Need Plant Help

[fatheadminnow]

What is recommended for light periods of plants? Right now I have my lights on 12 hours a day, is this too long for the plants? I have 1.5 WPG. I also dose weekly ferts of Seachem flourish and Seachem Iron, and have root tabs.

When it says on a fertilizer, "0-0-3" What does this mean? I know the different numbers stand for different nutrients, right?

My plants do not seem to be doing so well, can anyone help?

I also have substrate for plants.

Also, will left over fish waste be broken down into carbon, or something like that? I know fish waste will produce ammonia, but I am just curious if any kind of bacteria breakdown the fish waste at the bottom of the tank, if so what is the by-product?

Thanks guys!

-FHM

 

[baron von bubba]

12 hours is quite a long time.
i'd lower to 8 until you have things stabilized then extend over time.

the 0 0 3 is possibly N P K, nitrate, phosphate and potassium.
N and P and not usually needed to be added as fish food and fish waste will provide these.
so if your tank is very lightly stocked then this could be an issue.

 

[fatheadminnow]

Okay, thanks, I will reduce light to 8 hours. I also have root tabs, that are a lot higher in their levels, like 11-15-19. Those are not the exact numbers, but that is close.

Thanks again!

Anyone else have any ideas?

-FHM

 

[Mr Bliss]

Is this the tank with a pH of 8.3 - 8.4? If so, some plant species will do poorly or not survive at all.

 

[baron von bubba]

Also, will left over fish waste be broken down into carbon, or something like that? I know fish waste will produce ammonia, but I am just curious if any kind of bacteria breakdown the fish waste at the bottom of the tank, if so what is the by-product?

Thanks guys!

-FHM

the nitrogen cycle is.
ammonia => nitrite => nitrate
i believe CO2 is a product of this too, altho it is very little.

and yes the bacteria colonize the substrate as well as the filter.
but you should still gravel vac the substrate and try and keep the tank clean imo.

 

[fatheadminnow]

Also, will left over fish waste be broken down into carbon, or something like that? I know fish waste will produce ammonia, but I am just curious if any kind of bacteria breakdown the fish waste at the bottom of the tank, if so what is the by-product?

Thanks guys!

-FHM

the nitrogen cycle is.
ammonia => nitrite => nitrate
i believe CO2 is a product of this too, altho it is very little.

and yes the bacteria colonize the substrate as well as the filter.
but you should still gravel vac the substrate and try and keep the tank clean imo.

I am all too familiar about the nitrogen cycle, as this is my expertise on this forum! Anyone need help with cycling!?

No, lol, I am not talking about our friendly Autotrophic bacteria that perform the Nitrogen cycle. If I am not mistaken, there is a completely different type of bacteria that break down this and in terms, the by-product is Co2? IDK. Kind of like heterotrophic bacteria, but not quit.

No, this tank has like 7.8 or so pH. Maybe touching on 8.0.

-FHM

 

[Mr Bliss]

Aerobic heterotrophs decompose fish poop into CO2, ammonia, phosphate and trace nutrients.