tank water for nitrates, just curious what reading you got if you had? I wonder if you are actually having the opposite problem to excess ammonia - not enough ammonia/nitrates for the plants to grow well. A lot of fertilisers don't include nitrate they are more like vitamins (micro) but without the main course (macro). The fertilisers being suggested are 'complete' and have both so might help even if you haven't seen a difference previously.

All aquarium/stand combinations seem to assume you are in the 6' range and do not account for variations in armpit height. A lower stand is a solution but also not the easiest fix with an existing tank.

You might find things like a tukey baster (suck up mulm or give it a whosh to send it back into the water column to get sucked up by the filter) and a pair of long aquascaping tweezers (makes planting/replanting plants and popping in roottabs easy) helpful as they extend your reach. I know people use glass scrappers on sticks, but I had trouble with the one I tried it just seemed an awkward angle may have been the brand though.

I tested the water from the tap a few weeks ago and there’s nothing in it, everything was zero. Starting to wonder if this is part of my issue and I’ve tried adding “beneficial bacteria” but it doesn’t seem to change my readings much!

 

[MummyW]

As part of Team Edinburgh just say if you want some botanicals, alder cones, and in a few months perhaps some baby cories.

I’m honestly overwhelmed with the help of you guys, it’s appreciated! I’ll happily take anything that would improve the tank 🙂

 

[Bradders]

I tested the water from the tap a few weeks ago and there’s nothing in it, everything was zero. Starting to wonder if this is part of my issue and I’ve tried adding “beneficial bacteria” but it doesn’t seem to change my readings much!

You have absolutely nothing in your tap water? Like Reverse Osmosis water?

 

[LFNfan]

Hi,

I think it's the main part of your issue. Flourish and beneficial bacteria are not going to provide what's needed to feed your plants properly (macro nutrients N, P, K and micro nutrients like Fe) and with your water so pure the plants are just about surviving on fumes (fish pee).

Good news is - 'problem identified' is a good way towards 'problem solved'.

Especially with Team Edinburgh in action!

 

[MummyW]

Hi,

I think it's the main part of your issue. Flourish and beneficial bacteria are not going to provide what's needed to feed your plants properly (macro nutrients N, P, K and micro nutrients like Fe) and with your water so pure the plants are just about surviving on fumes (fish pee).

Good news is - 'problem identified' is a good way towards 'problem solved'.

Especially with Team Edinburgh in action!

I never thought of it like that! At least if I know the issue I can work on correcting it … the glass seems half full now 🙂

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
What @LFNfan says,

Flourish and beneficial bacteria are not going to provide what's needed to feed your plants properly (macro nutrients N, P, K and micro nutrients like Fe) and with your water so pure the plants are just about surviving on fumes (fish pee).

but I'll still post this.

and I’ve tried adding “beneficial bacteria” but it doesn’t seem to change my readings much!

If they worked (and that is very much open to question <"Dr Timothy Hovanec's comments about Bacterial supplements">) they would provide ammonia oxidising bacteria (AOB) that convert TAN ammonia / ammonium (NH3 / NH4+) to nitrite (NO2-) and nitrite oxidising bacteria (NOB) that convert NO2- to nitrate (NO3-). They don't create any <"new fixed nitrogen">, they just change it from one form to another.

You can think about it like money, nitrifying bacteria change ten individual pound coins into a £10 pound note, but it is still £10 and you need to add some more money, if that makes sense?

cheers Darrel