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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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