The missing factor???!!!

[hadjici2]

ok people,

I have:

1. pH 6.8
2. kH 5
3. 5 ppm nitrate
4. 20 ppm potassium
5. Have not added magnesium
6. Have not added phosphate
7. 75 watts fluorescent lights over a 30 gallon tank
8. Trace elements added by adding Tropiflora (Tetra)
9. 2 mollies so I guess phosphates added by feeding

The tank has a very old substrate. The plants are not doing well and more specificaly Valisneria isn't growing fast and has yellow leaves. Also alot of green hair algae. I am using the EI method...

What is the limiting factor?
How do I know how much of the stuff I added is being used so as to add more?
Will I see a difference the next day so I can see its working?

My tank diary:

12 Aug 04 - Added DIY CO2, added one teaspoon bicarbonate soda, kH from 4 is now 5, pH is 6.8 - 7
Effect: none

13 Aug 04 - Added 5 ml from a KNO3 mixture (4 teaspoons in 120 ml gives 1 ppm nitrate per ml) thus added 5 ppm of nitrate
Added 1 teaspoon Epsom Salt thus added 4.69 ppm Magnesium
Effect: bubles underneath leaves indicate photosynthesis


14 Aug 04 - Added 35 ml of K2SO4 mixture (8 teaspoons K2SO4 in 400 ml gives 0.47 ppm per ml)
Effect: bubles underneath leaves indicate photosynthesis

15 Aug 04 - Added 5 ml of Microplex mixture (1 tablespoon Microplex in 250 ml of water)
Effect: bubles underneath leaves indicate photosynthesis but now at a lower rate

16 Aug 04 - Added 5 ml from a KNO3 mixture
Lowered the lights
pH 7
Effect: cannot see fast growth but leaves of plants are shiny

17 Aug 04 - Added 35 ml of K2SO4 mixture

18 Aug 04 - Nothing done
Effect: Hair algae

19 Aug 04 - CO2 is running out of ingredients so pH increase thus less CO2
Effect: Hair algae

20 Aug 04 - Added another bottle of CO2
50 % water change
Added 35 ml of K2SO4 mixture
Added 4 ml from a KNO3 mixture (4 instead of 5 ml so as to account for the nitrate produced by fish in the tank)
Effect: none seen

21 Aug 04 - Added Tropiflora
Effect: yellowish leaves, tank may even seem worse

 

[zig]

You need to up your nitrates to 10ppm and you definatly need to start adding phosphate, do it slowly at first add 0.20 ppm phosphate each day until you reach 1ppm and then keep it there by topping it up every few days or so, the nitrate you will have to top up more regularily, every second day, and try and maintain 10ppm.

If your GH is over 3 you mightnt need extra magnesium or calcuim, you may have to dose FE or iron this can also be a limiting factor.

For your co2 try and maintain 30ppm and keep it as stable as possible.

for trace you should be dosing 7.5 ml 3x per week.

Changes wont happen overnight, you might have to wait as long as 3 weeks before you can see significent changes.

so your limiting factors at the moment would be phosphate nitrate, and maybe iron and co2.

 

[George Farmer]

ditto zig.

How do you know your potassium is 20ppm?

What tubes are you using i.e. manufacturer, model and any technical spec (colour temp, CRI, spectral output) etc?

 

[hadjici2]

ditto zig.

How do you know your potassium is 20ppm?

What tubes are you using i.e. manufacturer, model and any technical spec (colour temp, CRI, spectral output) etc?

[snapback]881913[/snapback]​

I added KNO3 and K2SO4 and both make a potassium go to 20 ppm

My tubes are arcadia, 2 X 25 watts of white fluoroscent light and 1 X 25 watts pink fluoroscent to promote plant growth