# Getting control on this gsa and potassium phosphate



## Surf (Jun 13, 2017)

Other than phosphate are your dosing any other fertilizers?


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## ITHURTZ (Dec 5, 2010)

Nothing at all, Id prefer to dose nothing ever but I am seeing a difference between low tech and no tech, it doesnt exist. Simplest as possible always works.


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## Surf (Jun 13, 2017)

since you are not dosing any fertilizers you likely have overflow nutrient levels. At very low levels algae can still grow. Plants however cannot. However if the plants have everything they need to grow algae in general doesn't do well. Your algae problem is related to the low nutrient levels. Also. So dosing potassium phosphate will not resolve your algae issue. 
additionally your high nitrate and phosphate levels are likely due to the deficiency.

When plants cannot grow they will not consume nitrates and phosphates. Since your fish are constantly produce some phosphate and nitrate and your plants are not growing, nitrate and phosphate levels will build up. 

You need to increase nutrient levels indoor aquarium What ever fertilizer you use right now you don't need to dose nitrate or phosphate. But once you get the nutrient levels resolved you might have to does nitrate or phosphate to keep those at adequate levels. Two fertilizers that might want to try are seachem comprehensive (it does have low levels of nitrate and phosphate. or seachem trace (no nitrate or phosphate) with and iron supplement (trace has no iron). Without knowing what is in your well water I cannot say if they will work. I would also suggest getting a GH and KH test kit some of your plants are exhibiting symptoms that might be caused by low magnesium or calcium levels You might also have a iron deficiency If your GH / KH levels are low you might have to add a GH booster to your water to increase calcium and magnesium levels. A liquid CO2 booster might also help control your algae while providing a carbon source your plants can use.


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## burr740 (Feb 19, 2014)

Try Tetra FloraPride or API leaf zone, just follow the directions. Both add Fe and K which is most likely all you're missing.


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## ipkiss (Aug 9, 2011)

Aw. Like @cl3537 said, no one ever pipes up about the light. Beamswork @ 8 hours full blast? Way too much light for the goal of low to "no tech" how you run your light is what decides how much tech is needed to support your tank. 
@ITHURTZ , it may help to spend some time on advancedplantedtank.com to get an understanding about the balance of plant growth 

https://www.advancedplantedtank.com/101-growth-plllars.html

And then for your stated goal of low tech. Especially this page. 

https://www.advancedplantedtank.com/101-lowtech.html

By the way, you cant really "not dose anything at all." A plant in this case is like a pet. Would you not feed your pet? 

I suppose one can argue that you can technically achieve "not having to dose daily" in a low tech tank by changing your substrate or mess with root tabs and feed via roots only but that's just dosing in a different form.


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## ITHURTZ (Dec 5, 2010)

Sorry for the late response, kept forgetting to reply. 

The GH and KH levels via test strip that I use just for giggles puts them both at max level for the well water. There are MTS in the tank and they seem to have no shell issues. The women always complains about the hardwater and her hair. 

Algae issues from lack of other nutrients you say eh.... this just goes to show no matter how much you read and research you really cant learn everything by yourself.
Api leaf zone- chelated iron and potassium
Tetra Florapride- potassium and iron
Flourish comprehensive seems to have a boat load of stuff in it
flourish trace, seems to have stuff and as said added iron supplement.....

So is comprehensive overkill since its abundant in alot of things, or is baby steps the best approach, IE Api leaf zone?

As whats said in this said, another water change last week and the postassium phosphate remained at 2.0 didnt drop. Hope this next step gets everything under control.


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## ITHURTZ (Dec 5, 2010)

Took a bit but was finally able to stop and get some flourish comprehensive , water change 50% and dosed. How long shall I expect to see the GSA to reverse and plants to look "better"?


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## varanidguy (Sep 8, 2017)

ITHURTZ said:


> Took a bit but was finally able to stop and get some flourish comprehensive , water change 50% and dosed. How long shall I expect to see the GSA to reverse and plants to look "better"?


It could take days to weeks to months, depending on the tank. I'd just dose the Flourish Comprehensive according to the directions, keep the tank clean, and see what happens.

