Hello all,
Thank goodness for this site. I have been floundering in my attempt at a planted tank for 4 months now, based on questionable advice obtained from other sites. I am having big problems with my tank and would like some direction on how to establish some balance. I am ready to comply fully with one of Tom Barr’s newbie rules—“Pick a method and learn it well”—but need help to get through the rough spots.
History of the tank: I have had a 55 gallon freshwater tank for 9 months now (since April 7). I started out with white gravel, plastic plants, stock lighting, a Penguin 350 Biowheel filter and a Stealth Visitherm heater set at 75 degrees (confirmed by digital thermometer). I use tap water, treated with Prime; KH and GH are moderate at around 80 ppm/4.5 dH each. It took two months to cycle the tank using platies and mollies (the mollies have long since been moved to a brackish tank). The tank was fully stocked over the next month with rainbowfish, gouramis, cardinal tetras, kuhli loaches and apple snails. Neither ammonia nor nitrites have ever been a problem in this tank; even during cycling, ammonia of 0.5 ppm was noted only once (on day 30) and nitrites were never detected. A substantial diatom bloom was noted after the tank cycled, which resolved only with the addition of a common pleco for one week (long since returned to the LFS).
I converted the tank to live plants on Labor Day weekend. I removed the gravel and replaced it with Eco-Complete. I also upgraded the lighting to 96 watts of T-5 HO lighting (1.75 wpg). I retained the filter media and no ammonia or nitrite spikes were observed. Another diatom bloom was noted in October, followed by the onset of a good deal of green dust algae throughout the tank, and a small amount of black and red brush algae on the glass.
I started with the following plants: Ceratophyllum demersum, Hydrocotyle leucocephala, Hygrophila corymbosa, Limnophilia indica, Bacopa monnieri and caroliniana, Nymphoides aquatica, Ecinodorus bleheri, Microsorum pteropus, Taxiphyllum barbieri, Vallisneria Americana, Marsilea quadrifolia, Sagittaria subulata, Rotala rotundifolia and Hemianthus callitrichoides. Both HCs (H. corymbosa and H. callitrichoides) and the vals died in the first two weeks. Much of the bacopa, rotala and M. quadrifolia has died over the past 4 months, only a few sprigs left. The sag and sword are alive and well rooted but most of the leaves have succumbed to algae or diatoms and have been trimmed off. The H. leucocephala is growing but is covered in diatoms or algae except for the newest leaves; it has been heavily trimmed at least twice to get rid of the algae. Neither the L. indica and java fern did well at first but then started to rally with a bit of new growth. The hornwort grew like a weed for the first 2 months but has died off over the past month. A couple of months ago, I added Echinodorus tenellus, Anubias barteria, Egeria densa and Hygrophila difformis to replace the plants that died. All of these have done fairly well (the E. tenellus has had two “babies”, the H. difformis has fully rooted and the anubias and E. densa have all had new growth) but all have had problems with yellowing and algae, requiring heavy pruning to remove dead leaves and stems.
Fertilization has been somewhat random since the plants were added as I read about various methods and tried to find a balance between the plants and algae, without success. I added no ferts the first week. Over the next 3 weeks, I started dosing Excel weekly, inserted Flourish root tabs under the swords, and started dosing a liquid potassium/iron supplement at ¼ to ½ the recommended dosage. I started dosing nitrate (KNO3-based stump remover), phosphate (Fleet’s enema) and potassium (Morton’s No Salt) around week 3 or 4 in small, weekly doses. DIY CO2 was started about 6 weeks after adding the plants. I have been doing 30-50% water changes and gravel vacuuming lightly every 1-2 weeks, rinsing the filter media in old tank water. Whenever I have tested (API or Red Sea test kits), nitrates are between 5-15 ppm, phosphate runs between 0.5-1 ppm and pH between 7.2-7.6.
There have been some births in this tank. There was a large apple snail infestation and the platies gave birth twice. The apple snails have been removed and there are six surviving baby platies between ½-1 inch long; the LFS will take them as soon as they are big enough. There have been some deaths in the tank as well. Two dwarf gouramis succumbed to dwarf gourami disease (one within a week, one several months later). One cardinal tetra disappeared, most likely consumed by another fish. One rainbowfish perished due to unknown reasons. Both apple snails died after fertilization began, but their offspring have flourished; perhaps they could not adapt to the nitrates or Excel dosing? Ammonia spikes were not observed in any of these cases.
