Suggestions, Tom Barr?

[Timmain42]

Here are my tank specs:

-240G w/ a Sealife 300G w/d as the filter (230G total in the system, due to rock displacement)
-approx. 1.7wpg w/ 3.4 wpg@ peak, 11 hour on-time
-compressed CO2 with automated solenoid and sensor

-Water Check:
ammo - 0
nitrIte - 0
nitrAte - =/- 18mg/L
KH - 50 mg/L
GH - 140 mg/L
phosphate - 0
pH - 7.4 w/o CO2, 6.8 w/CO2

I am so far refraining from using phospate buffers (pH DOWN, etc.) so that I can use this handy chart:
http://www.floridadriftwood.com/page.asp?id=16

I'm attaching a couple of pix, hopefully. The tank doesn't look too heavily planted, granted, but if you look in the second pic, you can see a grouping of young java fern growing, two clusters of perhaps 15 in this tank.

Any suggestions? I'm mostly concerned about (a) long-term algae control (currently there are 10 true SAEs and 4 Amano shrimp doing algae duty) and (b) fertilization on a tight budget.

Thanks for your time, in advance...
=Timmain

http://www.member.serverpro.com/~praxx42/fish/DSC02835.JPG
http://www.member.serverpro.com/~praxx42/fish/DSC02836.JPG

[RENEGADE]

thats a sweet tank!!! did you build it your self? (BTW i have no idea about your Q i'm new to the plant thing)

[demon_surfer]

the best long term algae control is to simply ensure that the plants you have in the tank get the nutrients before the algae do. You can do thise basically by having more plants or fewer fish, or at least balance them out. You are unavoidably going to get SOME algae but the 10 SAE's and the amano shrimp should be more than enough....(i am thinking you might want to keep an eye on them and make sure they are all actually gettin gsome food too)

Fertilizing, most of what you need should come from the fish you have in there but not all of it. There are probably many people that can give you a much more detailed anwser than me about the chemistry etc.

However, what i use, and what seems to be working pretty well is Flourish Iron. THere are a number of products like this that can be bought from your LFS or online. Most are cheap and last a long time. There are also solid fertilizers but i have no experience with them.

[Timmain42]

REN:

Short answer: sorta. I didn't build the tank, but I built everthing around it (the tankroom and it's support equipment, stand, header for the in-wall installation, bookshelves, stain, and the other 4 yards).

Although, I did have specific and unique adaptations built into the tank... so I guess you could say I didn't build it, but I designed the tank as well.

I had a lot of time on my hands. :cool:

[djlen]

You need to dose K,N & P. You list N @18ppm and P @ 0ppm.
With what you have going for you in that tank light wise, IMO you only need to get some Seachem Traces or Flourish. Pick up some Fleet Enema for your phosphates at the Pharmacy, and some KCl for your potassium, in the form of NU-SALT at the grocery store and you're in business. If you find you need to dose more N when your plants grow in and use more of it, you can pick up some Stump Remover for your KNO3 at Lowe's or Home Depot.
Len

[plantbrain]

Nice tank.

It is big.

I'd try for a lower maintenace type tank. Mainly plant choices. Add wood with java ferns/moss etc for corners.

Crypts do nicely, stay about the right height for this tank. Plant taller plants in the corners etc. Might want to place something that will maintain the slope in this tank's gravel like rocks etc.

NPK, you need more CO2 in the water, drop the pH to 6.5-6.6 or so. then you can add NPK and traces.

KNO3, K2SO4 and KH2PO4 for the macro's and then the traces(CSM, Plantex).
40-50% weekly water changes.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[Timmain42]

Gracias.