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Yep extra water changes are helpful. Right after I do about a 90% water change. Now you would think that would be enough, but when you really muck things up there is a LOT of stuff in the water column. It's amazing how much settles on the plants, which in turn weakens them a bit.
In my situation I use pure RO water so it takes a couple of days for me to refill my storage tanks. So I will be performing about 70% water changes every two days for a week or so.
And the fish don't seem to mind at all. It does get pretty murky in there during the process, but once the filters go back on it clears up again pretty quickly. The ammonia spike is mild and with my low pH it's really not harmful to the fish.
It is interesting how different plants react to the small ammonia spike. Some love it.....and some hate it.
Also Arts comment of “resenting “ I’m not so sure the plants have those complex human problems lol j/k but seriously how do Tonina react negatively ?? I have some and notice they grow slower when I replant
Yes Art there are plants that tolerate it better than others. Tonina is one that doesn't like it much. At times it can melt for a bit before it recovers that is for sure.
It really depends on the plant. For instance Rotala Macranda Caterpillar does not care at all. You can pull the bunch, rip off 6", shove it back in and it never blinks. But Rotala Macranda Variegated takes more care when trimming. It doesn't like being treated rough and takes a little time to perk back up.
I have also found that many lower growing foreground plants like most Erio's or Samolus Parviflorus don't like to be uprooted often. Better to trim while they are in place as much as you can.
And this information is hard to come by. For me it's just been trial and error over many years to see what works best with which plants.
Some plants melt a bit at the lower level. Some stall and just stop growing for a bit. Some become generally weaker with less robust new growth. And then others like the Barclaya mentioned above just out and out melt to nothing.
And yes I would agree sometimes these are small differences. But when you've been around a while you learn more about watching and listening to your plants. Once you get the basics down then you start thinking more about fine tuning and bringing out the best in each species. Heck I have been fine tuning for years and am still doing it to this day.
LOL yeah somehow I became the ambassador for low/zero dKH tanks. I never set out to to that, it just evolved over time.
Funny thing is I did run my tank at very high dKH for a while. My source water is very hard well water. It's the reason I ended up going to RO and kept gradually reducing the carbonate hardness. Each time I did the tank became a bit easier, but now I can't go any lower!!
@GreggZ Thank you so much for your front loading macros explenation! It makes perfect sense and I will be trying it starting this week! Years of following normal EI dosing and what you think is the optimal dosing scheme but you have opened my eyes. Hoping it gives good results! Thanks again!
LOL that's an understatement. It completely melts and goes dormant. The good thing is that is always recovers, just takes a long time.
Yes Art there are plants that tolerate it better than others. Tonina is one that doesn't like it much. At times it can melt for a bit before it recovers that is for sure.
It really depends on the plant. For instance Rotala Macranda Caterpillar does not care at all. You can pull the bunch, rip off 6", shove it back in and it never blinks. But Rotala Macranda Variegated takes more care when trimming. It doesn't like being treated rough and takes a little time to perk back up.
I have also found that many lower growing foreground plants like most Erio's or Samolus Parviflorus don't like to be uprooted often. Better to trim while they are in place as much as you can.
And this information is hard to come by. For me it's just been trial and error over many years to see what works best with which plants.
Some plants melt a bit at the lower level. Some stall and just stop growing for a bit. Some become generally weaker with less robust new growth. And then others like the Barclaya mentioned above just out and out melt to nothing.
And yes I would agree sometimes these are small differences. But when you've been around a while you learn more about watching and listening to your plants. Once you get the basics down then you start thinking more about fine tuning and bringing out the best in each species. Heck I have been fine tuning for years and am still doing it to this day.
LOL yeah somehow I became the ambassador for low/zero dKH tanks. I never set out to to that, it just evolved over time.
Funny thing is I did run my tank at very high dKH for a while. My source water is very hard well water. It's the reason I ended up going to RO and kept gradually reducing the carbonate hardness. Each time I did the tank became a bit easier, but now I can't go any lower!!
I figured it's about time for an update. Life has been super busy lately. Between work, travel, home improvement projects at my daughters house, and life in general the tank has not been getting the attention it deserves.
So on Sunday I spent a few hours trying to whip things back into shape. Have an idea of where I am going but will need some time for things to grow out a bit over the next few weeks. Right now most everything is just mowed down to similar heights but that will change over time.
My Barclaya Longifolia has gone dormant again for the fifth time over many years. I think the last substrate cleaning was too much for it and it rebelled. I still have a bunch of bulbs planted and I know at some point it will peak it's head out again. But it can take months. So I put some L. Repen Rubin in that spot for the time being.
I also pulled the Nymphoides Hydrophylla 'Taiwan'. I was looking back at pictures and realized it has been in the same spot in the back left corner for about 5 years. Figured it was time for a bit of change. Also been trying to be better about keeping too many species and and am down to 21 right now. That's about as low as it has been in years.
I often say be careful what you wish for. Once you get plants growing....well...they grow.....a LOT. Here is the tank after I got back from a trip, and then after about 3 hours of cleaning/trimming/replanting.
I feel your pain Gregg - on life as well as fast growth.
Funny how I really like the "before" look. Of course, there is usually only a few days between your before look and OMG everything is at the surface, LOL.
Regardless, nice seeing an update.
I feel your pain Gregg - on life as well as fast growth.
Funny how I really like the "before" look. Of course, there is usually only a few days between your before look and OMG everything is at the surface, LOL.
Regardless, nice seeing an update.
Currently 21 different species. This is pretty low for me. I am trying to become a better person and resist the urge to buy every plant I see. It's difficult but I am getting better at it.
Maintaining that many stems is no easy challenge, especially in a tank 26" deep (as I am now finding out).
I'm quite amazed at your ability to keep that soil so clean. I was really struggling with mine which eventually tipped it over the cliff and it simply could not be saved.
Life gets busy, but it's how we can slow it back down and appreciate the smaller things where we find the best value! Glad you can get get right back into planted tanking with little to no hiccups!
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