Striped Bass

OK new tank is almost completed. Just need to cycle for a couple more weeks or longer. Depending of what my pH end's up being after you read this, you will know why. All my plants are in, that im going to put in. All in all about 25 separate root systems in the development, of that its only 9 types of plants including Java moss. Dual 96 watt lamps 1. white 1. Moon blue and a white LED. 45 GL tank. Airration/bubble walls on each side tube style hidden up the gravel. I plan on only running that at night about a half hour before I shut my lamp off.( Trying to maintain a 11 to 12 hours on/off cycle of lighting.) I also have the CO'2 set up. AS ahill and jay know im knew with the CO'2.

So my question is.

How much CO'2 should I be pumping into a 45gl tank with that amount of plants? Im assuming that more plants means more CO'2. Lets just consider this aquarium to be a heavy planted tank.

Anyone?
Thanks
Striped Bass

Like GIJOE said at the end of every episode. Knowing is have the battle.

Jay

IMO You need to be at 30 - 40 ppm consistent rock solid injection. See measuring CO2 in the FW plants forum.

More plants does not mean more CO2. At 30 ppm you are injecting more than can be used thereby avoiding a deficit which is not good.

If your CO2 remains constant then the uptake by the plants will be OK.

I am, however, concerned, that we are not talking about nutrient dosing. High light and CO2 injection require a reliable, constant supply of nutrients.
NO3, PO4, especially will bottom out quickly and the plants will decline without a fert dosing routine. Plus, if not addressed, you are leaving your self vulnerable to some serious algae issues.

Regards,
Jay

Striped Bass

I do see what your saying about algae. I noticed today that OVER night sense I added that CO'2 I have grown some algae on my filter intake that is all most like an ultra short grass waving in the stream of the filter flush. As well as a little around the tank. Also it appears by my tests that I have managed to cycle the tank in under 2 weeks from all the added rocks water and filter time n my old tank, This new filter has been running in the new tank for about a week and I have 0 everything, But my pH was only at 6.2 its 7.2 in the old tank. I did a small water change only 5 gallons. and the pH went up to 6.6. Ill do a 10 gallon change in the morning and see what happens. As for Nutrients for my plants. I am using Plant food tabs and flourish Iron supplement in a liquid form. If theres anything I should know JAY, nows the time.

Also how do I find out how much CO'2 im putting into the tank?

I have two gages on the connection to the co2 tank, one looks like a pressure gage and the other mst be a ppm I have it set at 20. This is because the gage is in a red zone from 25 on. Another qestion If I stop using CO'2 after a month or 2 of a CO'2 injection will there be any problems. I mean will the plants go into a CO'2 crack fit? Say I run out or don't want to keep a constant CO'2 injection going, like a week or month on and off. Im thinking about my pH levels here. I Dont want to add extra stress on the fish. Its bad enough they have to see me when I feed them. lol

Jay

I hope you meant 0 except for my NitrAtes which are 20 ppm.

Yep CO2 drives down pH, perfectly OK, will not harm anything. Common sense prevails here. If your KH is not kept at least at 4 you leave yourself open to a pH crash.

OK now you are into the thick of it. I can not get you up to speed in a few paragraphs. I can answer questions and give advice but you need to read and learn about keeping plants. There is no simple do this 123. Each tank is different and unique. You are going to experiment and learn. That's what makes it fun

I can offer this... I am assuming a heavily planted tank.

1. If your light source is producing over 2.75 to 3 Watts per gallon you probably need CO2 (30 ppm)

2. You will definitely need to supply your plants with NO3 (20 -30 ppm), and
PO4 (1-3 ppm)

3. You will definitely need to supply your plants with a Trace element mixture. I use Seachem Flourish.

I do not dose Iron. There is enough Iron in the trace element mix and my tap water.

I do not use plant tabs. They give me no control over my dosing. Aquatic plants will very quickly adapt to taking their nutrients out of the water column.

THE REGULATOR

Has two gauges. One gauge is the storage tank gauge. My pressurized ten pound tank shows approximately 800 pounds per square inch.

The regulator steps down the pressure on the outlet side to 25-30 pounds per square inch and the gauge shows that pressure. It is the working pressure of an available 25-30 pounds that feeds into the aquarium, and is ADJUSTED by the needle valve.

See the post "Measuring CO2" in the freshwater plants section.

Regards,
Jay

Striped Bass

My Nitrates reading at 0 for two days in a row now. So what do you think I should do to bring them up? If that is what I need to do.


I was at the store today and grabed the only thing they had for live plants. Flourish iron by seachem. Becuase I wanted to have extra on hand. Im glad They were out of the plant tabs, now that you say there not worth the time.

What do you think wold be the best Supplement I can get for these plants? I already noticed today that a few of my Egeria densa's didnt look all that well. They have lost alot of there color and there leafs are turing light grean as to te darker green when I got them. But on the up side there are also sprouts that look very healthy coming off most of those that look sickly. Perhaps. I should trim the less health parts off as to not contridute to decay from them just sitting there with such lack luster?

Jay

I am concerned that the tank has not cycled.

"0" NitrAtes is not a usual occurrence. Does your tap water measure "0" nitrAtes?

When you say 25 root systems you are making it difficult for me to understand the size of the plants (the plant mass you have) and what plants.

Under high light plants will suck up NO3 quickly.

Pic post would help.

Jay

Striped Bass

yes. My tap water has 0 nitrates. I tested the tank across the board again except nitrite's are from 0 yesterday too a little shy of 0.25 this morning after adding 3 cichlids and a very small osscar from my old tank. As well as a Albino Pleco. ( For that Algea that is prety mch gone now from the glass. ) I know thats alot right away but i can take them right out as soon as theres an issue. I have my old tank right next to the new one for now, and it only has one cichlid i it. THE ONE THAT BULLYS EVERYONE. I noticed that once I took out a few fish from the old tank, that one Zebra Cichlid started to really fight with the Oscar. So istead of having my Oscar hidding up around the filter i droped him into the new tank last night. I wasnt going to but i couldnt stand watching him get picked on so much. Anyone out there want a nasty Zebra Cichlid. lol There all less then 2 inchs long. I beleve the Nitrite to have jumped a little last night becuase of the introduction of these fish. They excreating Ammonia and the Nitrites reacting to it. If at the end out the day or in the morning they or any of my reading go up. Then i will be removing atleast 3 of the fish in the new tank and putting them back into the old one. Anyhow, I am expermenting here a little. and will keep you updated as to what happens if anything. thank again Jay.

Fellow fish head

Striper

Striped Bass

Jay try this link to see my still not compleated tank.

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l6...s/DSC00799.jpg