# How should i proceed?



## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

Hi Joe,

Welcome to TPT!

Regrettably the link to the picture is not working for me; possibly you have to be a member of the forum to see it.

What size tank so you have?

The Florin Multi does not contain any nitrogen, just potassium,calcium, magnesium, and a couple other micro-nutrients. The Florin Gro does contain nitrogen, nothing else. None of the ones you listed contain any phosphorus.

-Roy


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## zorg1983 (Aug 4, 2018)

Hi Roy,

Here's a link - https://ibb.co/ipodLe

The tank is 40L. 

what product of BrightWell Aquatics contains phosphorus?
Should i add Co2?

Joe.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

Hi Joe,

It looks like your tank was planted recently so expect changes as it matures. 

I believe I see Vallisneria, Blyxa, Hygrophila corymbosa, watersprite, myriophyllum, and possibly an aponogeton or cryptocoryne hiding the the right rear corner. Most of those plants should do fine with the possible exception of the Hygrophila corymbosa which appears to be emersed grown (grown in air) and the original leaves you see there may die off over time. The good news is new leaves that form underwater should emerge and do fine.

I would continue dosing the Florin Multi, start dosing the Florin Gro and pick up some Florin-P for phosphorus. An 8 hour photoperiod may be a little too much since the tank is not well established yet, in fact it may not have completed the nitrogen cycle. If algae starts forming I would cut the photoperiod back to about 5 hours. Then clean remove the algae from the glass and every week increase the photoperiod by 1/2 hour until algae starts showing up again....then back down about 1/2 hour.


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## zorg1983 (Aug 4, 2018)

Hi Roy,

Yes. the tank is fresh  , i will continue dosing with Florin multi also with Florin K. i will purchase the phosphorus and dose as well.

Regarding water change , how often should i do that? Co2 ,should i add it to tank?

Joe.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

Hi @zorg1983

Yes, continue with the Florin Multi, Florin Gro, Florin K and add the Florin P.

I do weekly water changes of 50% once a week, it helps re-balance the plant nutrient levels and helps to prevent any nutrient levels from becoming excessive but more importantly it removes organic waste from the tank which promotes fish health and growth.

You can use a carbon supplement like Excel or CO2 in gas form is more readily utilized by plants for growth.


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## zorg1983 (Aug 4, 2018)

Hi Roy,

I own Co2 and a regulator. i am trying to understand how much bubbles will fit this kind of tank ?


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

Hi @zorg1983

That is about a 9 gallon aquarium so it isn't going to take a lot. Typically we measure the amount of CO2 going into smaller tanks in "bubbles per second" BPS. I your case, depending upon the amount of surface agitation I would start with about 1 bubble per second, depending upon surface agitation that should provide about 20 ppm of CO2. You will want to get a drop checker and fill it with 4.0 dKH indicating solution. I like the Fluval myself. After you get a drop checker installed you can target other levels...I try for 30 ppm of CO2 in my tanks which is conservative but safe for all of the fish species I maintain.


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## zorg1983 (Aug 4, 2018)

What exactly this drop checker do?


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

Hi zorg1983,

A drop checker is used to measure the amount of dissolved CO2 in the water of an aquarium. It is not an instantaneous read however, it takes several hours for a drop checker to register a more or less accurate reading. Some folks use the dKH / pH method to measure the CO2 level in a tank but that method can result in incorrect estimates of the CO2 level and endanger the fish in a tank. Most fish, except for the more sensitive species, can tolerate a CO2 level of +/- 50 ppm.


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## zorg1983 (Aug 4, 2018)

Got you. i will purchase it .

Roy- besides dosing and adding the drop checker and co2. what else should i do to make sure the plants will grow and be healthy. 

I'm looking at the tank everyday and its taking ages to see a progress 

Joe.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

Hi Joe,

Just keep doing what you have been doing, planted tanks take patience. Take another picture of your tank in two weeks and you will be able to see a noticeable difference if we are on the right path.....nothing in a planted tank happens overnight.


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## zorg1983 (Aug 4, 2018)

Hi Roy,

Thanks. one thing i noticed is that the level of the substrate is too low, so i bought another bag and i will add more height so the plants could go more deep in the gravel.
Joe.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

Hi Joe,

Even in my 10 gallon I have about 1-1/2 inch depth of substrate.


