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Optimising plant growth and minimising algae


Jennifer

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hi all,

i have decided to start fertilizing my tank properly and would like to know what to order from http://www.hydroponics.co.nz/bulk-nutrients.html

and how to dose it.

tank specs:

Dimensions & volume of tank:106cmx60cm highx56cm deep with two dividers in the back and a water line of 30cm which works out to hold about 120 liters

Lighting: life glo fixture with an arcadia plant pro buld and an life glo bulb on for 10 hours(10am-8pm)

Substrate:30kgs of fine red gravel on top of 15kgs of jbl aqua basis plus

Plants:various crypts, half a carpet of echinodorus quadricostatus, 1 large echinodorus argentinensis, 2 amazon swords, three small anubias and lots of stargrass which is going to be replaced be these:alternanthera reineckii 'red', hygrophila corymbosa, hygrophila difformis, ludwigia glandulosa, rotala rotundifolia.

Fish stocking:1 pair of apistogramma agassizi, 2 laetacara curviceps,19 cardinals, 8 panda corys, 2 red long fin jewel Ancistrus, 2 rocket pencil fish(unluckily i purchased 1 female and 3 males so there is only one male left now :an!gry )

Goals - i want a tank that is entertaining and a good home for both fish and plants and i would like fast plant growth( and very little algae).

any advice would be much appreciated

cheers

Apologies Sam, I don't check the forum more than about once weekly.

You could order the monopotassium nitrate and the potassium phosphate as well as the aquatic trace mix and get some epsom salts. Once you get that, send me an email and I can help you sort out a dose rate for your tank. You will need to get some carbon in there though, either by pressurised CO2 or by a liquid carbon supplement like Seachem Flourish Excel.

The alternative is that you can go low tech. The distance of your light source to the plants in your tank is ideal for this. It would mean a lot less work. A low tech tank can be maintained with Flourish Comprehensive and Excel (along with some small additions of things like magnesium).

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i have a pressurized co2 setup, which before this has been running via inline diffusion but that caused some problem so im going to order some gear from green leaf aquariums and i have grandparents in Germany which will be sending me some extra light soon.

So i definitely want to go high tech.

i will order potassium phosphate, aquatic trace mix and some epsom salts but i can't find any monopotassium nitrate.

Where would i get this?

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  • 8 months later...

Hi I'm just starting out with my new tank, it's a 120x50x50 300L and I really want a well planted setup. I'd like to know how to set up substrate (I would prefer to go with sand), ferts and CO2 and opinions on the best sort of lighting.

Also any tips on the following?

Alternanthera reineckii (rosaefolia)

Echinodorus bleheri (Amazon sword plant)

Echinodorus tenellus (chain sword plant)

Echinodorus quadricostatus

Echinodorus latifolius

Hygrophila difformis (water wisteria)

Hygrophila polysperma (dwarf Hygrophila)

Hygrophila polysperma 'Rosanervig'

Ludwigia repens

Ludwigia arcuata

Rotala indica (Indian toothcup)

Limnophila sessiliflora (Asian marshweed)

Vesicularia montagnei (Christmas moss)

Vesicularia dubyana (Java moss)

Microsorum pteropus (Java fern)

Microsorum pteropus 'Windelov'

Microsorum pteropus 'Narrow Leaf'

Nymphaea lotus

Saggitaria subdulata

Cryptocoryne cordata

Cryptocoryne petchii

Cryptocoryne willisii

Cryptocoryne wendtii

Cryptocoryne affinis

Hydrocotyle verticillata (whorled or shield pennywort)

Heteranthera zosteraefolia

Riccia fuitans (crystalwort)

Lilaeopsis mauritiana

Lilaeopsis brasiliensis (micro sword)

Cabomba carolina (green Cabomba)

Anubias barteri

Anubias barteri var. Nana

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