# My 75 gallon



## Rex Grigg (Dec 10, 2002)

More light, CO2, ferts.


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

Rex Grigg said:


> More light, CO2, ferts.


i should have know you would say that.


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## fresh_lynny (Mar 9, 2006)

It is very pretty and has a lot of potential...Rex is right tho


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

ok what is the pearling think. Everynight about 8-9 pm I get a bunch of air bubbles on all the rocks.What is the cause of this and is it a problem? I also have had tank up a week and a half now, I had a good layer of algea on the acyrlic that i had to scrap off and noticing some on the plants. Do i have to much light? I only have two 32 watt strip lights and one 30inch T-5 light in the center with just two 18 watt bulbs. I took down one of the 32watts for now till I can figure out what is going on.


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## fresh_lynny (Mar 9, 2006)

Do you plan on adding light, dosing ferts and adding pressurized CO2? If not, I would imagine this new tank will cause you to have constant battles until things get situated. My suggestion is to do some reading under the low tech section of this site. In addition, do some reading on Tom Barr's site. It is insightful regarding tanks such as yours. New tanks go through a lot, so you have to strike a balance. 

www.barrreport.com


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## esarkipato (Jul 19, 2005)

Algae is very normal (although avoidable) at the startup of a tank. I would not reduce the lighting....100 watts will probably allow you to grow (some of) the plants already in there. Any less and the plants might not grow at all!

Any idea what KIND of algae it is? You say it is easy to wipe off?

I would usggest getting an army of oto's from petsmart/chow hound/petco, or trying to get Tim to order you some SAE's. Either of htose fish eat LOTS of algae.


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## ringram (Jan 19, 2005)

Rex Grigg said:


> More light, CO2, ferts.


I would say more plants also. Otherwise, you'll run the risk of serious algae, especially if you increase the light.


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

Ok added some more fish and got ride of the bigger angels as they started to pick on some of the plants.

Fish added
6 yellow barbs
12 cherry barbs
4 ottos
4 flat looking algea suckers( bornasomthing)
3 long fin highback albino cory cats
3 red/black stripped rainbow fish
2 yellow rainbow fish
2 firefox

existing fish that I am keeping 
6 clown loaches
1 silver med angel
1 black angel
4 rohal tetras
3 zebras
1 emeral tetra

Lighting added was 2 T-5 fixtures from coral life one fresh water 6700/colormax and one 6700/10,000. 6700/10 set for 7am-8pm the 6700/color set for 7am -9:30pm.

Fert has been plantabbs added to the roots of clustered plants every 2 weeks. Trying to keep this as low tech as possible and waiting patiently for the tank to age itself to contentment.


after the first 2 days the 1 red rainbow developed a white fungus on his sides. So I pulled the other rainbows and going to return them. I have lost the 2 firefoxes, one loach and the 3 rainbows I was telling you about. 

I have had the ottos and flat suckers doing a great job at the fine algea that I was commenting on early they do a great job of cleaning but now I am in a different problem off a thick blue/green algea on the plants , wood, rocks etc. I guess this is the growing pains of a new tank but wondering if I could be doing somthing wrong as I never had this in past planted tanks. 











Its growing on everything and keeping the java mose from taking off.










front shot after 3weeks growth.
before top shot









after 3 weeks notice I removed the naste looking thing in the back middle don't know what it was but won some of the taller stuff at a fish auction an it looks alot better.











side shots 
before on top 









after 3 weeks










other side
before top









after 3 weeks











I am wondering how many is to many fish. I found an odd looking cherry today and a dead loach, I have had the loaches for over a year so was very surprised to see him floating this morning. I am wondering in this closed top acrylic if I should be keeping the water level down an inch or so for better air circulation. I don't hardly have a ripple on the top of the tank water is that good or bad? Should I treat the tank for dieases? If so what can I use that won't hurt the plants?


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## esarkipato (Jul 19, 2005)

Hey, tank's looking good. I missed the fish auction, and wasn't too happy about that.  Hope it was a good time. Looks like you got some nice peices of wood/rock there!

