Do I really need c02? Is Flourish Comp going to be enough? (Long term)

942 Views 11 Replies 3 Participants Last post by brandon429, Apr 25, 2014

philipraposo1982

Discussion Starter · Apr 25, 2014

Hi guys/gals,

I am wondering based on my current plants and set-up how you feel things will be long term, lets say 6 months to a year and onward. My goal is to keep things stupid simple and i don't care for fast growth, I just want things to remain healthy. Additional plants I choose will be for low light/tech setups. Tank has been up for about 1 month now and growth has been more than I expected. Tonina belem is the only plant that is not really thriving, i didn't realize at the fish auction it was a high light plant. it is growing though just not very well. I don't mind if I lose my 20ish stems, but so far its hanging in there. I dose flourish once a week as directed. you think I can continue good growth like i been having and keep things healthy without adding c02 or more ferts? I don't do enough water changes I think, maybe depriving my tank of some essential minerals, I plant to increase the amount of water changes i do.

here is a pic of the tank today, I cut some of the ambulia back. the rotala rotundifolia is growing but the lower leaves tend to not look that great. my mosses are growing and I don't know what to do with them... out of control :s

Here is a list of plants and other info:

crypt wendtti
anubias petite
anubias barteri
asian ambulia
tonina belem
lace fern
dawrf sag
rotala rotundifolia
bacopa caroliniana
dhg
flame, java, and christmas moss
pennywort
jungle val

tank: 75g
filter: eheim pro3 2075
lighting: finnex planted plus
substrate: safe-t-sorb
fert: flourish comp
lights on: 9-10 hours a day
temp: 79-80
nitrates: always below 5ppm
ammo/nitrites 0
kh = 2 drops
gh = 4 drops
ph = 6.6 ish

livestock (thought this might be relevant but unsure)
7 oto cats
1 golden ram
2 pearl gourami
25 cardinal tetra
snails: mts, pond, ramshorn

can you id these plants?!?! i have no idea what they are. I found them floating and planted them, they have been doing alright since.

See less See more

Save

1 - 12 of 12 Posts

phattnug

· #2 · Apr 25, 2014

I thnk it loks good how it is growing im building a co2 thing to get more plant grow i dont uswe fertalizer just fish poies

Save

philipraposo1982

Discussion Starter · #3 · Apr 25, 2014

lol, I thank you for the compliment but not very helpful

Save

brandon429

· #4 · Apr 25, 2014 (Edited)

Im going to call hydrocotyle and bacopa on the plant ids someone w correct if wrong

my predictions for the next two years, if left in current standings, is this:

-starved for nitrogen. sure the bed is a good mix, but there isn't a spot of organics in it yet, so expect peaked growth and then some loss of lower leaves on your stem plants etc. the chain swords, sag's whatever they are may or may not do well they are typically hardy, but in my tanks didn't last without C02

they do better when in an enriched soil, yours is getting there. the close up shots show predictably that all your plant roots are sitting in a very nice soil mix, but its water and rounded pellets that hold them down, not tons of nutrients. your reef quality nitrates imply some hunger coming!

now of course fish loading helps and will catch up in time. again this tank is stuck in between high tech and low tech demands

low tech wants to drive metabolism a little easier with lower lighting, and concentrate on super enriched soils where yours isnt matured yet but has all the good makings in time.

high tech wants that bright lighting, with c02, so your plants are juiced and pulling what little they can from the soil while mainly working off your ferts in the water column.

tank looks good, I predict some minor leaf loss as things balance overall I think you will be fine and the majority of plants will do fine. I noticed you havent hit the algae phase yet, you still have a chance to get UV lol

the dupla co2 kit is so affordable considering how much youve put into that tank already. 10 bucks refill every 3 mos from a welding shop was my 1996-2004 its so worth it. gas it man, no mid ground, go super heavy on one or the other techniques for a sure bet.

See less See more

Save

philipraposo1982

Discussion Starter · #5 · Apr 25, 2014

I actually had some bad BBA and I have hair and had TONS of diatoms (my otos crushed the diatoms) also had some other stuff on the glass, green dots, I used razor to take off.

But I was running my lights like 12 hours a day and didn't have as many plants at the time. nitrates were a bit higher too. I am aware that as nitrates fall algae has a harder time growing as well as other plants. I also been feeding less. I am pretty sure I was over feeding. As my fish have been growing and I am not done stocking I notice great improvement with my plants, mostly with the dwarf sag carpet. When i firt got the sag is was not doing good at all, leaves were decaying and dying pretty quick. It made a huge comeback and not I have runners everywhere.

The increasing amount of snails are great, they are doing fantastic work.

the algae that I do have no is far less than 2 weeks ago and I would imagine if I keep working at it slowly i can have it almost non existant

Save

brandon429

· #6 · Apr 25, 2014

well it looks very clean so far I so wish that tank was in my living room. xtreme pico reefs get boring lol after the first decade i miss my big planted turtle tank

you are fulfilling the most important aspect of algae control in fresh or saltwater by the way, removal. simply not letting it exist gives the impression you have none, thats correct

now if we can find that elusive balance between planning, luck, or cheat gear (UV) it wont come back. all tanks marine and fresh that get wrecked with algae have that happen due to not removing it. nutrients and algae management are secondary, and optional. It always saddens me to see an bba blanketed planted tank where the keeper simply gets overwhelmed and quits removing. our removal work is directly proportional to planning and some luck indeed, but having a totally clean tank is not. its elbow work! you are doing good with it in my opinion. making predictions is just fun stuff for nerds.

sag throwing runners sounds really great I bet a majority of plants w just adapt to what you have, but knowing me if that tank was in my house I dont have that kind of luck. I literally had to design a dedicated low tech tank (that is now 13 and on here in a thread) or go all gas, UV controlled for lighting to have the planted tank I really wanted. I couldnt find a nice mid ground between slow growth in the higher tech tank, for me that was my division point after chasing algae and crappy plant growth in it after the first 18 mos went by.

See less See more

Save

philipraposo1982

Discussion Starter · #7 · Apr 25, 2014

well thanks, I really love how things are coming along. With the lower tech setup its easier to correct problems that start to show up. I love that I don't have to be trimming couple times a week too. I am hoping as the fish continue to grow as well as my plants I can come to a nice balance. I suspect hurdles along the way though, we will see how it goes.

what kind of bacopa do you suspect those small plants are? any the other THIN leaf plant by the hydro is the one i wanted id on.

Save

brandon429

· #8 · Apr 25, 2014 (Edited by Moderator)

yes I believe that plant to be my first aquatic plant bought, able to grow so invasively I think its illegal here in tx

dang the name escapes me Im thinkin
it w be a sec Im trying not to cheat and use google, Im going off hazy memories in college harvesting pounds of that stuff into trash bags to toss out lol. which is prob why they made it illegal

sunrise....something, its coming. gimme a min.

HYGRO! hygrophilia
thats what I think it is, the ole sunset hygro or whatever name nowadays they use.

hygro works like this

put hygro in a co2 tank, get fifty pounds of it to harvest in 4 mos.

put hygro in low tech tank, same

put hygro in container of gasoline in your garage, same
hygro is like Audrey II from the movie little shop of horrors.

See less See more

Save

philipraposo1982

Discussion Starter · #9 · Apr 25, 2014

ah cool. so the leaves should be thicker? the pics i googles of hygro seems like thicker leaves.

Save

brandon429

· #10 · Apr 25, 2014

I think its a variant called sunset which is just thinner leaves. my adults looked the same as your juvi just fifty lbs heavier lol
if Ive mis labeled it, it will hit me driving down the road to lunch later lol then Ill update ha!

Save