Serious issue with tank... I am doing something really wrong. (pictures)

[greenpointer]

Hey all,

I have the tank running now since august. It is an 18" cube tank, 25 gallon, with three CFL bulbs - 23w,23w, and 26w - all are 6500k.

The substrate is Eco complete, my filtration is eheim 2213, pressurized co2, my temp ranges from 77-80, and I do 50% water change once a week.

I have a betta, 2 tetras, 3 sparkling gourami, 2 young altums, and 2 cory.

The lights are on from about 3pm to 9pm and the co2 from 2pm to 9pm.

I dose EI with dry ferts. Dose regime:
3x a week: N - 0.53 gr (I use measuring spoons so this one is the tad 1/4)
3x a week: (but I do two drops one day of that week): Phosphate - 0.033 gr (drop 1/64)
3x a week: potassium - 0.264 gr (dash 1/8

I also add flourish three times a week about half cup full and iron (flourish) two times a week.

Issues:

I have a lot of algae and the plants seem to die off or barely grow. Snails die in 24 hours from when I add them... When I started the tank I got a lot of snails with the plants and they were multiplying. Then they ALL died off and now when I add a few - they die very quickly.

Also, I got some floaters on Friday and now their roots, that were white and healthy, are now getting brown and short...

The photos were taken right after a water change which is the reason for that crazy pearling. I do not have any pearling in general.

I am obviously doing something really wrong. Please help me fix this.

[tiggity]

How long do you have your lights on?

nvm, It's early for me and I can't read

[Grimnokk]

What are your water parameters? Nitrate, trite, ammonia, KH, and DH?

[n00dl3]

You got a lot of light so you'll need to have a very good co2 distribution. ALL your plants must sways... even at the very bottom leaves. From your specs, you will need to increase your flow/circulation in the tank. I would recommend to add a power head. Make sure you've a very good surface agitation too or you'll be gasing your fish.

As for your fert dosing... I think it is incorrect. You're not providing enough K (potassium). I would recommend reading this thread about the fert:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/sh...ad.php?t=21944

You should follow the regime below.

20~40gal
50% H20 change-weekly
1/4 Tsp-KN03 3x a week
1/16 Tsp-KH2P04 3x aweek
1/2 Tsp-GH booster once a week
5ml or 1/16Tsp-Trace 3x a week
Optional
1-2ml-Fe/Iron 3x a week

If your snails are dying that quick, you got too much iron in your tank. Reduce your iron dosage and/or test your water for iron.

[GeToChKn]

I don't know if a 6 hour photo period is enough for the plants to even start to ramp up and use the CO2 and all the ferts you have in there. Maybe cut the bulbs down to 13w's and 2 13's and 1 23w or something and go longer for the lights.

[Kathyy]

I would cut the amount of light and lengthen the day too.

I don't see any ripple on the water's surface. Oxygen is really important to all living things in the tank from bacteria to fish, get some ripple on the water surface.

Might try to reduce the organics by wiping down the tank surfaces, rinsing filter media and hoovering the substrate when you change water. Clean tank surfaces really makes it look better anyway.

Because of all the bubbles I cannot see how the plants are placed but the tall red stuff is really crowded looking. You might spread out the individual stems a bit to give them a chance to grow. They might be in poor shape all scrunched together and would perk up if allowed some light and fresh water.

Floaters are nutrient HOGS. You might experiment with adding a bit more of one or the other nutrients to see what happens. In particular if you have any GSA [I don't see any] try more phosphate. Brazilian pennywort adores phosphate and gets kinked roots if there isn't enough for its liking. Since the floaters are new to the tank it could be a rough transition and you will be seeing happy new plants soon.

n00dl3, iron kills snails? Maybe that is what happened to my MTS a couple years back. I am not a heavy user of iron but perhaps the extra phosphate my tank gets did a bit of combining with iron to form iron phosphate which is a snail killer. Since then I have maintained a small population of ramshorns though.

[greenpointer]

A bit conflicting info here. Too much or too little light?

I read the Barr documents yesterday and I will change his regime. I will try to improve my CO2 distribution and stop dosing iron.

I am also doing a black out from yesterday until saturday. Q - I don't add co2 or ferts while black out right?

[wkndracer]

your getting lots of good advice but do you know the basic mineral content of your source water? (GH (Ca, Mg), KH, TDS)

[Captivate05]

Originally Posted by greenpointer

A bit conflicting info here. Too much or too little light?

I read the Barr documents yesterday and I will change his regime. I will try to improve my CO2 distribution and stop dosing iron.

I am also doing a black out from yesterday until saturday. Q - I don't add co2 or ferts while black out right?

Your light is too intense, but the duration isn't long enough. Remove a bulb, or if you can, lift them up so it isn't so intense. Increase the photoperiod to around 8 hours.

[greenpointer]

The tank has been sitting in the dark for 4 days. I will change the water now and add ferts.

It seems like nothing happened. The algae is still prevalent in the tank and the floaters are now dying off.

I'll test the waters in a few days and try to increase my light duration to 8 hours

[Bettatail]

cut the light in half, stop EI, do not add fert(Eco-complete is good enough for rooted plants), temp below 75, and steady co2 less than 1 bubble per second.
avoid fluctuation is the key, and your tank is too small, parameters swing too much, plants stunted.
as long as you keep the parameters steady, plants will adjust to (wide range of) certain conditions, and start healthy growth.
water change + water change, to keep the tank water close to your tap water parameter.
cut the infected leaves or hand clean the diatom film off the plants, it will take weeks before the algae disappear.

EI is too early for you, it is a method to push maximum plants growth, once the plants adjusted and start healthy growth, get back to EI.

[greenpointer]

Originally Posted by Bettatail

cut the light in half, stop EI, do not add fert(Eco-complete is good enough for rooted plants), temp below 75, and steady co2 less than 1 bubble per second.
avoid fluctuation is the key, and your tank is too small, parameters swing too much, plants stunted.
as long as you keep the parameters steady, plants will adjust to (wide range of) certain conditions, and start healthy growth.
water change + water change, to keep the tank water close to your tap water parameter.
cut the infected leaves or hand clean the diatom film off the plants, it will take weeks before the algae disappear.

EI is too early for you, it is a method to push maximum plants growth, once the plants adjusted and start healthy growth, get back to EI.

Ok. I want to follow this. I will do this. Only question - light: you said cut light in half - intensity or duration ? Tell me what it should be pls. I will do all that you mentioned and update soon.