I would definitely, and even more definitely if you aren't injecting co2, try to create surface tension. One easy way is to just get a simple air pump.

I don't know why the fish would be dying, other than it seems like you might be adding them in too fast....

And, as far as tthat blue/green-ish algae, if it's slimy and easy to wipe off, it's cyanobacteria. This often results from nitrates bottoming out to zero. Make sure you are feeding regularly and nitrates should be above zero, especially with your fish load. Do a search here at PT to read up on different ways of treating this algae/bacteria.

Lookin' good, though! Nice work, way to be persistent.


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

lost a clown loach yesterday morning , lost an angel this morning , what is going on? Do i not have enough surface tension and the fish are getting dieing over night due to this. Going to add an air stone with air pump tonight and see what happens tomorrow.


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## esarkipato (Jul 19, 2005)

Seriously, the only thing I can think of is the biological cycle isn't ready to support that many fish. Dunno.....do you ever see them gasping at thte surface? Do they all eat enough? Any other strange activity?


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

I went to AQUARIUM SERVICES LLC place today and asked about the thick green layer of algea and the fish that died each morning. I have figured it out. Notice in the first pictures you see a powerhead in the back. That is a 1200 marinland powerhead that was in a nonplanted tank. I had to shut it off due to the force blowing the plants apart.
The problem is poor water circulation . i needed to get water circulating better and getting it over to the the filter intake on the other side of the tank. The lack of circulation causes the stagnet water and that is where the blue green algea on the plants is coming from. I also have been filling the tank to within an inch of the top and keeping the covers on all the time. Tim runs open tops on alot of tanks for better circulation but recommend to me to drop the level to 2 inch from the top and keep the to top covers open a bit instead of completely covered.This explains the dead fish and layer on the surface even with 2 changes a week.
I don't know what size of powerhead to buy for a 75 without laying the plants on there sides but I have a aquaclear 201, rated 10-20 gallons and turned it on high aiming the deflector down toward the spots where I always get the algea build up on the gravel. I am thinking to run the 201 near the fluval output and aim it up to distrub the top .Then putting a 302 or 402 near the bottom shooting water across the bottom front and that would put the water near the intake on the far side.
Any ideas?

Anybody running powerheads on there 75 or bigger, what size is decent?


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## turbosaurus (Nov 19, 2005)

I have a big powerhead on my 180, runs 290gph. The secret to mine is to bounce the water flow off the glass. Like shooting pool.

The powerhead is at the back left of the tank almost at the corner, fastened to the back wall, the powerhead itself is mostly hidden by a large sword. The water flows toward the front left corner high up on the glass. The water flow hits on the left side, just back of the front corner, slightly toward the top. Once the water hits, the only where for it to go is around the front of the tank. At the right side back I have my filter outflow pointed toward the left side back. I causes a nice circulation through the tank. The only problem is the detritus tends to collect up front in the foreground plants. It does make it easier to clean it out tho...


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## esarkipato (Jul 19, 2005)

I dunno what size might be appropriate, but I just ran across this sale yesterday:

Rio Plus Power Heads by Taam- Save up to 605

some pretty good deals!

Good luck getting that slime down. YOur best best would be to remove what's already grown there, and increase circulation. MAny folks actually try "black-out' conditions for several days. The plants survive, but the algae does not!


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

I went to big als and they have better prices yet, not on sale for the aquaclears.

just debating what size to get , I am thinking a 402 and I can tame it down with the slide switch. If i have the 402 aim up toward the top and have it bounce off the left corner like suggested then I can get the top water to rip a bit to break surface tension. I then might put the 201 on the bottom and have it just push in front of the glass. I just hate adding these powerheads because the looks so ugly but got to do what you got to do. i might get one of those canisters to add to the bottom of the powerhead to help filter a bit, if I am goiing to run the power head might as well have it cleaning too. Anybody use these or have experience with them?

