Please Grow2
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
- Joined
- May 26, 2021
- Messages
- 12
Hi everyone. I'm hoping someone may have had similar experience and can help.
I have been battling to get my plants to grow for months, but am running out of ideas. I'm now down to the last possible thing left- changing my T5 lights.I have a 50 litre aquarium.
Here is a brief background to my efforts.
1. Started adding macros about 2 months ago. 30 ppm NO3, 3 ppm PO4, 20 ppm K. No effect.
2. Added 12 ppm Mg, via epsom salts. This did improve growth a little.
3. Switched to adding Fe-dtpa instead of seachem comprehensive about 3 weeks ago. Daily addition of 0.13 ppm as Fe, added after lights off, because fe dtpa photolyses rapidly in light. Some slight improvement.
4. Started adding Flourish Trace about two weeks ago. Addition every other day. Possibly some slight improvement.
Despite all this with slight improvement, my growth was not much improved.
5. Decided to push co2 rate up from 2 bps to 3.5 bps and increased lighting duration from 7.5 hr to 8 hr. Drop checker is pale lime green about an hour after lights on. CO2 comes on 1.5 hr before lights and off 1.5 hr before lights off.
Result = still pathetic growth rate compared to what I've had in the past.
Having exhausted the CO2 and nutrients, I'm forced to wonder if my T5 lights are the issue. They are nearly 3 years old. Many people on different fora say T5 lights never get old, but there are some people who think they do lose PAR and spectral quality. I'm wondering if they are right. I have two spare lights so I may try them and see. Nothing to lose I guess.
Any thoughts?
I have been battling to get my plants to grow for months, but am running out of ideas. I'm now down to the last possible thing left- changing my T5 lights.I have a 50 litre aquarium.
Here is a brief background to my efforts.
1. Started adding macros about 2 months ago. 30 ppm NO3, 3 ppm PO4, 20 ppm K. No effect.
2. Added 12 ppm Mg, via epsom salts. This did improve growth a little.
3. Switched to adding Fe-dtpa instead of seachem comprehensive about 3 weeks ago. Daily addition of 0.13 ppm as Fe, added after lights off, because fe dtpa photolyses rapidly in light. Some slight improvement.
4. Started adding Flourish Trace about two weeks ago. Addition every other day. Possibly some slight improvement.
Despite all this with slight improvement, my growth was not much improved.
5. Decided to push co2 rate up from 2 bps to 3.5 bps and increased lighting duration from 7.5 hr to 8 hr. Drop checker is pale lime green about an hour after lights on. CO2 comes on 1.5 hr before lights and off 1.5 hr before lights off.
Result = still pathetic growth rate compared to what I've had in the past.
Having exhausted the CO2 and nutrients, I'm forced to wonder if my T5 lights are the issue. They are nearly 3 years old. Many people on different fora say T5 lights never get old, but there are some people who think they do lose PAR and spectral quality. I'm wondering if they are right. I have two spare lights so I may try them and see. Nothing to lose I guess.
Any thoughts?