# Monte Carlo not growing properly



## dukydaf (Dec 27, 2004)

It looks like the plants are deficient in PO4. Do you have any values from water tests ? Those might help. 

Where is the drop checker placed? You might want to place it lower near the substrate where the plants are. This will help see if the water mixing is good enough to deliver good CO2 in that area.


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## Pieterke (May 20, 2018)

dukydaf said:


> It looks like the plants are deficient in PO4. Do you have any values from water tests ? Those might help.
> 
> Where is the drop checker placed? You might want to place it lower near the substrate where the plants are. This will help see if the water mixing is good enough to deliver good CO2 in that area.


Thanks! Even though the ADA shop rep told me not to add any PO4, I did start dosing Seachem phosphate some time back. However, using significantly less than the recommended dose (due to the warnings from the aforementioned rep), so maybe I'll start upping that now. The API test kit was consistently showing 0 PO4, though I haven't tested it in a while. Will give that a go.

The drop checker is near the substrate, in the corner furthest away from the diffuser.

Thanks,
Pieter


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## Surf (Jun 13, 2017)

> ADA aquasoil substrate, with the recommended ADA additives added
> - dose K2CO3 and ADA Green Bright step 2 daily; dose MgSO4 twice per week, and add some Seachem Equilibrium every water change (water is very soft)



Green Bright step 2 has potassium and iron. Equilibrium contains calcium magnesium, potassium sulfur and some iron and manganese. And then you add magnesium in the form of MgSO4. 

Based on what you have written, you are not dosing any nitrogen, phosphorous, calcium, boron, zinc, copper nutrients. yOu likely have multiple nutrient deficiencies. The equilibrium will take care of most of your macros. and I would drop the separate MgSO4 dose. I would recommend maintaining a nitrate level in your tank of 10ppm. You should also maintain a phosphate dose of about 1ppm. Use a an aquarium test kit to determine your nitrate levels and adjust the dose as needed. 

I would also replace the ADA Step2 with a full micro fertilizer.

With all plant nutrient available your plants should grow better and faster.


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## Pieterke (May 20, 2018)

Surf said:


> > ADA aquasoil substrate, with the recommended ADA additives added
> > - dose K2CO3 and ADA Green Bright step 2 daily; dose MgSO4 twice per week, and add some Seachem Equilibrium every water change (water is very soft)
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks! 
ADA dosing is confusing. They (their materials and reps) insist that the soil + Brighty K + Step 2 takes care of all the nutrients.
I do test nitrate regularly, and that tends to hover around 40ppm, so I don't think I have a nitrate deficiency.
I was under the impression that Brighty contains the full range of micros, but I could well be mistaken there (again, ADA isn't very transparent).


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## Pieterke (May 20, 2018)

I made the switch over to EI dosing, to ensure nutrient insufficiencies weren't to blame.
About 10 days later, things seem to have got worse, not better. No noticeable improvement in plant growth, and a bad case of green water (4 days after a 50% water change, the water is so green I can't see the back of the tank). This is despite a photoperiod of only 6 hours.
I'm going to buy a UV steriliser today, but am still at a loss as to how to get the Monte Carlo to grow properly without creating algae blooms.


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## ShepherdOfShrimp (May 13, 2018)

I'm not an expert on CO2 nor do I own a setup, but I am wondering if for that long a tank, if you need to get the CO2 bubbles to the other side of the tank?


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