Aquarium Water Pumps & Powerheads at Big Al's Online 

here is the aquaclears 

adaptor
Aquaclear Quickfilter Attachment-Lg at Big Al's Online


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

added the powerhead in the corner facing forward with prefilter attachment to see if it will move the bottom around better to get rid of the thick green algea. So far after a week with it in there it seems to me the blue green algea is getting bigger and spreading all the plants in the tank now have a coating on them. I have reducing the feedings , added circulation and still have this problem. I am starting to wonder if I have to many fish for the tank. 
Here is my list after removing some bigger fish and add some smaller fish.

5 clown loaches(med)
6 gold barbs
10 cherry barbs
4 rainbows
4 zebra tetras
4 asorted tetras
3 horse head loaches
4 otos
4 borno loaches
2 ****** loaches
2 plecos, one whip,one albino
3 green swords


moved the red ludwiga and vals to one side so they won't be blown away from the added 402 powerhead. I put low growers on the powerhead side and added a small power head to the opposite side at the to to break the surface to reduce the scum build up . 










Even with the added powerhead on the far side I still have to run an air stone every two days for an hour or two to breakup the scum layer


Help please !!:help: I am wondering if the lighting is two much or what? why the build up of green algea in the front rocks and nothing in the back of the tank? I have also took the tops off the tank for better O2 and left the tank 2 inches low from the top for better exchange.


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## esarkipato (Jul 19, 2005)

> And, as far as tthat blue/green-ish algae, if it's slimy and easy to wipe off, it's cyanobacteria. This often results from nitrates bottoming out to zero. Make sure you are feeding regularly and nitrates should be above zero, especially with your fish load. Do a search here at PT to read up on different ways of treating this algae/bacteria.


OK, I know I'm quoting myself hihi, but have you researched this cyanobacteria thing? There's TONS of information on it, what causes it, and how to treat it. Better flow in the tank is a huge factor, but that probably won't cause it to GO AWAY, just stop it from coming back.

You need to remove it, first of all. Use a gravel-vac, but without the vac part. In other words, just a hose should suck it right up with enough flow. Try that, and see if it slows down/stops growing.

Otherwise, many people (including myself) have used the blackout method. Give the tank & fish TOTAL darkness for 2/3 days. The plants & fish *will* survive, but the bacteria/algae will not.

here's the best place to start reading up!


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/a...-still-present-2.html?highlight=Cyanobacteria

I have found this thread which has given me some ideas on what is going on. If i am not feeding enough will that cause the low nitrates? What exactly is the nitrates? Is that the break down of food, fish poop,dieing plant matter? I don't have enough of this ? Could this be a new tank issue due to the tank not being up and running more just a month now?
I can increase food, i am going to add the charcoal back to the tank fluval filter as I had removed it for a ick treatment that I am done with. I have added the powerhead and am blowing it in the area where the blue green algea started per the thread I address above. I not sure about the blackout, I don't have any windows close to the tank going to see if I can can do a big water change friday night and then wipe as many plants as possible. I have found running the o2 stone a couple of times a week keeps the scum down. Hoping for a balance after this tank is done cycling by the way how long does it take to balance a tank or get past the cycling part?


Couple of questions, could this algae be caused by
1. low o2 from to many fish? 
2. From scum on the surface?
3. to much light?


What doesn't make sense to me is that I only have an issue on the front half of the tank . The rear of the any with the most gravel showing doesn't have it at all.

My java moss stop growning on the front half of the rocks but there is new growth in the rear of the tank.:help:


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

References - Cyanobacteria, Blue Green Algae, Slime algae, red slime algae 3

After reading this article and hearing that light plays an important role in the growth of this algea I wonder if my 6700/colormax light is send the right rays for this to grow? My light in the back of the tank is a 10,000/6700 k light and seems to have little algea compared to the front of the tank.


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

*updated pics*

Now that it has been about 2 months I thought I would post a couple of updated pics.











added the new lock line pipe to try and break up scum on the surface.

also added 2 onion plants and a red tiger lily in the front, anybody have info on this plant?




















got rid of all the bluegreen algea after using some antibotics it killed it all, the java fern is coming back. Now I have a hair algea outbreak. Anybody know the cause of that ?