Is your light the DA FSPEC? If so, that's a really intense light, might wanna get a dimmer for it.


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## ITHURTZ (Dec 5, 2010)

I dont think so, its just the DA 6500 .5watt led's.


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## ITHURTZ (Dec 5, 2010)

1 full week on dosing now. Last week I trimmed about 25 java fern leaves that were yellowing/white with brown spots, this week about 12. So thats pretty much probably all the original leaves. Plants look the same so far, no better no worse. The gsa on the glass it seems the MTS are eating it now? I see little trails behind it, and the gsa seems to come off the glass easier so MAYBE something is happening. I also added 3 potted java fern tridents to the mix, from reading more is better so here we go. Nitrate was at a 20 before water change, below the average of 30-40. Sum it up, nothings changed for better or worse so until next week....


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## varanidguy (Sep 8, 2017)

ITHURTZ said:


> 1 full week on dosing now. Last week I trimmed about 25 java fern leaves that were yellowing/white with brown spots, this week about 12. So thats pretty much probably all the original leaves. Plants look the same so far, no better no worse. The gsa on the glass it seems the MTS are eating it now? I see little trails behind it, and the gsa seems to come off the glass easier so MAYBE something is happening. I also added 3 potted java fern tridents to the mix, from reading more is better so here we go. Nitrate was at a 20 before water change, below the average of 30-40. Sum it up, nothings changed for better or worse so until next week....




Keep us posted. If nothing positive happens, I’d suggest lowering your light intensity either by dimming or shorter photoperiod. GSA loves light.


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## Ddrizzle (Jan 30, 2019)

ITHURTZ said:


> Nothing at all, Id prefer to dose nothing ever but I am seeing a difference between low tech and no tech, it doesnt exist. Simplest as possible always works.


If you brought home a puppy, would you say you'd prefer to never feed it, lol? Plants eat too you know, and nitrate is only one of many things it needs.


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## cl3537 (Jan 28, 2019)

You have what looks like <10 slow growing plants in a 30 gallon, low plant mass, no CO2, with heavy feeding messy Goldfish.

Based on this thread https://www.plantedtank.net/forums/...-fspec-dhl-6500k-par-lux-kelvin-pur-data.html at 20" (if that is the height from your subtrate to the light) I would guesstimate you have low/medium PAR light.


While @burr740 was likely correct Fe and K are most likely what your plants need to avoid those yellow and brown areas, chasing fertilizer changes is not going to eliminate your algae problem. I would also keep your phosphates low <1ppm. It isn't helping with GSA and high phosphates will precipitate out the unchelated Iron you are adding and can cause Fe deficiency.

While balancing your fertlilizers better might help your plant health, you will only see that in new growth and with your slow growing plants and no co2 that may take a long time to observe, on the order weeks or months.

Really with messy goldfish you should be doing weekly 50% water changes, scrape the glass, vacuum all the plants and substrate, clean the filter and keep up on your maintenance diligently weekly. You will see improvements from that alone much quicker than changes in fertilizers.

Don't use dry ferts unless you get yourself a decent scale at least to two decimals otherwise you have no idea what you are putting in your tank.

If you want to slow down algae get more faster growing plants, you can plant them in the sand. Pick up something like some Amazon Swords and other low demand fast growing plants.


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## Ddrizzle (Jan 30, 2019)

cl3537 said:


> You have what looks like <10 slow growing plants in a 30 gallon, low plant mass, no CO2, with heavy feeding messy Goldfish.
> 
> Based on this thread https://www.plantedtank.net/forums/...-fspec-dhl-6500k-par-lux-kelvin-pur-data.html at 20" (if that is the height from your subtrate to the light) I would guesstimate you have low/medium PAR light.
> 
> ...



I've been at this for almost 8 months and it's just now occurring to me that plant mass has just as much of an affect on algae as "correct" lighting and ferts does. If there isn't enough mass to eat the ferts quick enough, the algae will. If the ferts aren't at the right threshold, plants won't eat as quickly as they can.


