This is my tank... what am i doing wrong ?

[jmhart]

Even for a planted tank, 30ppm of nitrate is a little high. The plants should sucking it up more.

My thought is not enough co2. 8 ppm is low. Most people run at least 15 ppm of co2, while the majority push even higher up to 30 ppm.

You have enough light and if 30 ppm of nitrate is correct, you have plenty of nitrates. Add more co2, get the levels up, and in the process of doing that, think about adding fertilizers: nitrate, potassium, phosphate. You can use Seachem's lineup of NPK fertilizers, or you can look into dosing dry ferts.

Check out www.rexgrigg.com

 

[tanker]

How are you adding CO2?? Is that a bubble wand in the upper right?? The green wand-looking thing. Also why is your PH so low--because of CO2??

 

[jones57742]

Thanks Jones... its my mclouds daughters impersonation

I do not understand.

The lighting is 3 t5s.. one 30 wt 6,700 and 2 10,000 21wt.

This should work but two items.
As I indicated I have limited experience with T5 lighting but I do not understand why you have one 30W bulb and two 20W bulbs?
I expect a ton of heat from this comment but when the 6700K bulb begins to go out and if it were my tank I would replace it with a 7100K bulb.

By increase feeding do you mean the fish ? Yes ok.. i didnt want to let the nitrates go through the roof.You will experience some increase in nitrates but the plant growth will partially compensate (please refer to subsequent items also)

There is the tiniest amount of bright green algae on some of the rocks.. but it is minute.

Forget the previous comment as your feeding is probably very appropriate.

As for ferts...Im not using any... after going to 6 different LFS and being told that my substrate, fish and excell (once a week) would be more than enough i gave up trying to find anything else.

Bell please excuse me here but roflmao :lipssealedsmilie: roflmao :lipssealedsmilie: roflmao :lipssealedsmilie: roflmao :lipssealedsmilie: 6 LFSs!!!!.
Let's work on two items first.
The Excel is being effective in killing your plants and you are not "really" fertilizing by it's application.

Fertilization includes macro and micro nutrients.
If you are going to into liquid fertilizers then IMHO the Seachem products are preferable but in order to accomplish fertilization Flouish, Flourish Nitrogen, Flourish Iron and Flourish Phosphorus will be necessary.

I have recently gotten into dry ferts as the expense is much less than the Seachem products and the customization is much easier.

Please refer to Nutrients and Dosing Dry Fertilizers at
http://www.rexgrigg.com/index.html.

TR

 

[bellazeus]

Tanker... the only way im adding co2 is with excel... the bubble wand is the outflow for my filter.. I believe my ph is so low because of the driftwood i added a few weeks ago.. even tho it wasnt leeching tannins it seems to still be lowering my ph. Im thinking of gettign a co2 system but lack of money atm means it will have to be in the future.

 

[bellazeus]

I do not understand.

:eek3: thats quality australian tv drama you are missing out on!!!

This should work but two items.
As I indicated I have limited experience with T5 lighting but I do not understand why you have one 30W bulb and two 20W bulbs?
I expect a ton of heat from this comment but when the 6700K bulb begins to go out and if it were my tank I would replace it with a 7100K bulb.

Its just the light fixtures I have...the 30w fixture i inherited with the tank so I replaced the 3 year old globe that was in it... and the two 20w was something that was given to me for my bday by my non fishy OH a month ago.

Bell please excuse me here but roflmao :lipssealedsmilie: roflmao :lipssealedsmilie: roflmao :lipssealedsmilie: roflmao :lipssealedsmilie: 6 LFSs!!!!.
Let's work on two items first.
The Excel is being effective in killing your plants and you are not "really" fertilizing by it's application.

you have no idea at the low level of knowledge in australian lfs.. at least the ones around here. I had to explain to one lfs owner what water hardner was.. and the fact that the barbs she had advertised were actually silver dollars. Seriously everytime I walked in and asked for ferts.. I was told to use excel.. thats the only answer any of them came up with.

Fertilization includes macro and micro nutrients.
If you are going to into liquid fertilizers then IMHO the Seachem products are preferable but in order to accomplish fertilization Flouish, Flourish Nitrogen, Flourish Iron and Flourish Phosphorus will be necessary.

I have recently gotten into dry ferts as the expense is much less than the Seachem products and the customization is much easier.

Please refer to Nutrients and Dosing Dry Fertilizers at
http://www.rexgrigg.com/index.html.

Man and to think i used to be a science major... after 12 years ive forgotten everything I'll look up the pages Ive been given and see what I can find over here. Thanks all

 

[jones57742]

Bell: Three serious items and then two humorous items:

Just noticed that your signature indicates that your 38G is lightly planted. It is not but is mediumly planted.

I know that what you are into and my comments seem like a real ordeal but please do not give up.
With the plants which you have in your tank when we get this up and going IMHO you will really enjoy the aesthetics of your tank. (I know that I enjoy mine.)

Unless you have something like Rex Griggs' order site in OZ you will need to visit your local plant nursery.

:eek3: thats quality australian tv drama you are missing out on!!!

We get some BBC on cable and/or satellite but nothing from OZ.

The only thing I know about OZ screen is Crocodile Dundee, Mel Gibson and or course Nicole Kiddman who is obviously an order of magnitude more important.

Man and to think i used to be a science major... after 12 years ive forgotten everything ...

Whine! Whine! Whine!
The one on my wall says 1973!

TR

BTW: Two Items

Its just the light fixtures I have...the 30w fixture i inherited with the tank so I replaced the 3 year old globe that was in it... and the two 20w was something that was given to me for my bday by my non fishy OH a month ago.

Please excuse me on the fixtures as I did not realize from the photograph that you had two.

What is OH?