Recommended starting point for fertilizing

[gpdiver]

The EI looks like the way to go. I have a 190 gal. tank that is ~28-30" deep. My lighting is 4 x 55w and 2X96w power compacts with good reflectors. Would this be considered a high light set-up. the tank is heavily planted and has a Co2 tank with reactor and ph control, so I can get steady CO2. I have eco complete as the substrate.

I have had off hair algea problems which i suspect is due to low PO4 and NO3, about .02 and 5 ppm. I have started to ramp-up the CO2 and ferts. What would be a good target for fertilizing based on the lighting?

 

[Greg Watson]

Re: Recommended starting point for fertilizing

The EI looks like the way to go. I have a 190 gal. tank that is ~28-30" deep. My lighting is 4 x 55w and 2X96w power compacts with good reflectors. Would this be considered a high light set-up. the tank is heavily planted and has a Co2 tank with reactor and ph control, so I can get steady CO2. I have eco complete as the substrate.

I have had off hair algea problems which i suspect is due to low PO4 and NO3, about .02 and 5 ppm. I have started to ramp-up the CO2 and ferts. What would be a good target for fertilizing based on the lighting?

Haven't you and I had this discussion offline? If you are comfortable with some routine water changes ... EI is the simplest most straight forward approach ... you can read more about it here: http://www.barrreport.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1

Basic Dosing Guidelines:

1. 1/4 teaspoon 4x a week (every other day)
2. 1/16” teaspoon of KH2PO4 4x a week (every other day)
3. Traces added on off days as the macro nutrients, so 3x a week, 5mls each time.

Greg

 

[Tom Barr]

Re: Recommended starting point for fertilizing

I'd suggest adding about 1.5 teaspoons of KNO3 2x a week and 3x a week after 2 weeks.
About 1/2 teaspoon of KH2PO4 at this same time/routine.

Traces: 25mls and then 35 mls later 2x a week and then 3x a week after the first 2 weeks.

Crank, the CO2 high during the day, turn it off at night. Set the controller to turn it on about 45 minutes before the lights come on and about 45 minute before it shuts off for the night.

Shoot for 30ppm and pack the tank full of plants from the very start and add algae eaters after the first week or two.

Clean the algae off well and reset the tank and do the water change and dose thereafter. See hair algae thread here.

You can also lower the light by having them come on in stages, so 2x96 watt on for 11 hours, then 4x55 for 4 hours in the middle of the day.

As the tank and algae issues improve, add more light with the 4x55w bank.
Buy 100-200 amano shrimp. Better them doing the work than you.


Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[Aviel Livay]

Re: Recommended starting point for fertilizing

Crank, the CO2 high during the day, turn it off at night.

I also have a controller - I thought having constant co2 level even during the night is a good practice. Why should it be completely turned off during the night?

Aviel.

 

[Tom Barr]

Re: Recommended starting point for fertilizing

Would you like chronic high CO2 if you were an animal vs only having high when the O2 levels are also high?

CO2 is not needed at night, we add it for the plants, not to maintain pH.

What occurs when you do a large water change with respect to the pH in a CO2 rich aquarium? It rises high rapidly. Does this do any harm to fish?

No.

If you happen to add too much CO2, then the night time pruge will lower the chronic high level and allow you to add more during the day with much less risk of over dosing.

Amano and myself have ended up doing this independently. He said Taboo in Japan to add it at night as the reason and it's added for the plants only. I actually giove some practical reasons for my during the day method.

Think about CO2 for what it is in plant terms: a fertilizer
Can you add it 24/7? Yes. But it's a margin of safety and is less stress on animal life and you use less CO2.


Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[gpdiver]

Re: Recommended starting point for fertilizing

Tom,

Thanks for the suggestions on fertilization. I suspect that part of the algae was triggered by using water from my home water softener. I have since bypassed the unit when doing water changes.