What is in those tabs? I would wager that they are not providing all the macros and traces you need, and that you will eventually bottom out on 1 or more... but I could be wrong. A lot of the plants you have are going to suck up the nutrients, especially with CO2 and the great lighting you have.
THe beauty of real vs fake :D
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What is in those tabs? I would wager that they are not providing all the macros and traces you need, and that you will eventually bottom out on 1 or more... but I could be wrong. A lot of the plants you have are going to suck up the nutrients, especially with CO2 and the great lighting you have.
dinokath
Aquarium Advice Activist
Per their website:
Total Pellets provide all essential macro and micronutrients for luxuriant Aquarium Plant Growth. Iron and other essential micronutrients are chelated to assure effective uptake by plants. (Total Pellets do not contribute to Phosphate levels.)
Directions: Inject one pellet under a single plant or group of plants within an area of 3” by 3” square. Inject no more than 1 pellet per each 3” by 3” area of aquarium bottom per month. Plants should be growing in at least 2” of substrate. With the injector angled at least 30 degrees off vertical, inject pellets into the substrate to about 1/2” under the plant root area.
Chemically Active Ingredients: Hydrated Magnesium sulfate, Potassium nitrate, Potassium sulfate, also trace amounts of; Cobalt EDTA, Copper EDTA, Iron EDTA, Magnesium EDTA, Zinc EDTA, Manganese sulfate, Sodium Borate, Sodium Molybdate, (Chelating Agent: Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid)
Physically Active Ingredients: Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) Magnesium Carbonate (MgCO3) Calcium Carbonate Equivalent (CaCO3) Calcium Sulfate (CaSO42H2O)
- TOTAL SUBSTRATE PELLETS
Total Pellets provide all essential macro and micronutrients for luxuriant Aquarium Plant Growth. Iron and other essential micronutrients are chelated to assure effective uptake by plants. (Total Pellets do not contribute to Phosphate levels.)
Directions: Inject one pellet under a single plant or group of plants within an area of 3” by 3” square. Inject no more than 1 pellet per each 3” by 3” area of aquarium bottom per month. Plants should be growing in at least 2” of substrate. With the injector angled at least 30 degrees off vertical, inject pellets into the substrate to about 1/2” under the plant root area.
Chemically Active Ingredients: Hydrated Magnesium sulfate, Potassium nitrate, Potassium sulfate, also trace amounts of; Cobalt EDTA, Copper EDTA, Iron EDTA, Magnesium EDTA, Zinc EDTA, Manganese sulfate, Sodium Borate, Sodium Molybdate, (Chelating Agent: Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid)
Physically Active Ingredients: Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) Magnesium Carbonate (MgCO3) Calcium Carbonate Equivalent (CaCO3) Calcium Sulfate (CaSO42H2O)
dinokath
Aquarium Advice Activist
Yeah White, I hear you on them getting aggressive towards other fish. My clown loach, before he went to the great aquarium in the sky, would sometimes beat up other fish... He got to be about 5" long or so and was about 9 years old. He was a good fish. Clowny is what we called him...
Hmmm, I think you could end up with a need for a phosphate additive in that heavily planted of a tank. Everything else looks like it is there. No harm in waiting though, but if you provide plenty of N, K, and CO2 for plants to suck up, I bet they will use up all available P pretty quick.
dinokath
Aquarium Advice Activist
Yeah, I am not saying they are the end all be all, but I will give them a shot. The guy on the phone really seemed to know his stuff and swore to me they would be ideal for what I had and told me he would replace the plants and refund my money if I had plants die and wasn't satisfied. How could I refuse? Less work and great results. I'll give it a shot!
I told him what I had, the CO2, he had my list of plants. He looked at my list, asked about my light, which was a 2x54 T5HO light and said I really needed more to grow the plants I had on my list and reccommended the 4x54 T5HO light, which is what I REALLY wanted to get but didn't want to spend the $$. At that point, I was into this for about $550 so I kinda figured I may as well drop the other $200 and get the kick a$$ light that will do everything I need it to do.
As a side note, I do have all the dry ferts on hand just in case I am not happy with the results of the tablets.
I told him what I had, the CO2, he had my list of plants. He looked at my list, asked about my light, which was a 2x54 T5HO light and said I really needed more to grow the plants I had on my list and reccommended the 4x54 T5HO light, which is what I REALLY wanted to get but didn't want to spend the $$. At that point, I was into this for about $550 so I kinda figured I may as well drop the other $200 and get the kick a$$ light that will do everything I need it to do.
As a side note, I do have all the dry ferts on hand just in case I am not happy with the results of the tablets.
WhiteDevil
Aquarium Advice Addict
Ive noticed alot of talk about dwarf puffers and snail removal, however they are a true predator as well and that might not be good, however I know my kuhlis can outswim it any day.
dinokath
Aquarium Advice Activist
Yeah, I read about puffers being good snail eaters too. If you do the alum dip before you put the new plants in the tank, you should be good though. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!
WhiteDevil
Aquarium Advice Addict
Aye it does. I didnt know of any dips for the live plants before, just used to rinse them off in warm then cold water then put in tank.
I know the betta will benefit from this as well as prolly all the other fish in both consuming and atmosphere.
I think I got the plant bug, however this Co2 thing, can I fab one up at home? I got manifolds and regulators and tubing from my hva/c days.
I know the betta will benefit from this as well as prolly all the other fish in both consuming and atmosphere.
I think I got the plant bug, however this Co2 thing, can I fab one up at home? I got manifolds and regulators and tubing from my hva/c days.
colematthewmalaka
Aquarium Advice Freak
Wow! that is an amazing improvement i hate the unnatural look of that old diver bubbler. Also just a tip, put a black paper for tank backing and the green will stand out a lot more, not that it isn't great already. 
