Plant Conditions

[ricardo48]

Hi Everyone.

Can I have some feedback on the following conditions for my planted tank and if there is anything i should change/add

• 15 gallon tank
• 3.5 wpg at 6700K on for 8 hours
• Fine gravel substrate
• 40 Root tabs planted
• Diy co2 giving me 30-40 ppm

I am dosing the following fertiliser as per instructions on packaging.

• Tetra Plantamin for my Micro nutrients
• Seachem Excel
• Seachem Nitrogen
• Seachem Pottassium
• Seachem Phosphorous
• Amquel as needed

I do weekly water changes of 25% or twice weekly depending on nitrate levels.


My water parameters are

• PH = 7.0 ( comes out at 8.0 from tap )
• GH - 24
• KH = 14
• Nitrite = 0

Think that is everything. Any suggestions or feedback to improve my setup greatly appreciated or if you need any more information.

 

[mgamer20o0]

if you are adding diy co2 you dont have to also add excel.

 

[ricardo48]

Im adding Excel as i have traces of algae all around the edges of my plant leaves. Mainly Amazon sword. From looks of it I would say BBA as its only on plant edges mainly at the moment.

Once algae clears up I will stop adding it.

If im already at 35ppm of CO2 from my diy and im dosing excel, will the excel be utilised at all or will the plants take the carbon directly from the CO2 first?

Just curious as I dont want to overdose my tank with excel if its not being consumed.

 

[mgamer20o0]

really dont know. though the 30ppm+ co2 will keep the bba at bay and the excel will kill it. not 100% sure on what it takes up first but i think it might be the gas. i know the gas is better then the liquid.

 

[ricardo48]

When they BBA is kept at bay will it slowly start dissapearing or will it just stop growing and need manually removing from every surface its on?

Its on "all" the edges of my pennywort and dont really want to bleach dip if i can help it.

 

[mgamer20o0]

the co2 will keep it at bay not kill it. only way to kill it is excel h2o2 or bleach.

 

[ricardo48]

I bleach dipped my wisteria 4 days ago and already its showing signs of BBA over the edges again. It seems to be getting steadily worse. Not sure whats fueling it as i am doing everything on the above I posted.