My name is Tom and I'm in need of your expertise with thriving planted tanks. I entered the aquarium hobby about three months ago and have been struggling with keeping plants alive and keeping algae out. In the 5 Gallon tank is 5 Cardinal Tetras as the livestock who are doing just fine. I currently have a piece of driftwood, Red Ludwigia, Dwarf Hairgrass, and Anacharis. I have been putting in Flourish, Flourish Iron, and Flourish Excel to help the plants try to survive. I use a very bright planted light rated for a tank larger than my own so i know the plants are getting great lighting. The PH is between 6.8-7.0 as well. I keep the Nitrate at 10ppm for the most part and ammonia at .5ppm. what am i doing wrong?* The plants within tend to die and i just want a beautiful small tank to look at while i work at my desk at home. I also seem to have had a cloudiness come from over the water over the last couple of nights (brown ball-like algae as arose and green algae has begun to grow on driftwood). What can i do? am i missing something? what do you suggest i do? please help!I don't want to give up on this tank!
PLANTED TANK HELP NEEDED!!!!
- Thread starter themant12
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That doesn't say much, especially since manufacturers don't have to be honest in their claims. How many Lumens does it put out, what is the color temperature, any information on the spectrum? In very small tanks like this, more light is not always better...
The pH is fine for the cardinals, but it does not say much for the plants you need to measure the KH as well. Then you can see how many CO2 is available, since you are getting algae you have probably too much nutrients (the additives) and too much light and not enough CO2.
Tom, welcome! We've all been there!
That's a very small tank to work with given the plants you list and the small volume of water makes it more difficult to maintain steady water parameters.
Algae generally means you have the lights on too long. Like loach said above, just because a light is bright, doesn't mean it's putting out the radiation that plants need.
Rooted plants need a suitable substrate for the root system and need root tabs to thrive. I'm not sure the plants you have will benefit largely from the adds you are adding to the water.
I've never had luck with anacharis. It's kind of a cold water pond plant as far as I know.
That's a very small tank to work with given the plants you list and the small volume of water makes it more difficult to maintain steady water parameters.
Algae generally means you have the lights on too long. Like loach said above, just because a light is bright, doesn't mean it's putting out the radiation that plants need.
Rooted plants need a suitable substrate for the root system and need root tabs to thrive. I'm not sure the plants you have will benefit largely from the adds you are adding to the water.
I've never had luck with anacharis. It's kind of a cold water pond plant as far as I know.
I don't have a CO2 system connected to the tank. Should I get one? Would you recommend the Fluval CO2 system that is small for this tank?
The first step really is to get a liquid KH kit to see what you are dealing with.
Then there is the choice do you want to go low tech or high tech? Those plants you have certainly don't require high tech, and I doubt if it is a good idea to make a 5 gal tank a fast growth high tech tank. Is this the light that has a remote which lets you dim the light and change colors and such? Try putting it at half strength. Also cut it down to 6 hours. You also might want a phosphate (PO4) test kit before deciding to go all high tech with this tank....
Then there is the choice do you want to go low tech or high tech? Those plants you have certainly don't require high tech, and I doubt if it is a good idea to make a 5 gal tank a fast growth high tech tank. Is this the light that has a remote which lets you dim the light and change colors and such? Try putting it at half strength. Also cut it down to 6 hours. You also might want a phosphate (PO4) test kit before deciding to go all high tech with this tank....
Low tech it is...
First tape off 50% off those LED's (so at least 2 rows)
Get KH + PO4 test kits. Stop using fertilizers, and stop using an air pump/stone. It takes time to get good a good equilibrium in a tank.
Keep monitoring the water conditions and post them.
First tape off 50% off those LED's (so at least 2 rows)
Get KH + PO4 test kits. Stop using fertilizers, and stop using an air pump/stone. It takes time to get good a good equilibrium in a tank.
Keep monitoring the water conditions and post them.
A few thoughts here.
1. Anachris and Excel do not work well together.
2. Almost any red plant will need higher light and more nutrients than the average tank plant. They usually need added co2 to get really red.
3. Dwarf hairgrass also does best with high light.
4. It is a lot easier to keep a proper balance in a planted tank the bigger it is.
5. You may want to spend some time reading on this site
https://tropica.com/en/ Start with the Guide.
I used to do a high tech planted tank with pressurized co2 an 3 wpg. I had harigrass growing like crazy and some of the loveliest Ludwigia glandulosa you have ever seen. My tank skills are greater than my camera skills- sorry, (Glandulosa in front left. The other pinkish plants are Rotala macrandra.)
1. Anachris and Excel do not work well together.
2. Almost any red plant will need higher light and more nutrients than the average tank plant. They usually need added co2 to get really red.
3. Dwarf hairgrass also does best with high light.
4. It is a lot easier to keep a proper balance in a planted tank the bigger it is.
5. You may want to spend some time reading on this site
https://tropica.com/en/ Start with the Guide.I used to do a high tech planted tank with pressurized co2 an 3 wpg. I had harigrass growing like crazy and some of the loveliest Ludwigia glandulosa you have ever seen. My tank skills are greater than my camera skills- sorry, (Glandulosa in front left. The other pinkish plants are Rotala macrandra.)