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

Anybody have info on the tiger lily? Is it a root feeder?


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## esarkipato (Jul 19, 2005)

The tiger lotus will start growing really fast at some point. The leaves will get really big and cover a very large area. You did guess it--heavy root feeder. Mine did great without any substrate ferts, though. Most folks say to keep it smaller and more compact, trim the bigger leaves as they grow beyond your liking. If you treat it well, it will send up individual lilly pads to the surface which looks pretty cool 

The tank is looking really great by the way! What are your fish nowadays?

As for hair algae, it's really typical in a new tank. I would say crank the co2 but you don't have it. Therefore, I'd say wait it out, remove it as you go, and maybe get some fish that like to eat it (cherry barbs, flagfish in my experience).


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

Same list as before .
cherry barbs
clown loachs
horsehead loaches
rainbows
zebra tetras
gold barbs
1 silver angel
albino pleco 
otos
****** loaches
1 flat pelco
about it. 

The narrow leaf ludwiga is really taking off roots all over the place now that the plant has hit the surface and getting alot more light the tops are really turning red again.


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## jaidexl (Sep 18, 2006)

If the hair algae is black fuz (black brush algae), a Siamese Algae Eater will knock it down. Raising co2 levels and removing infected leaves is best, but if you want to stay low tech, an SAE and a bottle of Flourish Excel is almost a must or that stuff will take over the tank. Also think about lessening the flow a bit now that you've got the Cyanobacteria in check, it only helps to lower your Co2 level.

The tank looks great, I'd hate to see BBA take it over, that stuff makes me cringe like cocroaches.


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## esarkipato (Jul 19, 2005)

> that stuff makes me cringe like cocroaches.


which is how I feel looking at my tank!! :icon_roll

Could you describe the algae a little more, or get a good pic?


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

I was told to increase water changes to help get rid of hair algea anybody know about this? 

I will lesson the flow but I have a slight ripple so I can keep the top open . After adding plant tabbs I get a scum layer that will last about 3-4 days after fert.


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

*update*

Here is a update of my tank. Its amazing on the growth of the tank. It has really come along with the growth.




















My favorite plant the Lotus.. wow its amazing the growth over a year.


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

*Update to the tank*

Here is an update to the tank. Did some cutting and replanting in the background.










Add some narrow leaf Hygro in the background this stuff is amazing I love the color of the leaf.










New plants added










and 










See how fast the Hygro grew in less then a month wow. I can't figure out why my Crypts keep dieing off even with fert tabs. Look at the one in the front left.


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## esarkipato (Jul 19, 2005)

Wow tank is looking great. Patience with the crypts...they are tempermental after moving. Does your mayaca (small needle plant) have hair algae on it? Mine grew it pretty fast after it got in the tank.  Sorry to hear about your fish loses, I'd still argue for more surface agitation. I'm impressed so far only root tab ferts....maybe Tim has a point and this is source of bottom feeder death......dunno! HOw deep do you push those things down there? How many have you put in total now?

Also, I thought I read 2 water changes per week....for what reason?


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

from 6-10 tabs at a time weekly with the sometimes every other week. I pulled the crpt in the front it just looks ugly. I put it in a smaller 10 gallon with great clay subsrate so we will see if it comes back. The new crypt that i added is showing signs of yellowed leafs the short swords are showing the small thing... I guess I will hold off and see what happens.


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

New pics are coming, I split the narrow leaf Hygro and add brazil in penny wart.

Overall tank look.











I added a third T-5 fixtures making 3 of the one freshwater, one with a 6700/10,000 and one with a salt setup.










Added a giant sword in the middle of the tank. Move the rocks to the left side and planted the anoubus on them. Got rid of the loaches as they started to eat the plants . Also trimmed the red ludiwega and added some more hygro as you can see it is doing great.










Not on the breed of Hygro but love the red plant.