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## zorg1983 (Aug 4, 2018)

Roy,

I added Co2 to the tank. i kept 1 bubble each second, is that ok? should the co2 run all the time or each time the light comes on ?

Joe.


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

zorg1983 said:


> Roy,
> 
> I added Co2 to the tank. i kept 1 bubble each second, is that ok? should the co2 run all the time or each time the light comes on ?
> 
> Joe.


Glad to see the CO2 is now working. Good move to check on cleaning! But now the hard part is being patient!
I like to start low and slow as a way to avoid getting too much algae to control. Light is one big thing we often read about but it is also one that we often get too much or too long. I might start with all of Roy's suggestions and light for five hours. If you have a timer for the light, I might also run the CO2 at the same time. The plants only can use the CO2 while they have light, so when lights are off, it can be excess but for sure is not used. Some like to have a second timer for the CO2 so that it comes on an hour before the lights, so that the CO2 level drops overnight but is there in full measure when the lights come on and then they turn the CO2 off a bit before the light goes out. I do not bother with the second timer but then I am not especially concerned about getting the maximum growth out of my plants. More growing means more trimming and I like to set and watch more than work! :grin2:


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## zorg1983 (Aug 4, 2018)

Hi

OK, so to sum it up :

1. continue dosing all brightwell products and include K to the dosing. i am dosing each second day 0.8 ML to the tank of each one.
2. reduce from 8 hours to 5 hours lighting .
3. keep co2 up and running together when the lights come up and shut down when off.
4. water change? when? how much ?
5. patience? anywhere i can go and buy it ? lol
6. drop checker, will purchase.

any other tips you can give me please?

Joe.


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## MrT. (May 21, 2018)

*Quote zorg1983* "5. patience? anywhere i can go and buy it ? lol"

I couldn't wait so I ordered some from Amazon, Ebay and Craig's list and now I'm going crazy waiting for it to arrive!!!!!


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

Hi @zorg1983 / Joe,

That is a good place to start, did you add a drop checker as well so you can monitor your CO2 level? I run CO2 in my tanks 24 hours a day but a lot of folks start their CO2 a couple hours before the lights come on.


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## zorg1983 (Aug 4, 2018)

Hi Roy,
I ordered the drop checker. waiting for it to arrive.

I run the Co2 when the lights come up , after it i shut it down.
I purchased Florin P and i am doing 10 drops each other day together with the other brightwell products.

Regarding water change, how many time? how much ?

Joe.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

Hi @zorg1983 / Joe,

I do a 50% water change once a week. No only does the fresh water replenish minerals, it also removes dissolved organics (i.e. fish waster) improving fish health and growth.


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## zorg1983 (Aug 4, 2018)

Hi Roy

Update:lowered light from 8 hours to 5 hours. i keep water change every week. i keep dosing 0.8 ML of each bright well products. added Co2 . 
I have green spots all over my tank glass. also i see on some leafs some hair which i don't know how to decribe.

Also i noticed a sign of grey algae on one of the leads of a plant. what should i do?

Joe.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

Hi @zorg1983 / Joe,

Good call on decreasing the photoperiod. The green spots are likely green spot algae, clean the inside of the glass removing all spots.....hopefully with less light the spots will not return. The 'hair' on the leaves is likely Black Brush Algae (BBA), when was the last time you cleaned your filter? BBA tends to show up in my tanks if I have a lot of organics in the water because I haven't been conscientious about cleaning my filter. If the BBA because a major problem there are ways to treat it.



> Also i noticed a sign of grey algae on one of the leads of a plant. what should i do?


Possibly you are referring to a root coming off of a stem plant at the stem/leaf junction? Is it 'slime' or just very fine hair roots coming off the main root?


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## zorg1983 (Aug 4, 2018)

Seattle_Aquarist said:


> Hi @zorg1983 / Joe,
> 
> Good call on decreasing the photoperiod. The green spots are likely green spot algae, clean the inside of the glass removing all spots.....hopefully with less light the spots will not return. The 'hair' on the leaves is likely Black Brush Algae (BBA), when was the last time you cleaned your filter? BBA tends to show up in my tanks if I have a lot of organics in the water because I haven't been conscientious about cleaning my filter. If the BBA because a major problem there are ways to treat it.
> 
> ...



