need a bunch of advice/recommendations

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fishman888888

Aquarium Advice Freak
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Apr 12, 2014
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Planted 125 gal, barebottom.

I keep adding more pots for my vals and ludwigia that keep outgrowing their originals

I have(2) 24" current sattelite leds and a 36" coralife t5ho dual strip fixture

Pressurized co2

Ferts: seachem - phosphate, potassium, iron and trace elements...
I thought reducing wcs to once a week might be enough for nitrates.... but i have a feeling i may have a small nitrogen deficiency and will need to start dosing that

Also started using leaf zone



Questions:

A) splitting anubias into two....best method?

B) if i keep adding more pots should i be okay for 4 more months? (Then i move and can put substrate throughout :D )

C) my java fern on the giant log have a tiny bit of bba, i want to tackle this quickly.
I think they might be positioned too high up?

My lights are currently on a 4 on, 3 off, 4 on schedule
And the current satellite is set to yellow base with a few adjustments to customize

The anubias also get a little bit of dust algae.

... im thinking i should reduce my ferts to seachem potassium, nitrogen, leaf zone and phosphate @ half dose

Should i use excel?

Im going to get the gla npk package before i move. Im excited to see how that will go

When i set up the tank at my new place...do you add special fertilizers before adding the substrate? If i gave a picture list of my plants, could i get advice on best substrate to go with?
 

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I can't answer all of your questions but...

Yes positioning the ferns in the shade will help with BBA. Dosing less ferts will help also.

Yes you should use excel. Start at 1 ml/10 gallons and work up to 4/10 gallons.

Yes more pots will be fine for that long although putting substrate on only one corner might work as well.

For substrate I recommend Eco complete.

I personally don't use any substrate additives but most professionals like James Findley do so for high light tanks it might be a good idea.
 
I can't answer all of your questions but...

Yes positioning the ferns in the shade will help with BBA. Dosing less ferts will help also.

Yes you should use excel. Start at 1 ml/10 gallons and work up to 4/10 gallons.

Yes more pots will be fine for that long although putting substrate on only one corner might work as well.

For substrate I recommend Eco complete.

I personally don't use any substrate additives but most professionals like James Findley do so for high light tanks it might be a good idea.


Alright, im going to reposition the java ferns and see if it helps :)

I have 3 baby java fern plants (30+ runners bundled together) where can i position these for them to thrive the most?

Ill also pick up some excel, is there anywhere to get large quantities? I see people talking about metricide... whats the difference?

As for the eco complete all the lfs' seem to carry fluval stratum in my area. (What im currently using) is that a comparable alternative?

I dont think ill use the additives on that note.... im going to add 2 finnex fixtures or 2 more satellites to bring me into medium light when i move. Still wouldnt be necessary to use the additives it sounds.

What ferts should i use primarily?

I use flourish root tabs for my vals, red tiger lotus and amazon swords
But ive found a local hobbyist who sells the diy ones for really cheap, will be switching :)

I also managed to scoop up 5 beautiful manzanita branches for $20 off craigslist, ive wrapped moss on them with thread, does moss grow algae? Or does it grow fast enough that i dont need to worry about positioning the branches?
 
My answers in caps :)

Alright, im going to reposition the java ferns and see if it helps :)



I have 3 baby java fern plants (30+ runners bundled together) where can i position these for them to thrive the most?



PREFERABLY SOMEWHERE IN THE SHADE, OR AT LEAST PARTIALLY SHADED.

Ill also pick up some excel, is there anywhere to get large quantities? I see people talking about metricide... whats the difference?

THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT METRICIDE-14 IS TWICE AS STRONG. I WOULD ORDER IT ONLINE, WHICHEVER ONE YOU GET. AMAZON HAS BOTH PROBABLY.



As for the eco complete all the lfs' seem to carry fluval stratum in my area. (What im currently using) is that a comparable alternative?

YES I THINK SO BUT YOU MIGHT NEED TO CONFIRM THAT.



I dont think ill use the additives on that note.... im going to add 2 finnex fixtures or 2 more satellites to bring me into medium light when i move. Still wouldnt be necessary to use the additives it sounds.

CORRECT. ADDITIVES ARE PRETTY MUCH FOR HIGH LIGHT AS FAR AS I KNOW.



What ferts should i use primarily?



I RECOMMEND DOSING PPS PRO. THIS IS THE TWEAKED DOSAGE I USE:

Original:
29.5 grams of K2SO4
32.5 grams of KNO3
3 grams of KH2PO4
20.5 grams of MgSO4
40 grams of CSM+B
Tweaked:
37 grams of K2SO4
28 grams of KNO3
5 grams of KH2PO4
18.5 grams of MgSO4
50 grams of CSM+B
Per 500 ml

I DON'T KNOW HOW WELL IT WORKS BECAUSE I RECENTLY CHANGED IT, BUT I BELIEVE IT WILL WORK WELL.

I use flourish root tabs for my vals, red tiger lotus and amazon swords

But ive found a local hobbyist who sells the diy ones for really cheap, will be switching :)



GOOD IDEA.

I also managed to scoop up 5 beautiful manzanita branches for $20 off craigslist, ive wrapped moss on them with thread, does moss grow algae? Or does it grow fast enough that i dont need to worry about positioning the branches?

MOSS ISNT VERY PRONE TO ALGAE, AND IF IT DOES GET SOME IT WON'T BE VERY NOTICEABLE. ANYWHERE WORKS, REALLY.
 
For 125 gal. I would personally use a dirt substrate. It will be the most economical option. I run dirt in a lot of my tanks and really like it. For dirt I use miracle gro organic potting soil, amaco red clay from amazon ( 1 pound for every 20 gals), and I use a bit of crushed coral to buffer the ph ( i use around a handful for every 10 gals.) I went ahead and bought dustins dirted tank guide and this is what he suggested doing. Some tanks I cap with pfs others black sand. Good luck
 
How often do you replace your subtrate? Ever?

If its not that frequent of an expenditure, ill probly stick to aquarium soil. It seems easier and cleaner to work with... could i add clay to this?

As for capping with sand, i might be tempted to do so. How thick of a layer do you put on top? How much soil underneath?

Thanks for the replies
 
In the guide it says that it can last for a long time even up to ten years. In the guide he went through his own 125 thats been setup for i think 9 years now and he said he only noticed deceased growth at 8 years. That is if you do it right though. Less dirt = shorter lifespan and so on. As for the aquarium soil i have never heard of it. Im guessing its basically organic soil but more expensive and with wood chips already taken out. If its what i think it is then def. add clay. Ive ran tanks with and without and with clay def. makes a huge improvement. Especially with red plants and heavy root feeders. On my 29g i used an inch of dirt and 2.5 inches of pfs. I would have went with 3.5 in of sand and and 2 inch of dirt but it would have looked a bit funny. I would also reccomend the crushed coral or oyster shells. Apparently they help avoid anaerobic conditions in the dirt layer. When you get it dirted b4 plants and fish go in half fill the tank then let it sit for an hour or so then drain it. This helps compact everything and remove excess nutrients. Hope this helps


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