Hi,
My 12gal tank in signature, DSM started with earthworm castings for 4 months and now in water since 10 months:
- Low light at 0.9 wpg (11W PCL)
- CO2 misted at 48 bpm
- TPN 3x 2ml /week, DTPA 3x 0.1ppm /week
- NO3 8ppm twice/week, PO4 3x 1ppm /week and K 3x 5ppm/week
- 60% WC /week with RO + CaCl2 + MgSO4 (GH 4 and KH < 0.5). Tank parameters are GH 4 and KH 2
It looks +/- like this now
It is a complete success, no algae, never cleaned a glass...
The problem is that my CRS are having a very hard time to establish. Many losses after WC each time. I can try increasing KH to make less PH fluctuations and so that the water changed and the tank parameters are more similar, but I doubt it will help with CRS (they need stable conditions)
I decided to try a "stable" setup, that is less fluctuations and interventions:
- maximum of 10% WC /week
- CO2 stop it or target a lower bpm to add some stability compared to non CO2
- keep low light at 0.9 wpg
- less dosing
I hesitate to move completely to non CO2, no WC.
A new stock of high grade CRS are coming next week
, no way to delay it (great deal on price/quality)...
I have to strave the tank abruptly from every thing: CO2 and ferts. Hopefully, growth will be slower and no algae blooms
I need some advice on how I did step down yesterday:
- CO2 turned down from 48 bpm to 20 bpm
- I will start a 10% WC /week, starting next week after I add the CRS
- ferts: once a week, 1/4 of the weekly dose I'm adding now
If things go fine, maybe no CO2, no WC and ferts / 10-15d
Do you think I'm doing it all wrong? Tom suggested once in another post that my setup is doing so fine with so low light because of the CO2. If I stop CO2, he suggested I could need higher light. Just unsure about it. I'd be sad to see the tank invaded with algae and kill my shrimps with my interventions
Also, the Anubia never showed a black/green spot. Do you think that moving that way will lead to unavoidable anubia classic infestation?
Any expierienced help will be welcome
Thank you again for reading this long one
My 12gal tank in signature, DSM started with earthworm castings for 4 months and now in water since 10 months:
- Low light at 0.9 wpg (11W PCL)
- CO2 misted at 48 bpm
- TPN 3x 2ml /week, DTPA 3x 0.1ppm /week
- NO3 8ppm twice/week, PO4 3x 1ppm /week and K 3x 5ppm/week
- 60% WC /week with RO + CaCl2 + MgSO4 (GH 4 and KH < 0.5). Tank parameters are GH 4 and KH 2
It looks +/- like this now

It is a complete success, no algae, never cleaned a glass...
The problem is that my CRS are having a very hard time to establish. Many losses after WC each time. I can try increasing KH to make less PH fluctuations and so that the water changed and the tank parameters are more similar, but I doubt it will help with CRS (they need stable conditions)
I decided to try a "stable" setup, that is less fluctuations and interventions:
- maximum of 10% WC /week
- CO2 stop it or target a lower bpm to add some stability compared to non CO2
- keep low light at 0.9 wpg
- less dosing
I hesitate to move completely to non CO2, no WC.
A new stock of high grade CRS are coming next week
I have to strave the tank abruptly from every thing: CO2 and ferts. Hopefully, growth will be slower and no algae blooms
I need some advice on how I did step down yesterday:
- CO2 turned down from 48 bpm to 20 bpm
- I will start a 10% WC /week, starting next week after I add the CRS
- ferts: once a week, 1/4 of the weekly dose I'm adding now
If things go fine, maybe no CO2, no WC and ferts / 10-15d
Do you think I'm doing it all wrong? Tom suggested once in another post that my setup is doing so fine with so low light because of the CO2. If I stop CO2, he suggested I could need higher light. Just unsure about it. I'd be sad to see the tank invaded with algae and kill my shrimps with my interventions
Also, the Anubia never showed a black/green spot. Do you think that moving that way will lead to unavoidable anubia classic infestation?
Any expierienced help will be welcome
Thank you again for reading this long one
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