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Seachem EQ

Discussion in 'Are you new to aquatic plants? Start here' started by crystalview, Sep 8, 2008.

  1. crystalview

    crystalview Guru Class Expert

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    At water changes it is recommended to use EQ to replace mineral loss. How do I know if this is needed?
    I have Flourish, Trace, and their Macro's. I am hoping to change to dry fert when Seachems runs out (because of cost factor ). I want to continue to do water changes at 50% once a week as I do now.
    I just ordered a KH and GH kit just to see my standard tap water and compare it to the tanks levels. Have not done this in a long time. I once saw a formula to figure out the CO2 levels, I would do this calculation for fun.
    If what I read in EI section I should increase my Excel by 2x. Is this right?
    Doing things this way should give me time to learn to mix dry fert.
    As soon as the new plants come out of the alum, I will put them into the tank. For a larger plant mass.
    I have done extra water changes to remove the fast dissolved API root tabs. I think that is what caused my green water when they dissolved in less then 8hrs.
    I won't try for style or balance yet. I will just put the plant were ever for now.
    Does the above sound like a start plan? I don't want to kill any more plants! Do I have a little to much light for this approach? I run the lights for 10-12 hrs. They sit right on the glass cover. I know I put a lot in this post. Please correct me when I am wrong. Thanks for helping.
    I put tank info in my Sig.
     
    #1 crystalview, Sep 8, 2008
  2. VaughnH

    VaughnH Lifetime Charter Member
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    Lots of questions!
    1. Root tabs are for placing down into the substrate, not out in the water. They shouldn't dissolve rapidly at all. But, aquatic plant root tabs shouldn't contain any ammonia or urea, so if they did leak nutrients into the water it shouldn't cause green water.
    2. You can't calculate how much CO2 is in the water based on KH and pH, unless the water has no source of alkalinity other than carbonates, and no source of acidity other than CO2. Aquarium water rarely meets those requirements.
    3. Excel should be dosed at the rate stated on the bottle, not at twice or more times that dosage. You may very well get away with the heavier dosages, but you also may end up killing some species of plants, some shrimp, and rarely, some fish. You can spray the Excel dose onto hardscape or plants lifted out of the water if you want to try to kill algae with it.
    4. Seachem Equilibrium or other calcium/magnesium containing substances are only needed if your GH is very low, indicating low calcium and/or magnesium concentration. Your water company report on water quality should say what the range of calcium and magnesium concentrations in the water are. This isn't a critical parameter, but at least 40 ppm or so of calcium is desirable, and 10 or so ppm of magnesium is desirable. If the water quality report says "0" ppm of magnesium, you need to increase that. If it says 20 ppm of calcium, you need to increase that. Those are not limits that are cast in concrete, just very rough numbers to give a feel for what you are looking for in the water quality report.
     
    #2 VaughnH, Sep 8, 2008
  3. crystalview

    crystalview Guru Class Expert

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    Thanks

    I only placed the root tabs just below the surface not deep enough. I will leave those be for a while.

    I have never used the macro Seachem so for now I will follow their instructions for dosing.

    While I find dry macro's and learn to mix them.

    An off the wall question: On Planted tank forum they talk about flow and the more I have the better. Some one suggested Koralia Nano Pump Powerhead 240g. I don't understand why a full tank width of bubbles blowing up towards the top and then having the Fluval outlet cross that path would not be enough flow?
    Do the plants need more flow? I could invest in one.
     
    #3 crystalview, Sep 8, 2008
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