New 55gal planted!

[fishfool58]

I would think your plants are eating the nitrate. Your fish don't need it tho...it's actually not good for them.

I know it's not good for them in large amounts.. & I know the plants eat the nitrAtes, I just thought I wanted more with planted tanks?

 

[Rivercats]

Nitrates in your planted tank should be between 10ppm and 20ppm. I keep mine closer to 10ppm. I've been told that when nitrates fall under 10ppm your tank is more likely to get blue green algae (cyno bacteria). Are you using dry ferts? If so you may need to slightly increase nitrate in your dosing.

 

[fishfool58]

Nitrates in your planted tank should be between 10ppm and 20ppm. I keep mine closer to 10ppm. I've been told that when nitrates fall under 10ppm your tank is more likely to get blue green algae (cyno bacteria). Are you using dry ferts? If so you may need to slightly increase nitrate in your dosing.

I am not dosing anything.. It's actually growing pretty decent I'll have to update.. The only thing is my plants aren't a bright green, they have a litte yellow in them.. Meaning insufficient phosphate? Maybe.. Or iron.. But if it drops how do I raise it? Adding a few more fish?

 

[Rivercats]

I forgot are you doing CO2? Or liquid carbon like Excel?

If you want your plants to stay nice you really need to think about dosing ferts and using some root tabs. I dose PPS-Pro here is a link about it:
https://sites.google.com/site/aquaticplantfertilizer/home/pps-pro However I do not use MgSO4 in my macro mix as I get plenty of Magnesium in my tap water.

Here is a link to where I get my ferts and the package deal you can buy that has everything you need in it:
Micro & Macro | Aquarium Fertilizer | Green Leaf Aquariums

After mixing the micro mix I add 5ml of Excel to every 250ml of solution to keep the mirco solution free of developing fungus.

Here is a link to their dosing bottles, I recommend them as they make dosing extremely easy:
Fertilizer Dispenser | 1000 mL (32 oz) | Green Leaf Aquariums

Using dry fertilizers is so much cheaper than using liquids and the above will last you probably a year or more. Your plants will do much better if you use fertilizers.

 

[fishfool58]

I forgot are you doing CO2? Or liquid carbon like Excel?

If you want your plants to stay nice you really need to think about dosing ferts and using some root tabs. I dose PPS-Pro here is a link about it:
https://sites.google.com/site/aquaticplantfertilizer/home/pps-pro However I do not use MgSO4 in my macro mix as I get plenty of Magnesium in my tap water.

Here is a link to where I get my ferts and the package deal you can buy that has everything you need in it:
Micro & Macro | Aquarium Fertilizer | Green Leaf Aquariums

After mixing the micro mix I add 5ml of Excel to every 250ml of solution to keep the mirco solution free of developing fungus.

Here is a link to their dosing bottles, I recommend them as they make dosing extremely easy:
Fertilizer Dispenser | 1000 mL (32 oz) | Green Leaf Aquariums

Using dry fertilizers is so much cheaper than using liquids and the above will last you probably a year or more. Your plants will do much better if you use fertilizers.

Nope, I'm not dosing anything at the moment, & I'll look into those ferts. But I'm not buying stuff, I just set up the tank & am taking care of it.. Family is buying everything.. Lol

 

[fishfool58]

So. I've had 3 cardinal tetras die, & a lemon terra.. I don't know what's going on.. My ammonia & nitrites are zero, & my nitrates are between 10-20, closer to 10.. What could be the problem?

 

[fishfool58]

Fish are dying, & this is what my tanks parameters read..

 

[fishfool58]

Fish are dying, & this is what my tanks parameters read..

Yesterday the nitrates read 10.. Now it seems they are reading 0.. How?

 

[Botanica]

Yesterday the nitrates read 10.. Now it seems they are reading 0.. How?

Live plants? Did the fish have symptoms before they died?

 

[fishfool58]

Live plants? Did the fish have symptoms before they died?

Yes live plants.. Idk if they did.. I got the lemons from a local petstore 1.5 hours away... The cardinals came from petsmart.. They were only a dollar.. But idk what's happening..

 

[Botanica]

Yes live plants.. Idk if they did.. I got the lemons from a local petstore 1.5 hours away... The cardinals came from petsmart.. They were only a dollar.. But idk what's happening..

