My 75 Gallon Planted Tank Journal

Thanks for the comments, they have been very helpful. I will cut the dosage to the recommended amounts and will also turn off the bubbles and start up the CO2 after I do my waterchange today. The well is running again (bug got into the pressure tank switch which shut the whole system down) so I will be able to get the water change done.

Till next time............
 
Glad to hear the well is running again, such a tiny critter causing such a big problem. Good Luck!
 
If you're still contemplating a black background, I recommend Plasti-dip. You can get it at Lowes for around five bucks, and it dries rubber-y, so you can just peel it right off if you don't like it or want to change it. Looks so much better than plastic or paper, and fares far better than normal paint. I did my 20 gallon while set up, just used a roller (I'm not very careful so it did get on the wall but it peeled right off.)
 
That Plasti-dip sounds like a great idea, only problem is that I only have an inch clearance behind the tank, it sets on a custom built corner cabinet that my husband built with a solid surface top. I will probably have to go with the poster board if I decide to do a black background. Wish I had seen this earlier, I just set up my other two tanks (29 and a 20L) beside the 75.
 
It has been quite some time since I have posted about this tank. It hasn't gone well, but then I haven't had the time to work with it like I need to. I have a serious algae problem in it right now and I thought I lost the lace plant because all the leaves died on it. I raised it out of the substrate a little to see if it would help but I thought it was a goner. I am happy to report that the plant now has 7 new leaves and a flower spike that grows at least an inch a day. This is the only plant in the entire tank that has not on speck of algae on it. Besides the wisteria this is about the only plant that is showing signs of growth.

I hope to get the C02 going in it one of these days but I want to have a whole weekend free before I do it because I want to be able to keep an eye on the tank when I do. The Ph in it fluctuates from 7.9 to 8.1 and I want to make sure I don't have any trouble when I start dropping the pH with the C02. Any insight or suggestions would be welcomed.

Thanks for reading.
 
I got the C02 running last night but am having trouble getting the regulator to hold a steady pressure. I am anxious to get home and see what happened while I have been at work.

The flower on the Lace plant has finally reached the surface and it continuing to grow but I am afraid I damaged it when I was doing a water change.

I hope I can get this algea problem worked out.
 
I have had the C02 running for just a couple days short of 2 weeks now and I also started dosing fertilizerss again a couple days after I started up the C02. It has been a little over a week since I started the dosing of fertilizers again and I believe the algae problem is starting to improve. I no longer see the longer threads of the BBA and I believe it is starting to get less and less on the plants. I am attaching a picture of the tank that I took today. I checked the water and I have the following numbers.

Ph - 7.0 according to my Milwaukee controller
7.6 according to API test kit
Kh - 12 drops
Gh - 3 drops
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 160
Ammonia - 0

My Tap Measurements are:

Ph - 7.4 according to my Milwaukee controller
7.6 according to API test kit

Kh - 18
Gh - 1
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0
Ammonia - 0


My RO measurements are:

Ph - 6.5 according to my Milwaukee controller
6.4 according to API test kit
Kh - 4
Gh - 1
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0
Ammonia - 0

I need to make up more fertilizer doses but I want to make sure I am making up the correct dosages. I was using :

1/2 tsp. KN03
1/8 tsp. K2S04
1/8 tsp. KH2P04

These are dosed on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday

1/8 tsp. CSM+B

This is dosed on Monday, Wednesday, Friday

50% water change on Sunday using half tap and half RO.

Should I keep up with what I am doing, should I leave out or reduce the KN03 because of the high nitrates.

Thanks for your help once again.

75 gallon 10-15-2013.JPG

75 gallon 10-15-2013.JPG
 
I have no advice to offer you as I just use Excel and have no experience in any of this stuff, but I just wanted to say wow! Your tank looks really good anf has gone through quite the transformation!!! :D

I second on the background for sure though, it took me a year to finally add one but it makes a world of the difference. I just used a black plastic trash bag. Cardboard/poster board would look better, but I keep forgetting to get it.
 
Thanks.


I decorate cakes as a side and I have a black tri-fold board that I use for taking pictures of the cakes. I used it last night just to see the difference it would make and I really liked it. So, I am actually going to look for some poster board after I get off work tonight. I took measurements before I left the house today to verify what I needed.
 
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