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## ITHURTZ (Dec 5, 2010)

Hmm is low.med then I shouldnt have to space the light up more maybe. 

Still doing the battle, I guess nothing is super crazy right now, less yellow leaves to kill at the end of the week, did maybe 5 trimming today, last week 10, before then probably 20 so maybe something is happening. Gsa doesnt seem to be clinging to the ferns now, maybe because the leaves are not months old, anubia still have gsa on them as I have no dipped them for a few weeks now. 

If phosphate really isnt helping then Ill just stop dosing, I was trying to keep it at the 3.0mark. Naturally the tank starts out at .25 and end of the week sits at .5ppm. with no dose, I am sure with the ferts it might sit little higher. 

I do no less than 50% every week and scrape the glass. The glass scraping is how I judge the gsa, every week it isnt getting longer so its just a time thing now and other tweakings.

More plants is fine with me, this testing with goldfish I am afraid plants will get eaten and then there is that c02 thing that I have 0 interest in.

Until next time!.............

61132415_673969426376411_1508655211734892544_n by Corey S, on Flickr


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## varanidguy (Sep 8, 2017)

ITHURTZ said:


> Hmm is low.med then I shouldnt have to space the light up more maybe.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




You don’t need co2 at all in order to have good looking plants. Also there are specific plants used for gold fish that tend to not get eaten by them. The more plant mass the better. [emoji6]


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## ITHURTZ (Dec 5, 2010)

Question, is the brown spots on the leaves then going yellow a possible co2 deficiency? according to research tom barr would say yes.


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## Smooch (May 14, 2016)

The rest of the java fern pictured looks fairly healthy. Pick off the dead stuff and wait. If there is a deficiency, it will show up. I have nothing against Tom, but you don't CO2 if you don't want to deal with it. CO2 serves 2 purposes; grow plants big and fast. There are finicky stem plants that need it, but you don't have that kind of tank.

Most of my 40 breeder has java ferns and anubias. I lean dose the water column once a week ( 2 squirts) with Tropica; orange bottle as it contains no nitrates and have recently been adding root tabs for my root feeders; crypts, swords and vals. The root tabs consist of soil, clay and a sprinkle of dry ferts which is where part of my nitrates come from. After years of not being able to grow vals, they're growing. I don't use CO2 either.

Getting back to the java fern thing, sometimes leaves are old and die. When java ferns start sprouting plantlets, that is a sign that they need food. The babies are the plants' way of saying "I'm dying, here's some babies". Since you have gold fish, you don't need a lot of ferts and I wouldn't use anything with nitrates in it. Low dose the water column once a week to avoid problems of any kind of deficiency and they should be fine.


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## ITHURTZ (Dec 5, 2010)

Hmm well that explains why the first 4 months I had the java fern I was getting babies out the wazoo and now not really anything. The leaves left on the java fern are not the original anymore and its just frustrating me that some leaves are still dying. I have this vision, and its not even close.


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## varanidguy (Sep 8, 2017)

ITHURTZ said:


> Hmm well that explains why the first 4 months I had the java fern I was getting babies out the wazoo and now not really anything. The leaves left on the java fern are not the original anymore and its just frustrating me that some leaves are still dying. I have this vision, and its not even close.




Maybe try adding some K2SO4 and some micros to your dosing regimen. Once a week dosing with your plants should be perfectly fine, and given your bioload, I would say nitrate isn’t necessary. But some extra potassium, sulfur, and micros could help round it out for the plants.

The K2SO4 is $3 and CSM+B is $12 from NilocG. Alternatively if your pH is high, Burr on here sells the micros to “roll your own”, add some DTPA iron and you’re golden.

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## Smooch (May 14, 2016)

ITHURTZ said:


> Hmm well that explains why the first 4 months I had the java fern I was getting babies out the wazoo and now not really anything. The leaves left on the java fern are not the original anymore and its just frustrating me that some leaves are still dying. I have this vision, and its not even close.


I don't know what your vision is, but plants need time to adjust to your water parameters. It doesn't matter if a person has a low tech tank or a high tech tank, all plants shed old leaves and grow new ones.

