So... Do I even really need ferts?!

calivivarium1

calivivarium1

Finished the fight
May 5, 2008
1,432
25
51
Fresno, California
AFter doing some reading, I have a question: On the 10gal tank located in my sig, do I even really need to be dosing ferts?

I ask this because I am currently beginning to grow this nasty reddish/brownish/blackish algae that clings to plant leaves/moss that cannot be mechanically removed, GSA, thread algae(in small amounts), and Claudo(two patches that I constantly attack). My lighting(27watts) is on for 8hrs a day now, and something is obviously out of whack for me to starting growing algae. I have no DIY CO2 because I have no idea why, I just cannot get the CO2 into my tank.(the bubbles fill my airline, but never leave it and enter the water column).

Do you guys think I am dosing too much for Crypts, Wisteria, moss, and rotala? I use the Seachem Dosing chart as a rough guide with a larger water change(50%), 2x excel(for one week so far), iron 1x a week(going to 0), and API Leaf Zone for potassium(it has chelated iron) 3x a week. I recently ran out of nitrate and have almost non-existent nitrate readings now. I am going to try and buy some dry KN03 tomorrow.With my plants, I am beginning to wonder if all this chemical crap is really necessary(based on comments I have read here and elsewhere).

Hopefully one of you plant guys(or gals) will read through this noob's post and offer some insight. Thanks
 
crypts wont care for the ferts in the water really, they will mainly focus on those in the substrate.
Rotalas will love the ferts and will grow greatly with them.

The thing thats out of wack in your tank is the balance. You have medium-high light, you dose all ferts and you are missing co2. Add co2 and you will see less of the algae. If anything first should come co2 then ferts.
Ferts arnt necessary, for a lightly planted tank i would just stick with flourish being dosed 1-2x a week.
 
Bk, Thanks. So, if I need CO2 and can't get my DIY CO2 to work for whatever reason that means I must buy a pressurized deal..... Fudge, I just don't have $100 right now(the only good news is that until I started college/working full time I used to be big into paintball and thus have a myriad of CO2 canisters).
 
calivivarium1 said:
Bk, Thanks. So, if I need CO2 and can't get my DIY CO2 to work for whatever reason that means I must buy a pressurized deal..... Fudge, I just don't have $100 right now(the only good news is that until I started college/working full time I used to be big into paintball and thus have a myriad of CO2 canisters).
Click to expand...

You can dose excel more often but it should be no substitute for carbon.

Try and try again to get diy to work, its fairly simple. Either that or reduce your lighting to about 1.5wpg. That way your crypts can grow, you can dose just flourish once a week for the other plants, and your algae issues will diminish.
 
Alright, I'll try DIY again. Like I said, I got CO2 this time, but it would only come out of the airline if I had it about 2in below the water's surface.... BTW, I am checking on a pressurized setup as we speak.

does this sound like it would work? If its available I will try and buy it(I can barely afford, I think ;)
 
I was off trying my hand at DIY CO2 most likely, lol. The Red Sea kit looks like the best way to go for me then. I already have cylinders and airline. I just need a drop checker, the regulator/needle valve, and a reactor/diffusion method right?
 
calivivarium1 said:
I was off trying my hand at DIY CO2 most likely, lol. The Red Sea kit looks like the best way to go for me then. I already have cylinders and airline. I just need a drop checker, the regulator/needle valve, and a reactor/diffusion method right?
Click to expand...
if you are short on money then all you really need now is just the regulator and if anything a needle valve. Everything else can wait. To diffuse you can use a simple limewood airstone.
 
IMO--A 10 gal is tooo small for pressurized CO2. A 5gal CO2 tank would probably last you 2 years!!

A DIY is more then enough. Or you can buy the Hagen.
 
Good point tanker. I will be using a paintball system instead of 5lb or larger CO2 tanks.

I have tried DIY several times with little success. I have followed plans given to me here on AC to the letter and my best attempt yields a meager amount of CO2 only if the line is about 2in deep or less in the water. My thing is, rather than buy the hagen system, why not go for a pressurized setup for only a few bucks more(working on a deal now)?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom