My Test Results

[kaz]

water temp 81

PH 7.8-8.0

NO2 0-0.02

Cl2 0.05 COULDNT REALLY MAKE A SURE MATCH THIS ONE WAS LIGHT COLOR PRETTY CLEAR POSSIBLE GRAY OR VERY LIGHT GREENBLUE

FE 0.02 AGAIN CLEAR WATER LITTLE GRAY COULD BE EITHER OR
-0-

NH3/NH4 0

CO2 30-35PPM =DROPS

GH 19-20DEGREES = DROPS

KH I DROPED 30 AND NEVER GOT ANY KIND OF COLOR ONLY CLEAR WATER

btw I recieve three free plant drops from the fresh water deluxe test kit, should I use them or not do I drop directly into water?

 

[dapellegrini]

NO3, PO4? Is this a planted aquarium? What kind of plants? Looks like you are injecting CO2? What are you trying to fix or avoid?

I had an AquaPharm kH kit that did the same thing. Bad kit. You will need another one. BTW, how do you know how much CO2 you have in your tank without an accurate read on kH?

 

[kaz]

NO3, PO4? Is this a planted aquarium? What kind of plants? Looks like you are injecting CO2? What are you trying to fix or avoid?

I had an AquaPharm kH kit that did the same thing. Bad kit. You will need another one. BTW, how do you know how much CO2 you have in your tank without an accurate read on kH?

Contains the following individual Fresh test:

pH High - 100 tests,

pH Low - 100 tests,

Ammonia - 60 tests,

Nitrite - 80 tests,

GH - 25 tests,

KH - 25 tests,

Chlorine - 60 tests,

Iron - 60 tests,

CO2 - 35 tests.

The kit also contains 25 ml bottles for each of the Plant Success range - FloraFe, FloraVit & FloraPure

Kit Contains: pH High anbd Low, Ammonia, Nitrite, GH, KH, Chlorine, Iron, Carbon Dioxide

Purpose: The all inclusive test kit for the serious hobbyist.

read my sig it contains what I have

 

[dapellegrini]

Is this the Red Sea kit? That is the only one that I have seen with a CO2 test in it.

IME, most of those tests are useless for FW planted aquariums. Iron levels are maintained too low for hobby grade kits to accurately report. NH3/NH4 is more of a crisis test, you will probably know something is very wrong before that test ever shows anything useful. Chlorine, never used it. pH is a good one to have, as is kH and gH, though it sounds like your kH test maybe shot.

The only test kits that I use are NO3, PO4 and kH, and only when something looks wrong.

Based on your CO2 results, you must use rocks instead of water ... Seriously though, that does not sound right to me at all. My guess is you have little or no CO2. What is the pH coming out of your tap? If it is the same as what you have in the tank, then you most likely have 3ppm of CO2 or less.

Are you having problems with your plants? I seem to remember discussing your plants in another thread, but alas, my memory is failing me... Petco and Petsmart sell some non-aquatic plants with similar names to those you have listed...

 

[kaz]

I live in los angeles and yes the water is coming from my tap. and yes this is the fresh water deluxe red sea kit I have algae growing

 

[dapellegrini]

I just caught on to the fact that this is a follow-up from an earlier post. Can you describe the plant(s) effected and the type of algae you are experiencing?

Here is a good link for helping to ID your algae:

http://www.plantgeek.net/article_viewer.php?id=9

And here is a good link to help ID your plant(s):

http://www.plantgeek.net/plantguide_all_gallery.php

With the type (T12) and amount (80w) of light you have, you are at the bare minimum of the lower threshold of lighting requirements for a planted tank. Those lights they sold you with your aquarium are great for seeing your fish, but little else. I am not familiar with the plants that you have listed in your sig line (BTW many people have sig lines disabled by default on this site), but assuming that they are capable of surviving and grow in the given lighting conditions, effectively removing that aspect from diagnosis, what you are experiencing is either a deficiency in some Macro or Micro fertilizer, or an imbalance that is encouraging algae growth (hard to avoid IME with that level of lighting)...

To be of any more assistance we would need a photo or a thorough explanation of the problem.

HTH

 

[kaz]

Brush algae:
This grows in feathery black tufts 2-3 mm long and tends to collect on slower growing leaves like Anubias, some Echinodorus and other wide leaf plants. Also tends to collect on mechanical equipment. This is actually a red alga in the genus Audouinella (other names: Acrochaetium, Rhodochorton, Chantransia). It cannot easily be removed mechanically. Remove and discard the affected leaves. Equipment can be soaked in a 25% bleach solution, then scrubbed to remove the dead algae. Siamese Algae Eaters (Crossocheilus siamensis) are known to eat this algae and can keep it in check. A more drastic measure is treatment with copper.

Spot algae:
Grows in thin, hard, circular, bright green spots, usually on the aquarium glass but also on plants under high light conditions. Considered normal for planted tanks. Must be mechanically removed. On acrylic aquariums, use a cloth pad or a gentle scouring pad like a cosmetic "Buff-Puff" and a lot of elbow grease. On glass tanks, scraping with a razor blade is most effective.

http://www.bambooworld.com/lucky bamboo dracaena sanderana.htm
lucky bamboo

http://www.aquariumfish.net/catalog_pages/plants/plants.htm
Potted
Argentine Sword Plant NEW

 

[dapellegrini]

Perhaps someone else can pipe in here. I had the same problems with my low-light tanks. Going onto a disciplined dosing schedule, injecting CO2 and increasing my lighting fixed my problem. From what I understand CO2 is the route for fighting BBA and both BBA and Green Spot Algae may be the result of a Macro deficiency.

IME maintaining a planted tank is something you have to be passionate about otherwise you should probably let it go.

I believe there are many others on this board with low-tech setups similar to yours that may have better advice for your specific setup.

Anyone?

** EDIT **

I would also suggest reading the stickies:

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=86732

An excerpt:

Algae Types-Causes-Fixes
_________Type__________________Cause___________________Solution_________
| | | |
| Blue Green Algae (BGA)************Low NO3*************** Add NO3/blackout
| Black Brush Algae (BBA)***********Low CO2****************Add CO2
| Green Water (GW)****************Ammonia***************Water Changes/elim NH4
| Green Spot Algae (GSA)***********Low PO4/low CO2********Add PO4/CO2
| Staghorn Algae******************Ammonia/low CO2********Elim NH4/Add CO2
| Green Dust Algae (GDA)***********Life Cycle - spores*******Allow to complete cycle

 

[kaz]

how about for yellow leafs?

 

[Jchillin]

Potassium more than likely.