Hello, I've had a 55g setup for a while now and recently decided to try planted tanks. Upon research i found out adequate lighting is a major component to success so i went out and bought a 250 watt MH fixture. My problem is that when i bought 4 or so different plants i noticed they started to rot (leaves turning brownish). I looked into this and found out a planted tank with too much light needs co2. Ive heard of diy co2 but apparently 55g is too large for that. I just want my plants to grow and not die. How can i make it so my plants can grow? Did i go overboard with the lighting? Maybe its just my plants? If so what plants grow well in 4+ wpg? Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks, jorge
Planted tank help!!!
- Thread starter Jdiaz9026
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NanoJack
Aquarium Advice Freak
High light = more co2, more nutrients, more maintenance. I too am running over 4 wpg. I'm almost tripling ferts and doing 70% WCs every 2 days till my 16 day flood matures. Also, I'm adding 3ml excel daily and 6 hour photo period. So far no algae and no excessive browning of any leaves. Just normal emersed to submersed transitioning. I think.
Metal Halides are super excessive IMO. High energy costs too.
Oops... I'm running pressurized co2.
Metal Halides are super excessive IMO. High energy costs too.
Oops... I'm running pressurized co2.
tony_540
Aquarium Advice Freak
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If you need co2 you can try the CO2 booster I bought som at petsmart and people say it works great, it's a liquid and it doesn't affect your fish!
tony_540
Aquarium Advice Freak
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I don't, I use the liquid one I got at petsmart
NanoJack
Aquarium Advice Freak
Your excessive lighting is causing your plants to starve of co2 and nutrients. You may need to reduce lighting if not dosing co2 and daily ferts.
Coursair
Aquarium Advice Addict
A. Less light or raise fixture or add screening to reduce PAR
Or
B. Get either a paintball or regular CO2 set up.
C. You could try a liquid carbon source. Glut is generic Excel aka Metricide 14
"A couple things you need to know if you get the Metricide 14 Day Solution. First is you have to store it in opaque, completely light blocking containers as light breaks down the Glut and renders it useless. Secondly it comes with a small activator bottle which you want to throw away and never use.
Just mix the Metricide 14 at a 1:1 ratio with RO or Distilled water. The amount you use in your tank depends on how high lighting is, how many plants and especially how many fast growing plants there are, and how high your bio-load is. Normal dosing is 1ml Glut per every 10g of water. Honestly 1ml of Glut per every 5g of water works very well for most tanks. If you have a high light tank or lots of plants, especially fast growing ones then usually 1ml of Glut for every 2 gallons of water is needed. The highest light tanks need 1ml Glut to every 1 gallon. Even the directions on the Excel bottle states more may be needed in high production tanks. I've done a lot of testing with Glut and the above amounts is what I've found to work. Another thing is if you ever truly overdose Glut or Excel your tank water will cloud up shortly after adding the Glut or Excel but will be clear by the next day since liquid carbon only stays in solution 12-24 hours."
There are informative stickies on the planted forum. Read up
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Or
B. Get either a paintball or regular CO2 set up.
C. You could try a liquid carbon source. Glut is generic Excel aka Metricide 14
"A couple things you need to know if you get the Metricide 14 Day Solution. First is you have to store it in opaque, completely light blocking containers as light breaks down the Glut and renders it useless. Secondly it comes with a small activator bottle which you want to throw away and never use.
Just mix the Metricide 14 at a 1:1 ratio with RO or Distilled water. The amount you use in your tank depends on how high lighting is, how many plants and especially how many fast growing plants there are, and how high your bio-load is. Normal dosing is 1ml Glut per every 10g of water. Honestly 1ml of Glut per every 5g of water works very well for most tanks. If you have a high light tank or lots of plants, especially fast growing ones then usually 1ml of Glut for every 2 gallons of water is needed. The highest light tanks need 1ml Glut to every 1 gallon. Even the directions on the Excel bottle states more may be needed in high production tanks. I've done a lot of testing with Glut and the above amounts is what I've found to work. Another thing is if you ever truly overdose Glut or Excel your tank water will cloud up shortly after adding the Glut or Excel but will be clear by the next day since liquid carbon only stays in solution 12-24 hours."
There are informative stickies on the planted forum. Read up
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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