[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: Chemical/Fert help




> From: Richard_Clark at doh_state.fl.us
> Subject: fertilizer/chemistry help

> I bought some test kits and my chemistry so far with 3 bubbles/sec co2 is:
> 
> KH= 95ppm
> pH=7.0

I'd drop the pH to 6.8. If it climbs to 7.0 at the end of the day this is
fine.

> Ammonia=0
> nitrite=0
> 
> My tank is 135 gal, 3 rows of power glo and 1 row of flora glo bulbs, two
> filstar canister filters with activated carbon added (should I take it
> out?). 
> Plants living in tank for 1 year: crypts, african swords, water sprite,
> african fern, cork val, red tiger lotus and some microsword of some sort.
> From what I have read nothing should be alive but all is alive and very very
> 
> short.  LOL

Well, you did not give the NO3. NO2 and NH4 should be 0.
You also don't seem to have much light for 135. Those are 4 ft 40 watt
bulbs?

> 
> I recently started fertilizing with tropica master grow but that won't be in
> 
> my budget much longer.

Buy the dry stuff from the hydroponics places.

>  Fish are: four true veil goldfish, 6 blue wag
> platties, 6 oto cats, 3 cory cats, and 1 small pleco.  After reading the
> site 
> for a while I went out and bought 2 amano shrimp and they croaked that
> night? 
> Ghost shrimp i tried lasted about 9 months?


Well you'd need 40 to 80 to do well in a 135.
 
> Looks like I am going to need to rob a bank and buy truck load of
> fertilizer. 
> Someone replied earlier this month with advice on how to do that cheaply
> but 
> I can't seem to find it.  My eyes are crossed from looking through all the
> messages so if you posted that could you send it to me?

> 
> I suppose I need to up the CO2 as well?

Just a tad. Light seems like your limitation. Hydroponics places sell
everything you need if your on a budget or at the local hardware store for
the macro's. Ask the water dept for your PO4 and NO3 level out of the tap.
Regards, 
Tom Barr
 
> Rick
> Tallahassee, FL 
> biologist by day, classical dancer by night and horse trainer on the
> weekends
>