New tank - Ferts and Oto cat help!

[jtd1216]

I just started up my planted tank about a couple weeks ago. I just started to add fish (2 oto cats). The tank is a 20g high with eco-complete substrate, about 2wpg, and DIY co2.

Water test:
GH/KH - 5
PH - 7.0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 2 (i've been told this is too low and i need to dose something for it)
Ammonia - .1
CO2 readings - a steady 15ppm

I've been reading alot on here about dosing ferts, but getting some different views. Some say that when using eco-complete, I wouldn't have to add anything for at least a few months. Others say I need to add NPK, and the rest say just some Flourish is enough(not trace). Based on my tanks specs, what would you suggest??

Also, after i bought the two otto's i found that it is somewhat of a challenge to keep them alive in the beginning. I'm worried now because my tank does not have much algae at all and they aren't taking a liking to the algae wafers. Someone mentioned raw veg (like zucchini or broccoli stalk), but would that have any effect on the water chemistry or anything?

Sorry for such a long post!!

 

[sherry]

i feed my otos kale every few days.. just clip it to the side of tank and leave it till it's gone.. they also like blanched broccoli.. and I'm told zuccini isn't usually enough to keep them alive.

I have eco complete and I dose ferts... usually not nitrate or phos because I have a heavy fish load.. but you can dose all of them...

But more importantly you areregistering ammonia which means your tank is not entirely cycled.. Otos are sensitive fish and I don't think they will survive the cycling process whatever you feed them.

Any chance you can give the otos to a friend to hold in a cycled tank and do a fishless cycle?

 

[jtd1216]

Thanks for the response, that ammonia reading was from about 4 days ago (not the other levels though)... since u said it would be harmful, i just re-tested and it is at zero. phew!! I will try the broccoli, they sell special clips for inside of tank? (sorry i'm new to this)

And what specifically do u use for ferts? Is Seachem flourish sufficient for my set up?

 

[rich311k]

Are your plants growing well now? You will need a phosphate kit before you start doing anything to see where you are. Your kind of on the line between needing to fertilize or not. I would get PO4 kit because it is good to have and then let your plants tell you wether or not they need ferts.

 

[jtd1216]

my plants are growing really well... my cabomba has a yellowish tint towards the bottom, but that is it. I heard phosphate kits have bad reputations for inaccurate readings, any suggestions for those?

 

[rich311k]

I use the Seachem kit. Seems to be pretty good.

 

[jtd1216]

Ok i'll give that one a try, off hand do you know of ideal levels?

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

Ideal is relative, a good spot for PO4 is 1/10th your nitrate reading. (so in your case, no more then .3ppm). Most recommend between .5 and 1 with nitrates between 10 and 15.

for a 20Gal you could get away with only flourish products (Flourish Nitrogen, Flourish Potassium, Flourish) but I would order some dry ferts just because they are more cost effective.

NPK is not a type of fertalizer, it's the ratio. NO3 - PO4 - K = NPK.

Dosing K is often required as it doesn't make it into the tank. just dose the reading of N per week (so 3ppm / week is for you), if you add NO3 (typically KNO3 it has K mixed in sufficient amounts that you don't need to add to compensate for it, just compensate for what your fish make.

 

[jtd1216]

no i know npk isn't a fertilizer... i meant add n03 po4 and k.... i was told my nitrate reading is much too low for a planted tank. If i ordered from someone like greg w. what products would i need (in dry)

 

[Hoovercat]

Usually, to start out order 1#KNO3, 1#K2SO4 or KCL (I prefer the sulfate), 1#KH2PO4 (a lifetime supply), and 1#CSM+B. By the time you pay shipping you'll be about $20 in and have enough ferts to last probably a year. The only one you might consider 2# of is the K2SO4 as it's the most often added.

 

[jtd1216]

That seems like a lot for my set up, no? I was told KNO3 would be sufficient, and then phosphates if i find i need it (after i get the test for it)

 

[Hoovercat]

I was told KNO3 would be sufficient, and then phosphates if i find i need it (after i get the test for it)

Whoever told you that obviously didn't understand botany or aquaria one very well. If you only need to add one nutrient it will definately be K. NO3 is produced by fish wastes and PO4 is in most tap water and is produced by feeding as well. You often can get enough trace elements from frequent water changes. Potassium, however, has to be introduced to the tank.

At 2wpg, you will most likely need N, P, and K added eventually as once the plants grow in they will need more nutrients than your livestock will produce. It's easier to go ahead and order all the ferts you MIGHT need than try to get things back under control once one of your macro's bottoms out and causes an algae bloom.

 

[sherry]

I dose k, my fish load and feeding sked seem to take care of no3 and po4... and I dose traces.. greg watsons csm plus b plus iron.

They do sell veggie clips for fish tanks and my otos love kale (usually freeze leaf first .. I freeze the whole head and keep it in freezer so I don't have to buy it often at all.. then They really love it best on teh second day in tank)

 

[czcz]

If, for example, you dose 15ppm NO3 from KNO3 weekly to maintain your N target, you would add approx. 10ppm K as well, meeting the minimum recommended levels. Under low-medium light with heavy plant load and moderate bioload with regular feeding, this is often the only fertilizer needed. Your current test results appear to indicate that beginning with KNO3 is required, though perhaps this is skewed by your tank still cycling (as indicated by detectable ammonia). I would suggest increasing plant mass with light appropriate fast-growers as you start KNO3 dosing, but as you know, there are often many roads to the same end in this hobby.

t's easier to go ahead and order all the ferts you MIGHT need than try to get things back under control once one of your macro's bottoms out and causes an algae bloom.

Agree.

 

[sherry]

I dose k, my fish load and feeding sked seem to take care of no3 and po4... and I dose traces.. greg watsons csm plus b plus iron.

They do sell veggie clips for fish tanks and my otos love kale (usually freeze leaf first .. I freeze the whole head and keep it in freezer so I don't have to buy it often at all.. then They really love it best on teh second day in tank)