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kitty litter tank questions
Hello all,
got a "few" questions.
I set up a 55 gallon last month, using the Quackenbush system (almost
exactly), kitty liter and osmocote covered with sand blasting sand. My
plants have really exploded with some exceptions.
I've got E. tenellus and amazonicus that aren't doing well at all, along
with V. spiralis. The Val is green and growing slowly, but the Echin
species are not growing at all and what leaves there are, are usually light
green to yellow. I suspected K def. or Mg. and added these last week. (way
too soon i know:-)) My NO3 are still around 25ppm and now the Gh has come up
slightly, a result of the Mg i assume? I too have been experiencing vast
amounts of "hair" algae growth. Most of it came in from another tank with
some Java Moss that i used to wrap some rocks in the foreground. It may not
really be hair algae. It is dark green and grows in tufts in the original
tank. In this one is is more strand like but still very tough. Now most of
the leaves are fringed in it. I also have some small amounts of brown slime
algae which the octos are handling. Is all this algae something that I'll
have to deal with as a break in period?? I have stopped adding Mg and K
even though NO3 are still at 25ppm plus.
Another pt to ponder is that the Mexican Oakleaf which is growing "quite"
well is coming in thinner and with leaf nodes farther apart. when I plaaced
it in the tank the stems were thick. Is this normal? Is this a sign of
something missing?
And finally, smell. today while pulling out algae and dead leaves i noticed
my arm came out smelling just like a dead fish. I smelled the water surface
and it smelled the same. The room (fortunately) does not share the smell,
but Ive not had this smell be so strong before. Any suggestions?
BTW
water is clear
lighting is 2 40 W cool whites and 2 40 W Sunlight (Chroma 50's)
55 gallon tank
3-4 inch substrate, sand over kitty litter (pH 7) with osmocote
approx. 80% of ground space planted.
9 cardinal, 5 lemon, 2 black neon tetras
2 altispinosa, 1 whiptail cat, 2 skunk loaches, 4-5 caridina shrimp
filtration: Magnum 350, no media, just filter wadding.
NO3 25ppm +, Gh 22ppm, Kh 8-10 ppm, pH 7.4
DIY CO2 injection, two bottles changed everyother week rotating each one
with a newer one. (no noticeable bubble count normally. At 7 pM there are
usually oxygen bubbles present though)
thanks in advance for any advice or suggestions.
Joe
New Website: http://aquaticlounge.aquariumplants.cx
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