[dr3ww3rd]

My tank is a 5.5 gallon with new amazonia soil, growing HC, diy co2 with two bottles, dose 1ml of excel everyday and .5 ml of flourish every other day. I also have a 24w 6500k pc light on for 10 hours a day. Anyway I believe I keep having issues with hair algae (there are long green thin strings coming off of my HC and some growing on the plants). I got rid of it then it came back so I am guessing it is from the DIY co2 because my PH has ranged from 6.0 to 6.4. ANYWAY my question is what should I dose to increase my PH and keep it stable and also do you think the PH is even the issue? I want to get some shrimp but don't want to put them in an unstable environment.

 

[Hoppy]

If that tank is about 10 inches high, as I think it is, you have more light than you really need. Two DIY CO2 bottles can give too much CO2 for such a small tank, depending on how big the bottles are. But, the real issue is probably that the high light and CO2 is driving the plants to grow fast, but you aren't dosing the nutrients they need to grow that fast. You should be dosing NPK and trace elements, but you are only dosing trace elements. Read the sticky on dosing schemes to learn about the easiest, cheapest and best way to dose. Your pH isn't a problem, but if you want to breed shrimp, you shouldn't use more than a small amount of CO2, making the use of low light the best option.

 

[Abrium]

hmmmm....

 

[dr3ww3rd]

If that tank is about 10 inches high, as I think it is, you have more light than you really need. Two DIY CO2 bottles can give too much CO2 for such a small tank, depending on how big the bottles are. But, the real issue is probably that the high light and CO2 is driving the plants to grow fast, but you aren't dosing the nutrients they need to grow that fast. You should be dosing NPK and trace elements, but you are only dosing trace elements. Read the sticky on dosing schemes to learn about the easiest, cheapest and best way to dose. Your pH isn't a problem, but if you want to breed shrimp, you shouldn't use more than a small amount of CO2, making the use of low light the best option.

Yeah I figured the NPK was also an issue. I have read on that a lot and found
http://www.aquariumfertilizer.com/i...rnEdit=2&Returnitemname=&ReturnShowItemStart=
but didn't know if that was the right thing to buy (any suggestions would be appreciated). so I just held off. Also, I am in the process of building an ADA style stand for it and i am going to hang my light. Should I also make smaller co2 bottles because currently I am using two 64 oz bottles?

 

[Hoppy]

Don't get that mix - it has no phosphorous, and is in the wrong proportions. Instead get mono potassium phosphate, potassium nitrate, and Plantex CSM+Boron.

I would use only one of those bottles for CO2, but you could get 1 liter soft drink bottles if you want to use two. You need a couple of check valves so you can replace one bottle without dumping the CO2 from the other bottle.

 

[dr3ww3rd]

Don't get that mix - it has no phosphorous, and is in the wrong proportions. Instead get mono potassium phosphate, potassium nitrate, and Plantex CSM+Boron.

I would use only one of those bottles for CO2, but you could get 1 liter soft drink bottles if you want to use two. You need a couple of check valves so you can replace one bottle without dumping the CO2 from the other bottle.

I already have seachem flourish so would that be the same thing as plantex CSM+boron? Is it best to use the E.I dosing method and if so I noticed tom barr has the GH booster. Is that necessary?

10- 20 Gallon Aquariums
+/- 1/8 tsp KNO3 (N) 3x a week
+/- 1/32 tsp KH2PO4 (P) 3x a week
+/- 1/4 tsp GH booster once a week(water change only)
+/- 1/32 tsp (2ml) Trace Elements 3x a week
50% weekly water change

This is what I am looking at btw. I feel so lost....