The microsword is finally growing after adding more light.The two plants have become 8.


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

I have gotten rid of all the bigger fish as I had some of the smaller ones disappearing. 
Fish as of today.

6 neons Tetras
5 cardinals(new)
4 cherry barbs
4 cherry shrimp
5 rummy nose Tetras
2 berno loaches
1 albino bristle nose pleco
1 leaf pleco
6 black with red striping tetra of some kind
3 zebra danos
1 sliver angel
6 yellow barbs( leaving soon my sisters tank)

cardinals and neons together. The Marselia isn't doing to hot . No growth after 2 weeks. I don't know what to expect from this plants how does it grow, side ways , up ??




















Love the sword its seems to be doing good. Alot of red leaves in the center, these will turn green as the plant ages correct? 











i couldn't figure out why so many of the little fish where dieing. I couldn't even find there body's and like I said before I have remove all the larger fish. I found 5 body's in my fluval 404 today when I cleaned it and install some new charcoal. I couldn't believe my eyes when I say one fish swimming in the bottom of the filter.  I since have removed the skimmer as this can only be the way this is happening.I don't know what I am going to do now. I think its time to relandscape the tank and reduce the plant load to help prevent the skum layering on the surface or get all bigger fish and move out the small ones.:icon_conf


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## tropicalfish (Mar 29, 2007)

Make sure you have a filter strainer/grille or something to keep the fish from going into the intake pipes.


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

tropicalfish said:


> Make sure you have a filter strainer/grille or something to keep the fish from going into the intake pipes.


there is nothing on the skimmer to prevent that the holes are just to big. I did find that working with removing the skimmer and adding the filter intake strainer back on is working for now. I wonder how long before I see a scummy layer on the surface again.


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## mott (Nov 23, 2006)

Are you quarentining new fish?If you have some fish that you really love ALLWAYS quarentine for at least 2 weeks before adding to main tank.I learned the hard way, had a betta for 2 years and lost him in one day when I added a few cardinals that I did not Q. 
Also when you lost the first few fish I think you may have added too many at one time...
Because we dont usually worry about stocking in planted tanks,I think your tank 
didnt have enough plants for the bio load... hence an ammonia spike and dead fish.

BTW LOVE the tank...


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## esarkipato (Jul 19, 2005)

Hey sunday is the big update day for us, huh? As for the Marselia, 2 weeks is a very short span in the life of a Marselia lawn. It will propogate just like your chain sword there, with runners. I typically plant just 2 leaves at a time, but plant lots of them. Looks like you broke them up, but planted many of them together.

That sword looks amazing!!! I don't know what to tell ya about the fish getting into the overflow, you could always just go find some plastic mesh somewhere and cover it. Pantyhose would work too!


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

tropicalfish said:


> Make sure you have a filter strainer/grille or something to keep the fish from going into the intake pipes.


I am afraid if I put something on the end of the skimmer it will sink.


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

esarkipato said:


> Hey sunday is the big update day for us, huh? As for the Marselia, 2 weeks is a very short span in the life of a Marselia lawn. It will propogate just like your chain sword there, with runners. I typically plant just 2 leaves at a time, but plant lots of them. Looks like you broke them up, but planted many of them together.
> 
> That sword looks amazing!!! I don't know what to tell ya about the fish getting into the overflow, you could always just go find some plastic mesh somewhere and cover it. Pantyhose would work too!


Maybe I will try the mesh screen and see what that does. Thanks for the advice.
see I think my favorite plant is the sword in the middle. I was actually looking into rescaping the whole thing with hte marselia not growing. I will give it a few more weeks and see what happens. Yes I did plant alot of little clusters in the same spot. I will see if I can get a pic of the main lawn. I just wondered why I haven't even seen a runner a leaf nothing showing me growth.