OP
OP
TheNamelessPoet
Aquarium Advice Freak
I just made mine in literaly 10-15 minutes including the "solution" of yeast and sugar
it cost I think 10 bucks for the check valve and the hose I had a 2 liter bottle at home already
dinokath
Aquarium Advice Activist
I think as long as you can get the CO2 out of the tank and regulated, you should be good to go. I have done HVAC work before, not much but some, and I know the gauges I used do not look like they would fit on a CO2 tank. I picked up the regulator, needle valve, solenoid and CO2 tubing along with a pH monitor(VERY nice to have, almost required really, almost) for $176 off eBay brand new. That is a steal. The pH monitor is like $122 by itself and the regulator is like $100 by itself. Here's the link:
SMS122 PH CONTROLLER+ Milwaukee CO2 REGULATOR MA957 - eBay (item 380106124907 end time Apr-25-09 19:14:40 PDT)
Then you need the tank. Got a 5lb off ebay for $60 shipped brand new and that is the way to go, brand new. They need to be tested every 5 years and if you get a faulty one, it can blow. I store my tank under the fish tank and if my CO2 tank blows, it will take out my fish tank and drop 55 gallons of water and 6 bags of eco-complete (not to mention the fish and plants) all over my BRAND NEW hardwood floor that I slaved on for like a week installing it myself. THAT would be enough to piss off the Pope...
Already up to $250 and we haven't even talked proper lighting yet.... BUT you really can do a DIY CO2 with yeast and mild to moderate success from what I have read, but you'd be hard pressed to do a crazy heavily planted tank. You need the crazy CO2, the crazy lights and all to do lots of plants and then to do something other than green plants (like the reds and purples) you really need high lighting from what I have read. I am just under 4WPG with the T5HO lights and everything I have read and been told is that the T5HO is crazy strong and does more than the WPG gallon rule, which was designed for T12 lights.
But really, I am a buck novice on the planted tank. I have done lots of reading, asked a ton of questions and everyone has their own opinion and way of doing things which works well for them. One of my other hobbies is brewing beer and I am finding this hobby is alot like that one. There are 1000 different ways to brew beer. Each one is right if you get the desired result at the end. My way of brewing is totally different from the guy who taught me, but my equipment is different, my preferred choice of beer style is different, so it stands to reason my methods will be different. But when I hand you a frosty cold one that brewed up, you'll ask for more, that much is sure! It's all about the journey and a great hobby has no destination and even if it does, it is all about the journey you took to get there.
I feel like Hemingway or something now...
SMS122 PH CONTROLLER+ Milwaukee CO2 REGULATOR MA957 - eBay (item 380106124907 end time Apr-25-09 19:14:40 PDT)
Then you need the tank. Got a 5lb off ebay for $60 shipped brand new and that is the way to go, brand new. They need to be tested every 5 years and if you get a faulty one, it can blow. I store my tank under the fish tank and if my CO2 tank blows, it will take out my fish tank and drop 55 gallons of water and 6 bags of eco-complete (not to mention the fish and plants) all over my BRAND NEW hardwood floor that I slaved on for like a week installing it myself. THAT would be enough to piss off the Pope...
Already up to $250 and we haven't even talked proper lighting yet.... BUT you really can do a DIY CO2 with yeast and mild to moderate success from what I have read, but you'd be hard pressed to do a crazy heavily planted tank. You need the crazy CO2, the crazy lights and all to do lots of plants and then to do something other than green plants (like the reds and purples) you really need high lighting from what I have read. I am just under 4WPG with the T5HO lights and everything I have read and been told is that the T5HO is crazy strong and does more than the WPG gallon rule, which was designed for T12 lights.
But really, I am a buck novice on the planted tank. I have done lots of reading, asked a ton of questions and everyone has their own opinion and way of doing things which works well for them. One of my other hobbies is brewing beer and I am finding this hobby is alot like that one. There are 1000 different ways to brew beer. Each one is right if you get the desired result at the end. My way of brewing is totally different from the guy who taught me, but my equipment is different, my preferred choice of beer style is different, so it stands to reason my methods will be different. But when I hand you a frosty cold one that brewed up, you'll ask for more, that much is sure! It's all about the journey and a great hobby has no destination and even if it does, it is all about the journey you took to get there.
I feel like Hemingway or something now...
dinokath
Aquarium Advice Activist
Hey matthew, try painting the back of your tank. I used posterboard for years and it always warps, pulls away from the back, etc. I read somewhere about painting a reef tank's back blue and how to do that. I did it to my tank but in black and let me tell you... NICE! Go in thin coats using a good quality spray paint and tape EVERYTHING you don't want paint on or in or floating into off. I mean tape it off good. Spray thin, take your time, do it outside on a hot but not muggy day if at all possible and go thin and go slow. Make sure your glass is super clean and then clean it again. Get some 99% isopropyl alcohol and clean it with that and you will be good to go. Did I mention you need to take your time, spray thin and take your time? That's the key really. Thin coats. Did I mention that?
I did mine last August and never looked back. No peeling, flakes, nothing (yet) and I don't anticipate it for quite some time.
I did mine last August and never looked back. No peeling, flakes, nothing (yet) and I don't anticipate it for quite some time.
WhiteDevil
Aquarium Advice Addict
LOL!
yeah im sure with the correct fittings it can be made to work, reducers ect.
Ill check out more on sunday when I got more time to research, appreciate the insight.
yeah im sure with the correct fittings it can be made to work, reducers ect.
Ill check out more on sunday when I got more time to research, appreciate the insight.
