[vincel892]

Need some help. Just noticed some patches of my Monte Carlo have been turning light yellow and transparent. Been growing very well up until now. Dosing EI (Kno3, kh2p04, k2so4, trace every other day). I'm in Toronto so water is already pretty hard. And injecting co2. Based on API test kit nitrates : 20-40 ppm and phosphates: 3-5 ppm. CO2 is at least 30 ppm.
Lights are on 6 hours per day.

 

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Hi vincel892,

I just checked the water analysis for Toronto, you have about a 4.0 - 5.0 dKH which isn't that high. Your are correct, you should have sufficient Ca and Mg with your levels being approximately 34ppm for Ca and 8.7ppm for Mg. Are you doing your weekly 50% water changes?

 

[vincel892]

Hi vincel892,

I just checked the water analysis for Toronto, you have about a 4.0 - 5.0 dKH which isn't that high. Your are correct, you should have sufficient Ca and Mg with your levels being approximately 34ppm for Ca and 8.7ppm for Mg. Are you doing your weekly 50% water changes?

Hey.
Thanks for the reply. I am doing my 50% water changes weekly. Not sure what it could be. The only thing i really changed was increase the flow in my tank by adding 2 hydor koralia 2's.

 

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Hi vincel892,

Adding additional circulation shouldn't cause an issue; have you rechecked your CO2ppm since you increased circulation? Increased circulation can increase the exchange of gasses at the surface and your CO2 level may have dropped if it has then bring it back up.

You should have sufficient nitrates with 20-40ppm; what are you using for your trace elements and how much are you dosing? What is the tank size?

 

[vincel892]

Hi vincel892,

Adding additional circulation shouldn't cause an issue; have you rechecked your CO2ppm since you increased circulation? Increased circulation can increase the exchange of gasses at the surface and your CO2 level may have dropped if it has then bring it back up.

You should have sufficient nitrates with 20-40ppm; what are you using for your trace elements and how much are you dosing? What is the tank size?

This is the composition of my trace mix. I am dosing 1.34g every other day.

EDTA Chelated:
Iron 5%
Manganese 2%
Zinc 0.4%
Copper 0.1%

DPTA Chelated:
Iron 2%
Boron 1.3%
Molybdenum 0.06%

 

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Hi vincel892,

What size of tank so I can compute the PPM?

 

[vincel892]

Oh it's 200 gallon. Sorry about that

Sent from my SM-N920W8 using Tapatalk

 

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Oh it's 200 gallon. Sorry about that

Sent from my SM-N920W8 using Tapatalk

Hi vincel892,

The combination of micronutrients you are dosing is roughly equivalent in percentages to the ingredients in Plantex Nutritrace (CSM). The CSM+B we use here in the U.S. has boron (+B ) added by the sellers. The boron in you micronutrient mix is a little light but should be alright.

It looks like you total dosage of iron (Fe) is about 0.36 ppm per week. Tom Barr typically doses 1.0 ppm 3 times a week / 3.0 ppm total (not 0.1 three times per week) of Fe so it appears the iron may be the deficiency (assuming the test kit for nitrates is correct at 20 ppm - 40 ppm.) I would start by doubling the amount of micro-nutrients you are adding and if you see improvement you can increase it further if necessary. Also double check your CO2 ppm.

Just curious what part of Canada you are in? Are you a Wet Coaster?

 

[vincel892]

That's for all the advice. I will give this a try. CO2 seems fine though. I test it with a pH meter and detect more than a 1 pH drop before and after co2 has been on for 1 hour. I might also try calibrating my test kits using standard solutions.
And I'm actually Ontario.

Just a question though. Would doubling the micro have any harmful effects in terms of toxicity ?

 

[Seattle_Aquarist]

That's for all the advice. I will give this a try. CO2 seems fine though. I test it with a pH meter and detect more than a 1 pH drop before and after co2 has been on for 1 hour. I might also try calibrating my test kits using standard solutions.
And I'm actually Ontario.

Just a question though. Would doubling the micro have any harmful effects in terms of toxicity ?

Hi vincel892,

I've been to Toronto a few times, a very nice city (except in the winter).

As I said Tom Barr doses typically does 0.9 ppm 3 times a week for a total of 2.7ppm and he has not complained of toxicity; your double dose is only 0.72 ppm so you are far, far under that.

 

[vincel892]

Hi vincel892,

I've been to Toronto a few times, a very nice city (except in the winter).

As I said Tom Barr doses typically does 0.9 ppm 3 times a week for a total of 2.7ppm and he has not complained of toxicity; your double dose is only 0.72 ppm so you are far, far under that.

Okay I understand. But in terms of doubling the other micros as well ? Would that be okay ?

 

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Okay I understand. But in terms of doubling the other micros as well ? Would that be okay ?

Hi vincel892,

You should have no issues with the other micros.

 

[vincel892]

Hi vincel892,

You should have no issues with the other micros.

Thats great. I will give this ago. Thanks for your advice

 

[Darkblade48]

Just as a thought; I purposely do not add boron to (this exact) trace mix, just in case people want to add it themselves