Help 90g, Dutch style, first try

[riioKen]

Ouch, problem spotted... If you can't see it, seems some hair algae on the lower leaf of nymphea

What do you think about spot dose with Excel or h2o2 ?

I always loved caridina but with tap water of GH 10 and Kh 8 (tank is GH 6.5 - KH 3.5) I think isn't suitable to grow a colony of Crystal Red Shrimp (right?) so I think I'll buy Neos instead, blue dreams (or blue diamond, but I don't trust store, probably they don't know if they are true diamond)

 

[Mr.Shenanagins]

No don’t resort to that yet, that’s an easy plant to clean. Just take a tooth brush to the algae and swish it away.

 

[Mr.Shenanagins]

Actually I just looked a little closer to the bulb, it looks like there is some BGA/Cyano on it? Make sure and remove that too it’ll wipe right off.

 

[riioKen]

No don’t resort to that yet, that’s an easy plant to clean. Just take a tooth brush to the algae and swish it away.

Gotcha, do you think it happened due to "It's a phase that has to happen" or because I've increased 1h ( 5h -> 6h) the photoperiod and light to 60% (from 50%)? My drop checkers are yellow, so shouldn't be CO2 related problem.

Today I cleaned the hoses, the biomedia and I've removed 1 sponge from the filter, the purpose was to improve even more the flow.

Right now both filters have, at the bottom 1 sponge, the other slots are all filled with Seachem matrix (around 8-9L, both filters summed) and on top 1 sponge (1 has 100ml of purigen)

 

[Mr.Shenanagins]

Gotcha, do you think it happened due to "It's a phase that has to happen" or because I've increased 1h ( 5h -> 6h) the photoperiod and light to 60% (from 50%)? My drop checkers are yellow, so shouldn't be CO2 related problem.

Today I cleaned the hoses, the biomedia and I've removed 1 sponge from the filter, the purpose was to improve even more the flow.

Right now both filters have, at the bottom 1 sponge, the other slots are all filled with Seachem matrix (around 8-9L, both filters summed) and on top 1 sponge (1 has 100ml of purigen)

In all honesty, I think your facing an uphill battle with this tank due to the very light plant mass. There is not much competition for algae plant wise so it’ll be easy for it to take hold. Just keep addressing it here and there when you find it. Stay consistent with your ferts and husbandry, and once these plants take hold you’ll be on cruise control.

 

[riioKen]

and once these plants take hold you’ll be on cruise control.

Yeah, makes sense, I choose lots of fast growers for this purpose. Would it make sense if I trim and replant the "taller" ones (the ones that reach 20cm or more)?

Hygrophila polysperma Rosanervig for example is almost 35cm. But as you said, my plant density is still on the lower side but I'm not worried (yet lol)

 

[Mr.Shenanagins]

If it’s healthy I’d chop it and replant the top. If the bottom half is healthy I’d also leave it to regrow. Polysperma is a fantastic grower and responds really well to trimming. It bushes out quite quickly. I don’t have an experience with the varietals but the normal version grew like a weed for me.

 

[riioKen]

I don’t have an experience with the varietals but the normal version grew like a weed for me.

I can't compare the two polysperma, but I can assure you that in 3 weeks it almost tripled its size without losing a single leaf or melt.

 

[riioKen]

Much has been said, but now I'm SERIOUSLY thinking about switching to osmosis... Why? To have more control over the water (my actual water is 70ppm Ca and 8ppm Mg), to lower KH (I have just noticed that my KH was 8, but today for some reason is 9.5, I don't like fluctuations)

aaaand... I fell in love with crystal Red Shrimp... I love them so badly, I think that CRS could be a good addition to this tank, what do you think? This way I even should improve plant nutrient intake.

What do you think about Arka MyAqua 1900? I don't plan to do add this now, but maybe next month

 

[Count Krunk]

Any standard sized filter housing rodi unit will do.

 

[FrankZ]

Much has been said, but now I'm SERIOUSLY thinking about switching to osmosis... Why? To have more control over the water (my actual water is 70ppm Ca and 8ppm Mg), to lower KH (I have just noticed that my KH was 8, but today for some reason is 9.5, I don't like fluctuations)

aaaand... I fell in love with crystal Red Shrimp... I love them so badly, I think that CRS could be a good addition to this tank, what do you think? This way I even should improve plant nutrient intake.

What do you think about Arka MyAqua 1900? I don't plan to do add this now, but maybe next month

I switched RO/DI and would NOT go back for a high tech tank with my tap water. Better (lower alkalinity) and more stable water source and I would consider it.

Do you need it? Probably not. Does it make things easier? Some yes and some no, it just shifts some of the work load to a different area.

 

[Count Krunk]

Any serious tank i do is with rodi, that's my reefer background coming out.

Once you have the unit, no reason not to use it.

 

[riioKen]

Ok guys, thanks to black Friday, I can find Arka myaqua 1900 at 239€ which seems a great price. If it's a good system, I'll buy it next week. I can place a reservoir of ~150 litres where I plan to reminalize with MgSO4 and as a calcium source idk which one is better than CaSO4 and CaCi2.

About KH, I would like to keep it at 1 or 2, but with the buffing capabilities of aqua soil probably I can't maintain stable at that level.

 

[riioKen]

New tank update, healthy grow, all the plants seems growing. Rotala macrandra a bit stunting maybe? But the rest are going strong. Myriophyllum roraima is almost 40cm long, I need to trim e replant it.

Proserpinaca palustris Cuba lost ALL old leaves, just like Ludwigia polycarpa but both have lots of new growths.

I'm so happy that ludwigia Pantanal is growing very nicely, it's still messy due to old leaves but new growth is very red and circular (a bit elongated probably due to low light)

I think that the tank needs more photoperiod (5h at 60%, and 1h sunset-sunrise) but I'm still afraid of a future algae bloom caused by this.

Left side of the tank, there is a type or AR called kleiens Papageienblatt, behind AR there is rotala h'ra, it's growing messy and horizontal (should be a sign of "enough light")
I'm thinking in swap position with AR and rotala h'ra, OR remove completely h'ra and maybe let propagate more Pantanal in his spot. Any suggestions?

Can't wait to have a nice bush of Ludwigia verticillata white in front, near AR mini with ludwigia palustris super red at back.

 

[Count Krunk]

Bump up the light by say 10% and see what happens, if you think the plants need more light.

 

[riioKen]

Bump up the light by say 10% and see what happens, if you think the plants need more light.

Yeah, I plan to do it, I'm a bit afraid about photoperiod time, but intensity seems a better deal imo. Should I increase more CO2? About ferts I surely have a way more than enough in water column

 

[FrankZ]

Grow the plants and do not worry about the algae. I know that easier said than done but happy plants means minimal to zero algae in the long run. Don’t be afraid of an algae out break because, they can be fixed especially if you make conditions better for the plants’ health.

As far as alkalinity addition for your RO, I would skip it. You will be chasing it constantly with AS. I have had no issues with my fish, plants, or snails since transitioning to zero alkalinity. I did the transition over a few days until I was 100% RO/DI.

 

[riioKen]

Grow the plants and do not worry about the algae. I know that easier said than done but happy plants means minimal to zero algae in the long run. Don’t be afraid of an algae out break because, they can be fixed especially if you make conditions better for the plants’ health.

Yeah i know, seems that i'm on the right path now and im a bit afraid of losing it.

Tomorrow the aquarium turns its first month since planted and im so happy because its literally algae free, i had a bit of hair algae on 1 smaller leaf of nymphea red lotus but probably amanos or otos eats it.

As far as alkalinity addition for your RO, I would skip it. You will be chasing it constantly with AS. I have had no issues with my fish, plants, or snails since transitioning to zero alkalinity. I did the transition over a few days until I was 100% RO/DI.

Yeah i thought that, i need to do more research about tank with 0 kh.

Considering that i'm injecting now "X" amount of co2 with kh 3.5 to reach "lime green drop checker", with less kh i for sure need less co2 injection rate to reach the same amount of co2, right?

I also accidentally discovered that my house pipes are all made of copper, it was probably an easy assumption to make as the houses here are all made like this but I had never thought about it.

So an osmosis system seems to make more sense in my case.

EDIT:
I've bought the RO unit, Arka myAqua 1900. I'll be dry dosing it, MgSO4 and CaSO4. I'm using IFC calculator.

I've used IFC to calculate precisely the tank size and WC amount needed. Tank measurement is 110x50x60h but i've removed around 10cm of AS, so 110x50x50, IFC counts glass thickness too and result is 259L tank.

