Underwurlde
Always look on the bright side of life..
#1 leornardite-- what does it look like? With that do I still have to get that sand and soil, or can I do something else?
Leornardite look like coal, but is brown. Over a short period of time it will soften up as it soaks up water. It's use is suggested purely because it is less messy to use as it starts off hard. So, if using this:
Mulm
Then 1/2" layer of Leornardite (purely optional)
Then layer 1" to 2" (max) layer of Eco-Complete
Cap this with gravel (<-best from an established tank) / onyx sand (purely optional)
Option:
Mulm
EcoComplete
Cap this with Gravel / Onyx Sand (optional)
Option:
Mulm
Flourite
Cap this with Onyx Sand
^ In NO order of preference, so whatevers easier / cheaper...
#3 The tannis would be from the wood. Should I not have wood in it?
Nothing wrong with wood. Nothing wrong with tannins apart from the unsightly appearance. Carbon in the filter will help get rid of this, but obviously do this before planting etc. Boiling & soaking in a bucket of old tank water (changed every week) for a couple of weeks worked for me to get rid of the tannins
#4 If you don't mind explaining things on beginner terms, that would be great! Most of it still confuses me.
Ammonia (toxic to fish) and ammonium (harmless to fish) co-exist in a kind of balance. This balance is determined by the pH (acidic / alkaline) levels of the water. Ammonium 'becomes' Ammonia the higher the pH & vice versa. So, when your measuring kit for 'Ammonia' give a reading actually the result is pretty meaningless! The reading actually indicates the level of the COMBINATION of Ammonia AND Ammonium. You therefore need to know the pH of the water to then know what percentage of the 'Ammonia' reading is actual Ammonia (NH3), the remainder of course being Ammonium (NH4).
See this look-up table by BigNose: http
/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=154313
Example:
Your kit measures 'Ammonia NH3/NH4' at say 3.0ppm.
Temperature of water is 24 degrees C (sorry, I'm a Brit. That's 74F)
The pH of the water is 6.8
So, on the 24C / 74F table, going down to a pH of 6.8 gives 0.0696%
Hence 0.0696% of 3.0ppm is actually 0.002088ppm of toxic Ammonia (NH3). NOT 3.0ppm!
Dangerous levels of Toxic Ammonia are anything above 0.02ppm, so with our reading we are a factor of 10 below this.
#9 Let me know if you find something that has the ferts I will need without the ones I won't. The easier the better.
Tropica Master Grow+ (TMG) also called: AquaCare Plant Nutrition+ Liquid which is also called: Tropica AquaCare Nutrition+
#10 It makes sense that if I have more fish then I could do a little more water changes. Think on it and let me know.
Keep your stocking levels to the maximum the tank will hold.
I base stocking levels on a figure between the 1" of fish per US Gallon rule and 'total inches of mature fish' = (surface area of water in inches squared)/12.
#11 He gave a list of ferts that should be dosed, but the only thing I half way knew what was was the excel and EQ. What are thous others?
Once a week, dose:
Potassium Nitrate (KNO3) <- a dry fertilizer that is a source of 'N' & 'K' - easily available on-line.
Potassium Phosphate (KH2PO4) <- a dry fertilizer that is a source of 'K' & 'P' - easily available on-line.
SeaChem Equilibrium (for traces).
Dose the 'dry' fertilizers using small measuring spoons that can go to measurements like 1/32tsp, 1/16tsp, 1/8tsp. All you do is measure out & pour them in.
Q) What is the size of your tank. Dimentions please, Length, Width, Height.
Q) I guess you want the monthly water change option, so you're OK to add CO2 in the form of SeaChem Excel?
I keep hearing people say "the plants will tell you"... Mine don't speak english!! Is there a list somewhere that will tell me what they are telling me, and if it is good or bad? I don't have a clue what the signs and symptoms are or mean...
OK then, boring waffle time:
In order to sustain healthy plants they need, in order of some sort of preference:
Light: Is essential for photosynthesis. Not enough wattage or aging bulbs will stunt the plant growth.
Plants then require the following 17 elements:
90% of a plant’s bulk is made up of: Oxygen [O] & Hydrogen [H] <- in other words, Water, H2O and…Carbon [C], the basic building block of life <- in other words CO2.
Primary Macro-nutrients : Nitrogen [N], Phosphate [P], Potassium [K] <- the famous 'NPK' that people may mention, hence dosing with Potassium Nitrate (KNO3) and Potassium Phosphate (KH2PO4) above.
Secondary Macro-Nutrients: Calcium [Ca], Magnesium [Mg], Sulphur
Trace Elements: Boron [B ], Chlorine [Cl], Nickel [Ni], Copper [Cu], Iron [Fe], Manganese [Mn], Molybdenum [Mo], Zinc [Zn]
^ Give your plants that lot & they’ll grow. Miss any out and your plants will show signs of deficiencies.
What I'm saying is that plants will 'speak' to you by showing signs of deficiencies if they lack any of the above essential elements. See this thread for how to interpret these signs, in other words, learn how to 'speak plant':
http/www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_nutrient.htm
http/www.algone.com/plant_health.php
Hope this helps some. Plants are way more complicated (initially) too keep than fish, but I do believe this method is good as it is less prone to error and I say this because it does not involve injected gaseous CO2.
