Welcome to the jungle

[seangee]

Returned from my 2 week hols this morning to find this

The frogbit was also making a determined bid to escape from the top of the tank.
For reference this is what it usually looks like after a week, just before I trim the roots.

I decided not to trim before I left so that's what happened in about 3 weeks. It does look pretty cool in real life but I will be trimming today when I do the water change as I would like to be able to watch my fish .

I have just checked the nitrates and its a very solid 0ppm after 2 1/2 weeks, confirming my suspicion that the filter is a redundant system. Sure they haven't been fed for 2 weeks, but with 75 fish (and who knows how many MTS) there is a substantial amount of ammonia being produced

 

[TheTenthDoctor]

Only one word for that! HOLY MOLY!

 

[AbbeysDad]

My hat's off to you - Even with fast growing floating plants, I've never had a tank with zero nitrates.
Are you confident in your test results? I only ask because API's nitrate test is notorious for misleading results because of an element in regent2 that too easily separates from the solution. It requires excessive shaking and rapping on a hard surface to ensure the element is in solution to yield a more accurate test result. (without this element in solution, hobbyists often report very low or zero nitrates.)

 

[AquaBarb]

Thats amazing growth on your frogbit Seangee. Do you have a hood/lid on this tank?

 

[seangee]

Are you confident in your test results? I only ask because API's nitrate test is notorious for misleading results because of an element in regent2 that too easily separates from the solution. It requires excessive shaking and rapping on a hard surface to ensure the element is in solution to yield a more accurate test result. (without this element in solution, hobbyists often report very low or zero nitrates.)

Twice with the API kit and then waved a strip in it to confirm. RO goes into the tank so nitrates are 0 to start off with. Too late to triple check because I have done my W/C already.

Thats amazing growth on your frogbit Seangee. Do you have a hood/lid on this tank?

Yes I do have a lid. It did not grow nearly as much in the other 2 tanks - but this one is pretty heavily stocked

 

[seangee]

Normal service resumed. I kept around 5 litres of trimmed plants and threw out another 5 litres (plants + root trimmings).

I left the roots longer than usual and still have 100% coverage.
Yes I know you don't measure plants in litres but I used 2 x 10 litre buckets. Both were half full

 

[Back in the fold]

Your plant growth and health and vitality is astounding. I had no idea that was remotely possible in a home aquarium.