About three weeks ago, I decided the DIY CO2 was hurting more than it was helping (unstable CO2 levels resulting in algae blooms) and stopped it. I also read up on Tom Barr’s non-CO2 method and decided it was worth a shot. I have no high light plants and have no desire to add pressurized CO2, high light nor engage in heavy routine fertilization. So, I stopped all of the ferts (didn't find Sea Chem Equilibrium until today), stopped the Excel and didn’t do any water changes for two and a half weeks. Green and brown algae appared in abundance, otherwise there were no big problems until I came home one night to find all the the fish at the bottom of the tank looking extremely stressed out (they are normally very active fish). I tested the tank and found no ammonia or nitrites. Nitrates were at 5 ppm, phosphate 0.5 ppm and pH 7.0. Nevertheless, the fish were not looking good at all so I did what is always recommended when something’s not right with the fish. I did a 50% water change. I also gravel vac’d lightly and scraped the algae off the sides of the tank at the same time. I added a small dose of KNO3 and KCl after the water change. This was about 5 days ago. As of this morning, what I thought was a third diatom bloom is now, quite obviously, an outbreak of red brush algae, which is rapidly overtaking the rocks, driftwood and plants. I am guessing this is related to reintroduction of CO2 with the large water change. The java fern appears to be dying off completely.
I obviously have no idea what the heck I am doing and have never really achieved a good balance in this tank since I added live plants. I don’t know how to resolve the problems I’m having without risking the health of my fish or starting pressurized CO2 which I would really rather not do. I am still interested in a low-tech non-CO2 approach but I’m clueless about what to do when crises occur in the transition (such as the fish looking uncomfortably freaked out). I am close to tossing in the live-plant towel and have joined this group as a last resort for advice on what to do at this point.
Thanks for reading my novel and for any direction you might provide.
Thank goodness for this site. I have been floundering in my attempt at a planted tank for 4 months now, based on questionable advice obtained from other sites. I am having big problems with my tank and would like some direction on how to establish some balance. I am ready to comply fully with one of Tom Barr’s newbie rules—“Pick a method and learn it well”—but need help to get through the rough spots.
History of the tank: I have had a 55 gallon freshwater tank for 9 months now (since April 7). I started out with white gravel, plastic plants, stock lighting, a Penguin 350 Biowheel filter and a Stealth Visitherm heater set at 75 degrees (confirmed by digital thermometer). I use tap water, treated with Prime; KH and GH are moderate at around 80 ppm/4.5 dH each. It took two months to cycle the tank using platies and mollies (the mollies have long since been moved to a brackish tank). The tank was fully stocked over the next month with rainbowfish, gouramis, cardinal tetras, kuhli loaches and apple snails. Neither ammonia nor nitrites have ever been a problem in this tank; even during cycling, ammonia of 0.5 ppm was noted only once (on day 30) and nitrites were never detected. A substantial diatom bloom was noted after the tank cycled, which resolved only with the addition of a common pleco for one week (long since returned to the LFS).
I converted the tank to live plants on Labor Day weekend. I removed the gravel and replaced it with Eco-Complete. I also upgraded the lighting to 96 watts of T-5 HO lighting (1.75 wpg). I retained the filter media and no ammonia or nitrite spikes were observed. Another diatom bloom was noted in October, followed by the onset of a good deal of green dust algae throughout the tank, and a small amount of black and red brush algae on the glass.
