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time to tweak the tank



This is more complicated than it seems...

I think I have the CO2 thing nearly undercontrol in the new 40 gal plant
tank. I added the DIY CO2 and have a small air stone gassing out under
the foam box pre filter on the rio 200.  I am getting an almost constant
stream of tiny bubbles, but most are wasted and the few that do get
picked up and sent thru the system seem to be keeping the CO2 going. 
The pH is falling a bit further than I want, but someone suggested
putting an air stone to disturb the surface on a timer set to come on in
the middle of hte night if the pH falls too much.  That is my next
ecperiment.

Right now, I have the CO2, no air stone for the tank (and no fish), no
waterfall--I removed the the Aquaclear along with the fish.

THe plants are growing but things are not as smooth as they were in the
15 gal natural light tank.  THe crypts are taking root nicely, the
Amazon Swords are recovering but have yellow on the older leaves (the
plants are very small now from a die back during transition), the Vals
are starting to grow but are a bit pale, the Java Moss is a bit brownish
and puny looking and the Java Ferns are of course robust.  The grasses
look good, too.

The pH is between 6.6 and 7.0, 7 dGH, 4 dKH, temp 74, light is HOme
Depot shop lights, two four foot 40 watters on a three foot $0 gal
tank.  Food is Kents Freshwater micro nutrients, stump remover, laterite
in substrate, epsomsalts and the Jobs Fern sticks I just added near the
roots of the Swords last night. The tank is lightly plnated by plant
tank standards.

I will pick up some TMG tomarrow when I am in the big city.

First question: How often do I need ot feed the tank liquid fertilizer?
It looks like several times a week to daily from reading the list.  With
the TMG, so I need to keep adding epsom salts (mostly for hardness,
really) and or the stump rot stuff?  How often do I need to stick in
Job's sticks?

Second question: I noticed ALOT of powdery ditritus or gunk settled on
the driftwood and gravel last night.  I understand that the plants will
use some of it for food, but should I up my filtration?  I have two Rio
200's in the rear corners as my only filtration.  I am thinking about
going to a canister filter; would the Fluval 204 or 304 be sufficient
for a 40 gal plant tank with cories, otos, SAE's, a bushynosed, a few
baby clown loaches 9slated for the big tank later) and three S.
nigriventris?

I really cannot get this relationship between plant tanks and filtration
straight. Air, I don't need air? I think in terms of goldfish, which
means AIR and FILTRATION, ubt this seems to be the opposite...

thanks for your thoughts, 
troi