Plants driving me nuts...

J

jb-ny

Si vis pacem, para bellum
Jan 5, 2009
190
0
0
Buffalo NY
I have low to medium light plants just over 2WPG (6500k and 9325k)
I tried several DIY Co2 and final found one that works...I think
I have been doing 15% water changes every 4 days.
My most recent water change 4 days ago I added flourish (as normal_...the next morning I had that green/blue slime algae.
I tested my water today and have 0 for Nitrate. The tank has been up for 4+ months.
I have 5 scarlet badis, 6 microrasbora, 9 CRS and 5 otos...
What the heck am I doing wrong?
 
Flourish only has micros, you need to dose macros (NPK) too. I get cyanobacteria (blue green algae, really a bacteria) in 1 tank that the nitrates drop to 0 sometimes. Not all that heavily planted but enough to use up the nitrates.

Lots of water changes & a 3 day blckout can work. I used UV & water changes (fingers crossed) you can also dose erythromyacin (Maracin). But unless you fix the problem of 0 nitrates cyano will come back.
 
get rid of the blue green algae with Maracyn. apply potassium nitrate, potassium phosphate every other day and flourish comprehensive on every water change (weekly)
 
The amounts of NPK in Seachem Comprehensive is not enough?
Is there an all in one formula...seachem has individual bottles. Is there another name brand that is better?
 
I don't know Seachem Comprehensive, regular flourish is micros AFAIK. If your nitrates are dropping to 0 it's not enough. I recently bought Stump Remover that is KNO3 (at Lowes, not all are the right stuff).
 
Regular Flourish has small amounts of NPK but not enough for most purposes, with around 2wpg Flourish alone will not be enough. You'll want to add NPK and dose the micros more frequently, 2x a week at least. There isn't an all in one fertilizer.

Get your CO2 running, dose more frequently, do 40-50% water changes weekly.
 
OK, I will get the N-P-K from Seachem...Should I get Iron as well?
I was going for a low tech tank, but might as well give this a shot.
 
Funny you mentioned getting more fish...I drove 40 minutes to my good LFS to get NPK (which I didn't end up getting)
but I did come home with a pair of Pelvicachromis taeniatus...
 
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