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LF: Tricks for maintaining a thick carpet

2K views 7 replies 6 participants last post by  nmullens 
#1 · (Edited)
Tank Specs:
120gal 4x2x2 with a Fluval FX5 for filtration. Pressurized co2 on a separate loop powered by a Mag 9.5 needle wheel, has a DIY reactor (24" x 2" on a bit of an angle). Loop also has bypass to prevent the pump from overpowering the reactor. I use about a 10lb tank in a month and a bit running at about 8-12 bubble per second (but I can't be sure they go too quick) . For lighting I have Tek T5HO lighting mounted about 8.5" from the water with 2 bulbs on for 7hrs. I have two other bulbs that I used to keep on for 3hrs but am currently not running because of my problem. For substrate I have worm casting and sand (50/50) on bottom layer. This is caped with Eco complete in the back with my stems and black florite sand in the foreground with my clover.

Ferts:
KNO3 4.5gr eod
K2SO4 5gr eod
KH2PO4 1.4gr eod
CHSMB 1.7gr eod
flourish iron 2 cap fulls eod
GH boost (3 part KSO4, 3 part CaSO4, one part MgSO4) 2 teaspoons EOD

I am having some troubles with some of my carpet plants once they get very thick. I have kept may different kind of carpet plants but only had this trouble with a few: HC, UG, and currently clover. The rest of my tank is very healthy a growing well. It starts once my foreground in very thick and shows up as a brown melted area usually about an inch around. This grows from day to day working its way through melting the whole foreground. The whole process takes some time. For instance, by the time it is done melting all the thick foreground it will already be growing back where it started. The first time this happened it was just my UG that melted so I turned up my co2. The second time my HC had grown in nice and thick (3 square feet) and I just got a new Tek light setup. This time because of the melting plant matter I started to get BGA. I cranked up my co2 but that didn't seem to help, the whole carpet melted and what didn't melt you could see small amounts of BGA on. I was annoyed and didn't want to deal with that situation again so, I put my co2 on a separate loop and added in a bypass around my reactor so I could adjust the flow through it. At this point my HC was ugly looking and I had some clover I stuck in with my stems that had taken off. I removed all of the HC and replanted the area with clover in hopes that it would be much less demanding and wouldn't melt like HC. The clover filled in very quick over a couple months but again it started melting and has just finally worked its way though all my clover. I am going to hang my light this weekend so I can raise it up to 12" or 16" opposed too the 8" it is now. Other then that I am not sure what else I can do so this doesn't happen to my foreground. I see all those amazing thick foreground picture all over the internet. I want to do that without it melting away once I get it there.

I guess I am supposed to ask a question not just complain about my problem. so anyone have any more ideas I can try?

Picture of tank with HC just starting to grow in before it melted




Picture of tank with clover before it started melting and I started a started re scaping the left side
 
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#3 ·
I was just looking at your tank and was like "wtf, I've seen that tank before", then looked over and saw you were from Vancouver. Welcome to TPT- as you can tell, I'm way more active on here than on BCaquaria.
 
#5 ·
Nice tank. regarding carpet, seems like too little light for carpeting. May need to lower the fixture, maybe just add hours.
Lol, I have been doing the opposite. I have been raising my lights up and lowering the hours.

I have been doing this because I was under the impression that the high light was causing higher uptake of co2 and nutrients. Thus causing my thick carpet to grow too fast and melt because it can't get the co2 or nutrients it needs.

The Tek lights are very bright, I replace a 256W PC and a Glo T5HO 2x54W and noticed quite an increase in light with the Tek 4x54W.
 
#7 ·
Your tank looks awesome. I have a 120g tank also, and am taking a different approach with it's lighting. I have the TEKHO 6x54W hung 9 inches above tank. I run lights on two timers: 2 lights on for 2 hours, then 4 lights on for 2 hours, then all 6 lights on for 2 hours, back down to 4 lights on for 2 hours, then ending with 2 lights on for 2 hours. My glosso was growing like a weed for the first few months, now it's growth has slowed some. I'd be interested to see if you upped your lighting period what would happen to your carpet.
 
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