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Re: Craig's tank
Craig wrote: <cwuepp at juno_com>
> Subject: Craig's tank
> I was wondering if anybody out there could comment on my setup
> and make some comments/suggestions. Things aren't as green as they should
> be and leaves (especially on my sword) are thin and narrow, almost
> transparent. Rotala indica and micranthenum umbrosum grow well. Anubius
> becomes covered and with a dark, almost black coating of algae.
> 29 gallons
> 3X 20 W (2 tritons, 1 vitalite)
60 watts is low for that depth of tank, but it'll grow a descent set of
low-light plants. The swords love lots of light. AH supply sells CF at
good prices, if you so desire.
> KH: 2.8 (too low??)
Depends. I keep mine at 3.5-4.5dK. pH values never drops below
6.6 or 6.7.
> CO2: ~15 mg/L (varies) yeast-sugar mixture, outlet fed into intake of my
> box filter
Good.
> nitrate: 1 ppm (what do you think? should I add nitrates?)
Need more, 5-10ppm. Plus the K is an added bonus.
> substrate: 15 yr/old medium-coarse gravel (never distrubed) w/ duplarit
> K added. I've just started to add some jobes plant spikes.
Good. Sounds rich. Spike the heavy root feeders. The rest get
along fine.
> fertilizer: three drops of Dupla24 daily, + dupla base fertilizer w/
> every water change (20% every 10 days or so)
Good.
> plants: amazon sword (failing), green hygro, rotala indica, various
> crypts, bacopa, anubias.
Swords and crypts may need the Jobe's, but the others will do fine
w/o them. Small pieces of Jobe's plus a good level of NO3 in the
water should bring everything to green. Small amounts of ferrous
iron are needed, too, but it's probably in the Dupla24 mix. Check
your K and Mg (if you can). If not, add a little K2SO4 and Epsom
salt to the tank. Little additions over time, not a big change. You
should notice a difference in a week or two.
> fish: about 10 medium- small. Don't know the names for most of them.
Good. Try to score some Otos and SAEs, maybe some type of
shrimp. Heck, everybody else is doing it! ;-)
> I would greatly appreciate any comments or suggestions.
Good luck, Craig. If all else fails, we can go to Mitch's house and
swim in his tank!!
Jamie <"\\\><
Greenwood, SC