BioChem
Aquarium Advice Regular
Hi all. I'm a seasoned fish-only aquarist whom recently began to embark aquascaping. I spent quite a number of weeks researching which course was best to set up my newly heavily planted aquascape. I made adjustments accordingly, based on my budget. Unfortunately, after 2 months of hard work, all of my plants died in lieu of a rancid algal outbreak.
Aquarium Setup____________________________________________
No Fish
Tank: 29gal (30 x 12.5 x 18.5)
Light: 1 Finnex Planted + 24/7, using the 24 hour feature
RO/DI Water with .5 teaspoon of Seachem Alkaline Buffer. GH (1-2) KH (1-2) Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates (0 at end of day) Phosphates (0.5) pH (Flux 6-7)
CO2 Injection with Atomizer (2 bubbles/sec), Daily dose 5ml of Excel
Bubble Diffuser: To prevent surface bio film from forming
Filtration: Sun Sun 504B filled with 3 trays of Greatwave Engineering Biohome Mini and 2 Filter Bacteria Starter Balls in three trays. The base tray contained course, medium, and fine filter sponges.
Substrate Base to Top (3 inches total)
a) Osmocote Plus in 00 sized capsules. Each spaced 2 inches from aquarium glass and 4 inches apart from each other.
b) (2 in) Miracle Gro Organic Soil mixed with Eco Complete and pea-sized baked red clay spheres.
c) (1 in) Seachem Flourite Black Sand
Plants: Monte Carlo, Lobelia cardinalis, Rotala macranda, Ludwiga peruensis, Crinum calamistratum, Christmas moss
Column Macros (Made My Own): K (20 ppm from KCl), P (2 ppm from Monobasic Potassium Phosphate) N (2 ppm introduced to tank via ammonia while Cycling)
Column Micros (Made My Own): Plantex CSM + B and Chelated Iron
Decorations: Very Large Lava Rock
What Happened____________________________________________
I decided to conduct a fishless cycle with the new aquascape setup, because the addition of ammonia would supply the plants with Nitrogen. The substrate was fertilized with osmocote plus, and I also column dosed (1x a week) non-nitrogen macros and micros for the stem plants. I also dosed 5mL of excel daily, in addition to CO2 injection, which was delivered at 2 bubbles per second. Injection would start at 9 am and end at 4:30 pm (to correspond with the Finnex Planted + 24/7 twenty four hour setting).
The first two weeks, all plants thrived. My stem plants grew in a weed-like manner, the moss multiplied, and my carpet Monte Carlo began to spread, although none of the plants pearled via gas exchange. Just like clockwork, at the two week mark, algae (green dust, green spot, hair thread and blue green) and diatoms began to grow and overtake the tank. Upon initial setup, I did 50% water changes every 4 days, but then increased to 30% changes every 2 days, when algae began to grow.
At the 6th week mark, I conducted a black out period of four days. The blackout seemed to hinder algal growth, but the plants seemed to have suffered irreparably. They were just not melting, they were just "mush". A day later, the substrate was so densely covered in algae (2mm thickness), it was no longer visible. At this point, I took down the entire setup.
My Guess To What Went Wrong_______________________________
1. The fact the bio filter was not cycled prior setup.
2. The substrate
3. The light was not strong enough, in lieu I never saw pearling
My Next Setup_____________________________________________
1. I'm looking into Contro Soil or Brightwell (its been documented their aquasoil doesn't leach ammonia into the column.
2. Cycling the filter before aquascaping
3. May need a stronger light - any suggestions???? Or maybe make a more elevated substrate???
Any help or suggestions is greatly appreciated
Aquarium Setup____________________________________________
No Fish
Tank: 29gal (30 x 12.5 x 18.5)
Light: 1 Finnex Planted + 24/7, using the 24 hour feature
RO/DI Water with .5 teaspoon of Seachem Alkaline Buffer. GH (1-2) KH (1-2) Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates (0 at end of day) Phosphates (0.5) pH (Flux 6-7)
CO2 Injection with Atomizer (2 bubbles/sec), Daily dose 5ml of Excel
Bubble Diffuser: To prevent surface bio film from forming
Filtration: Sun Sun 504B filled with 3 trays of Greatwave Engineering Biohome Mini and 2 Filter Bacteria Starter Balls in three trays. The base tray contained course, medium, and fine filter sponges.
Substrate Base to Top (3 inches total)
a) Osmocote Plus in 00 sized capsules. Each spaced 2 inches from aquarium glass and 4 inches apart from each other.
b) (2 in) Miracle Gro Organic Soil mixed with Eco Complete and pea-sized baked red clay spheres.
c) (1 in) Seachem Flourite Black Sand
Plants: Monte Carlo, Lobelia cardinalis, Rotala macranda, Ludwiga peruensis, Crinum calamistratum, Christmas moss
Column Macros (Made My Own): K (20 ppm from KCl), P (2 ppm from Monobasic Potassium Phosphate) N (2 ppm introduced to tank via ammonia while Cycling)
Column Micros (Made My Own): Plantex CSM + B and Chelated Iron
Decorations: Very Large Lava Rock
What Happened____________________________________________
I decided to conduct a fishless cycle with the new aquascape setup, because the addition of ammonia would supply the plants with Nitrogen. The substrate was fertilized with osmocote plus, and I also column dosed (1x a week) non-nitrogen macros and micros for the stem plants. I also dosed 5mL of excel daily, in addition to CO2 injection, which was delivered at 2 bubbles per second. Injection would start at 9 am and end at 4:30 pm (to correspond with the Finnex Planted + 24/7 twenty four hour setting).
The first two weeks, all plants thrived. My stem plants grew in a weed-like manner, the moss multiplied, and my carpet Monte Carlo began to spread, although none of the plants pearled via gas exchange. Just like clockwork, at the two week mark, algae (green dust, green spot, hair thread and blue green) and diatoms began to grow and overtake the tank. Upon initial setup, I did 50% water changes every 4 days, but then increased to 30% changes every 2 days, when algae began to grow.
At the 6th week mark, I conducted a black out period of four days. The blackout seemed to hinder algal growth, but the plants seemed to have suffered irreparably. They were just not melting, they were just "mush". A day later, the substrate was so densely covered in algae (2mm thickness), it was no longer visible. At this point, I took down the entire setup.
My Guess To What Went Wrong_______________________________
1. The fact the bio filter was not cycled prior setup.
2. The substrate
3. The light was not strong enough, in lieu I never saw pearling
My Next Setup_____________________________________________
1. I'm looking into Contro Soil or Brightwell (its been documented their aquasoil doesn't leach ammonia into the column.
2. Cycling the filter before aquascaping
3. May need a stronger light - any suggestions???? Or maybe make a more elevated substrate???
Any help or suggestions is greatly appreciated