Old Scales
Aquarium Advice Addict
David the tank is filling out nicely. The plant arrangement makes the tank look bigger like a 40B. Just beautiful. OS.
FresH2O's 20g planted rescape
- Thread starter Fresh2o
- Start date
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Fresh2o
Aquarium Advice Addict
Brian - Thanks! It's all proportion and perception. The tank keeps evolving although I'd like it to stay like this for a while.
Sending a shipment to ScottyHorse tomorrow. Cutting styrofoam to line boxes is messy work! I reused the shipping box you sent me; it either went to Georgia or Hawaii.
Got to hit the hay. Some of us have to go to work in the morning
Krissycakes
Aquarium Advice Addict
Lol If the shipping box came to me, I can send you some sand back in it haha. BTW I didn't forget. & your tank is dreamy! Have a good night
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Fresh2o
Aquarium Advice Addict
Lol If the shipping box came to me, I can send you some sand back in it haha. BTW I didn't forget. & your tank is dreamy! Have a good night
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Yes, I want the sand. Whenever, no rush though.
Krissycakes
Aquarium Advice Addict
Alright, cool. I will go to different places and see which beach has the best
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Fresh2o
Aquarium Advice Addict
Confession time: I started PPS Pro ferts on 1/6/2014 and was going to monitor the nitrate and phosphate every day for a week and then once a week afterwards to figure out what adjustments need to be made. Well, I tested on 1/6 and 1/8 and have not since then (treated it like a New Years Resolutions). The values on 1/6 were nitrate 5 and phosphate 0 and on 1/8 nitrate 5+ and phosphate 0.5. Tonight is was nitrate 20-40 and phosphate 1.0.
What should I be trying to aim for?
I heard it should be a 10:1 ratio of nitrate to phosphate. So should that be 20:2 (nitrate/phosphate) or 10:1? Or higher phosphates.
Fortunately I put the KNO3 in a separate bottle (#2). I am currently dosing 2 mL from bottles 1, 2, and 3 for a 20 gallon tank. Should I reduce the bottle #2 dosage from 2 to 1 mL? Or increase the dosage of bottle #1 from 2 to 3 mL? Or both?
What should I be trying to aim for?
I heard it should be a 10:1 ratio of nitrate to phosphate. So should that be 20:2 (nitrate/phosphate) or 10:1? Or higher phosphates.
Fortunately I put the KNO3 in a separate bottle (#2). I am currently dosing 2 mL from bottles 1, 2, and 3 for a 20 gallon tank. Should I reduce the bottle #2 dosage from 2 to 1 mL? Or increase the dosage of bottle #1 from 2 to 3 mL? Or both?
Old Scales
Aquarium Advice Addict
I read the same ratio in TPT forum from several of their "gurus" so that's what I've been trying to keep. I've found that it really matters more to not let it get below 10:1 but being above it somewhat didn't hurt anything. My nitrates run 15 after WC to 40 7 days later right before the next one so I try and keep my phosphates at 2-3ppm. I also crept up on my dosing of the traces (the more is better syndrome). I went back to the PPS recommended dose and it seem to help lessen the green dust algae I was getting. OS.
jwh0818
Aquarium Advice Addict
Your tank looks amazing fresh2o
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Fresh2o
Aquarium Advice Addict
Alright, cool. I will go to different places and see which beach has the best
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Or a sampling of different beaches. Ziplock bags with the names of the beach or nearest town (skip "Side of road", "Parking Lot", "Ash tray", "Left Sneaker").
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Fresh2o
Aquarium Advice Addict
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Fresh2o
Aquarium Advice Addict
I forgot to mention tonight's readings were AFTER a ~40% WC. I will get a reading before the next WC.
Looks like I will be bumping up the phosphates and reducing the nitrates.
What do you test for regarding the traces (bottle #3)?
Old Scales
Aquarium Advice Addict
Eyeball titration. I don't have a test for any of the traces. It's the most mysterious of the three to me as to how much is enough/not enough. I'm still learning there. OS.
Krissycakes
Aquarium Advice Addict
Sounds fun. I look forward to sending you sand he he.
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Fresh2o
Aquarium Advice Addict
Two days in a row of 75% WCs to bring down the nitrates. Was in the 40-80 range now down to 10. Will hold off adding nitrates from bottle #2. Glad I heeded the advice of several to put nitrates in a separate bottle when making up the PPS Pro solutions. The phosphates are lower than I want (0.5) so I am doubling the usual 1 mL to 2 mL for bottle #1. Or should I add more dry KH2PO4 (so as not to increase the K2SO4 and MGSO4)?
About a week or two ago I noticed that some of the star repens developed grayish white spots which rotted away (with the help of the MTS) as well as several stems dropping lower leaves. It seems to have stopped now. Guessing that the low phosphates and possibly high nitrates had something to do with this. I'm trying to monitor phosphate and nitrate on a daily basis until levels improve/stabilize.