Once your tank dialed in in terms of ferts and getting the green spot algae under control, your tank will be fine.


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## CatsMeow (Nov 9, 2009)

I'll chime in here about the spots on the Java Fern. I am nowhere near an expert here, but maybe my experience can help you? I went through exactly the same battle as you. Then, I moved my Java Fern to a completely different tank with NO lighting (except for the sun that comes indirectly). Java fern was thriving. I have come to think it is super sensitive to too much light?

I notice you've got well water like me, if I'm not mistaken? My well water has a ton of minerals, and is typically very hard. I also have super high phosphates from the tap too, and I use special filter media to remove some of them. Because the tap water has so many nutrients already, I don't really dose the water column except for the occasional Excel or Flourish as needed. 

The two changes that cleared up algae for me were reducing the lighting (I reduced intensity, not duration), and adding Fluval Clearmax to the filter have made the biggest difference. And time. I made those two changes and waited. Like, a month or two. New Java leaves are spotless, and much less algae (it's still there, but getting better).


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## burr740 (Feb 19, 2014)

CatsMeow said:


> I'll chime in here about the spots on the Java Fern. I am nowhere near an expert here, but maybe my experience can help you? I went through exactly the same battle as you. Then, I moved my Java Fern to a completely different tank with NO lighting (except for the sun that comes indirectly). Java fern was thriving. I have come to think it is super sensitive to too much light?
> 
> I notice you've got well water like me, if I'm not mistaken? My well water has a ton of minerals, and is typically very hard. I also have super high phosphates from the tap too, and I use special filter media to remove some of them. Because the tap water has so many nutrients already, I don't really dose the water column except for the occasional Excel or Flourish as needed.
> 
> The two changes that cleared up algae for me were reducing the lighting (I reduced intensity, not duration), and adding Fluval Clearmax to the filter have made the biggest difference. And time. I made those two changes and waited. Like, a month or two. New Java leaves are spotless, and much less algae (it's still there, but getting better).


Nice post. Its always good to see others experiences we can learn from. But I'd just like to point out that Java fern is absolutely not sensitive to light. Ive grown it near the surface under probably 250+ PAR (thats extremely high) It grows bigger and faster, that's all. 

There can be too much light for a particular set up, of course. Low plant mass, non demanding plants, no co2 and ferts, throw a ton of light over those situations and there'll be problems. 

But as far as plants go I dont know any that are light sensitive, certainly not java fern.


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## CatsMeow (Nov 9, 2009)

burr740 said:


> There can be too much light for a particular set up, of course. Low plant mass, non demanding plants, no co2 and ferts, throw a ton of light over those situations and there'll be problems.


Interesting. So maybe the higher light is just causing something else to be the limiting factor? Back to the drawing board. I can grow a lot of plants, but Java Fern is my nemesis. I'm on a mission to figure it out, lol!


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## Asteroid (Jul 26, 2018)

CatsMeow said:


> Interesting. So maybe the higher light is just causing something else to be the limiting factor? Back to the drawing board. I can grow a lot of plants, but Java Fern is my nemesis. I'm on a mission to figure it out, lol!


Yes, high light isn't the issue, but lack of co2 and ferts could be with the increased intensity. Many people think that, you are not alone. The low-light plants like Anubias, ferns, buces, crypts will all grow faster, fuller under higher light. They are only "low-light" in that they can live in those conditions.


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## ITHURTZ (Dec 5, 2010)

CatsMeow said:


> I notice you've got well water like me, if I'm not mistaken? .


Yup, water is nice and hard, but phosphates are pretty much nil. Tank after a water change would be at .25ppm.



Smooch said:


> I don't know what your vision is,


green green! I really thought low tech was drop in and go, this is a fun learning experience though. Just hope it works out in time. 



varanidguy said:


> Maybe try adding some K2SO4 and some micros to your dosing regimen. Once a week dosing with your plants should be perfectly fine, and given your bioload, I would say nitrate isn’t necessary. But some extra potassium, sulfur, and micros could help round it out for the plants.
> 
> The K2SO4 is $3 and CSM+B is $12 from NilocG. Alternatively if your pH is high, Burr on here sells the micros to “roll your own”, add some DTPA iron and you’re golden.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I do have potassium phosphate and flourish comp I have been dosing already.



