I don't even know really where to start!
Have a 25g - hmmmm - 'sphere'. There it is - certainly not ideal for fishies or plants, but it's what I'm stuck with. Has very small (5"x8") powered (550 peguin) UGF, Fluval 3plus, about 24# crushed coral cichlid mix substrate (was going to be a cichlid tank), a good sized piece of driftwood, 10w pc fluorescent, 1 java fern, 1 anubias, 2 plain vals and what's left of a bunch of anacharis (oh, yeah, 3 plastic plants.
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Fishies: 1 dwarf flame guorami, 5 long fin danios, pair of small cherry barbs, 3 peppered cories. Water: ammonia - 0, nitrIte - 0, nitrAtes - about 5ppm, pH - 7.6, GH - 14, no test for kH.
Now, my questions: been reading here bout CO2, fertilizers, traces, macros, etc, etc, etc.... been reading in gen FW about surface O2 exchange. In spite of my modest 25g tank size, I only have about 70sq" of surface area, SO - I have the penguin agitating the surface to increase exchange, BUT have read that can increase CO2 release from the water?? Plants are doing well? - jave is sending out many new fronds and roots(?), vals also new leaves-not so green - and longer length on old ones, anubias just there tho' in addition to being the source of the oh-so-lovely thread/hair algae driving me nuts!
Even tho' my head is spinning from processing the info on mineral additions, I think I get it, but since I'm lightly planted, so I add the same amounts??? This is getting too long, but the 10w is not the only light - it's in the middle of a room with 26 48" fluorescents and a south-facing window wall (I usually give the fish an hour of direct light every other day).
Help....
Have a 25g - hmmmm - 'sphere'. There it is - certainly not ideal for fishies or plants, but it's what I'm stuck with. Has very small (5"x8") powered (550 peguin) UGF, Fluval 3plus, about 24# crushed coral cichlid mix substrate (was going to be a cichlid tank), a good sized piece of driftwood, 10w pc fluorescent, 1 java fern, 1 anubias, 2 plain vals and what's left of a bunch of anacharis (oh, yeah, 3 plastic plants.
)Fishies: 1 dwarf flame guorami, 5 long fin danios, pair of small cherry barbs, 3 peppered cories. Water: ammonia - 0, nitrIte - 0, nitrAtes - about 5ppm, pH - 7.6, GH - 14, no test for kH.
Now, my questions: been reading here bout CO2, fertilizers, traces, macros, etc, etc, etc.... been reading in gen FW about surface O2 exchange. In spite of my modest 25g tank size, I only have about 70sq" of surface area, SO - I have the penguin agitating the surface to increase exchange, BUT have read that can increase CO2 release from the water?? Plants are doing well? - jave is sending out many new fronds and roots(?), vals also new leaves-not so green - and longer length on old ones, anubias just there tho' in addition to being the source of the oh-so-lovely thread/hair algae driving me nuts!
Even tho' my head is spinning from processing the info on mineral additions, I think I get it, but since I'm lightly planted, so I add the same amounts??? This is getting too long, but the 10w is not the only light - it's in the middle of a room with 26 48" fluorescents and a south-facing window wall (I usually give the fish an hour of direct light every other day).
Help....