If i do 50% should be around 130L, the container that i have is 150L (WC difference between 40 and 50% matter?)

if i aim to GH 5 and a ratio 3:1 Ca:Mg i end up with a total amounts of 10,10g of MgSO4 and 12,84g CaSO4 to dry dose directly in the WC container.

Seems alright?

 

[FrankZ]

Yeah i know, seems that i'm on the right path now and im a bit afraid of losing it.

Tomorrow the aquarium turns its first month since planted and im so happy because its literally algae free, i had a bit of hair algae on 1 smaller leaf of nymphea red lotus but probably amanos or otos eats it.


Yeah i thought that, i need to do more research about tank with 0 kh.

Considering that i'm injecting now "X" amount of co2 with kh 3.5 to reach "lime green drop checker", with less kh i for sure need less co2 injection rate to reach the same amount of co2, right?

I also accidentally discovered that my house pipes are all made of copper, it was probably an easy assumption to make as the houses here are all made like this but I had never thought about it.

So an osmosis system seems to make more sense in my case.

EDIT:
I've bought the RO unit, Arka myAqua 1900. I'll be dry dosing it, MgSO4 and CaSO4. I'm using IFC calculator.

I've used IFC to calculate precisely the tank size and WC amount needed. Tank measurement is 110x50x60h but i've removed around 10cm of AS, so 110x50x50, IFC counts glass thickness too and result is 259L tank.

If i do 50% should be around 130L, the container that i have is 150L (WC difference between 40 and 50% matter?)

if i aim to GH 5 and a ratio 3:1 Ca:Mg i end up with a total amounts of 10,10g of MgSO4 and 12,84g CaSO4 to dry dose directly in the WC container.

Seems alright?

Your CO2 rate will stay the same. The drop checker works off of diffusion of CO2 gas from the aquarium water into the vapor space and the into the 4 dKH solution in the drop checker. The alkalinity of the tank water has no effect on the amount of CO2 needed to change the color of the drop checker. All the alkalinity does, from a CO2 perspective, is change your starting degassed and ending CO2 injected pH. For example my tank, with tap water (120 ppm alkalinity) my pH drop with CO2 started at 7.4 and dropped down to 6.2, when I switched to RO/DI (0 ppm alkalinity) the start pH changed to 6.6 and ends at 5.4 after my CO2 injection stabilizes. I hope that makes sense.

For the Ca/Mg, I started with a similar ratio to the one you you are referencing. I was at 15 Ca/ 7.5 Mg. I saw some twisted new growth on a few species. I increased my Ca to 30 and kept my Mg at 7.5. Everything looks better. Now I did toss the hygro that was twisting the worst but the sword plant is ever slowly putting out better leaves so I think I resolved the issue with the increased calcium.

 

[riioKen]

The alkalinity of the tank water has no effect on the amount of CO2 needed to change the color of the drop checker.

Ok so, if i reach 30ppm of co2 at X rate at kh 3. When i'll switch to RO water, i dont need to decrease CO2 injection? It'll only change the pH of the water, but the drop remains the same (example starting 6.6 to 5.4)?

For example my tank, with tap water (120 ppm alkalinity) my pH drop with CO2 started at 7.4 and dropped down to 6.2, when I switched to RO/DI (0 ppm alkalinity) the start pH changed to 6.6 and ends at 5.4 after my CO2 injection stabilizes. I hope that makes sense.

Yeah make sense, i reread more carefully your comment, but I want to leave my statement above anyway, just to understand if I understood correctly. You don't have to chase co2 injection, when the kh swings, if you already found the rate that let you drop ph of 1.0 - 1.4.

For the Ca/Mg, I started with a similar ratio to the one you you are referencing. I was at 15 Ca/ 7.5 Mg. I saw some twisted new growth on a few species. I increased my Ca to 30 and kept my Mg at 7.5. Everything looks better. Now I did toss the hygro that was twisting the worst but the sword plant is ever slowly putting out better leaves so I think I resolved the issue with the increased calcium.

Nice to hear. I'll start with 30ppm of Ca because i heard that is the "safe" spot, especially for who plan to have shrimps. I'm a bit "afraid" that a lower hardness will harm Rotala ramosior Florida but im sure that every plants will appreciate the switch.

I've increased my light intensity to 60% from 55, i'm going very slowly ahaha. In the next weeks i'll go for 70% after that i'll increase photoperiod too.

Plants are very healthy and im veeery happy too