Went to the pets store on the way home from work and saw a nice group of Serpae tetras ($1.14 each). Did not buy them (QT no setup yet) although a splash of moving color would be appreciated. The blue danios and gold tetras sort of blend in with each other. With 5 danios and 4 tetras I certainly do have room for more fish. I have no bottom dwellers aside from 1 Amano shrimp. Perhaps a school of the smaller corys or Khuli loaches might be a better choice.
About a week or two ago I noticed that some of the star repens developed grayish white spots which rotted away (with the help of the MTS) as well as several stems dropping lower leaves. It seems to have stopped now. Guessing that the low phosphates and possibly high nitrates had something to do with this. I'm trying to monitor phosphate and nitrate on a daily basis until levels improve/stabilize.
Went to the pets store on the way home from work and saw a nice group of Serpae tetras ($1.14 each). Did not buy them (QT no setup yet) although a splash of moving color would be appreciated. The blue danios and gold tetras sort of blend in with each other. With 5 danios and 4 tetras I certainly do have room for more fish. I have no bottom dwellers aside from 1 Amano shrimp. Perhaps a school of the smaller corys or Khuli loaches might be a better choice.
Old Scales
Aquarium Advice Addict
I increased my dosage with bottle #2 that has the K2SO4 and MGSO4 in it as well as the PO4. To get my PO4 up. If the increase in the K & Mg had an effect, I never saw it. One thing you can do to get the PO4 up sooner than daily dosing is to double dose the PO4 mix right after the WC. Then dose normal daily from there. AKA. a jump start. OS.
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Fresh2o
Aquarium Advice Addict
Good to hear. I have doubled the dose from the bottle that includes phosphates and skipped the bottle that has nitrates. Tonight's readings are nitrate 10+ and phosphate 1 - 2. We will see how this goes for the rest of the week and see if the star repens bounces back.
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Fresh2o
Aquarium Advice Addict
Ongoing saga with PPS Pro continues: by doubling the dosage from the macros bottle that does not contain nitrates, I was able to bring the nitrates down to 10 or 10+ and the phosphates up to 2.0.
I do see two recent development with the star repens and mini AR. With the star repens, pretty much all of the leaves except for the actively growing ones have a brownish shade on them. There are a few pinholes in the leaves that have expanded so I am thinking it might be a potassium deficiency. If so, the double macro dosage should take care of that deficiency.
As for the mini AR most but not all of the new leaves appear to be small and wrinkled. Could this be caused by a CO2 deficiency? It is DIY CO2.
Will post pics tomorrow.
I do see two recent development with the star repens and mini AR. With the star repens, pretty much all of the leaves except for the actively growing ones have a brownish shade on them. There are a few pinholes in the leaves that have expanded so I am thinking it might be a potassium deficiency. If so, the double macro dosage should take care of that deficiency.
As for the mini AR most but not all of the new leaves appear to be small and wrinkled. Could this be caused by a CO2 deficiency? It is DIY CO2.
Will post pics tomorrow.
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Fresh2o
Aquarium Advice Addict
PPS Pro help needed: Here is a top view of the star repens. The image does not really capture the brownish yellow shade that covers all but the newest leaves. The holes and decay are evident:
Top view of the AR mini. Note the stunted and warped leaves on the new growth on some of the plants.
Just measured the nitrate and phosphate and got 10 and 2, respectively. Was dosing all macros and trace at the recommended dosage for about 5 weeks. Due to elevated nitrates, no longer dosing the KNO3; the other Macros are at double dose to keep the phosphate up and the trace is at the recommend dosage.
My near future plans are for pressurized CO2 and possibly switching the Finnex FugeRay to the Finnex Planted+. However, I want to address the current conditions before upgrading.
Thoughts?
Top view of the AR mini. Note the stunted and warped leaves on the new growth on some of the plants.
Just measured the nitrate and phosphate and got 10 and 2, respectively. Was dosing all macros and trace at the recommended dosage for about 5 weeks. Due to elevated nitrates, no longer dosing the KNO3; the other Macros are at double dose to keep the phosphate up and the trace is at the recommend dosage.
My near future plans are for pressurized CO2 and possibly switching the Finnex FugeRay to the Finnex Planted+. However, I want to address the current conditions before upgrading.
Thoughts?
Old Scales
Aquarium Advice Addict
Sorry to say, but the bronze color of your AR mini is classic "too low of light level". With the Quad T5HO on my 29g they got really red on glut only and pressurized CO2 didn't increase the red any more than with the glut. Sounds like you've got a good fert regime. OS.
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Fresh2o
Aquarium Advice Addict
I can deal with the bronze because I'll take a healthy bronze plant over a sick red one. Meaning, the warped leaves concern me. Perhaps I need to let the plants adjust to the recent fert changes I've made. I guess I cannot expect changes overnight.
I have Christmas and bday funds burning a hole in my pocket. If I had to prioritize between lights and a pressurized CO2 setup, I think I will go with the lights. I can move the FugeRay to the low light shrimp tank to replace a dual t5 NO fixture. But the shrimp tank is VERY low maintenance; only PWCs and the occasional root pellets.
