I`m Perling Every Night!

[craynerd]

Guys,

Just checking that this is ok and only a good sign!

I changed my water about 2 weeks ago and the whole tank was perling! BUZZING i came back to the forum and after much research realised it was false perling, since the water i replaced was probably full of oxygen.
Anyway, the next night i saw a few more perls, and the next...until it happened every night. It started with my cabomba, then my java fern (when i had it) and now this last week both my riccia and glosso are perling every night to varying degrees.

I realise this is photosynthesis taking place but i`m just checking its a good thing.

I have 45W in a 19g tank = 2.4wpg

I`m injecting CO2 and thats staying between 15-25ppm ..but i have a high tap water phosphate concentration of 5ppm therefore have been told that this makes my CO2 readings very innacurate since it also acts as a water buffer. So as i say phosphate is 5ppm in the tap water but nitrate is low nearly 0 since i`m doing very regular water changes since my tank is only 5 weeks old.

Do you think i can stop changing my water as frequently now and start implementing the EI...i have everything here i just need to prepare and start adding!
Unless phosphate levels drop during the week i`ll only top up on phosphates and not give a intial dose!

My plants are really shooting up..i took about 5 inch of my cobomba tonight!!!

 

[Themuleous]

If you have everything you need re lights, CO2, ferts ect and the tank is already growing, I would start full EI as you'll probably hit the algae stage soon if its not already started and it would be best to get a head start on getting rid of it again. Up the CO2 to 30ppm, increase NO3 to 20ppm (i bit higher than the EI article says but if you've got lots of PO4, which it sounds like you have, then NO3 will be become the limiting nutrient and get sucked out of the water fast) and dose the trace every other day, then 50% water chnge once a week. This should give your plants everything they need.

BTW as far as I know, its only really high concentration of PO4 that give false CO2 readings, like over 10ppm, so I would trust the CO2 readings you're getting and up it accordingly.

Hows the glosso and riccia doing?

Sam

 

[craynerd]

Hi Sam,

I still dont fully understand the relationship between PO4 and nitrate? and my PO4 test only tests to a maximum of 5 and i am presuming that that is 5 ppm ?

So if my PO4 is testing at the top of the test range, explain how i should relate the nitrate dose accordingly....i have read the EI article hundreds of times, maybe i dont understand it fully!!


Riccia is really shooting up and definately forming a nice carpet! Glosso is also certainly growing, i have identified certain shoots and watched new leaves sprout every 4-5 days. I dont seem to have seen any new shoots coming from under the sand tho which i really need to start seeing!! I have planted a water cabbage at the foot of the glosso carpet so could do with the glosso taking hold before the cabbage does then it doesnt block out too much light whilest it is growing.

Rest of the plants are growing like mad! Cabomba is shooting about 1-2cm a light period!! i took some 3-4 inch cuttings last night!!

I will post some new pictures tonight on my journal page of individual plants.

Anyway, hope you can help me further with the EI sam?! got all the chemicals....just need to use them!

Chris

btw, im using nutrafin co2 with DIY yeast mix...so how can i control my CO2 output...i.e how can i up the co2 ?? add another unit? DIY?

Also its a jewel system, so if i did another DIY full system how would i connect the outflow of the CO2 to the powerhead inflow....u would understand what i mean if u have seen a jewel system!??

 

[Themuleous]

Sounds like the PO4 might be quite high. It would be an expense you probably don’t want, but I know the API PO4 test kit goes to 10ppm as it’s the one I use, so might be worth testing with that, or you could get your LFS to check it for you. 5ppm is quite high, but sure if it’ll cause any problems or not though.

I wouldn’t get too caught up in trying to make you stats fit the ‘ideal’ stats on the EI article, it’s only a guide. If you do have PO4 of 5ppm then I would reckon you’ll need NO3 of 20ppm, perhaps 25ppm, in order to give the plants enough to be able to use the high PO4. If you read the other threads you’ll see I’ve said on another one that is probably a case of try and see what happens. The plants will tell you if they are lacking anything.

Could anyone else shed more light on high PO4 and what to do with it? There seems to be a few people wondering how it affects things, and I’d be interested to find out too

If everything is growing well, which it seems to be then carry on as you are, it seems to be working!!!

To get the CO2 higher you could add another system and run it into the same diffuser using a t-shaped airline connector. I (to the detriment of my back balance) splashed out on a pressurised system so don’t really know what to suggest re yeast based systems.

Can’t help with the jewel systems as I’ve not see on in action, but people do have good results adding the CO2 to the intake for the filter.

Am looking forward to some update pics

Sam

PS I posted some more hornwort yesterday, should be waiting for you at home

 

[George Farmer]

I wouldn't bother dosing PO4 for a while.

If you EI then you will be doing 50% water changes per week - this may provide you with enough PO4. Add 10ppm NO3 3x weekly (every other day) and trace 3x on the other days.

Test for PO4 at the end of the week if you feel the need and add KH2PO4 if required.

Ideally there should be a 10:1 ratio NO3O4 but as long as you keep up your CO2 (30ppm stable), NO3, trace dosing and 50% weekly water changes then you will be fine I'm sure.

Try not to get too into testing (most hobby grade kits are inaccurate anyway only leading to more confusion), this is the beauty of EI - no need for test kits. The "overdosing" of nutrients and 50% water change eliminate the need once you've established a routine.

Let the plants be your guide.

 

[craynerd]

Cheers chaps...i think i`ll just use the dose schedule you posted above gf225 and see what happens!

All is growing VERY well so far and i`m only adding a standard fert.

OK well thats settled, tomorrow i start EI!



i have one more thing...if i`m not dosing phosphate in the form of Potassium phosphate...will i be lacking potassium? therefore may i need to dose potassium sulphate? and since there is no test for potassium how can i tell if i should add it?

Chris

 

[Themuleous]

If you're dosing NO3 in the form of Potassium Nitrate (KN03) then probably not, I dont think its very common to have to dose for potassium as well as NO3 and/or PO4. Your plants will tell you if they are not getting enough K so dont as yet and see what happens.

Got this from the aquaessentials website

'Pinholes in leaves which slowly become larger over time. Leaves begin to curl, become yellow from edge inwards and also lose resistance to disease'

Sam

EDIT - OH BTW the other lot of hornwort I sent out yesterday turned up ok, so yours should have arrive too, all being well!