Critique my 25 gallon tank.

[David Martin <dmartin72 at comcast_net>]

Hi all,

	I am a long time reader of the ADP.  It's been a while since I last posted.
Wow, I feel like I'm in confessional.  I just set up a new 25 gallon high
aquarium at the beginning of November.  Steve Maier sent me some E. Stellata
and A. Gracilis.  These plants were robust!  Thanks Steve.  Just as Steve
had mentioned, the E. Stellata sort of died at the tip and is starting to
produce several side shoots from the top.  Most of the stems, however, are
growing straight up.  The A. Gracilis is a monster plant for a 25 gallon
tank, but I really like the color and texture.  I also have some anubias
nana, rotala wallichii, m.micranthemum, a large centerpiece driftwood with
Christmas moss, dwarf hair grass and glosso in the foreground.  The aquarium
is a 25 gallon high (24" wide and pretty high).  I have an Eheim 2322 with
heater integrated into the filter.  The tank is set at about 76 - 78
Fahrenheit.  On top is 110 watts of CF.  I have to DIY CO2 bottles feeding
into the Eheim.  On the bottom, I have Onyx sand.  I do not have any fish
yet!  I will be getting some Otto soon (this weekend).
	My water parameters straight out of the tap are KH 4, GH 7, PH 7 and NO3
10.  As of two minutes ago, my KH was 7, GH 11, PH 7 (all done with Tetra
test kits) and NO3 10 (my NO3 spiked to between 20 and 50 according to my
Red Sea test kit).  I have not added any ferts in over a week so the only
reason I can come up with the NO3 spiking is the hair grass came planted in
the wool substrate that must have had fertilizer in it.  I did do a water
change that brought the NO3 number back down to the usual 10.  I have a
little algae in the glosso (which looks like gray fuzz).  Some of the rotala
wallichii has something on the fine little leaves.  Some of them do not. The
anubias nana are getting a lot of brown algae on them.  Also, I did notice
some green algae on the Christmas moss.  I'm just wondering if this is just
a normal break in period (considering I don't have my maintenance fish) or
can anyone see anything wrong with my parameters?  I will have pictures
soon.  Overall the tank looks pretty good.  The water is crystal clear.  The
plants are pearling.  I would love to hear any suggestions or comments.

David