Quote:
Originally Posted by MediaOne
90Gal
6 x 54 watt T5 (I am only using 4 right now thinking that I had too much light before) - On for 10 hours
Eheim 2026
Florabase
pH controller
I have been maintaining my tank via EI for about a month and only recently discovered that I wasn't running my Nitrate or Phosphate levels high enough. I discovered this by making reference samples for Nitrate and pH, when comparing the colors using the same kit (Hagen) they came back low. I fixed that around a week ago.
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I'm glad you found this out, I know many folks on line that
still to date have not done any calibration but still maintain their confidence somehow in their cheapy test kits.
And they want to argue about it
Quote:
I had set my CO2 at first by dropping the pH until the fish showed signs of stress, and then raised it .15. The plants were pearling like NUTS, but the algae kept coming over a couple days. Then, when I calibrated the colorimeter it seemed I had way to much CO2 (even though the fish were fine).
The level was running 6.15 Ph and an alkalinity of 5, but I got a Salifert brand kH kit and discovered my alk was 8, the Hagen kit I was using was way off (not expired either). I calibrated my colorimeter with kH 5 water (using Salifert kit, baking soda & distilled water), so that when it goes green I am at 40 ppm CO2. I put that in last night and within a couple hours it was way to yellow. So, I turned off my CO2. By the time the aquarium was at pH 6.6 it was still yellow, but it might have gone green last night over the last hour. CO2 is off at night via solenoid, and pH is controlled by computer. Something is not adding up here ...
It seems over the last couple days that the hair algae is thriving better than ever. The microalgae is going nuts. I am just not confident that if I keep dosing the nutrients that the algae will subside! (I know, I know it should). How long will it take for me to see positive changes in the aquarium? Should I adjust or double check anything?
What is my best plan of attack right now? I do have patience... but this area of aquatics is completely new to me!
Thanks in advance for your time and effort,
P.S. I have done tons of reading, so go as hard on me as you want with the terms etc.
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Well, do this:
Whatever you where doing when the plants pearled like nuts, and fish where fine, do that.
Give yourself enough wiggle room for the pH relative difference before the fish are hurting(.2 should be fine).
Now leave it be and left the the system stabilize with respect to CO2.
You need to clean the tank up real good, filter, clean walls , filter tubes etc.
Wood etc.
Vac the gravel some, prune good.
Do a 60-70% water change right after.
Dose right after :
3/4 teaspoon KNO3
1/8 teaspopon or a bit more KH2PO4
Add Traces: 15mls 3x a week
Add GH bosster, most likely you'd just need some MgSO4, epsom salt if anything.
Add Excel at 50mls every day for 4 days and do another 50=80% water change 2 days after the first.
Use 2 of the T5's or blackout the tank entirely for the first 3 days.
5th day:another 50% water change, turn 4x 54 w on and maintain the routine.
Dose after each water change.
Pick on algae all you can manually
Regards,
Tom Barr