I'm starting to turn against ferts...

[lectraplayer]

I have two planted tanks, and in both, I have 6-12-6 root tabs and API Leaf Zone + Seachem Flourish for the water. However, it seems like lately, when I'm dosing, I get an algae bloom going. It takes me a couple weeks of daily 50% water changes to clear the water back up. I use 15mL glut daily on my 29g and 5mL on my 10g. How do I pinpoint what's getting too thick so it won't bloom? ...or am I better off just foregoing the liquid ferts for root tabs only?

bacopa carolina
water wysteria
scarlet temple
cryptocorne wendti
amazon sword

 

[Sk3lly]

What lighting? How long? Distance from light to substrate?


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[BBradbury]

Your Tank

I have two planted tanks, and in both, I have 6-12-6 root tabs and API Leaf Zone + Seachem Flourish for the water. However, it seems like lately, when I'm dosing, I get an algae bloom going. It takes me a couple weeks of daily 50% water changes to clear the water back up. I use 15mL glut daily on my 29g and 5mL on my 10g. How do I pinpoint what's getting too thick so it won't bloom? ...or am I better off just foregoing the liquid ferts for root tabs only?

bacopa carolina
water wysteria
scarlet temple
cryptocorne wendti
amazon sword

Hello lec...

That's a lot of chemicals going into the tank water. The chemistry isn't stable. Apparently, there's quite a bit of food the plants aren't using. This is a perfect environment for algae. Your fish are producing nutrients too.

Aquatic plants will do fine with just the nutrients provided by the fish. Just provide sufficient light, feed the fish a balanced diet and replenish the minerals in the water that are lost through your filter system by changing out the tank water regularly. In other words, provide a stable water chemistry.

B

 

[Brookster123]

You're probably dosing to much for the plant load??

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[MMantelli]

The stem plants are the only ones that will feed from the water column what are your nitrate and phosphate levels

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[lectraplayer]

I'm depending on the fish for nitrogen and phosphorous, and am supplementing potassium (Leaf Zone) and mics (Flourish) in a premade mixture. I'm guessing now I may neeh to just depend on the root tabs for awhile. I'm changing water to keep the nitrates around 10ppm but I don't have a phosphate test. PH is 7. Lit by a 175w MH at 2 foot above sand.



Here's my 29g normally...

 

[MMantelli]

Thats a lot of light i wouls love a mh for ny 40b have you considered the pps-pro dosing schedule? Tank looks nice btw.

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[MMantelli]

I wouls get a phosphate rest you want nitrated @ 15-20 and phosphates around 3. How long is the light on for

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[Fresh2o]

Yes, that is a lot of light, especially for plants that do not require it (exception would be the scarlet temple). You could decrease the duration. Also, the fert regimen you described does not match the lighting; it would be more suited for a low or low/med light tank.
Not all plants do better with high light. I found that the leaf color of the bacopa tends to look faded and the leaves wrinkly with too much light. IME crypts grow larger but less colorful leaves for the same reason. Not saying that you should not grow them, just observations I have made about those species under different light conditions.
As mentioned, testing nitrate and phosphate would be helpful. The API Phosphate Test Kit from Amazon is $7.99.
On the bright side (no pun), with the right ferts and CO2, you can grow a variety of colorful and interesting stem plants with the MH lighting.


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[lectraplayer]

Thats a lot of light i wouls love a mh for ny 40b have you considered the pps-pro dosing schedule? Tank looks nice btw.

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http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/showthread.php?t=310123

I built this one myself from a pole light somebody ran over and other spare parts. So far I love it.

I think the thread starts out with a 70w model I started with. Both put out some heat, but are not as bad as once thought.

 

[MMantelli]

+1 What fresh said.

I would also make the light a little farther away. How long are They usually on for?

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[Sk3lly]

Lectra is your light the same as the one in the link you posted?

If so raise it higher.

I also think the kelvin rating is unsuitable IMO. Might be why your plants are not thriving hence the algae blooms


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[Brookster123]

Lectra is your light the same as the one in the link you posted?

If so raise it higher.

I also think the kelvin rating is unsuitable IMO. Might be why your plants are not thriving hence the algae blooms


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Couldah sworn we said using an old street light was a bad idea; ) mebbid may have been the one.. such thing as toooo much light..

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[lectraplayer]

The one on the last page is, not the first one.

 

[lectraplayer]

Couldah sworn we said using an old street light was a bad idea; ) mebbid may have been the one.. such thing as toooo much light..

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Mebid was the naysayer, but I've been pulling it off... I've spent quite awhile now with it and clear water, except when I got the water too thick.

 

[Sk3lly]

I don't go along with the idea that too high phosphates causes algae. I had 10ppm phosphate for a long time, paired with a bml xb and had very little algae


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[lectraplayer]

I'm not messing with my nitrogen or phosphorus, but have been adding potasium and microutrients. Obviously this puts me out of whack...

 

[Sk3lly]

Is it cloudy water your getting?


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[MMantelli]

Yes with that much light you will need to do pps-pro for your fertilizers and either a ton of glut or pressurized co2 but for the plants you have go back to the 70w and raise the light some it will help immensly

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[lectraplayer]

Ok. I'll look into another light build. The 70w model is for a smaller tank. 'Til then, I'll re changing water to get the nutes, and the algae bloom (green water) thinned down.

The arc of my current light is 12" above the water and 3 foot to the sand at the corners. How high do I need it?