I started with the following plants: Ceratophyllum demersum, Hydrocotyle leucocephala, Hygrophila corymbosa, Limnophilia indica, Bacopa monnieri and caroliniana, Nymphoides aquatica, Ecinodorus bleheri, Microsorum pteropus, Taxiphyllum barbieri, Vallisneria Americana, Marsilea quadrifolia, Sagittaria subulata, Rotala rotundifolia and Hemianthus callitrichoides. Both HCs (H. corymbosa and H. callitrichoides) and the vals died in the first two weeks. Much of the bacopa, rotala and M. quadrifolia has died over the past 4 months, only a few sprigs left. The sag and sword are alive and well rooted but most of the leaves have succumbed to algae or diatoms and have been trimmed off. The H. leucocephala is growing but is covered in diatoms or algae except for the newest leaves; it has been heavily trimmed at least twice to get rid of the algae. Neither the L. indica and java fern did well at first but then started to rally with a bit of new growth. The hornwort grew like a weed for the first 2 months but has died off over the past month. A couple of months ago, I added Echinodorus tenellus, Anubias barteria, Egeria densa and Hygrophila difformis to replace the plants that died. All of these have done fairly well (the E. tenellus has had two “babies”, the H. difformis has fully rooted and the anubias and E. densa have all had new growth) but all have had problems with yellowing and algae, requiring heavy pruning to remove dead leaves and stems.
Fertilization has been somewhat random since the plants were added as I read about various methods and tried to find a balance between the plants and algae, without success. I added no ferts the first week. Over the next 3 weeks, I started dosing Excel weekly, inserted Flourish root tabs under the swords, and started dosing a liquid potassium/iron supplement at ¼ to ½ the recommended dosage. I started dosing nitrate (KNO3-based stump remover), phosphate (Fleet’s enema) and potassium (Morton’s No Salt) around week 3 or 4 in small, weekly doses. DIY CO2 was started about 6 weeks after adding the plants. I have been doing 30-50% water changes and gravel vacuuming lightly every 1-2 weeks, rinsing the filter media in old tank water. Whenever I have tested (API or Red Sea test kits), nitrates are between 5-15 ppm, phosphate runs between 0.5-1 ppm and pH between 7.2-7.6.
There have been some births in this tank. There was a large apple snail infestation and the platies gave birth twice. The apple snails have been removed and there are six surviving baby platies between ½-1 inch long; the LFS will take them as soon as they are big enough. There have been some deaths in the tank as well. Two dwarf gouramis succumbed to dwarf gourami disease (one within a week, one several months later). One cardinal tetra disappeared, most likely consumed by another fish. One rainbowfish perished due to unknown reasons. Both apple snails died after fertilization began, but their offspring have flourished; perhaps they could not adapt to the nitrates or Excel dosing? Ammonia spikes were not observed in any of these cases.
About three weeks ago, I decided the DIY CO2 was hurting more than it was helping (unstable CO2 levels resulting in algae blooms) and stopped it. I also read up on Tom Barr’s non-CO2 method and decided it was worth a shot. I have no high light plants and have no desire to add pressurized CO2, high light nor engage in heavy routine fertilization. So, I stopped all of the ferts (didn't find Sea Chem Equilibrium until today), stopped the Excel and didn’t do any water changes for two and a half weeks. Green and brown algae appared in abundance, otherwise there were no big problems until I came home one night to find all the the fish at the bottom of the tank looking extremely stressed out (they are normally very active fish). I tested the tank and found no ammonia or nitrites. Nitrates were at 5 ppm, phosphate 0.5 ppm and pH 7.0. Nevertheless, the fish were not looking good at all so I did what is always recommended when something’s not right with the fish. I did a 50% water change. I also gravel vac’d lightly and scraped the algae off the sides of the tank at the same time. I added a small dose of KNO3 and KCl after the water change. This was about 5 days ago. As of this morning, what I thought was a third diatom bloom is now, quite obviously, an outbreak of red brush algae, which is rapidly overtaking the rocks, driftwood and plants. I am guessing this is related to reintroduction of CO2 with the large water change. The java fern appears to be dying off completely.
I obviously have no idea what the heck I am doing and have never really achieved a good balance in this tank since I added live plants. I don’t know how to resolve the problems I’m having without risking the health of my fish or starting pressurized CO2 which I would really rather not do. I am still interested in a low-tech non-CO2 approach but I’m clueless about what to do when crises occur in the transition (such as the fish looking uncomfortably freaked out). I am close to tossing in the live-plant towel and have joined this group as a last resort for advice on what to do at this point.
Thanks for reading my novel and for any direction you might provide.