Help with plants please

[dj-damo]

Hi All

I have a 240 liter tank. about 53 or 63 gallons depending if metric or imperial.

I have had a hard time trying to get any of my aqaurium plans to flourish.

this is the test i did this morning, i did a 50 liter water change on thursday.

Ammonia - 0,003 mg/l
Nitrite - 0.000 mg/l
Nitrate - 5mg/l
PH - 6.5 - 7.0
Phospate - 0.1 mg/l
KH - 4dkh
GH - 8 dgh
Iron - 0.05 mg/l
Copper 0.000 mg/l


Stocking wise i have
19 neon tetras
19 Harlequin rasboras
15 guppies (young)
4 Japonica shrimps
7 Red cherry Shrimp.

I have been dosing
5 ml daily easy life easy carbo
25 ml tropica aqua care weekly.

i have had a few algea issues but this is now under control.

i have canister co2 injection. drop checker is showing green.

i have eco complete substrate.

i really dont know what else to do. the tank does not look the way i want it to so i am now getting very depressed about it.

i have been looking up dry ferts but not sure which way to go with this.

on a seperate note, i have covered both my intakes with fish net netting as i brought some shrimp ages ago, and they got sucked up the filter or into the power head (which i have now removed). the problem is that it is clogging up bad is there something else i can use.

I would really appreciate any help i coud get. but if my thinking is correct i am not dosing enough in the way of nutrients. but i need to be carefull what to use due to my shrimps.

Thank you

Damien


i would like to get more shrimp!!


pics below


http://img207.images...3/photo1dub.jpg

http://img138.images...54/photo2hp.jpg

http://img96.imagesh...4/photo3tzb.jpg

http://img204.images...93/photo4ge.jpg

http://img267.images...1/photo5acc.jpg

[Goes to 11!]

pics below


http://img207.images...3/photo1dub.jpg

http://img138.images...54/photo2hp.jpg

http://img96.imagesh...4/photo3tzb.jpg

http://img204.images...93/photo4ge.jpg

http://img267.images...1/photo5acc.jpg

These links are not working for me.

No mention of the lighting you are running, Details needed please.

[dj-damo]

i am running 2 x t5 tubes at 39watts each.

1 is a 10000 kelvin rating and the other is 6500 kelvin rating

new pics







Thanks

[gm72]

This kind of detail is excellent, thank you for letting us help you!

The 10000K bulb isn't doing you any good. Photosynthesis isn't going to take advantage of that temperature as well as the 6500K. I'd swap out the 10000K bulb for another 6500K.

[dj-damo]

i do have another bulb brand new which is 4700 kelvin? would that be sufficient to go with the 6500k or even the 10000k?

Thanks

I alos forgot to mention i use RO water aswell (if that makes any difference) :)

[gm72]

Please send a memo to all of our new members to let them know this is the kind of detail we need! Super.

Photosynthesis peaks around the 6500K band so really another 6500K bulb would be best in my opinion. I know some folks grow wonderful plants using 10000K bulbs but since you are having trouble we need to try to control the variables.

Why do you use RO water?

[dj-damo]

Please send a memo to all of our new members to let them know this is the kind of detail we need! Super.

Photosynthesis peaks around the 6500K band so really another 6500K bulb would be best in my opinion. I know some folks grow wonderful plants using 10000K bulbs but since you are having trouble we need to try to control the variables.

Why do you use RO water?

Ha ha i can do that!

I use RO water as when i brought the tank 3 or 4 years ago me being a newbie to the hobby was sold this by the local LFS as the water was very hard in the area. i have moved further south but water is still hard. i dont add any salts to the ro water but i do mix with a jug of tap water depending on the GH and KH in my tank.

I am concerned with the lack of iron in the tank, as i understand it there should be around 0.5mg/l in the tank. i only have 0.05mg/l

would this be suitable to use. is it a macro and micro or will i need more !!

http://www.aquariumplantfood.co.uk/f...arter-kit.html

Thank you for your help.

[Akran]

Iron doesn't need to be .5ppm, .1ppm is really enough. Magnesium could also be a limiting factor since you're using mostly RO water. The fertilizers you linked will help you with that. Those dosing bottles that come with them also work really well.

You may also want some Potassium Sulfate for dosing Potassium without adding any additional Nitrate or Phosphates. Phosphates should be the limiting macro or you will have algae problems. It should be kept no higher than 1-2ppm.

[dj-damo]

Iron doesn't need to be .5ppm, .1ppm is really enough. Magnesium could also be a limiting factor since you're using mostly RO water. The fertilizers you linked will help you with that. Those dosing bottles that come with them also work really well.

You may also want some Potassium Sulfate for dosing Potassium without adding any additional Nitrate or Phosphates. Phosphates should be the limiting macro or you will have algae problems. It should be kept no higher than 1-2ppm.

ok cool, i have ordered a few bits including the starter kit. with regards
to the phospate i just remembered i had put in a phospate pad due to the poshpate being so high. so should i leave this in, i dont want another algea outbreak but if i am dosing phospate then its just getting taken ot of the water. maybe i will see how things go when i get my new ferts on tuesday.

Many thanks for your help.

Damien

[dj-damo]

Hi All

Just an update, i have managed to now sort out the plant growth issue. the EI dry kit i brought has worked a treat and is also cheap. i had new shoots from where dead plants had been! i have now rescaped my tank and as an addition i have set up a cherry shrimp tank aswell. Just wanted to say thanks for all your help!!

I am now a happy fish keeper!!

i will post some pics shortly!