Let’s Talk Fertilizer & Schedule ( again)

[dougall]

Yes... Thrive is all in one.. so has macros and micros in there. If I remember the reason for alternating daysvwas the fact that the compounds used in the dry ferts would interact with each other between the two halves (micro and macro).

Not sure what has changed, I assume different chemical compounds are used or something is added to make it stable.

My biggest problem with the use of glut, is accidents. Having large bottles of it around pets or children, can be avdusaster.. so please just be careful!!


TH is such a rebel But he is also one of those folks who I will listen to, and believe, every word too.


To get back on track... Kim, please be careful if you choose to use Excel! Also think twice before you get locked into Seachem's line of products, 2hen you buy them you are mostly paying for water by their weight. If you want to be serious you can use dry powdered ferts... You can mix into 2 liquids if you like, and have an amount of each entered to your tank on alternating days.

It might be easier to ask specifically though, before we give you even more confusing information.

 

[the loach]

If you are overwhelmed, the easier option is to get more fish, I use very little fertilizer.

 

[fishorama]

LOL, tl! That's often my game plan. I tend to understock but with root tabs! There are many ways to get a nice looking tank. Not maybe an Amano worthy tank, but nice!! (his are only perfect for the pics...but awesome tanks for those pics!) RIP Amano, you still inspire us...

 

[Kimunaffected]

Thanks guys
My email wasn’t telling me I had responses. I do think thrive is the direction I should have gone. But I definitely not wanna take on the co2 or co2 replacement. I am always hesitate to “add” anything even using medications in the past make me nervous. I am willing to keep reading and learning to take small steps in the right direction. For now my best best I am thinking is to not buy anything else for now but depending on how this goes thrive may be where I go next if I don’t see much improvement. BUT more fish is a GREAT option too! ( I found a breeding pair of PG online ) For now I thought I could give away the plants that are doomed from the get. I found a list of the ones I bought. What should go?

Anubias Barteri, Marble Queen, Hygrophila Pinnatifida, Altlandsberg Sword, Telanthera, Red Melon Sword, Lobelia Cardinalis, Hygrophila Araguaya, Java Fern, Vallisneria.
My current plants are an unknown sword ,foxtail , anubas java moss

a couple banana plants , Barcopa, tripartita, and some stems that I was given I was told they are ludwigia repens.

 

[Kimunaffected]

I also have a light timer which I think will help a lot with / preventing algae.
I found some great YouTube videos better informing me on excel and I’m not quite ready for daily dosing or any of that that yet

 

[the loach]

Anubias barteri and the swords can get very big, and you already have 1 sword (and an anubias). I woud pick the sword you like most, keep the anubias with the smallest leaves. Keep the foxtail, vallisneria, java fern, lobelia and a hygrophila.

 

[dougall]

I'm a believer that lots of swords (echinodorus) should not be in the majority of aquariums (I had a plain Amazon sword in a 90g and it took more than half of the aquarium and was too big to fit front to back)

If you can, try looking for a purple knight sword I'm pretty sure it's the smallest echinodirus or close to it, and it stays a manageable size.. and looks much better than the majority of the rest. Otherwise I'm a fan of chain swords, especially Vesuvius.

For the plants you have, obviously as above, I would likely not keep the swords... Any of them... I would likely not keep banana plants either, or if you do, be sure to pinch off the pads as they start to form. Light, not shadows, will look best in your tank.

 

[fishorama]

Be careful which val you get. I have 2 types that are 24-30+ inches tall.

I haven't tried hygro Araguaia, I think it's 1 that needs co2 to look good. Alternaria (including mini) & h. pinnatifida I've tried & gave up on several times even though people say you don't need co2, they need something I don't give them...but I'll probably try them again, lol.

That Aflame purple knight sword is pretty, I hadn't seen it before. Tropica swords are smaller plain green, not too exciting. I too would skip the big regular sword types for your tank. Keep the 1 you have until it gets too big. You can try removing a few of the outer big leaves for a while...I'm a fan of dwarf swords & chain swords also...but not Vesuvius, at least not in the tank I had it in.

Look for a smaller java fern too, Philippine is 1. "needle" might be a darker green easier to control alternative to vals. Some people don't like the way javas produce baby ferns along old leaves, just trim them off.

I have a lobelia I like so far. I was used to growing them in the yard to attract hummingbirds. I think there's a mini version for tanks or it just stays small submerged.

Did you look at crypocorynes? dougall & I are big fans of them. Hundreds of species & varieties!

I forget what anubias you have. I like nana or nana petite for small tanks. Very old anubias leaves are prone to black beard alga, just trim them off before it gets bad.

I'm not a moss fan although I have some in most tank from hitchhiking tiny bits. It goes everywhere! Including filter tubes, glass, substrate, etc. OK, I kind of like fissidens...but I lost my tiny start to the more vigorous java type mosses. The only good thing is it's ability to hide & grow micro-goodies for fry, I'm not sure it's worth it.

 

[dougall]

Crypts pages

More cryptocoryne information than you possibly want or care for.

 

[dougall]

Personally I really want mostly crypts.

I do need to wait for a few things first before I can start more tanks, but maybe I will see what I can grow outdoors or at least emerged.

But try to join a fish or aquarium plant group if you can...they are such an incredible source of cheap plants.