I will do a water change tomorrow and also will clean the filter. 

What i mean of the grey algae its looks like a feather on the leaf.

I added Co2 but i don't see any growth 

Joe.


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## zorg1983 (Aug 4, 2018)

Roy

I have in my tank an upper filter. a power head taking the water below and put it back from above. is it ok when i have Co2 together? 

I notice when i stop the filter from working the plants start to pearling and with the filter they not. is it because the filter swirls the water ?

Joe.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

Hi @zorg1983 / Joe,

I am not familiar with the term 'upper filter' could you post a picture please? Does it look like this?









Water circulation, especially if it causes turbulence at the water surface, will decrease the dissolved CO2 level in the tank.


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## zorg1983 (Aug 4, 2018)

To make it easier my tank is Jebo R338.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

zorg1983 said:


> To make it easier my tank is Jebo R338.


Hi Joe,

Yes, the water surface turbulence is likely causing the loss of some CO2; but you likely still have an increased CO2 level verses not using CO2 so plants will still benefit.


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## zorg1983 (Aug 4, 2018)

When i shut down the filter i see a lot of pearling , when i keep the filter on i don't see as much as i see without the filter.

Should i replace the filter to waterfall filter?

Joe.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

Hi Joe,

I don't believe in changing too many things at one time; it makes it hard to determine if an individual change improved an issue or not. I would keep everything the same for now and see if things improve or not over the next couple of weeks.


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## zorg1983 (Aug 4, 2018)

Roy,

Since last time i wrote i keep dosing. keep doing water changed. light is 5 hours each day. co2 is running . i see pearling each time the light is on but i don't see any growth. i really don't understand this.
Why its not growing? especially the hemiantus cuba i bought. its in my tank over a month 

Joe.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

Hi @zorg1983 / Joe,

Can you post a couple of pictures for us Joe, it may help us determine what is going on.


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## zorg1983 (Aug 4, 2018)

Hi Roy,
How are you?

Before : 

https://ibb.co/ipodLe

After:

https://ibb.co/hwpDXK

my problem is the hemiantus cuba not growing fast.

Joe.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

Hi @zorg1983 / Joe,

Well the good news is that the plants are obviously growing well although in my mind still a little chlorosis (yellowing). Last time we discussed it you were dosing 8 drops of Florin K, Multi, Gro, and P every other day. I am tempted to suggest increasing your dosing but when we trim the plants (as suggested below) that will result in increased nutrients and light for the remaining plants so lets see how the plants respond; please post another picture in a week or two.

Actually the new leaves and growth of the H.c. look good, but it is not getting sufficient light because of the other plants reaching the surface and shading the plants below. It is time to do a trim, especially the Hygrophila corymbosa, watersprite, myriophyllum. For the Hygrophila corymbosa cut the stems in half, remove the bottoms and plant the tops. For the watersprite remove all but the most recent 3 leaves. For the myriophyllum cut the stem in half, maybe save the bottom older half and plant the top half in the same area. This should dramatically increase the light that gets to the substrate and improve the plants like the H.c. and Blyxa.

Does your Jebo 338 have 1X10 watt florescent tube of 2X8 watt lamps? If it has the 2X8 watt lamps are those incandescent or LED? We are still doing the 5 hour photoperiod?


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## zorg1983 (Aug 4, 2018)

Hi Roy

Can you please explain more of how to cut them? maybe a video so i could watch?

Regarding the lighting- i don have two set of lighting above the tank. one is 21W and the second one is 13W. i need to replace the 13W since its broken. i do feel as you that the current plants as they are shed a shadow on the bottom so i need to do a trim and a good one.

It will be great to understand the trim process so i won't do any harm.

Joe.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

Hi @zorg1983 / Joe,

Before there were videos there were excellent explanations on forum, this is the one I used to learn pruning techniques. Here is a youtube video 



that explains how to trim and replant the tops of stem plants (which will not increase the number of stems in your tank). If we trim the tops and replant them while leaving the original stem in place the original stem will likely sprout side branches at the leaf junctions give a more densely planted look.


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## zorg1983 (Aug 4, 2018)

Thank for video. 

I will take each one a trim it and replant them back. lets see how it will go.

Joe.


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