What am i doing wrong?

SamHam

SamHam

AC Members
Jan 26, 2008
31
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Manchester, UK
www.turtledogonline.com
How do you keep your plants looking so perfect!!!

Every plant i have introduced tends to have algae growing on the edges of the leaves or the leaves collect general dirt.... When i carry out my weekly maintenance water changes etc i brush the leaves to prevent dirt building up.

But i still am not satisfied with the way they look.... when i started my tank i didnt cut corners and provided heater cable. flourite substrate, correct lighting and co2

Anyone have magic wand? ;0)
 
how much lighting do you have in the tank? how often do you do w/c? a knife fish wont do to good in a 58 gallon and same with a gold nugget your tank is overstocked. i have flow and a little over filtration and i make sure to dose co2 in my tank because of my strong lighting
 
What kind of filter do you have??? Are you "driving" out the CO2 with your filter/water-movement??
 
It's a combination of having the right balance of light and nitrients for the particular plants you have along with having appropriate livestock. When I first replanted my 29g a few months ago, I left it fishless for a bit while the plants established some roots. I had lots of green spot algae, diatoms, and green thread algae show up, but once I added in fish (livebearers, pleco, and RCS), the thread algae is gone and others are much more under control. It has to do with age too imo. A newly planted tank will go through a break in time when there's more algae as the everything is trying to balance out. Make sure plants that require more light aren't being shaded by other plants too much, evaluate your fish stock and cleaning crew, and fine tune your nutrients. It takes time, and while there are lots of good guides, there's no magical formula that works for every set up.
 
your not going to believe this but.... I have way over amounts of filtration and do water changes every week ( 50% and never use anything other then that. no plant foods, no special subtrate just good water and good light. if your plants are collecting dirt, then your over feeding or your filtration is lacking.
now my 55. its still full of diatoms, and drives me nuts. it gets the same lighting, the same water changes and the plants do n ot do well and the diatoms drive me up a wall. it was bought used and I have had it up and running a year!
I have 1 ten gallon tank that will not grow much except moss, and the other grows plants like crazy ! both have the same light and the same gravel. go figure. I really think its the tank glass .
 
emptywallet said:
how much lighting do you have in the tank? how often do you do w/c? a knife fish wont do to good in a 58 gallon and same with a gold nugget your tank is overstocked. i have flow and a little over filtration and i make sure to dose co2 in my tank because of my strong lighting
Click to expand...

I have currently got two T5's one is pink, i water change weekly mainly to gravel clean, the percentage all depends on my tests normally 20% my Pleco and Ghosty are only small (just babies) and am prepared for the size that they get to, same with loaches too... Flow ? sorry don't understand you ? :eek: yeah thats where i may be failing my co2 is not regulated and have had worries that on warmer days it doses too much and disconnected it for that day.
 
tanker said:
What kind of filter do you have??? Are you "driving" out the CO2 with your filter/water-movement??
Click to expand...
My filter is a Aquis CF External Pressure Filters for aquariums up to 300 litres Turnover rate max: 1200 L/Hr Max head:2.0 m My Co2 is a Hagen CO 2 Natural Plant System this has the bubble counter/diffuser i know its the not the best option but Co2 canisters are expensive didn't want invest in one yet if i was not fit to keep plants. I am slight wary of this option however the Co2 was for a smaller size tank so over dosing should not be a problem. still gives me sleepless nights!!
 
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