Question On Luminaires

[Themuleous]

Right I see.

Tom Barr tells me NH3 is one of the main reasons for algae, and is 10x more powerful at inducing it than NO3, if I remember rightly. In which case can I suggest you turn the lights off for the next day or so. That way the filter will have a chance to catch up with things, whilst also reducing the likelihood of the algae monster taking over the place any plants you have in there will be fine for a few days, they survive 3 day complete blackouts when treating BGA.

Sam

 

[SuperColey1]

Tom Barr tells me NH3 is one of the main reasons for algae, and is 10x more powerful at inducing it than NO3, if I remember rightly. In which case can I suggest you turn the lights off for the next day or so. That way the filter will have a chance to catch up with things, whilst also reducing the likelihood of the algae monster taking over the place any plants you have in there will be fine for a few days, they survive 3 day complete blackouts when treating BGA.

I understand what you are saying Sam, and appreciate the advice, but I've never had a problem with Algae, I have an internal UV Sterilizer, and 3 Pitbull Plecs and 4 Mollies, all taking care of Algae.

Shouldn't the plants take some ammonia as well as the filter?

 

[Themuleous]

Yeh they should but the extent to which they do depends on many factors. If the plants are new, which I think yours are, then they wont for the first few weeks while they adapt to your tank. They will also be 'fat' with reserves they built up while growing at the nursery and so will survive off these at the beginning.

Sam

 

[SuperColey1]

Could the ammonia spike have come from the ferts then if they are using their own reserves. Are they using any of the ferts? Should I stop using ferts for a while?

On the age front. yes all but the Cryptocrene Wendtii are new, infact 16 days old today.

With the exception of the echinodorus sp, Blyxia and Cypryus Helferi, all the rest are cuttings. These 3 are rooted and the Cryptocrene Wendtii is about 4 months old.

The cuttings are the successes, whereas the Echinidorus looks okay and is growing but gets the odd brown spot on the leaves, the cy7prus Helferi is getting brown from the tips and gradually all the way down, and the Blyxia has been ravaged by the fish. lol

How much do you want paying for this crash course. lol

 

[Themuleous]

No, the fert shouldn't contain any NH3, more than anything its highly toxic to fish!

Tricky one, you've got a mix of things in there and with it not being EI I'm a bit stuck as to what to suggest. Anyone else advise?

If we take this one at a time, the most important thing at the moment is to get the NH3 out of the tank and try to prevent an algae bloom in the process, the best way for doing this IME would be to leave the lights off. Once the NH3 has gone we can start to look at the fert dosing and plants.

My concern here is that with the amount of light you're going to have over the tank (and I could well be wrong here so feel free to try and see ) is that the plants will soon be lacking nutrients and co2. This will stunt growth and mean algae will be rife. Now I'm still fairly new to this myself (only started a high light tank last March) but there are two things that algae hate -> good plant growth and stable water conditions. And without doing EI I don't really know what to suggest.

But as I say try and see, I could well be wrong

Anyone else got any thoughts?

Oh and payment is £5 per post

Sam

 

[SuperColey1]

Cheques in the post Sam.

As I said I'm looking to move onto the tropica liquid fert with the fish adding to it, before I get this lighting.

I also have TetraComplete substrate below the play sand, and I make sure the cuttings get this far when I plant them, so as for macro Nutrients this should be helping. I also have planted Tetra Crypto Root Tabs around the more demanding plants like the Echindorus, Blyxia and also Bacopas.

Shouldn't these 3 give enough nutrients for the plants to outcompete the algae? I am also looking at getting in some better plants rather than weeds.

i.e. alternatha Reinecki, Polysperma etc. and getting rid of the Elodia and Cabomba once these take hold, because although they grow well and the fill out the tank and use up nutrients to compete with the algae, they are annoying in that they need pruning EVERY week, or is it just in the early days? (As I say they will stay in until all the others have taken hold properly - 1-2 months time)

As I speak I can see one of the Pitbulls 'sliding' down the glass doing his/her housework.

