Nitrates and algal blooms...

[joe schmoe]

Originally posted by djlen
First of all, as previously mentioned, you need more plants.

Money aside...that's OK with me. I've been snooping around aquabotanic.com, but receiving that kind of package may be difficult for me.

Originally posted by djlen
However, by the end of the week there may be an over-abundance of certain nutrients. A water-change, as stated, re-sets the tank for the most part to it's original state.

How does this overabundance occur?? Is it a result of an action on the fishkeepers part?? Or is it something within the tank "system" itself??

 

[djlen]

Here's an example. I dose a bunch of K, twice a week and a dose of Fe daily. I test for neither of the two. K is relatively safe to overdose slightly and Fe test kits basically suck even if you buy the more expensive ones. Also, I dose a Traces twice a week and there are some elements in Trace mixes that can be dangerous if allowed to build up. Copper, for example.
Doing a weekly WC gives me the piece of mind that IF I have too much of something in the tank it will be removed or at least greatly diluted through the WC.
I am also a great believer in "clean" water. Fish can deal with just about any changes(within reason) if the water they reside in is clean. To me it's worth it just to see their, and also the plant's reaction to the change.
Plus, I enjoy doing it and with the Python it's just so easy. I wouldn't have a hobby I didn't enjoy working with.

Len

 

[joe schmoe]

Originally posted by djlen
Here's an example. I dose a bunch of K, twice a week and a dose of Fe daily. I test for neither of the two. K is relatively safe to overdose slightly and Fe test kits basically suck even if you buy the more expensive ones. Also, I dose a Traces twice a week and there are some elements in Trace mixes that can be dangerous if allowed to build up. Copper, for example.

NOW it makes more sense. I'm going to seriously look at buying a "plant assortment", and see if they can throw some Watersprite in.

I took the temporary Emperor 400 off the tank...I might as well while the tank is in a state of flux. I'm keeping the bio-wheels submerged in the tank just in case something goes seriously wrong. Maybe it's not good timing...but oh well.

Thanks to everyone who has helped so far. It's much appreciated.

 

[Starry]

Originally posted by djlen
I wouldn't have a hobby I didn't enjoy working with.

Len

Bingo! I never understood why people want a tank in the first place, if they never want to touch it? I look forward to weekends when I get to spend an hour with my tank. It's never a chore. If it is, maybe the hobby's wrong for the person. And that's very common. The other day at the LFS, a girl was asking how many more fish she could put in her 30-gal (she already had way too many, judging from what fish she listed). The guy gave her the answer she was looking for, so she proceeded to pick out pairs of 3 or 4 different fish. When she was told that one of those might tear her angel fish to pieces, she said " that's ok, they're just brats anyway." She also seemed sad that her dwarf frog might meet the same fate, but decided to go ahead with it anyway. Nice, huh?

Joe - As someone earlier pointed out, you can't test for many of the nutrients you need to put in. So, in the case of Fe, K and traces, you don't really know how much you have left at the end of the week. And you do NOT want iron building up over time, which can happen if you're dosing more than your plants are using. And no one can tell you how much to dose to get it right. Water changes seem hard at first, but eventually it will only take you a half an hour max. It's also a good time to take a close look at your tank and fish to catch any problems early.

There are people (eg. Diana Walstad, if you've read or heard of her book) who advocate low light, no CO2, no fert tanks, with only yearly water changes. This may work, but the results usually isn't what you're looking for. The choice of plants is VERY limited, growth is slow, and algae common. I also can't believe that fish are happy sitting in the same water for months. And you can't mix methods. Go one way or another, and stick with it. It's good that you're asking questions though. You should always understand exactly what you're doing and why. Only then can you start making good choices on your own.

Good luck

 

[joe schmoe]

I'm making one last ditch effort. I ordered a 60-plant low-light assortment from aquariumgardens.com. I asked if they could include some Water Sprite. Once they've been planted, I'll give them a few weeks. If things continue to be green...then I'll throw in the towel and get back to enjoying my fish sans live plants.