My 200l planted tank. First "real" build!

[Asmodeus]

That's solid info! Water changes it is then I think as they are helping keep the lagae down and don't appear to affect cycling time. I don't plan to fully stock at first. Will prob get a decent school of small fish going first and then take it from there

[Asmodeus]

We're at week 4 now and the cycle is well under way Readings are as follows:

pH: 6.4

NH3: 3ppm

N02: 5ppm

N03: 5-10ppm

The fine wispy stringy algae is in effect but water changes are keeping it under control. I also have a fine green algae on the background and glass too. The double dose of flourish excel seemed to knock the BBA on the head for now though but melted my val. Still some tiny snails in there but not an issue.

My 2 val plants have basically melted into nothing but the "stumps" are still alive so will see how they go. Have had other plants go black and rot too, not sure what they are called but have included a pic.

So it's actually a bit down on last week in terms of total plants but others continue to flourish, and my cycle is well under way. Here is a pic and a few questions.

Close up of black rotting plants

Questions:

1) ph is getting low due to dosing with NH3. Is this what has rotted out those plants? I'll do a near-complete water change before I add fish but don't want to lose my plants in the meantime. Increase frequency of water changes perhaps?

2) Lights currently on for 6 hours but green algae increasing (albeit very slow). Should I leave it at 6 for now and see how it goes or reduce further to 5?

3) when will I know if I "need" CO2?

Cheers! :f77:

[Adrienne]

The excel has done that to your val. Give me a yell if you want a few replacement val or other plants, I am in Epsom just off the Market Rd off ramp.

[Asmodeus]

The excel has done that to your val. Give me a yell if you want a few replacement val or other plants, I am in Epsom just off the Market Rd off ramp.

Thanks for the offer, I may take you up on that once my tank has settled. I knew the val would succumb to the excel. It was starting to go before I added it though tbh. Do you think the excel would have done that to those other plants (made them go black and fall to bits?)

Any insight to my other questions? Thanks!

[Adrienne]

Do you know what the plants were?

If they were stem plants, as in the plants that are normally weighted down in the tank and cheap compared to the likes of val then they were most likely grown emmersed and would have to convert to the submersed form. Some can do it, some can not.

Most plants will get algae on them unless they grow so fast they can out compete it.

[Asmodeus]

Do you know what the plants were?

If they were stem plants, as in the plants that are normally weighted down in the tank and cheap compared to the likes of val then they were most likely grown emmersed and would have to convert to the submersed form. Some can do it, some can not.

Most plants will get algae on them unless they grow so fast they can out compete it.

Yes they were such plants. Had purplish/green leaves. The similar ones I bought that are all green are still alive and growing though. Algae not too bad but getting a fair bit of the long wispy fine green/brown stuff... Just yanking out the worst of it with the claw at the mo

Just found out I have to move house in the next month too, great timing!

[Asmodeus]

Here is the latest pic of the tank. Cycle is almost done now and was about to add fish. However turns out I have to move house next weekend so will wait for that. Going to have to do a complete tear down as Im moving to a new house and have to take tank up 2 flights of stairs. Will be way too heavy with substrate in it. REALLY annoying but no choice in the matter Will log the details of the move here. *sigh*

Tank sill seems a bit cloudy but only slightly. Hair algae still there but under control with excel and water changes.