Just to get my money's worth next post can you ID this plant for me. Others have said Ludwigia Aquarta but I think otherwise. It is one of the fastest growers, is reddy brown under each leaf and browny green on top of each leaf. You can't see from the pic, but the leaf has a serated edge, and I think is one of the prettiest plants in there at the moment.

and maybe also this one which noone has even guessed at (Is it a banana plant with no 'bananas')

Very grateful for your help, I guess it might be called cheating, but I call it research, and so far yourself and Voo have been very helpful and friendly.

p.s. I'm gonna test the Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate again now, to make sure they were right last night, Its damned hard to match the tubes to the cards. Let you know later before I go to my pool match.

Andy

 

[SuperColey1]

OK - on to todays test with the dodgy drops and test tubes. lol

Ammonia - still 0.25
Nitrite - up to 0.25
Nitrate - up to 10

Is the increase in Nitrite and Nitrate, the Ammonia eating bacteria increasing, and the Nitrite eating bacteria incresing to produce more Nitrate?

Should I be worried or is this the mini-cycle starting to reach its conclusion?

Fish seem to be happy still, and I moved the spray bar up to 1 inch below the surface last night just to give them a little more oxygen without creating a whirlpool (the filter is on full, but the spray bar counters the splurge of current)

 

[Themuleous]

It sounds like you are wanting the fish to add the NO3 and PO4 and the substrate and liquid fert to add the trace? Cant say I've heard of this before, but no doubt someone has tried it. My only comment is that we generally under stock high light tanks so that we can have better control over the levels in the tank. However, I know George with his nano didn't add any PO4 or NO3 as the tap water was loaded with it, which is kinda the same thing, so guess its possible! We'll see

Substrate and root tabs should do a good enough job, the plants will tell you if they are lacking anything.

Sorry to disappoint but I can't tell what those plants are, my first thought when you said serrated edge was Proserpinaca palustris ''Cuba", but I could well be wrong.

It looks like the mini cycle is getting under way as the bacteria are making NO2 from the NH3 which is very good indeed, NO2 is not as toxic to fish.

Happy to help

Sam

 

[SuperColey1]

It sounds like you are wanting the fish to add the NO3 and PO4 and the substrate and liquid fert to add the trace? Cant say I've heard of this before, but no doubt someone has tried it.

I just assumed that the fish crap gave me the NPK seeing as the Tropica (without) is for high fish loads and the Tropica+ (with)is for low fish loads?

Maybe one for Tom or George to explain.

As for the twin compacts. My mind is made up now. Disaster looming most probably, but experimental planting project commencing. lol
First saw the idea on ebay where there was a twin starter for 2 x 55 twin compact including marine bulbs (which this morning was £61 second hand with 1 day to go)

I priced them up (starter from AquaEssentials, Bulbs from SurreyPetSupplies), and brand new they lot comes to £59.64 brand new!!!. Don't think I'll be bidding on the second hand one that I need to get different tubes for. lol

(Based on a 29G/125Ltr tank filled 1 inch from the top being approx 26G/112Ltr this is gonna give me 4.2WPG. OOPs)

Gonna get it Mid Feb (Birthday is end of but talked her into an earlier date)
Will have Tropica Liquid Fertiliser as stated previously, and will have 2 Nutrafin CO2 kits. May even do EI if anyone can explain to me why it is easier than the pinned article makes it look, 50% change a week is a lot for me. I tend to do 20% each friday night, only cleaning the sand in view and ignoring round the plants.

I only do 50% when there is a problem in the tank, which until this week IU never had really, and even now it is a very low spike. Will be testing again tonight.

 

[SuperColey1]

OK Tonights Test Results Read

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10

Either this was the shortest mini cycle ever or it proves how inaccurate the cheapo kits are. Anyway worries over.

p.s. the second hand twin unit twin compact 2 x 55w with the marine bulbs sold for £62+£7.50 delivery so that shows what a bargain the new one I will be getting (more than I bargained for after one month of use, I'll bet. lol)

Alls Well that ends well.

I'm off to continue with my journal now. Thanks for the help Sam and Voo and maybe you'll keep an eye on my progress for the good or bad in there.

Andy