Going Nano

[MikeyUK47]

Thanks Mike! I have just started dosing, starting slowly, as I have some Seradepot underneath. I am dosing 1 ml of Seachem nitrogen and 2 ml potassium.

This is just a suggestion lu, hope you don't me poking my nose in But I would drop the nitrogen & use a general trace feed such as Seachem Flourish every day instead. The slight yellowing of your cabomba & lileaopsis is being caused by a lack of trace elements & especially iron. You'll be amazed how fast they will colour up with daily traces added. Seachem flourish is unlikely to cause algae problems becuase of the speed plants suck trace elements up whereas nitrogen very easily can. I would definitely keep using the potassium & even up the dose a bit. Potassium & trace elements are always in short supply in a tank & without them plants find it very hard to synthesize & take up other nutrients.

 

[Biulu]

Ok, thanks very much! Although the lilaeopsis came like that and is now recovering quickly. The yellowish leaves have died off, but the other leaves are doing fine and growing. I agree for the Cabomba though, it isn't as green as it should be. I will do this right away.

 

[MikeyUK47]

Ok, thanks very much! Although the lilaeopsis came like that and is now recovering quickly. The yellowish leaves have died off, but the other leaves are doing fine and growing. I agree for the Cabomba though, it isn't as green as it should be. I will do this right away.

I did wonder if the lilaeopsis was new, it doesn't travel very well. I'm certain that in a weeks time that cabomba will be looking greener Don't forget, don't be scared of the potassium either. It's one of the most important nutrients for photosynthesis & almost always in short supply in a tank. In fact don't fear nutrients at all. Well fed healthy plants will fight off algae better than anything else. Whereas a tank of underfed & struggling plants is the surest way to get algae troubles. Let me know how it goes ok?

 

[Biulu]

Sure! I will be updating this journal regularly. Actually I am planning to take new pictures by the end of the week as the hydrocotyle is growing new leaves...

I will also be looking into another 2 stones, but am in the middle of finishing my last mission report for this year, and major changes have to wait until that is done.

Thanks for your help sofar.

 

[MikeyUK47]

Sure! I will be updating this journal regularly. Actually I am planning to take new pictures by the end of the week as the hydrocotyle is growing new leaves...

I will also be looking into another 2 stones, but am in the middle of finishing my last mission report for this year, and major changes have to wait until that is done.

Thanks for your help sofar.

No worries. Looking forward to seeing how it changes. I'm jealous that you can get new leaves on Hydrocotyle, it's always melted away in my tanks. I don't think it likes the really hard tap water I use & I can't be bothered messing with the expense of RO (we're on a water meter) or deionising filters.

 

[Biulu]

My water is not exactly soft either . Llj is also growing this plant and she says she has liquid rock in her area... I am not on a water meter, but have to use bottled water for almost anything; not exactly cheap either...

 

[lljdma06]

My water is not exactly soft either . Llj is also growing this plant and she says she has liquid rock in her area... I am not on a water meter, but have to use bottled water for almost anything; not exactly cheap either...

Even worse, liquid coral rock.

Granted, the hydrocotyle grows in my back yard.

 

[Biulu]

Ianho suggested the other day to try to put in 2 smaller rocks, so I went into the shed and looked at my collection. I didn't manage to get exactly the same thing, but something similar. After some hammering work, this is what I came up with. I am not completely satisfied with it, so any suggestions are welcome!

As can be seen from the pictures, I am getting some brown diatoms, but I guess that is nothing to worry about in a new tank. I am now dosing 2 ml of trace every 2nd day and 1 ml of nitrogen and 2 of potassium 2x week.

Hydrocotyle is growing well with new shoots coming up and 1 of the wendttiis has also produced new leaves.

 

[Biulu]

The plants are growing reasonably well. Especially the cabomba and the crypts. I feel the lilaeopsis that has not died off has established itself and has started to grow. I do have brown diatom algae, but only on the glass, so I am not too worried about it.

As there were no more agasizzis's to be had this year (imports have almost stopped, apart from hardy, cooler water fish like goldfish, carps, malawi cichlids and the like) I bought 4 panda cories to be with the 2 agasizzis. The pandas are very lively and I am seeing the agasizzis now going up and down the tank with them

 

[Biulu]

Here are some new pictures. You can see that the agasizzis are much more lively now they have some cousins. The crypts are doing well, so is the cabomba and the hydrocotyle. It does get some algae though. I am having brown diatoms, but since this is a new tank, I am still not too worried about it.

The female betta is in there temporarily until I have my tank started up for her. I plan to breed her with another delta male I have.

I am now dosing 2x week 2 ml of potassium, 1 ml of nitrogen and 2 ml of trace.

crypts after melting

the Wendttii is shooting many new leaves:

Comments are welcome

 

[Biulu]

I am currently experiencing a lot of algae problems (brown and green) with the tank. I think it is partly due to the fact that the tank doesn't have a background and is located against a (north) window. I am trying to fight it with lowering the photo period and adding more nutrients.

I am happy that the hydrocotyle is doing well. It is shooting new leaves. The lilaeopsis didn't survive though. I am now trying to create a carpet with java moss.

The crypts are doing well, so does the cabomba. I don't want the cabomba in here permanently, but currently is not a good time here for the hobby. The lower temperatures are prohibitive for a lot of imports, including those of plants. I keep looking out for more crypts though to be able to replace the cabomba over time.

Some pictures:

Crypts and cabomba

hydrocotyle with killies

 

[ian]

fluctuations in C02 again Lu. Have you thought about using a small yeast set up in this tank?

 

[Biulu]

Really? I thought it was mostly due to the fact that there is too much light and not enough nutrients. So I have shortened the photo period to compensate for the natural light and am working on putting a background on. I am also dosing more, especially potassium and trace.

 

[lljdma06]

Really? I thought it was mostly due to the fact that there is too much light and not enough nutrients. So I have shortened the photo period to compensate for the natural light and am working on putting a background on. I am also dosing more, especially potassium and trace.

I think you could have more plant mass, but you can't really fix that until the weather improves. The crypt looks really good and it's nice to see hydrocotyle.

 

[Biulu]

Thanks Lis! It is the first time that hydrocotyle is growing in my tank and surviving more than a forthnight. You are right about the weather. I was in Mexico city yesterday and they didn't have anything. They are also still recovering from the Christmas holidays. Imports are not expected for another 2 weeks...