A Couple Of Questions

[Bloo]

So does your nitrate ever go below 10 ?
I'm not saying I can't grow plants - in fact I remove around 15 huge leaves from my Amazon Swords every week. And when I had vallis the stuff went ballistic - same with hornwort. But those are not the plants I want. The Swords are lovely but they are in my no-tech tank with root tabs only and seem to thrive. But the water suits them perfectly.
However in my high tech tank as sods law would have it, I prefer the type of plants that prefer soft acidic water. So I'm thinking of just moving across to ADA Aquasoil etc, but need to give it some more thought.

 

[alanchown]

So does your nitrate ever go below 10 ?
I'm not saying I can't grow plants - in fact I remove around 15 huge leaves from my Amazon Swords every week. And when I had vallis the stuff went ballistic - same with hornwort. But those are not the plants I want. The Swords are lovely but they are in my no-tech tank with root tabs only and seem to thrive. But the water suits them perfectly.
However in my high tech tank as sods law would have it, I prefer the type of plants that prefer soft acidic water. So I'm thinking of just moving across to ADA Aquasoil etc, but need to give it some more thought.

Dunno-I havent a lot of confidence in the test kits-my tap water seems to be about 40ppm, if I add no NO3 all week I seem to test about 10ppm. If I add (which I have done) 3 ppm 3x per week-I still seem to measure about 10ppm by the end of the week.
I must admit to being terribly confused! I don't know wether I should be adding more or less! (My water authorit tells me that my water tests NO3 20ppm and PO4 2ppm-I read much more). Life would be simpler if NO3 and PO4 was not in tap water.

Funnily enough swords and Vallis don't do too well in mine. I bought a 36inch collection from Greenline when i started a few months ago and havent bought anything since (apart from riccia and glossops-which grow wild). It's a bit of a jungle, but I was working on the theory that I'd play with what I have before I try any proper aquascaping.
I've had some major filter problems(Eheim filters are not perfect!), which I have only resolved recently which has skewed alot of things-so I'm sort of starting again.

Alan

 

[McMurray]

So does your nitrate ever go below 10 ?
I'm not saying I can't grow plants - in fact I remove around 15 huge leaves from my Amazon Swords every week. And when I had vallis the stuff went ballistic - same with hornwort. But those are not the plants I want. The Swords are lovely but they are in my no-tech tank with root tabs only and seem to thrive. But the water suits them perfectly.
However in my high tech tank as sods law would have it, I prefer the type of plants that prefer soft acidic water. So I'm thinking of just moving across to ADA Aquasoil etc, but need to give it some more thought.

well with the system i am getting
No3 = 0
PO4 = 0,5
FE = 0
No2= 0
NH4 = 0

 

[George Farmer]

No3 = 0
PO4 = 0,5
FE = 0
No2= 0
NH4 = 0

zero NO3 and Fe will starve the plants. Either your kits are inaccurate or you will be shortly witnessing nutrient deficiencies.

 

[McMurray]

No3 = 0
PO4 = 0,5
FE = 0
No2= 0
NH4 = 0

zero NO3 and Fe will starve the plants. Either your kits are inaccurate or you will be shortly witnessing nutrient deficiencies.

well every two days i place in ferts and i get a spert of growth but even 2 hours after puting the ferts in and testing im getting the same results.

I dont think the test kit is faulty a i tested my cycleing aquarium and that is bringing up totaly different results.

My be its just me thats faulty

 

[haich]

ok thanks for all that guys i think im more confused than ever i dont think ill going the ei route i think i will just stay as i am i have my routine and working nights is a bit of a pain i think ill just get some otos to sort my algae out

i changed back to i think the smallest gravel you can get from sand about 4 week ago i put laterite in and have about a 3" depth of gravel but cause my plec decimated my swords and belerhi i trimed them all back but showing no improvement but bought some elodea and a red 1 like cabomba and they are absolutely blooming. My vallis has slowed down but is steady i have put in root tabs dennerle deponit its german stuff and dose weekly with king british plant food

if you know of better root tabs and liquid ferts let us know as long as not to expensive

cheers again for all that howard