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What did you do to your tank(s) today?

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When I was reading this below, I was thinking........
Dennis Wong said:
However, as someone that grows plenty of pickier species, I find that growth with aquasoil/ammonia produces better growth in many species. Better in the sense of not only faster growth, but better growth forms - thicker leaves, fuller crowns, denser bushes etc.
Click to expand...

Basically what you wrote here.
Dennis Wong said:
Its not only about being able to grow X plant, but being able to grow X plant with density, ability to recover from trimming sessions, to be shaped and grown into dense bushes with competing plants surrounding them. You need many small optimizations to stack up cumulatively to a system that is robust enough to give such outcomes.
Click to expand...
Growing plants and growing them well are 2 different things.

Thanks again for taking the time to follow up.
Now if my APT Jazz will just get here. :)
 
IMG_4034.webp
Slowly turning it around. This is typical. Had 100% GDA and it’s now removed from the glass. However, it turns into green water.

Added the portable UV filter today. I expect the water to be clear in a few days.
 
DutchMuch said:
Today I received my Hanna Co2 Test Kit. On the first test, taken mid day in the scape, my Co2 levels came out to 45 ppm. Right on target! No more, no less. With that result, I do not think my fingers will be touching the needle valve adjuster ever again...
Click to expand...
Ha! I received mine today as well. Plan to start measurements tomorrow. I've been going by PH measurements and a drop checker up to now and suspect I can inject a little higher.
 
techman81 said:
Ha! I received mine today as well. Plan to start measurements tomorrow. I've been going by PH measurements and a drop checker up to now and suspect I can inject a little higher.
Click to expand...
Let me know your results and what you think of using it. I was a little confused at first, but I found a post here on the forum that explained how to use it properly, which helped a lot.

Before this, I was using a drop checker and tracking pH changes to estimate Co2 levels as well.
 
DutchMuch said:
Let me know your results and what you think of using it. I was a little confused at first, but I found a post here on the forum that explained how to use it properly, which helped a lot.

Before this, I was using a drop checker and tracking pH changes to estimate Co2 levels as well.
Click to expand...
Will do.
 
Commenced DIY ferts today on one of my tanks for the first time.
Up until now I was using a commercial fert from an Australian company (seen as I am in Aus), before finding out said company was using 2HR aquarist images on its website without permission it seems for their plant sales. So I stopped purchasing from them and after seeing posts here and elsewhere about DIY ferts i looked into it further and seemed a no brainer to me.

Using the following dry salts:
  • KNO3
  • KH2PO4
  • K2SO4
  • MGSO4
  • Rexolin APN for the micros.
Compared to the states and elsewhere, this type of stock is quite limited but found a place finally.

Targeting the following parameters over a week but will of course be trial and error. 50% water change weekly:
  • NO3 (Nitrate): 15
  • PO4 (Phosphate): 3
  • K (Potassium): 20
  • Fe (Iron): 0.45
I do need to purchase a PO4 kit.
Is it worth also getting a kit to test K? I think Salifert has one?

I don't have an auto doser so adding the old fashioned way via syringe for now.
i think will be adding half the macros after a water change and the other half mid week, then the micros, 3 times a week, starting the day after the water change.

If this sounds crazy wrong let me know.
 
Aquajack said:
Commenced DIY ferts today on one of my tanks for the first time.
Up until now I was using a commercial fert from an Australian company (seen as I am in Aus), before finding out said company was using 2HR aquarist images on its website without permission it seems for their plant sales. So I stopped purchasing from them and after seeing posts here and elsewhere about DIY ferts i looked into it further and seemed a no brainer to me.

Using the following dry salts:
  • KNO3
  • KH2PO4
  • K2SO4
  • MGSO4
  • Rexolin APN for the micros.
Compared to the states and elsewhere, this type of stock is quite limited but found a place finally.
Click to expand...
Glad you found something. Looking forward to following your journal with this.

Aquajack said:
Targeting the following parameters over a week but will of course be trial and error. 50% water change weekly:
  • NO3 (Nitrate): 15
  • PO4 (Phosphate): 3
  • K (Potassium): 20
  • Fe (Iron): 0.45
I do need to purchase a PO4 kit.
Is it worth also getting a kit to test K? I think Salifert has one?
Click to expand...
If you go HERE you can see @Naturescapes_Rocco review of some test kits. It should help you pick the correct one. Hint: Yes, Salifert

Aquajack said:
I don't have an auto doser so adding the old fashioned way via syringe for now.
i think will be adding half the macros after a water change and the other half mid week, then the micros, 3 times a week, starting the day after the water change.

If this sounds crazy wrong let me know.
Click to expand...
Most of us here dose with something like THIS. I hope you can get into the US Amazon. If you can't, let me know, and I'll try to find you a better link. I'm pretty sure you can find them there. There are different sizes and styles.
 
BenB said:
Glad you found something. Looking forward to following your journal with this.


If you go HERE you can see @Naturescapes_Rocco review of some test kits. It should help you pick the correct one. Hint: Yes, Salifert


Most of us here dose with something like THIS. I hope you can get into the US Amazon. If you can't, let me know, and I'll try to find you a better link. I'm pretty sure you can find them there. There are different sizes and styles.
Click to expand...
Thanks BenB, much appreciated. I'll have a look. Yes It looks like I can order those dosing bottles direct from the US.

I read that post earlier from Rocco. Great post and where I got the Salifert test kits idea from.
The attached is the tank I'm starting the DIY ferts on.
The pathway in the middle is not deliberate, I started with a small pot of MC as a carpet to the right and now letting it fill in over time. I could have just bought 3 or 4 plants and have the whole front covered by now but where is the fun in that lol.

Also thinking it was a bad idea to start using pearl weed as a carpet. Started with a small bit of that too and is nearly across the front except there is way too much maintenance to keep it as a carpet, or maybe I'm just lazy. Don't think it looks as good as MC either, at least as a carpet.

I just read a few things online which confirms what i was thinking about the google pixel 9 in regard to taking washed out bland photos due to over processing. My photos of the tank look nothing like the real thing. Now I know why. I heard the iphone takes much better photos nowadays.
 

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