Third go at a planted aquarium

[phillipson]

Hi all,
Previous attempts have ended in diatom disasters!
I've set this one up after trawling YouTube etc. I wish I'd found this forum earlier to get me on the right steps.

However this is what I have so far:-

Aqua One 145 tank with added filter of same size, both with standard filtration except Purigen added to second in line filter.
Simple CO2 injection done manually at the moment as I'm home with a broken ankle to tend to it, need to consider automation in the new year when back at work.
Substrate, can't remember but will find out.
Using RO water remineralised with Seachem Equilibrium and it's 130 ppm GH/KH but that doesn't mean much to me atm. PH varies between 6.2 and 6.8.
Plants you can see in the photo were added 10 days ago, I got a variety box from Aqua Essentials which were really good. In that time there are plenty of new shoots and everything looks promising to me, there is no pearling but not sure if that is a bad thing or not. I have nightmares about diatoms suddenly coming back 😬 .
Fish (tetras) in holding tank waiting to go back in.
I'm really keen to make this one a success with your help after looking at all the amazing scapes on this forum, they really are stunning folks.

Regards

 

[bazz]

Using RO water remineralised with Seachem Equilibrium and it's 130 ppm GH/KH but that doesn't mean much to me atm. PH varies between 6.2 and 6.8.

Could that 130ppm be TDS? pH is perfect, if you're home with a broken ankle (get well soon) and are familiar with RO production you ought look at using 2 or 3 simple and easily available salts and target your own GH and KH. I've never used Equilibrium myself but I believe it to be high in Potassium.

I'm really keen to make this one a success with your help after looking at all the amazing scapes on this forum, they really are stunning folks.

There are plenty of successful plant keepers on here willing to give you good advice.
Cheers!

 

[phillipson]

thanks bazz,
This is the chart I used, am I reading it incorrectly ?
I'm getting 8 drops to change colour

 

[G mac]

Diatoms are the least worrying to me. They nearly always arrive a few weeks after setting up but are fairly easy to clean away and then a few weeks later they are a thing of the past. Then the other algaes arrive😱

 

[phillipson]

Diatoms are the least worrying to me. They nearly always arrive a few weeks after setting up but are fairly easy to clean away and then a few weeks later they are a thing of the past. Then the other algaes arrive😱

I can't seem to get rid of them so I thought it might be my local water not helping that's why I decided to try RO water.

 

[PARAGUAY]

Well l suffered the same diatoms,algae one day the aquarium looking lovely next day diatoms. This is quite normal in a new set up and can reappear for several reasons in a established set up. Going low energy from CO2 I had a thought, why not go the same way as CO2 set ups for a low energy. So l resumed 50% water changes every day for two weeks ,then gradually till on the third or fourth week 50% once a week,this could be 20% or so twice a week if easier. Nothing is ever perfect but it was a lot better. Ottocinlis are good at eating algae and diatoms along with shrimp . Realise with a broken ankle take care so Water changing might be a issue at moment, also cram in the fast growing stems they really do balance an aquarium. I have soft water but just add a little Epsom salt at Water change, maybe the TNC added at the same time makes up any shortfall in minerals