Planted Discus Tank

[caseynewton]

Hi,

I'm Casey, started a planted 100g tank. Planted, discus, tetras, pleco. I was wondering everyone's opinion.

I use RO water and add Discus Essentials to add appropriate minerals for fish. I started using plant fertilizer, Kent Pro-Plant. It raises my nitrate level. So in trying to keep my nitrates below 20 ppm. It automatically adds near 20 ppm to my tank, so it makes me think I need to continue to do water changes.

Question: Is this artificially screwing with my nitrate drop testing kit? Is it truly raising my nitrates? Should I stop using and let the fish create natural nitrates for plants?

Thanks for all possible help.

 

[Discus1919]

I don't use fertilizers for my discus planted tank, is not mandatory to use them, do ur water changes weekly, check ur ph level, if ur ph level is lower than 6.4 use a little of crushed coral the will help n from there u shouldn't have any trouble in water levels.

 

[caseynewton]

Thanks you. Finally got my nitrates down to 5, just like before I started using pro-plant. What do you do to clean brown off plants? Can you make a mixture and dip plants into it to clean them?

 

[Discus1919]

I have 2 bushynose, they eat algae from the plant, sometimes I take them out n clean it w/ my fingers lol.