Tpn+ And Liquid Carbo Dosage?

[Whitey_144]

Hi,

I finally moved my south american fish and plants (jave fern, java moss, vallis, anubias, crypt) from a 3 foot tank to a 240 litre 4 foot tank. I was having algae problems before, but during the move i scrubbed the slow growing algae off the plants. I have 2 white T8 bulbs for 8hrs a day, but awaiting my order to turn up to replace these with an aquaglo and sungo T8.

• How much TPN+ and liquid easycarbo should I use?
• I think the liquid carbon says 1ml per 50litre a day. So ive been doing 5ml a day, is this best?

I fear if i dont get the dosage right the awful algae might come back, is it best to dose less or more?

thanks!
Adam

 

[Noahs ark6]

If thats what it says on the bottle for the easy carbo, thats fine. I use 1 ml per 20 litres daily of tpn+

 

[Whitey_144]

If thats what it says on the bottle for the easy carbo, thats fine. I use 1 ml per 20 litres daily of tpn+

...some of the algae is coming back

So should I lower the liquid carbon/TPN+ or lights slightly? I dont mind trial and error, but not sure which to lower first.

Is it better to have more carbon than ferts, or more ferts than carbon?

 

[SO19Firearms]

I cant remember the strength of tpn+ but if you're dosing carbon you'll need more than the bottle dosage...probably 3x more spread over the week.
Use the algae guide in my sig to identify it and start there
Lower light is always a good option - carbon stick to the dose and bergs as much as your wallet allows

 

[Whitey_144]

I cant remember the strength of tpn+ but if you're dosing carbon you'll need more than the bottle dosage...probably 3x more spread over the week.
Use the algae guide in my sig to identify it and start there
Lower light is always a good option - carbon stick to the dose and bergs as much as your wallet allows

cheers, so maybe I should keep carbon the same and up TPN+ to 9ml a day with 25% water change a week. I'll try that with 7hrs lights instead of 8 and see how it goes.

I think the algae I had before was a mixture between 'green dust algae' and 'green dot algae', but since the tank change its more a mixture of these but mostly 'diatoms, brown algae', which it does say is common on new tanks.

Ill try and get a photo tonight, before I clean it.

one thing, I have been dosing when i get home from work, which is about 3/4hrs after the tank lights come on. Should i be dosing in the morning, before work 6 hrs before the lights come on?

thanks!

 

[SO19Firearms]

cheers, so maybe I should keep carbon the same and up TPN+ to 9ml a day with 25% water change a week. I'll try that with 7hrs lights instead of 8 and see how it goes.

Just be careful on skimping on water changes, the extra carbon and 7hrs light will increase the rate that plants excrete nasties compared to a normal tank. You might want to consider up to 50%

 

[Whitey_144]

cheers, so maybe I should keep carbon the same and up TPN+ to 9ml a day with 25% water change a week. I'll try that with 7hrs lights instead of 8 and see how it goes.

Just be careful on skimping on water changes, the extra carbon and 7hrs light will increase the rate that plants excrete nasties compared to a normal tank. You might want to consider up to 50%

ok, I'll try upping water cahgnes to 50% weekly too. what nasties to the plants produce, do these help the bad algae growth?

 

[SO19Firearms]

ok, I'll try upping water cahgnes to 50% weekly too. what nasties to the plants produce, do these help the bad algae growth?

Ammonia, carbohydrates and the like. Algae would become an issue

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Do you do your water changes when your lights are on or off?

 

[SO19Firearms]

Do you do your water changes when your lights are on or off?

Me? Off, I switch everything off at the wall.

 

[Ps3Steveo]

No lol the op lol

 

[Whitey_144]

No lol the op lol

lol, I do water changes with the lights on.

But i think read somewhere on here that you should dose before lights on?

 

[Ps3Steveo]

You should do water changes after lights out really as the tap water contains CO2 and if the lights are on and your levels fluctuate it can cause algae, just another thing to consider as you said you had bad algae before.

 

[Whitey_144]

You should do water changes after lights out really as the tap water contains CO2 and if the lights are on and your levels fluctuate it can cause algae, just another thing to consider as you said you had bad algae before.

ive never though of that! good call!

 

[Whitey_144]

Hi,

I'm having algae problems again! this time, the algae seems to be carpeting the plants and turning blackish. Ive peeled off most today and tried to physically remove it...although i probably helped it spread!

I did a 50% water change today, although its been a couple of weeks since i last changed the water. i didnt test the water today, but its usually nitrate, nitrite 0, nitrate 40/100 (hard to tell, but red on the API test), quite neutral PH and 120 TDS.

Im dosing 3ml easycarbo and 5ml TPN+.

Im going to up easycarbo to 5 and TPM+ to 15ml, but is there anything else i can do to kill off this type of algae, do you recognise it? below is a link to the album (before and after cleaning). Could i turn lights out and do a blackout for a few days OR overdose carbon, would that help?

http/s1080.photobucket.com/albums/j323/Whitey_144/Algae/Algae%2031st%20March%202012/?action=view&current=IMG_1007.jpg

http/s1080.photobucket.com/albums/j323/Whitey_144/Algae/Algae%2031st%20March%202012/

in one photo, my anuibias has a flower, despite the covering of the algae, is this normal?

Also my Amazon swords arent growing big and already (in one of the photos) its sending out a shoot for a new plant...normal?

thanks!
Adam