Search:

Plants only need 8 hours. 14-15 is waaaay to long. Have it come on in the evening when your viewing it the most. This is on from 2pm-10pm.
...

As far as testing for PH, it’s mostly pointless. If you test for KH you’ll know what the PH is using a PH/KH chart in a non-Co2 injected tank. Non-Co2 injected water has around 3-4ppm co2 in it. It’s...

I read somewhere that crypts tend to grow there leaves flat across the substrate, not mine, every morning every crypt leaf is pointed almost straight up towards the waters surface. And slowly...

Looks real nice!

Could you tell us a little more about your tanks water parameters (GH, KH, ect)? Are you fertilizing and with what/how? What type of substrate are you using and are you injecting...

A basic light meter will cost you 350-500 bucks.

7 Weeks in and I’m “mostly” pleased with it. I do have 1 issue that has been plaguing the Java Moss. I have searched around and been informed that the Java has freshwater creatures on it, from a...

If you have ammonia in your tank, then your tank is definitely not cycled!

10-20ppm of Nitrate is nothing; I've had well over 50ppm for over a week with a school of Cardinals with no effect on...

Yes smaug you are very right, a Drop Checker will serve him well.

Mikekomm, just make sure you use a 4dkh solution in conjunction with the PH drops not tank water as the base solution. I have a...

Some closer shots.


Left side,

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p296/TheMailman6666/javaalgae.jpg


Right side,

So here we are, six weeks in and things are continuing to do well. Although, I think I may have a fungus growing on the Java Moss! I’m going to try the Excel syringe treatment on it.


Day one,
...

EI relies on a few key elements,

1) That the tank has very good water flow, meaning you'll need at least one powerhead just to push water around.

2) Firtilizers that are ALWAYS available to the...

Yes of course I'll help anyone in anyway I can. I can only help you with what has worked well so far for me and that really has been the teachings of Tom Barr. It's basically EI (Estimative Index)...

Thanks, thanks very much!

I just need to find another stem plant or two for the back wall. Something easy to grow, I don't want to mess with anymore difficult plants like the Glandulosa....

154 watts, over your 46? That’s like over 3 watts of t-5 per gallon. I think WAY to much light may have been your issue there, yes?

Are you using a drop checker to measure your Co2 ppm or just a...

Any fish poop and uneaten food that falls into the substrate where the plants are is simply fertilizer for those plants and should not be taken out.

I altered things a little bit and consequently ended up cutting out more. I had five new stems growing from the base of the Glandulosa which only had only two long stems so I cut it right down to the...

Yes indeed, this was early in my learning about Co2/lights/nutrients and water chemistry. I had a light Co2 imbalance. As well, I was short on Phosphate and Potassium. I was instructed to lower my...

I would scrap it and start over! 8mm thick glass for a 100 gallon tank!. My little 46 gallon is 6mm. I see one hell of a mess in your future.

Just imagine 100 gallons of water exploding......while...

I would like to try this sometime. But once Co2/light are "balanced" any Blue Green algae I had just died off on it's own.

Can be? That’s not what I thought you posted in your first response. I apologize. ;)




I have never heard of “ground iron”. As far as I have been taught there are two types of iron, the toxic...

I'm simply stating that if Phophates were indeed the cause of algae my tank would be an algae farm! With Phophates that have been anywhere from 1-10ppm! My iron is also quite high. I haven't run an...

I have high Iron and Phosphates, why don't I have BBA?

For all the people who claim phosphates cause algae, I wonder what reference controls they have used, if any and what test methods they used...

I have to agree with rich311k here. You have a light/Co2 imbalance. Meaning, if your not injecting Co2 then you have to much light. Try to get your lighting below 1-1.2 watts per gallon. Excel will...

Indeed!

I love taking pictures form a static spot. I place a tall home theater speaker in front of the tank and take pictures from the exact same location every time.

I learned a fair amount about planted tanks over the last 6-7 months and wrote an article about it. Most of it I learn from posting back and forth with Tom Barr, the person that came up with EI.
...