Andy
Leornardite look like coal, but is brown. Over a short period of time it will soften up as it soaks up water. It's use is suggested purely because it is less messy to use as it starts off hard. So, if using this:
Mulm
Then 1/2" layer of Leornardite (purely optional)
Then layer 1" to 2" (max) layer of Eco-Complete
Cap this with gravel (<-best from an established tank) / onyx sand (purely optional)
Option:
Mulm
EcoComplete
Cap this with Gravel / Onyx Sand (optional)
Option:
Mulm
Flourite
Cap this with Onyx Sand
^ In NO order of preference, so whatevers easier / cheaper...
#3 The tannis would be from the wood. Should I not have wood in it?
Nothing wrong with wood. Nothing wrong with tannins apart from the unsightly appearance. Carbon in the filter will help get rid of this, but obviously do this before planting etc. Boiling & soaking in a bucket of old tank water (changed every week) for a couple of weeks worked for me to get rid of the tannins
#4 If you don't mind explaining things on beginner terms, that would be great! Most of it still confuses me.
Ammonia (toxic to fish) and ammonium (harmless to fish) co-exist in a kind of balance. This balance is determined by the pH (acidic / alkaline) levels of the water. Ammonium 'becomes' Ammonia the higher the pH & vice versa. So, when your measuring kit for 'Ammonia' give a reading actually the result is pretty meaningless! The reading actually indicates the level of the COMBINATION of Ammonia AND Ammonium. You therefore need to know the pH of the water to then know what percentage of the 'Ammonia' reading is actual Ammonia (NH3), the remainder of course being Ammonium (NH4).
See this look-up table by BigNose: http
/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=154313Example:
Your kit measures 'Ammonia NH3/NH4' at say 3.0ppm.
Temperature of water is 24 degrees C (sorry, I'm a Brit. That's 74F)
The pH of the water is 6.8
So, on the 24C / 74F table, going down to a pH of 6.8 gives 0.0696%
Hence 0.0696% of 3.0ppm is actually 0.002088ppm of toxic Ammonia (NH3). NOT 3.0ppm!
Dangerous levels of Toxic Ammonia are anything above 0.02ppm, so with our reading we are a factor of 10 below this.
#9 Let me know if you find something that has the ferts I will need without the ones I won't. The easier the better.
Tropica Master Grow+ (TMG) also called: AquaCare Plant Nutrition+ Liquid which is also called: Tropica AquaCare Nutrition+
#10 It makes sense that if I have more fish then I could do a little more water changes. Think on it and let me know.
Keep your stocking levels to the maximum the tank will hold.
I base stocking levels on a figure between the 1" of fish per US Gallon rule and 'total inches of mature fish' = (surface area of water in inches squared)/12.
#11 He gave a list of ferts that should be dosed, but the only thing I half way knew what was was the excel and EQ. What are thous others?
Once a week, dose:
Potassium Nitrate (KNO3) <- a dry fertilizer that is a source of 'N' & 'K' - easily available on-line.
Potassium Phosphate (KH2PO4) <- a dry fertilizer that is a source of 'K' & 'P' - easily available on-line.
SeaChem Equilibrium (for traces).
Dose the 'dry' fertilizers using small measuring spoons that can go to measurements like 1/32tsp, 1/16tsp, 1/8tsp. All you do is measure out & pour them in.
Q) What is the size of your tank. Dimentions please, Length, Width, Height.
Q) I guess you want the monthly water change option, so you're OK to add CO2 in the form of SeaChem Excel?
I keep hearing people say "the plants will tell you"... Mine don't speak english!! Is there a list somewhere that will tell me what they are telling me, and if it is good or bad? I don't have a clue what the signs and symptoms are or mean...
OK then, boring waffle time:
In order to sustain healthy plants they need, in order of some sort of preference:
Light: Is essential for photosynthesis. Not enough wattage or aging bulbs will stunt the plant growth.
Plants then require the following 17 elements:
90% of a plant’s bulk is made up of: Oxygen [O] & Hydrogen [H] <- in other words, Water, H2O and…Carbon [C], the basic building block of life <- in other words CO2.
Primary Macro-nutrients : Nitrogen [N], Phosphate [P], Potassium [K] <- the famous 'NPK' that people may mention, hence dosing with Potassium Nitrate (KNO3) and Potassium Phosphate (KH2PO4) above.
Secondary Macro-Nutrients: Calcium [Ca], Magnesium [Mg], Sulphur
Trace Elements: Boron [B ], Chlorine [Cl], Nickel [Ni], Copper [Cu], Iron [Fe], Manganese [Mn], Molybdenum [Mo], Zinc [Zn]
^ Give your plants that lot & they’ll grow. Miss any out and your plants will show signs of deficiencies.
What I'm saying is that plants will 'speak' to you by showing signs of deficiencies if they lack any of the above essential elements. See this thread for how to interpret these signs, in other words, learn how to 'speak plant':
http
/www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_nutrient.htmhttp
/www.algone.com/plant_health.phpHope this helps some. Plants are way more complicated (initially) too keep than fish, but I do believe this method is good as it is less prone to error and I say this because it does not involve injected gaseous CO2.
Andy