Ill have to try some amazon swords in the very near future, 29gal doesnt have alot of room so I would have to draw things out and plan it out. The 500gal in the outdoor shed would look sweet planted but not to maintain.


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## Smooch (May 14, 2016)

ITHURTZ said:


> green green! I really thought low tech was drop in and go, this is a fun learning experience though. Just hope it works out in time.


That isn't a unreasonable vision to have. Patience is must though even with low tech tanks as everybody has their own headaches and things to deal with.

I too have well water, but it kills things including fish and beneficial bacteria as I found out a couple of years ago. It took me a few months to figure out why my tank that was well established was constantly having problems with diatom algae and even though I was doing all the right things in terms of tank maintenance. While that was going on, I was losing one fish per week. After a week of netting out a dead fish everyday, I made the decision to start using RO water that I remineralize. 

Once I got things back under control, my tank has been relatively problem free. I keep my tank clean and do my best to be consistent. When I do introduce something new like the root tabs, I do so slowly. Instead of burying the whole pack, I added a couple. This is making my plants happy, so I don't need to add more until they start demanding more.

It will work out. :smile2:


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## ITHURTZ (Dec 5, 2010)

Isnt this to the T what the java fern is doing? 

Necrotic spots develop on older leaves

a. Margins of older leaves become chlorotic and then burn, or small chlorotic spots progressing to necrosis appear scattered on old leaf blades.* Calcium excess impedes uptake of potassium cations.... potassium deficiency*

Potassium deficiency symptoms first appear on the recently matured leaves of the plant (not on the young, immature leaves at the growing point). In some plants, the first sign of potassium deficiency is a white specking or freckling of the leaf blades. With time, the symptoms become more pronounced on the older leaves , and they become mottled or yellowish between the veins and scorched at the margins. These progress inward until the entire leaf blade is scorched. If sodium cations are present and taken up in place of K+1, leaf flecking (necrotic spots scattered on leaf surface) and reduced growth occur. Seed or fruit is shriveled. Potassium is phloem retranslocated from old leaves to new growth."


On these api test strips I have just for quick glances on the big tank GH is maxed at 180 and KH maxed at 240

61235076_842711882769056_2761113807492218880_n by Corey S, on Flickr
61136498_1326954470786241_6226004241756979200_n by Corey S, on Flickr


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## ITHURTZ (Dec 5, 2010)

Couple weeks ago I tried to order potassium on ebay, got scammed by some user from mexico with a 99.7% rating, go figure. Ebay deleted them and refunded me, ordered from another user and got it in 4 days. SOO I have flourish potassium now as I am convinced those spottings are related to that. (internet professor I was  )

Bottle says to dose twice a week so that I shall. I did some rearranging, put the trident java fern on the wood and put the 3 anubia on some stone. The hob was starting to give fits on priming, then shut off randomly once so I replaced it with a aqueon 75led pro, and since I was there picked up a Compacta amazon sword just to see. 

Here goes this test, after this, I have nothing left to give. 

Fresh water change 60% and I skipped last week just to testing. Fry "tank" top left, 5 left!
62363185_1048908965308718_7347603932853567488_n by Corey S, on Flickr

Trident, anubias, and compacta amazon bottom right
62394609_2439863789397676_4263551143533084672_n by Corey S, on Flickr

The java fern the baby leaves are at the point of no return, they always would get to this point and then start to freckle. Hopefully they wont this time, they are looking good. Nice MTS fest I have going on too.
62431672_2092613504183268_2419864834620260352_n by Corey S, on Flickr

GSA still alive, nothing crazy still.


