Please tell me what I'm doing wrong

Good plan. When you set it up, inject it into a good reactor and get your surface disturbance down to a minimum. This will increase your success rate quite a bit over your present method of getting carbon into the water table.
Plants:
Low light: Hornwort(will remind you of your Cabomba); Limnophila Sessiflora; Hydrococotyle Leucocephala(Brazilian Pennywort....I grew the heck out of this in low light....my brother in law grew it in the basement, in a 50gal. with a 20watt tube and no heater!!)
Low-medium light: hygrophila polysperma(Giant Hygro); ceratopteris thalictroides(water sprite);
Medium light: hygrophila difformis(wisteria); Many varieties of Ludwegia are also good for your light and favorites of mine.
One other thing, and I think someone has already mentioned it. I would cut your heat down to 74° - 76° unless there is some special reason for keeping it up that high.
Most of my plants grow much better at lower temps.

Len
 
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Thanks len. What do you reccomend for a diffuser? I'm going to be using 2 x 2l bottles which I've just finished making. Would you consider 2w/gallon moderate or low light?
How about details on fleet/epsom/KNO3 dosing?
 
I always considered it mostly 'low' because of the distance from surface to substrate.
But I grew plenty of nice plants at that wattage. Again, everything you have listed as well as the plants I mentioned should do fine at that wattage with CO2.
BTW, I also grew E. Tenellus as a ground cover at that wattage.
In one of my 55s, with very heavy plant mass and CO2 at 20ppm, I am dosing 3/4tsp. of KNO3(yields about 12.38ppm), 12 drops of Fleets (yields between 1.0 - 1.5ppm).
This takes care of NPK. I would start with 1/4-1/2, and 5 or 6 drops in your tank, based on what you've told me. I dose these at water change and check at mid week for content. I also have a lighter fish load than you do.

I dose 2 tsps. of Epsom Salts(Mg) at water change as well. This may not be necessary in your tank if you have hard water. My gH=4, kH=3.5°H. If you are in that area of hardness I would start with 1/2 - 1 tsp. at WC and let it go til next change.
You could also start dosing 3mls./ micros, 6 days a week. I dose 7mls. but I'm trying to be conservative with you(with all elements) because I don't know your tank.
Keep a close watch on your pH after starting up the CO2 if you are in the kH=3.0 area.
It shouldn't be a big problem with a 55, but humor me and watch it anyway.

Len
 
With me having a higher fish load, I should be dosing these nutrients higher or lower than you? Higher load means more CO2 and wastes so I should be dosing less since the fishload makes up for some of it? Which of those things will I notice the biggest benefit from? Sorry for all the stupid questions, but I'm just trying to understand this stuff. Thx
 
With a light fish load, you can omit dosing either K2SO2 or KCl and get enough K in the KNO3 because you can dose greater quantity since less fish are not emitting as much waste into the water table. You, BTW are on the light side fish-wise, IMO.
This theory only applies to KNO3 and not other elements.
Basically my base line for the nutrients is: N=10 - 15ppm; K= 15ppm(the K in KNO3 will give you roughly 10-12ppm, which works in my tank); P=1.5ppm. Doesn't matter to me how I arrive at those numbers, just that I do. My guess is that the measures I gave you for dosing will bring you in under those numbers, which is OK. Better under with no algae than the other way around. Then you can increase as needed and as plant mass increases. The plants will tell you if you're under too much......the algae will tell you if you're over. If in doubt on anything, I'd advise dosing on the light side.
I don't understand your question about 'the biggest benefit'. All elements work hand in hand......none more important than the other. Look for balance and you've got happy plants.

Len
 
Ok Len. So I've got my C02 up and running. I'm going to start today with 1/2 tsp. KN03 for Nitrate. At what level should I keep N ? and 6 drops of Fleets ( For P ) and I should be looking for 1.0ppm? Keep an eye on pH. My water is harder than yours so I'm going to skip the Epsom salts. I'll also continue to dose Flourish. Should I stop dosing Excel?
 
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Check tomorrow for content. Yes P=1.0; N=10 - 15ppm. The 1/2 tsp. of N should definitely give you 15. If you haven't dosed yet, start with 1/4tsp. and test for N content tomorrow.
Remember, you want to build your plant mass through propagation and adding new plants.
Keep an eye on pH, and stop using Excel. Do you know the bubble rate you are getting from the CO2?

Len
 
My Nitrates are already at 10-15. It never drops below that. Havent tested for P yet. Would I still benefit from dosing more or will that put it too high for the fish? You say you consider my fishload low. What equation do you use to detirmine the max amount of fish for a tank? I know the 1" per gallon rule is obsolete. Not sure on the bubble rate, I have to look at my setup, it seems like it's not making enough pressure to overcome the water. It will bubble if I leave it at the surface of the water, but if I put it at the bottom it can't overcome the water pressure. I'll figure it out tomorrow. Maybe a leak somewhere. Thanks again for all of your help Len.
 
Just a conclusion based on the fact that other than the pleco, you have mostly small tetras and other small fish totaling approx. 30. In a 55, IMO this is a moderate load. They are basically 'clean' fish.
If I remember correctly, the lower the placement of the end of the tube in the tank with DIY, the longer it takes to push out the bubbles, but they should still start pushing out and increase in frequency as the yeast starts to work better. This is bringing back memories of my first attempt at DIY:).
You want to get something at the bottom of the line to either catch or make a mist of the bubbles. I've used power heads for this, but some people use those ladders that come with a brand name DIY kit. They are supposed to be effective to some degree, but I think they are more effective in smaller tanks.
In any event, for that size tank you want at least a bubble a second either broken up or held in the water till absorbed. If, in the morning you're not seeing something like that rate you need to look seriously for leaks and may have to go back to the Excel until you solve that issue.
You are using 2 bottles, correct?
10(best)-15ppm is good. Testing your P for 1.0 will tell you if you need more. Don't over do it, especially until you get the CO2 worked out. That's the most important ingredient right now.

Len
 
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