planted-tnk-guy
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
You are at the top range for an EI daily dosing regimen. You want a 4 -1 ratio of nitrogen to Phoshates so your nitrogen would need to be at 40 ppm and that would be at its max before the fish started to suffer. The phosphates are not bad for the pkants and will not cause algae that is an old myth that just wont go away. It is time for a water change I agree as I mentioned earlier. Once you get all your new plants in and they start using your nutes daily EI fertilizing when you get it and a once a week 50% water change will keep it in check. Dont do gravel cleaning just skim the surface of the substrate or you will spike your amonia level stiring the nutes in the substrate.