Hi all,

Took me a little time to borrow a camera from a nice colleague.

Updates
Aimed both spray bars opposite each other as shown.
Eheim 2028 (272gph) spraybar is the one at the back, aimed at the front so it moves the surface enough to prevent surface slime.
Eheim 2224 (135gph) spraybar's at the front pointing downwards.

On the right is a small powerhead, 50gph aiming left. This is set with the lights.
When the lights come on, the 50gph powerhead switches on.

Hopefully my plant biomass is suitable for full dose of EI.
Please let me know if I'm not. I totally agree with the idea of high plant biomass. I have a small 15G grow out tank for plants.

Please comment on how I can better arrange my plants. I'm not known for being artistic/creative

Anyway, I saw BGA in my tank. A small spot, about 0.5cm in diameter.
CO2? Water circulation not good enough?

Am I doing something wrong?

Regards,
Ryan

The biomass is getting better and the flow should be really going now. Manually pick out any BGA and keep up on your ferts/WC's. If you look back at the beginning of this thread, you wrote that the DC color dropped of later in the day. This can be a diffusion issue (ie. the ability of your diffuser to keep up as plants use CO2) I still think you should address your method of dissolving CO2. Many great methods here to try. If parameters are right, you should see growth soon.

I've shifted the rain bars once again.

Updates
Both spray bars still opposite each other.
Eheim 2028 (272gph) spraybar is at the front pointing 45 degrees towards the back.
Eheim 2224 (135gph) spraybar's at the back pointing up moving the water surface.

I've placed the diffusor at the back of the tank and a 50gph powerhead pointed left.

I'm see better plant movement in the tank. Believe water is better circulated now.

Currently dosing EI, dosing plan as follows for comments/advise.

Day 1
5ml x Flourish Iron
4.2ml x Flourish
3.1ml x Flourish Phosphorus
3.1ml x Flourish Nitrogen

Day 2
5ml x Flourish Iron

Day 3
5ml x Flourish Iron
8.3ml x Flourish Potassium

Day 4
5ml x Flourish Iron
3.1ml x Flourish Phosphorus
3.1ml x Flourish Nitrogen

Day 5
5ml x Flourish Iron
8.3ml x Flourish Potassium

Day 6
5ml x Flourish Iron
4.2ml x Flourish

Day 7
50% water change
Adjust KH/GH/pH

The online calculator recommends the following parameters. So before I whip out my calculator and my chemistry text book, I'm assuming the dosing regime sets me the following parameters too.

pH : 6.0 - 7.0
KH : 3 - 6 degrees
GH : 2 - 8 degrees
NO3: 5 - 30 ppm
PO4: 0.2 - 2.0 ppm
Fe : 0.2 - 0.7 ppm
K : 10 - 30 ppm

Noticed that on day 1 and day 4, Fe and PO4 are dosed on the same day.
I've read on other threads that Fe and PO4 creates an insoluble precipitate but it's only seen in dry ferts. Is it the same for liquid ferts?

Thanks to Chris and Hoppy for following up with me since post 1.
I've gotten rid of BBA and have managed to slow BGA down. Believe the BGA will wear itself out soon.

Regards,

Ryan

Glad to hear progress is being made

It is common practice to dose P and FE on opposite days.

Take your weekly total ml's for Macs and divide by three, dose Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday.

Likewise for Mics (trace) for Monday, Wednesday, Friday.

Saturday nothing, Sunday WC and start again.

Day 7 you say adjust PH? Wouldn't bother, buffers are not needed, Plant and fish will adjust to your water. GH additions on WC day only are fine.

Hi All,

Just an update.

Doubled EI dosing. It seems dosing extra is better than dosing too little.

Day 1
10ml x Flourish Phosphorus
10ml x Flourish Nitrogen
8.3ml x Flourish Potassium

Day 2
5ml x Flourish Iron
4ml x Flourish

Day 3
10ml x Flourish Phosphorus
10ml x Flourish Nitrogen
8.3ml x Flourish Potassium

Day 4
5ml x Flourish Iron
4ml x Flourish

Day 5
10ml x Flourish Phosphorus
10ml x Flourish Nitrogen
8.3ml x Flourish Potassium

Day 6
5ml x Flourish Iron
4ml x Flourish

Day 7
50% water change
Adjust KH/GH

CO2 is increased till drop checkers display a light green (near to yellow).
Outlets/powerheads placed so all plants sway with the current.

Plants are growing extremely well. The fast growers are sprouting new leaves almost daily. (my shrimps are reproducing very quickly too. Good sign that there's not too much chemicals left in the water)

I've uprooted my glosso and replanted with HC.
Once HC is able to attached to the substrate, I might remove some plants to make space for HC to grow.

So, some questions for the planters here =)

1. Assuming we want a change in landscape(with livestock in the tank), is the uprooting done completely? With the replanting done immediately?
I know the tank is going to cloud up bad and a huge water change has to be done.

2. Do we let the substrate rest for a couple of days?

3. Do we continue with dosing after re-planting? Do we dose more or do we dose lesser?

4. Lighting? Higher than normal to 'force' the plant to grow? Or lower than normal for the plant to slowly acclimatize?

I'd like to convert to a monster tank one day so these questions will help me plan.

Thanks in advance

Regards,
Ryan

[quote=Chiya;27625]
So, some questions for the planters here =)

I wouldn't re-scape more that 1/3 of the tank at a time, and yes 1-2 big water changes after are good with full dosing to follow.

Not sure what you mean here? Trim and replant right away.


Replant on the WC day and and continue normal dosing schedule.


Remember, stability..... If your schedule is working stay with it. Replanting doesn't change anything.


Now a substrate change is different. I personally move fish out to a temporary tank, redo and then replace fish.