What should I be dosing?

[brumbird]

Other info which ceg said would be helpful:

Tank is 160l, lighting is one aqua glo bulb, one sun glo bulb, I'm not home at the mo so can only go by what the write up of the tank deal says, I think they are 30W. I've had the lights on a lot - sometimes in excess of 15 hours a day as I forget to switch it off (two kids under 3 kind of take control of my brain, need to get a timer switch) I have Easycarbo which I've been dosing 2.5ml per day and Tropica Special which I've squirted twice a day.

This is the whole tank:



And here is my original tank with 5 plants, no tech, very basic but I like it for a first go at a fish tank:

 

[ceg4048]

I have no idea what algal species that is. It could be Rhizoclonium or could be Diatomic. If it's Rhizo then this means low CO2 and low nutrition so you'll need to add more CO2/liquid carbon and more nutrients straight away.

Cheers,

 

[discusdan]

"lights on for 15 hours a day"

Wowzers! Get your self a socket timer quick and reduce the lighting period to 5-6 hours max.

 

[brumbird]

Could it be fungal? The redmoor appears to have a similar thing on it. I wondered whether it could be debris from the redmoor as tge flow takes stuff into that area, but its definitely growing on the plants.

 

[Fern]

Yes, thats a long time the lights are on for.
What filter do you have on your tank brumbird?

 

[James O]

I'd get a timer and set it for 6-8 hrs

 

[brumbird]

Fern - I've got a Fluval U4 set on the underwater spray bar mode (not sure what the proper name is but its like a vertical spray)

I will definitely go and get a timer tomorrow 🙂

I think the grey stuff is simply coming off the red moor root, it comes off really easily (using a turkey baster to slurp it up)

 

[Fern]

While that is a great little filter, it's just not powerful enough to turn over the water in your tank for a good flow, I think you will have to add another filter, or at least a powerhead keep that one by all means, it will certainly help to distribute flow

 

[brumbird]

I've got two Marina s20s but they seem really sluggish - that's why I got the u4! Will Google power head, I don't really know what they are.

 

[Fern]

something like this for example

 

[harryH]

I've got two Marina s20s but they seem really sluggish - that's why I got the u4! Will Google power head, I don't really know what they are.

Hi Brumbird, As you have said you don't know what a power head is,.. a power head is just a pump. It's exactly the same as your present filters top bit, the part that houses the motor and the impeller without the filter medium housing.
The picture by Fern, above is of a Koralia power head and as you can see it's just a grill type housing with an impeller in it. You just place it in your tank and switch it on and all it does is pump the water around.

As Fern has said, your present filter, while a good one is too small to move enough water around your tank. The idea is to try and turn over your water 10 times in the hour so, as you have 160 litres you should try to pump the water through at 1600 litres per hour. The idea is to have enough flow around the tank to distribute your fertilisers and CO2 to every part of the aquarium. Koralia pumps are favoured and are very efficient at moving water but any power head with a rating of over 1000 lph would be a great boost to your tank when run alongside your present filter.

Hope I'm not telling you what you already know and that I have been of some help,

Harry.

 

[brumbird]

Thanks so much both! That pump looks like a bit of a food processor, I have shrimp so would have to proof any equipment to make it safe.

My other question is, wouldn't that kind of flow turn my tank into a washing machine? Where are the fish supposed to rest?

 

[Fern]

I have shrimp

You have shrimp in the tank you are 'cycling' with ammonia? 😱

 

[brumbird]

No of course not but they will be moving into this tank once its ready.

 

[Fern]

No of course not

I knew that, just checking 😉

 

[brumbird]

🙂

 

[harryH]

My other question is, wouldn't that kind of flow turn my tank into a washing machine?

As a guide, my present aquarium is 80 litres, half size of yours. I have an external canister rated at 600 lph and a Koralia power head rated at 900 lph. The power head is high near the water surface on the back wall and the external filter has a spray bar that sits below the Koralia lower down. There is no 'washing machine' effect but plants are gently waving in every corner. There is lots to research on this site about water movement.

I also have shrimp and some tiny babies recently hatched and they have not been troubled by the power head but I have read other posts where people have shown concern.
If it worries you you could always use a different one. There are many that take water in at the bottom and a shrimp guard could be fitted.
Harry
Edit: You can turn off any power head at night and just leave filter running. This will allow fish to rest if you wish.

 

[Fern]

Brumbird, you could have a think about starting up a journal, would consolidate your questions 🙂
And the whole thing about you adding ammonia, please reconsider.
With some input from the great people on here, it will be possible to turn your tank around, and who knows, you may be pleasantly suprised.
After all, you have nothing to loose, and hopefully everything to gain 🙂

 

[brumbird]

I will definitely think about a journal, feel like too much of a novice to be putting my pics up.next to the likes of some of the others though 🙂

I understand why you want me to stop using ammonia, up to a point. I have taken on board all the info I've received so far in response to my questions. I can see that oxygen is of huge importance to growing the whole ecology that is required for a healthy tank.

What i dont get is why the naturally released ammonia route is being offered as a better solution to providing a source of ammonia, seeing as it is this very process that exerts an increased BOD on the system (via heterotrophic bacteria processing waste) and sucking the oxygen out of the tank.

To my.mind there must be a middle ground whereby you keep the tank clean and replenish water regularly, but still add the ammonia in tiny doses, in a controlled fashion which would have no effect on BOD in the way that tthe 'natural' route does.

I know you are asking me to slow down regarding the addition of fish, im not in any rush and will most likely be waiting 6 weeks anyway, but my hobby is about the fish first, all the tech involved in growing high maintenance plants is just not for me, its different for different people I guess 🙂

 

[John S]

I will definitely think about a journal, feel like too much of a novice to be putting my pics up.next to the likes of some of the others though

Don't feel like that Brumbird, although I did when I first joined.😳

There are some stunning tanks on here but there are also plenty of journals where people have been in similar situations to yourself and those tanks have been turned around with help from the community here. 🙂

With the right plant choice and set up you can still have a low maintenance tank to show off your fish.