Liquid Fertilizers...........?

[Malfie]

Hi there .
I was just wondering that if carbon absorbs meds within the tank, does it also absorb nutrients ?
Been feeding my tank weekly with liquid fertilizer and the plants are doing fairly well but to my eyes some of them look a little yellow especially the Hygrophilla at the back.
Also the annubia (I think) in the foreground left is always covered with brown algae.
Today I did a 15% water change and tried to rub it off,but there are now brown stains on the leaves where the algae was.
Also getting the same with the grasslike ophiopogon on the far right.

The tank has been set up 5 weeks this sunday and still has an ammonia reading of 0,which I am pleased about as I am cycling with fish !
Nitrite is also zero and Nitrate is about 15-20 ppm.

The platties nibble away at the algae,but will it eventually go when the tank has sorted its self out ?

Almost forgot; also have a nutrafin co2 diffuser.

Thanks to all.
Malfie

 

[RadaR]

Yes, id take the carbon out now.

 

[jimbooo]

in a word YES, take it out

 

[SNAIL]

Hi Malfie,

I agree with the others.
Do take out the activated carbon.
I have a FW tank thats 3 years old now and have never used activated carbon.
I have a hang on filter with floss in it only.

Your tank looks great and well planted.
The plants will help balance your tank along with the CO2.
I would suggest adding Tetra Flora Pride Intial Sticks to your substrate
around the plants roots to help them out (if you have no UGF).
Some plants take nutrients through their roots while others can absorb it through their leaves.
Algae will grow on Anubias when it's exposed to too much light as it is a slow grower.
Try placing it in a shaded area.
Careful not to overdose on ferts as it might cause other forms of algae bloom and
watch the lighting too. 10 to 12 hours of lighting is sufficient but I'd go with 10.

 

[Themuleous]

Check out the link im my sig to the krib article on it, you'll soon see the effect of carbon

Sam

 

[jimbooo]

nice link sam, i knew it effected it but not that much. thats astonishing.

cheers mate

 

[Malfie]

Thanks guys for your help.
Thanks also to you Themuleous; clicked on your links which were very detailed,confusing but ultimately informative.

thanks.

I WILL swap my carbon filter for just a basic one and I might replace the annubia and the ophiopogon !
I work at a large garden centre which has a large fish dept. so it's very easy to spend money.

Never mind I could spend it on drink,cigarettes and drugs............. oh dear,I do !

Take it easy guys.

 

[Themuleous]

Yeh that link is a bit full on, but it gets the message across

SAm

 

[bingy_bong]

Thats good to read.
I started the EI programme two weeks ago, as soon as i added Dennerle Iron tablets the water became REALLY cloudy, getting worse as the week went on.
Once i re-re-read the instructions Zig states that ''Dont dose PO4 and Fe (Iron) at the same time as you will probably get cloudy water. Dose the Iron when you are dosiing the trace.
By my deduction does this mean that liquid Iron ferts are to be used instead of the root tablets i am currently using, or have i just been overdosing the Iron root Tabs?
Incudentally, i also get a large amount of scum on the water surface, could this be the Iron tablets as well, as it only appears when i have added these things?