The live plants prob ate the nitrate...just a guess... I've never had lemon tetras...but I know cardinals and neons often have a hard time adjusting to new tanks...usually if mine last longer than two weeks they're good to go. We have 16 at the moment...but we did loose about three along the way...usually within the first 7-10 days. Is there anything in the tank that could be nipping them?

 

[fishfool58]

The live plants prob ate the nitrate...just a guess... I've never had lemon tetras...but I know cardinals and neons often have a hard time adjusting to new tanks...usually if mine last longer than two weeks they're good to go. We have 16 at the moment...but we did loose about three along the way...usually within the first 7-10 days. Is there anything in the tank that could be nipping them?

So, if they ate the Nitrates, shouldn't I need it at least about 10ppm? And as for the Cardinals I think I've had them longer than 2 weeks.. As of right now, my stock list is. 3 Nerite Snails, 4 Otos, 6 Glowlight Tetras, 3(was 6) cardinal Tetras, 6(was 7) Lemon Tetras, I also had 2 Black Veil Angels(baby) but 1 died, I think cause it got picked on by the other or because the bag the guy put it in leaked & fell through the paper bag he gave me, & hit my hardwood floor.. I'm not sure what its cause of death was? Anywho.. That's my stock list.. As for plants, I have 3 swords, a banana plant, some guppy grass, some dwarf sag, anubias, wisteria, & some kind of floating plants..

 

[Botanica]

So, if they ate the Nitrates, shouldn't I need it at least about 10ppm? And as for the Cardinals I think I've had them longer than 2 weeks.. As of right now, my stock list is. 3 Nerite Snails, 4 Otos, 6 Glowlight Tetras, 3(was 6) cardinal Tetras, 6(was 7) Lemon Tetras, I also had 2 Black Veil Angels(baby) but 1 died, I think cause it got picked on by the other or because the bag the guy put it in leaked & fell through the paper bag he gave me, & hit my hardwood floor.. I'm not sure what its cause of death was? Anywho.. That's my stock list.. As for plants, I have 3 swords, a banana plant, some guppy grass, some dwarf sag, anubias, wisteria, & some kind of floating plants..

Well...sounds like a peaceful tank to me. I'm sorry I can't be more helpful...but I would watch the remaining fish and see if any symptoms can be spotted. If your water is good...watching for symptoms is all you can really do.

 

[fishfool58]

Well...sounds like a peaceful tank to me. I'm sorry I can't be more helpful...but I would watch the remaining fish and see if any symptoms can be spotted. If your water is good...watching for symptoms is all you can really do.

Thanks for trying.. Any advice is better than none.. I'll keep an eye out.. I know my tanks cycled though.. All the media in the canister was in my 75gal Cichlid tank cultivating for 2-3 weeks.. I'll keep watching..

 

[fishfool58]

So, the zoomed light strip we have, kinda sucks, & cheaply made in my opinion they should stick to reptile stuff.. So, looking into new lighting.. We can get a 4x54w light fixture, equalling 216 watts total.. Would this screw up our plants, or create a massive algae outbreak, or require us to add co2?

 

[Rivercats]

IMO that would be too much light and you would have to have CO2 and use daily ferts. I have 2-bulb T5HO fixtures on my 55's and can grow alot of plants using only glutaraldehyde (Excel). Oh but you didn't say are you talking about T5HO lights?

 

[bigbanker]

It also depends on photoperiod and nutrients.

 

[fishfool58]

IMO that would be too much light and you would have to have CO2 and use daily ferts. I have 2-bulb T5HO fixtures on my 55's and can grow alot of plants using only glutaraldehyde (Excel). Oh but you didn't say are you talking about T5HO lights?

Yeah, those lights were t5ho, it's just that zoomed light fixture just seems cheaply made.. It didn't stay on very well, & the plexiglass cover protecting the lights from water, was pathetic.. I'm taking it back & I need a better light.. So, I should just stick with a 2x54w fixture.. That's 108 total watts.. There'a one on eBay, it's 60$ & it's seller is TopDogSeller, idk how well the light itself is, but it can't be any worse than the zoomed..

 

[Rivercats]

I'm no help with knowing about different brands of lighting simply because all my fixtures are coralife.

 

[fishfool58]

I'm no help with knowing about different brands of lighting simply because all my fixtures are coralife.

Alright, that's fine, I'm just really disapointed in Zoo med, the light itself was great its assembly to the tank was crappy..