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## varanidguy (Sep 8, 2017)

ITHURTZ said:


> Couple weeks ago I tried to order potassium on ebay, got scammed by some user from mexico with a 99.7% rating, go figure. Ebay deleted them and refunded me, ordered from another user and got it in 4 days. SOO I have flourish potassium now as I am convinced those spottings are related to that. (internet professor I was  )
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Ultimately I think your plants actually look pretty decent. Can’t wait to see if the potassium does it for you!


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## ITHURTZ (Dec 5, 2010)

2 week update, I would like to say the potassium indeed looks to be the missing link. I skipped a w/c last week to as another experiement and all went well. Although still tiny amounts of gsa, the patches easily seen are now gone and its only seen up close. We will see how the next month goes, maybe some light spacing might be needed in the future. Since the dosing the java ferns perked up dam near instantly. The leaves are more erect, taller and no more freckling! The old freckled leaves also seem to have halted their death, usually they would spot, then go yellow then white in half a week, its been 2 weeks and only 1 went white. This is exciting. I also bought another compacta amazon and the smaller one I had seems to grow 2-3 new leaves a week and this new bigger one is already shot up 2. I also put some flourish tabs underneath, keep me good for 3 months, hopefully the 125 will be setup to transfer by then. Need to control this 29 first. SO ya that thats the update, atleast its a happy one!

64850316_2340297309559799_6369762410676355072_n by Corey S, on Flickr


Erect, green and standing tall! Plenty of new growth
65101915_2556179461081047_809986477898334208_n by Corey S, on Flickr


Trident got its butt kicked, all leaves have freckles but no yellowing or white since dosing and slowly new leaves are comming in.
64881698_456148994960243_505225068977061888_n by Corey S, on Flickr



Thanks everyone for the help, reading, insight and knowledge this is fun. Ill update again in a month or so hopefully everything should be good!


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## Duboisi (Jul 11, 2019)

Thanks for documenting! Just starting out on a low tech tank myself and I enjoy learning from your experiences here and on the forum. =) Looking forward to next update!


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## ITHURTZ (Dec 5, 2010)

Im back! Well I made the mistake of not q/t or bleach dipping those topfin petsmart plants they sell in tubes. After I added those amazon compactas it introduced a bacteria to the tank and literally killed 1 fish every single day no matter how many water changes I did, bacterial/viral treatments, salt, prime EVERYTHING I threw at it. So the tank sat empty for almost a month while just the plants and snails remained. Decided to stop by the pet store and saw 2 little baby fantails I had to have. After a week they started showing that cloudy eye that killed all the last fish, so in the end it took 2 weeks of E.M. Erythromycin and all is well. SO NOW fast forward it seems the compactas are having problems? 

I noticed just the very tips would start to turn clear, then it slooooowly travels down the leaf (weeks). The amazons are fed root tabs, but since these fish were small it was dam near impossible to get 5ppm of nitrate in a week. I got some Aquarium Co-op fert in the pump and that seems to have gotten my nitrates up to 10ppm so I just do water changes biweekly just to keep that number up. My phosphates were reading .25 so I bumped that to 5.0. I also maybe noticed a magnesium deficiency maybe with the veins being a little darker, maybe reddish than the rest of the leaves so I dumped a nice teaspoon in. Also seeing some GSA on the amazon compacta leaves. 

At this point I might be pee'in into the wind lol so I came to posting. Good to say everything grew super excellent though!
Nitrate 10ppm
PH 8.0-8.5
GH 180 max on test
KH 240 max on test
Phosphate-5.0

P.S. The campacta leaves are twisted?

74461742_519298875580278_6972104949438087168_n by Corey S, on Flickr
75135943_441732963149807_5136786198890545152_n by Corey S, on Flickr
75422271_2692653344088081_5194873282221834240_n by Corey S, on Flickr
74701648_420185662215137_6488607230953259008_n by Corey S, on Flickr
70122632_490577661799752_1790297339982774272_n by Corey S, on Flickr


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## varanidguy (Sep 8, 2017)

Things aren’t looking too bad. Have you considered adding co2? You don’t need to go ham on it with those types of plants, just add a bit to aid in growth, would help with GSA and the like.