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## Chrona (Feb 25, 2007)

tritan said:


> Maybe I will try the mesh screen and see what that does. Thanks for the advice.
> see I think my favorite plant is the sword in the middle. I was actually looking into rescaping the whole thing with hte marselia not growing. I will give it a few more weeks and see what happens. Yes I did plant alot of little clusters in the same spot. I will see if I can get a pic of the main lawn. I just wondered why I haven't even seen a runner a leaf nothing showing me growth.


It takes a while, and is hardly noticeable because of the slow growth. I've had Ernies marsilea for about 3 weeks now, and even though it doesn't appear to have grown, the before and after pictures tell a different story.


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

ok, after seeing alot of scum build up after only two days it was time to fix the surface skimmer. I will try to cover the overflow with a nylon and see what that does.


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

Coverd the intake with nylons and no lose of fish. I really hope this works. I don't seem to be getting rid of all the scum like I did before but at least I haven't killed anything. I got rid of the rocks for now and added drift wood, not sure I am going to keep it we will see.

Ok, marsillia just keeps lifting and swirling at the surface. Any ideas? I did anchor it again and notice one plant of the 10 clumps I planted had a shimmer of growth. Intresting I must say it just might have hope after 3 weeks .


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## esarkipato (Jul 19, 2005)

How's the marselia doin'? Maybe some root ferts underneath it will stimulate good root growth...


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

*ernie*

I have been meaning to email you about the marsallia. It hasn't grown at all . I have two plants with 3 new leafs. Root tabs weekly haven't done a thing and alot of it uprooted and floats away. I will take pics soon.


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

If you notice the marsallia isn't growing at all. I think I counted 4 new leafs on all the sections planted . Root tabs and more light didn't seem to help and its been over 6 weeks.



















Here some updated pics. I took theses before cutting the baby sword in the pic i think it was sucking the nutrients out of the plant as the plant leaves started to get yellow and brown with holes. I also cut the willow leaf hygro which grows like a weed I have plenty of it.


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## jaidexl (Sep 18, 2006)

Wow, what a change since I last saw this tank. Nice hygro and sword especially. looks like you've got the algae pretty much kicked, now dying plants :icon_roll , always something.


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

I don't understand the sword in the middle. It started out great but now has alot of brownish red leaves and less green leaves. The growth is slow with alof of new leaves in the center but few growing up mostly growing out. help The sword is a Klein.:help:


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## musho3210 (Jun 26, 2007)

What do you mean by T5, linears or PC, there different, only thing they have the same is tube size.


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

My light setup is 3 48 inch T5 fixtures from coral reef. The back one is a 10,000/6700 the middle one is fresh water setup color spec(pink)/6700 and the front is the actonic/6700.


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## musho3210 (Jun 26, 2007)

ok, its a linear, good to see someone using a linear. Are those individual reflectors (each bulb gets its own reflectors)


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

musho3210 said:


> ok, its a linear, good to see someone using a linear. Are those individual reflectors (each bulb gets its own reflectors)


Yes that is what they are .I had just two on it but could see the light had a big gap between lights so I added another one to fill the gaps.


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## musho3210 (Jun 26, 2007)

nice, i love my TEK T-5 lights, dont run that hot at all, get good light with very little wasted light since its all individual. How does the tank look with that variety of colors? Do the actinics help with color or anything?


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

The different lights help balance the tank and the actienic shows the flashy colors of the neons and cardinals you got to love that. It was a trick a LFF told me about and it works great you can tell it works great by firing one light at a time and watch the tank go from bright white to orange to balanced.


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## wantplantsnotwork (Nov 28, 2004)

What CO2 setup are you using?
I was always under the impression the actinic lighting for planted tanks was a no-no. It provides energy that only algae can effectively use? I know it is great for coral, but not so good for planted tanks.
Maybe I missed it, but if you are not using CO2, you should tread VERY lightly with any ferts.

Everyone will do things a different way, but imho, the underground ferts are a waste of time and money.

