Totally Lost!

[fish_4_all]

Ok, this makes no sense at all.

Tank #1.......... Tank #2
KH 8............... KH 10
GH 14............. GH 18
pH 7.2............. pH 7.0
NO3 20-30...... NO3 30-40
PO4 2-3.......... PO4 3-4 ( don't ask how I got the balance but I did)
CO2ppm 15..... CO2ppm 30
Both tank 0 ammonia and nitrites, same lighting. ~33 w/g NO flourescent
Tank #1, No CO2 injection, dose 1 ml daily of excel and 4 ml at water change
Tank #2, CO2 injection, dose 1ml excel daily and 4 ml after water change

Here is the problem: Tank #1 is using more NO3, PO4 and everything else than tank #2 and the plants in tank #1 are growing awesome where most plants in tank #2 are struggling, even Wisteria!

Dose EI both tanks the same
NO3 10ppm, PO4 .77ppm, Mg 3.3ppm, Ca 12.33ppm every other da3x a week
CSM+B .29ppm on opposite days.

Plants tank #1
Crypt Red Wendtii, Christmas moss, Anubias Barterii Nana, Pearlweed, Primrose, Hygrophila Aromatica species
Plants Tank #2
Primrose, Crypt Lucens, Crypt Becketti, Ammannia S., Anubias afzelli, Wisteria, H. Aromatica Species

What could the problem be? The only difference is that tank #1 has a glass top and tank #2 has a plexiglass top. That is the only thing I can think of that might be having any effect. This is really baffling.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

I would say plant types, and needs. In tank 1, you have the moss, primrose, and hygro. Tank 2 has primrose and wisteria. Also, Tank 2 has more heavy root feeders, where tank 1 has nutrient sponges. About all I can say is each tank has different needs, and need to find what each tank needs.

 

[fish_4_all]

Yah, the crypts really respond well in tank 2 when I give them root tabs. Tank 1 isn't so picky but my Wendtii does get them when I remember.

It just seems odd that the primrose in Tank 1 is absolutely beautiful and in tank 2, where they are older, they look really bad.

 

[Plantbrain]

Differences in plant biomass for one.
That can explain alot, as can age of the tank.

The other issue is testing error, there is a lot right there.

What do you think the odds are that you have a non CO2 injected tank full of plant and still have 15ppm of CO2?

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[fish_4_all]

The CO2 is just off the calculator, I would guess it is probably closer to 4 or so. Either way, it grows plants faster than the one with CO2 injection. Nutrient levels should be close because they are dosed exactly the same, well as close as teaspoons can get you anyway, and they are dosed EI.

Maybe it is simply that fact that consitant levels of CO2 are more important than high levels? I don't know, all I do know is the non CO2 tank is kicking as fart as plant growth.

More tank info:
Tank 1 is 3 months younger than tank 2. Plant Biomass started out larger in tank 2. As for testing errors, KH and pH for CO2 but that is never given me believable numbers and as far as NO3 and PO4 it is really irrelevant due to dosing EI, isn't it?

I do have a question about CO2. If you have crushed coral for KH and reads 10dKH and your pH is 7.2, is it impossible to have anything over 3ppm CO2 without injections?

The real question is, why is my non CO2 tank growing plants so much faster and so much healthier than my CO2 injected tank?

 

[fish_4_all]

Update:

The plants in tank 2 have gone balistic, especially the primrose. I think this is because of the Excel dosing but whatever it is, they have grown 6 inches in 3 days and are trying to break the surface.

I guess my CO2 levels really suck in both tanks and Excel could be the equivelant of miracle grow in my tanks. Guess it makes sense and if I start using it this much, buying by the 2 liter bottle of Excel would be less expensive than the sugar I use now at $2.50/5# and going through 7-10 lbs. a month.

With the results I am seeing now with the Excel, is there any reason to keep running the DIY CO2?