Regarding established leaves melting, that could indicate the plant is hungry for a mobile nutrient. I’d recommend pruning off any and all damaged or struggling leaves then see how the new growth comes in.


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## Quint (Mar 24, 2019)

Still struggling with GSA but making some headway. 

Excel doesnt seem to do much atleast with the amount I have been adding lately. What does seem to help when its on plants is adding phosphates during weekly water changes, trimming off leaves that are really really bad, adding a siesta midday. I ramp my 3.0 down to 5% for a couple hours midday and its really helping. 

My tank is nowhere near algae free but its much better then it use to be.


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## ITHURTZ (Dec 5, 2010)

I keep forgetting to update after some time, but I guess now the tanks just a pile of crap. The past few weeks algae has just grown faster, brown crap on the leaves, now purple stuff? I have changed absolutely nothing except feed the fish some frozen blood worms. 

The java fern trident it seems the roots are degrading and detaching from the driftwood, the random anubias are the same thing, super slow growers hosting algae and the compacta amazons are shooting out babies.

Iv been dosing 1cap excel everyday for the past week hoping to see any benefits, nothing so far. This is getting to much of a pita for something so lame. 

Trident with the wasting away disease and roots
87534647_131067781560529_163530231255138304_n by Corey S, on Flickr

87511218_3075517632472658_7158667986495078400_n by Corey S, on Flickr

detaching java on the inlet
87271372_286169069018642_4454104153668452352_n by Corey S, on Flickr

87274084_515374222695576_917442170187677696_n by Corey S, on Flickr

java fern
87063324_1495457710610720_8688838368747847680_n by Corey S, on Flickr

Tank shot, the 2 goldies are in the plants
87160734_1048055288885778_5423459056691970048_n by Corey S, on Flickr



Oh and it seems my mts and nerites are dying/missing from their shells as seen in that one pic..........yes the tank is cycled, never had ammonia or nitrites ever. This is getting ridiculous. I dont know what to say.


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## DaveKS (Apr 2, 2019)

How much easy green are you dosing and how often?

There is no way in this tank with your low plant mass and especially the type plants you have that you need 5ppm of phosphate. 1ppm is plenty. 

All you need is balanced fert like easy green lightly dosed consistently throughout the week and probably a 9-10gal water change weekly. Bi-weekly water change not going to work in a tank with goldfish.

I would also suggest you get some tall broadleaf plants like hygrophila corymbosa or aponogeton and overshadow the fern areas with them, leave area above swords open to light. Even get some floaters like frogbit or dwarf water lettuce.


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## ITHURTZ (Dec 5, 2010)

Easy green says 1 squirt per 10 gal so I squirt 3 after a water change once a week. Is it wrong to throw in a 1/4 teaspoon potassium into the mix, or is the easy green all thats needed?

So 30% weekly water change.

Id love more plants, and a bigger tank, but until I can figure this out I think it would be more of a headache. 


I did a 75% water change today just to flush things out, took alot of the infected sword leaves off just because, that thing is producing alot of babies. The brown stuff on the leaves would come off with my fingers, but the stuff on the glass needed a blade. Nitrates as of right now are 5ppm, and phosphates 1ppm.

I also ordered a gh/kh test kit so I can see the actual levels vs a strip, but apparently its lost in the mail kingdom of haha.


This is what it looks like now all cleaned up and fresh
87255357_497100714231895_8313557432232050688_n by Corey S, on Flickr


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## ITHURTZ (Dec 5, 2010)

I tested my well water from the tap, got the kh/gh test kit. Get ready for this

Kh - 20
GH-25


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## Rotala macrandra (Mar 2, 2020)

The dark spots on the java ferns is most likely potassium deficiency. That's how symptoms of -K on java ferns appear.

Very high concentrations of Ca and Mg can interfere with potassium uptake due to outright competition. It can also interfere and compete with other nutrients.

GSA is not caused by low phosphates. Increasing phosphate precipitates essential metals making them unavailable to the alga, which inhibits its growth. Thus, it's much more likely that there are relatively high concentrations of micronutrients either from fish food and fish waste, as well as from the ground water supply.


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