Hey guys I've recently set up a 60g (220l) and stripped down my old 30g.
I'm really having trouble getting the balance right in this tank for some reason.
Substrate is Eco complete with clay tabs.
My water is very soft 40ppm TDS
Lighting is capable of being extremely strong. 160 par at substrate level on 100%.
Currently running at 60% for 8 hours per day.
Have 30ppm of injected co2 (1.2ph drop at 4kh)
Currently I'm dosing,
11.15g mgso4
2.2kno3
0.5g kh2po4
Do I need to dose extra k?
These are dosed 3 times per week.
0.6ppm of iron (seachem iron) per week
Currently no other micro dosing due to toxicity.
Also adding seachem replenish for the calcium 1 day per week. (20ml)
I dosed full EI micro's/macros for the first 2 weeks and my plants responded very badly. All my plants curled and twisted, looked white with green veins, growth came to a complete stop, leaf tips burnt.
Now most of these are signs of micro deficiency but dosing full EI micro's 0.6g of Aquagreen trace 3 times per week I should have been no way deficient.
So I put this down to micro's becoming toxic. Since then I have completely stopped dosing micro's and have preformed 4-5 70% water changes over the last 2 weeks.
Growth has started to pick up however most plants are still looking bad.
My question is, is there something obvious I'm missing here?
My plant mass is pretty moderate as I have a lot of room for a HC carpet.
I'm considering using crushed coral in my filter so I don't have to dose calcium. Will that be enough?
Any help is appreciated!
Thanks!
I'm really having trouble getting the balance right in this tank for some reason.
Substrate is Eco complete with clay tabs.
My water is very soft 40ppm TDS
Lighting is capable of being extremely strong. 160 par at substrate level on 100%.
Currently running at 60% for 8 hours per day.
Have 30ppm of injected co2 (1.2ph drop at 4kh)
Currently I'm dosing,
11.15g mgso4
2.2kno3
0.5g kh2po4
Do I need to dose extra k?
These are dosed 3 times per week.
0.6ppm of iron (seachem iron) per week
Currently no other micro dosing due to toxicity.
Also adding seachem replenish for the calcium 1 day per week. (20ml)
I dosed full EI micro's/macros for the first 2 weeks and my plants responded very badly. All my plants curled and twisted, looked white with green veins, growth came to a complete stop, leaf tips burnt.
Now most of these are signs of micro deficiency but dosing full EI micro's 0.6g of Aquagreen trace 3 times per week I should have been no way deficient.
So I put this down to micro's becoming toxic. Since then I have completely stopped dosing micro's and have preformed 4-5 70% water changes over the last 2 weeks.
Growth has started to pick up however most plants are still looking bad.
My question is, is there something obvious I'm missing here?
My plant mass is pretty moderate as I have a lot of room for a HC carpet.
I'm considering using crushed coral in my filter so I don't have to dose calcium. Will that be enough?
Any help is appreciated!
Thanks!