Ferts ?

[justahannah]

My tank setup is in my sig, as for plants I have oakleaf watersprite, sunset hygro, an amazon sword, italian val, a couple anubias petites, a couple tiny mayaca sprigs, l. sessilflora, another hygro that looks like a palm tree, weeping moss, and water lettuce. Up until I started using DIY CO2, my water parameters were always 0-0-10 right before my weekly 30% water changes. I know a lot of people claim that CO2 and HOBs don't mix, that the CO2 is gassed off before it can do any good...but this has not been the case in my setup. I don't have a drop checker or a way to figure out my ppm (yet), but I have definitely seen an increase in how fast my plants are growing, a decrease in algae, and I know they're using more nutrients because my nitrates are at 0 all the time instead of 10. And I've almost doubled my fish load since then. I have Flourish for the micros, but apparently I need to do someting about my macros. I'm going to go with dry ferts, but won't be able to afford to order anything til next payday, and all I've been able to find locally are liquid micro ferts, which I already have covered. So...does anyone have suggestions for cheap, easy to find alternative sources of macro ferts for my tank to help keep my plants lush (they're starting to get a little leggy) until I can order/recieve some? I know water lettuce is a nutrient hog, so I've been composting most of it, just keeping enough of a colony to give my betta a patch to feel sneaky in. Here's a pic, if it helps. Thanks!

 

[Bk718]

First of all Nice looking tank. Off to a great start.
HOB's and CO2- Its not really that the actual filter is bad with co2 injection, but its more of the water disturbance it creates when the water level drops. Normally I had great success with diy and HOB's (but even greater with canister). Who knows maybe in the future you will consider to run a canister with the AC filter since a planted tank needs good flow everywhere.

For ferts you can go the buy chemicals from the store route (stump remover and what not) but why not just wait and get the $25 package from Rex Grigg. The tank will do just fine without the macros for now. If anything keep your photoperiod down to 8hrs and keep up with the co2 making sure its always running to its max. How many bottles are you running?

 

[justahannah]

Thank you! I'm waiting to upgrade my tank to something in the 6' long range before I invest in a canister filter and pressurized CO2, although it's something I really want to do. Just have to get out of my apartment and into a house that can handle it (in the works, 2-3 more months!). Right now I'm running one 1-gallon jug for the CO2...I get a bubble every 2-4 seconds the first week, and replace when I get less than a bubble every 10 seconds (usually around the 14 day mark), and I use the "pump it into a Hagan Elite to chop everything up" reactor method. Cheap, but effective .