I floundered for quite a bit before I fully adopted the EI way of doing things in my 90. Now I do NOT have any algae problems, and I have to remove 1/4 to 1/2 a bucket of growth every weeks. I made a water changer ~ala Rex's, pull out a little more than half the column, replace, use two caps of prime, 3/4 teaspoon each of K2SO4 and KNO3, 20 mil of flourish, and 90 of excel. Then, every week or so a small shot of flourish and maybe excel. After two or three weeks repeat. Oh- 20 drops out the enema also!
I have gone as long as 5 weeks, but the tank gets VERY overgrown.

I have basically lived up to my handle. The tank is pretty much self run. A little scheduled maintenance and thats it.

-However- I let the tank tell me what plants it would take, if something dies, I don't buy another one. My plants are mostly stem plants, with a few things like swords.

All in all, LAZY! But it still gets many gasp's and compliments when people stop by.


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## musho3210 (Jun 26, 2007)

well that was harsh, those underground ferts are good with amazon swords since amazon swords are heavy root feeders, and they are especially useful in tanks with inert sand or inert gravel. But if you do fine without them that is great.


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## wantplantsnotwork (Nov 28, 2004)

Not harsh, just an opinion.
Which is what most forums are full of.

But not intended to be harsh.


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

wantplantsnotwork said:


> What CO2 setup are you using?
> I was always under the impression the actinic lighting for planted tanks was a no-no. It provides energy that only algae can effectively use? I know it is great for coral, but not so good for planted tanks.
> Maybe I missed it, but if you are not using CO2, you should tread VERY lightly with any ferts.
> 
> ...


No CO2 I am lazy also and don't want to get into fert beyond a plant tab with a weekly water change. Slow growth is great its more lazy then your setup. I have no algae problems . Why the sword isn't doing good I don't know but I might try a different kind of sword as this one doesn't seem to be liking my tank.


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## wantplantsnotwork (Nov 28, 2004)

Wow, now your making me take another look.

That is what, 350 watts on your 70? And no algae problems?
Maybe ( I am being serious here) I will try without the CO2!
I only have 240 on my 90. I knew that was on the weak side though.


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

wantplantsnotwork said:


> Wow, now your making me take another look.
> 
> That is what, 350 watts on your 70? And no algae problems?
> Maybe ( I am being serious here) I will try without the CO2!
> I only have 240 on my 90. I knew that was on the weak side though.


that is why I can't figure out the klien sword dieing off everything else is doing great. I have a flourite bottom with regular gravel on top in all around 5-6 inches deep. Light shut down in cycles around 10-12 hours a day.

I shouldn't say no algae but very little its great having low tech.


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## esarkipato (Jul 19, 2005)

Hey, any runners on that marsilea??? I was sure it would take off after a few weeks/months!


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

No runners, but the tank is to the point of overgrown. I have been cutting it back a bit and giving the cuttings away. No ferts for over 2 months its just on its own now. pics posted this weekend.


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

Ok new pics at last . I just can't believe no fert , co free,and i cut the light back and the plants are just going nuts this is great !!:thumbsup: 










As you can see I did some moving around. I slowed removed the rock and added two new pieces of driftwood tieing on some fern. I moved the large fern to the back under the narrow leaf hygro and then let the wide leaf fill in the background.







































Love the addition of the shrimp









Plants coming right out of the water, time to trim.


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## esarkipato (Jul 19, 2005)

Looks GREAT. that is some really nice growth. Great red coloration!


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## ikuzo (Jul 11, 2006)

emersed growth! i like it, you'll never know what kind of leaves you'll get. sometimes they shoot absolutely different leaves from the submerged version.


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

I can't believe this version of hygro coming out of the water its a great conversation piece !


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

Fluval output is down to nothing. I put a nylon over it to keep the shrimp out but now I am find its restricting to the point of no flow. Going to have to remove the nylon and bye bye shrimp it was fun.:icon_eek:


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## esarkipato (Jul 19, 2005)

When's the last time you cleaned the filter pads/media? It could be that it's just dirty.... Unless you can see a whole bunch of mulm and stuff clogging up the intake.


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

I found out what the problem was it's the nylon on the end of the intake. I took it off and no more reduced flow.


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