PH too high or what?

schwark

Junior Poster
Aug 18, 2008
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Mokena, IL
I made some changes to the tank and took the advice of some others.
Tank specs:

20 Gallon
65 Watt light - 6700k bulb
7 hours
200 Marineland Bio Filter
3 Liters of DIY Co2 replaced every 10 days.
Venturi from Red Sea CO2 kit

Biomass:

2 bunches of Moneywort
5 - 6 stems of Cabomba
Marble Vals
2 bunches of red temple
amazon sword
ruffle sword
red rubin sword
anacharis

Dosing:
EI Method for 20 gallon tank.
M, W, F - 1/8 tsp KNO3, 1/8 tsp of K2SO4 - I'm still waiting on my phosphates but am planning to dose 1/16 tsp.
T, Th - 1/16 tsp of CSM+B plus 1-2ml of liquid fert iron (flourish)

I did the PH 24 hour plan to see what my PH was and when I first did it, it was 7.8... next day 8.0... doesn't make sense, thought it was suppose to drop. Using API freshwater master test kit.
Nitrates - 20 - 40 ppm (color blind so hard to tell which one its closer too).
GH is high - around 15 and KH is low around 3 or 4...

I had black beard algae, and should I trim the parts that were on the leaves? My plants are pearling and growing, but not lush green, and the lower leaves on my temples are a little brown, and moneywort as well is not as green on the bottom. Could flow be a problem? I'm still getting algae on the glass as well. Since I'm missing phosphates in my dosing, can this cause algae? The other algae is growing on my rocks, like a small green patch.. no hairs though. A planted tank is hard work... I just want it to be lush green.
 

VaughnH

Lifetime Charter Member
Lifetime Member
Jan 24, 2005
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Sacramento, CA
Phosophate is very important, one of the three main macronutrients. Why don't you buy a bottle of Fleet enema, not the mineral oil one, but the water based one, which is loaded with phosphates, and dose that until you get your ordered phosphate? That should make a big difference.
 

schwark

Junior Poster
Aug 18, 2008
18
0
1
38
Mokena, IL
The phosphates should be here very soon... but I will look into the liquid one. Should I trim all the leaves that have algae on them? Also, is 3L of CO2 enough for a 20 gallon tank with this biomass?