The original thread that started this tank can be found here:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/low-tech-forum/82524-non-co2-tom-barr-method.html
Here is a recap thus far...
Setup:
Substrate: Flourite Black Sand
Lighting: two CF 9watt Coralife bulbs 8hrs/day
Ferts: Excel 1/day
Plants: Java Fern, Cardinal Flower (just found out this is not a true aquatic :\ ), Crytocoryne Ciliata (I think var. latifolia), Amazon Sword, Hygrophila Corymbosa
Day 6:
Water Perams. before WC...
PH 8.0 (my water's hard outta the tap)
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrate 5.0 (don't know where nitrite test is)
After WC:
Ferts: Excel 1/day, pinch of Nitrate, Phosphate, Potassium Sulfate, approx 2ml TMG
Comments on last thread:
"Welp, it's been 6 days and I ended up doing a WC one day early cause the plants were not fairing too good. I don't know if I was supposed to start out with putting ferts in the first day when I set up the tank, but I didn't. I was allowing the plants to get settled first and get used to the water parameters. I kept the two 9watt CF Coralife lights on it to test out how much algae would sprout with it vs plant growth. So far, I have developed a minor case of fuzzy algae (I think it's hair algae but it's not green). By minor, I mean that it's settled on some leaves and stems of the slower growth hygro. The filter's working OK. I didn't end up putting anything over it. You were right Homer, the grains are too heavy, and end up falling to the ground after only a little while of being disturbed (unlike that dang cloudy powder). The plant growth is minimal. I didn't notice much growth. Because of the deficiencies in the plants, I ended up putting some iron and nitrate in the water (I have also been dosing Excel daily). That's what I thought the deficiencies were in but correct me if I'm wrong anyone. It didn't seem to help much and I put too much iron in cause the water turned yellowish lol. Woops! This was before the WC. After the WC, I put a pinch of Potassium Nitrate, Mono Potassium Phosphate, Potassium Sulfate, a few dribbles of TMG, and a ml of Excel."
Pics:
Setup:
Day 6:
Plant die off on day 5:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/low-tech-forum/82524-non-co2-tom-barr-method.html
Here is a recap thus far...
Setup:
Substrate: Flourite Black Sand
Lighting: two CF 9watt Coralife bulbs 8hrs/day
Ferts: Excel 1/day
Plants: Java Fern, Cardinal Flower (just found out this is not a true aquatic :\ ), Crytocoryne Ciliata (I think var. latifolia), Amazon Sword, Hygrophila Corymbosa
Day 6:
Water Perams. before WC...
PH 8.0 (my water's hard outta the tap)
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrate 5.0 (don't know where nitrite test is)
After WC:
Ferts: Excel 1/day, pinch of Nitrate, Phosphate, Potassium Sulfate, approx 2ml TMG
Comments on last thread:
"Welp, it's been 6 days and I ended up doing a WC one day early cause the plants were not fairing too good. I don't know if I was supposed to start out with putting ferts in the first day when I set up the tank, but I didn't. I was allowing the plants to get settled first and get used to the water parameters. I kept the two 9watt CF Coralife lights on it to test out how much algae would sprout with it vs plant growth. So far, I have developed a minor case of fuzzy algae (I think it's hair algae but it's not green). By minor, I mean that it's settled on some leaves and stems of the slower growth hygro. The filter's working OK. I didn't end up putting anything over it. You were right Homer, the grains are too heavy, and end up falling to the ground after only a little while of being disturbed (unlike that dang cloudy powder). The plant growth is minimal. I didn't notice much growth. Because of the deficiencies in the plants, I ended up putting some iron and nitrate in the water (I have also been dosing Excel daily). That's what I thought the deficiencies were in but correct me if I'm wrong anyone. It didn't seem to help much and I put too much iron in cause the water turned yellowish lol. Woops! This was before the WC. After the WC, I put a pinch of Potassium Nitrate, Mono Potassium Phosphate, Potassium Sulfate, a few dribbles of TMG, and a ml of Excel."
Pics:
Setup:
Day 6:
Plant die off on day 5: