Good morning everyone. I'm fairly new here. Although I do a lot of reading on here, this will be my very first post. I've had my 55 gallon tank setup for almost 2 years now, and just about a month a go I got tired of the fake plants, and decided I wanted to try live plants. Initially, I came across some Hygrophilia Polysperma, and some Watersprite from my local LFS. I bought a little bit of each and just planted them into my gravel. Thats when I really started hitting up the forums, and reading about fertilizers and what not. I probably jumped the gun but had read about how awesome this AF Macro Micro Mix from aquarium fertilizer, and just ordered it right on the spot. Now I can't say that it doesn't work, because in the few weeks I've had it my plants seem to be taking off pretty well, to where I've already had to trim, replant to fill in the open space.
basically I'll just try to get to my reasoning for posting this thread, and reaching out for advice. I will start with some information about my tank.
Tank is a 55 gallon tetra brand if that matters
natural brownish gravel from walmart about an inch and a half to 2 inches
for my lighting i have 2 t8 shops lights sitting on top of my glass tops with 4x32 watt sylvania 6700k bulbs 128 watts total set on a timer and they are on for 10 hours a day.
I started out with a Hagen Nutrafin CO2 Natural Plant System a gift from my dad, and also have 2 - 2 liter diy co2 each being injeced into my hob filter which does get chopped up good as I can see all the tiny bubbles flowing through the tank
ph initially 7.8, once I check after the lights been on for awhile it reads 6.8 which I think means I have sufficient co2 as long as i keep on top of my mixtures, which i try to change mixture on different days so i always have co2 flowing through of them.
ammonia - 0
nitrates according to my api master test kit shows orange so its in the 10 -20ppm range
50% water change every week
Now as far as dosing, i believe the mixture i bought of the af macro micro nutrient mix is for a pmdd dosing style.
The directions for this are : Macro Micro Nutrient mixing instructions: Mix with a ratio of 1/4 cup of Macro Micro Nutrient Mix to 2 cups water (or 60g to 500 ml). Dose 1-4 drops per gallon per day. Start with the lowest dose of 1 drop per gallon per day and stay with that dose for 2-3 weeks before deciding to increase the dose. Increase the dose based on the needs of your plants. There are 76 drops in a teaspoon.
What it includes is: Macro Micro Nutrient Mix is composed of equal parts by weight of potassium nitrate, potassium sulfate, Plantex CSM + Boron, and magnesium sulfate.
Plantex CSM + B is composed of 1.50% magnesium, 0.10% chelated copper, 7.0% chelated iron, 2.0% manganese, 0.06% molybdenum, 0.40% zinc, 0.04% boron.
when I first got it i followed their dosing instructions and 55 drops came out to exactly 2ml of this stuff. Which now I am dosing 10ml a day because of what I read what a user named Tug had told someone with the same stuff I'm using.
Ive also read and went out and bought some fleet enema, and diluted 50ml of it into a 500ml water bottle. apparently this mixture from what i read can be dosed 1 ml to every 10 gallon, and supposedly give you about 2.2ppm po4, so I'm dosin that 3x a week at 2 ml.
Plants are pearling everday soon after lights switch on. I notice a little bit of gsa on some leaves, fuzz algae, on some plants leaves, and just this morning i saw on one of my hob filer outtake where the water comes out has the brightest red hair i assume alage, wasnt there before.
I hope my rambling doesnt make this hard for someone to read, because I would really like some advice especially with my dosing. is 10 ml enough of the mmnm, is my dilluted solution of fleet enema good, am i dosing to much, to little. btw I dont have a kit to test for phosphates yet but want to get one soon.
I think ive covered most of my stuff, but please ask if you need more information on my setup. I really enjoy having fish, and now having plants it just makes the tank look good, and i want to learn how to keep it going strong. Thanks to anyone who has the patience to read this. i know its long and kind of sloppy.
when i initially put plants in my tank, and one of how they look today.View attachment 4480View attachment 4481 mind you its only been barely a month and ive trimmed a couple times already
basically I'll just try to get to my reasoning for posting this thread, and reaching out for advice. I will start with some information about my tank.
Tank is a 55 gallon tetra brand if that matters
natural brownish gravel from walmart about an inch and a half to 2 inches
for my lighting i have 2 t8 shops lights sitting on top of my glass tops with 4x32 watt sylvania 6700k bulbs 128 watts total set on a timer and they are on for 10 hours a day.
I started out with a Hagen Nutrafin CO2 Natural Plant System a gift from my dad, and also have 2 - 2 liter diy co2 each being injeced into my hob filter which does get chopped up good as I can see all the tiny bubbles flowing through the tank
ph initially 7.8, once I check after the lights been on for awhile it reads 6.8 which I think means I have sufficient co2 as long as i keep on top of my mixtures, which i try to change mixture on different days so i always have co2 flowing through of them.
ammonia - 0
nitrates according to my api master test kit shows orange so its in the 10 -20ppm range
50% water change every week
Now as far as dosing, i believe the mixture i bought of the af macro micro nutrient mix is for a pmdd dosing style.
The directions for this are : Macro Micro Nutrient mixing instructions: Mix with a ratio of 1/4 cup of Macro Micro Nutrient Mix to 2 cups water (or 60g to 500 ml). Dose 1-4 drops per gallon per day. Start with the lowest dose of 1 drop per gallon per day and stay with that dose for 2-3 weeks before deciding to increase the dose. Increase the dose based on the needs of your plants. There are 76 drops in a teaspoon.
What it includes is: Macro Micro Nutrient Mix is composed of equal parts by weight of potassium nitrate, potassium sulfate, Plantex CSM + Boron, and magnesium sulfate.
Plantex CSM + B is composed of 1.50% magnesium, 0.10% chelated copper, 7.0% chelated iron, 2.0% manganese, 0.06% molybdenum, 0.40% zinc, 0.04% boron.
when I first got it i followed their dosing instructions and 55 drops came out to exactly 2ml of this stuff. Which now I am dosing 10ml a day because of what I read what a user named Tug had told someone with the same stuff I'm using.
Ive also read and went out and bought some fleet enema, and diluted 50ml of it into a 500ml water bottle. apparently this mixture from what i read can be dosed 1 ml to every 10 gallon, and supposedly give you about 2.2ppm po4, so I'm dosin that 3x a week at 2 ml.
Plants are pearling everday soon after lights switch on. I notice a little bit of gsa on some leaves, fuzz algae, on some plants leaves, and just this morning i saw on one of my hob filer outtake where the water comes out has the brightest red hair i assume alage, wasnt there before.
I hope my rambling doesnt make this hard for someone to read, because I would really like some advice especially with my dosing. is 10 ml enough of the mmnm, is my dilluted solution of fleet enema good, am i dosing to much, to little. btw I dont have a kit to test for phosphates yet but want to get one soon.
I think ive covered most of my stuff, but please ask if you need more information on my setup. I really enjoy having fish, and now having plants it just makes the tank look good, and i want to learn how to keep it going strong. Thanks to anyone who has the patience to read this. i know its long and kind of sloppy.
when i initially put plants in my tank, and one of how they look today.View attachment 4480View attachment 4481 mind you its only been barely a month and ive trimmed a couple times already
