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Wings,

Using Chucks Calculator, I get the following results for your dosing:

3/4 tsp Potassium Nitrate = 17.05 ppm Nitrate

You add this 3 times a week? That seems excessive to me. Your total should be maxing out at around 20ppm.

1/6 tsp Potassium Phosphate = 3.7 ppm Phosphate

There is our algae source, IMHO. I for long suspect really high values of P as a source for thread and staghorn algae. This is, of course, debatable as I there are other opinions as well, but so far nobody could proof me otherwise.

How did you come up with these values (just in case I use the calculator wrong).

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

This is what bensaf hooked me up with I think.

I only want 20ppm nitrate for all week to add in? I guess I am a little lost at where I am trying to go.

Help me out. Thanks!

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Wings,

I believe you know Tom's Estimative Index, right?

If you scroll down in it then you will find an example of dosing for a 20G. If you double that dose then you would get the results for a 40G. So maybe 1/2tsp of KNO3 and 1/16tsp of Phosphates. But this is only a base value, for a fully planted healthy tank, with low fish load.

I am not familiar with the required dosings for your micros, I use TMG.

Hope this helps a little,

Ingo

---

Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

So I am not too far off then.

Will start dosing as you sugested. I am tempted do pull the hygro out and give it a bleach bath. If worse comes to worse I have a good handful of cliping I have been saving I could just start over with the hygro.

Pictures to come this afternoon or tonight!

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

This is what bensaf hooked me up with I think.

I don't think so. I've searched thru this thread and can't find any such reccomendation from me. At the top of this page you mention normal dosing is 1/2 tspn of KNO3 and 1/8 tspn of KH2PO4. That's closer to the number I'd recomend.

Well you won't get me to agree nutrients are causing the algae. I've pushed nitrates and phosphates to the point they caused stunting. I'm talking real high 50ppm plus of No3. Didn't have any algae, stunted plants but no algae.

Co2 is were I'd start. What kit are you having difficulty reading.

You can push it to the point were fish are stressed and back off a bit. But you need to be around for a few hours to do this.

Hygro is a fast grower if it's just the top affected trim it off.

Do a 50% + water change to reset and reduce the ferts to normal dosage.No sense putting in quantities that aren't needed.

Co2 is almost always at the root of algae problems , you need to know how to measure it. It's vital.
Bring the fert dosing

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Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

I have been trimming off the really bad stuff but it seems to just keep coming back. I might have to keep that plan much lower way from the light. I will take some pictures later today and ask for some sugestions. I found some weird stuff growing around the base of my crazy crypt today too! not sure if its an algae or a root type thing... who knows. The crypt as been just growing like crazy though. For now pictures will tell the tail.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Wingdsc,

I'm gonna agree with bensaf that the co2 should be raised.
Assuming everything else is in there. Micros,macros,light, etc. I forget what are the lights on this tank again?

Since I refilled my cansister I've upped my co2 even more, it's basically a moving stream. Not slow moving it's moving pretty quick and I see no distress from the fish. I want to see if this stops the bba I have on some rocks and dw.


BTW - If you guys are concerned about nutrients causing algae etc. Why not try doing semi-weekly water changes. Assuming you guys have pythons a water change takes 10 minutes and this way you'll clean up crap and dilute any build-up of ferts.


My Scapes

Here is a little CO2 up date. First the issues I am having with the test is matching the color. I just tested the PH and I am now at 7.0 or maybe a litte under I think. The CO2 is pretty cranked up right now. If the PH is as low as I think it is that puts me at freaking high CO2. 50-60ppm? Being my KH is 17. Fish are all doing fine right now though so I am not overly worried. They even seem to like to play in the screaming stream of bubbles being blasted around from my new filter.

I have to get a little more homework done before I got steal a camera and give you guys some much needed pictures.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Sorry no pictures once again....
CO2 up date. Did another test and Ph was for sure 7.0 or 6.8. that means my CO2 is just sky high. My fish were starting to breath kind of hard and I am getting some bubbles at the top of the water. I turned it down a bit.

And on with the picture!
Something to worry about?
This stuff is at the base of my crypt thats just exploding.

Flying Fox
can you see the fuzzies? Sorry my best try at it!
Nana on the "thing"

The whole tank

Ok what do you guys think? I know its been a really long time since I have posted pictures.

Last picture I posted
Very first picture

I think things have came a long ways.....

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Nothing to worry about on the crypts they are just roots.

Tank is looking good.

---

Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

Ok that makes me feel much better with the crypt. The thing has just been growing out of control. I really like it though. It is much better than the mellon sword I had there.

(Thanks for the Crypts Bob!)

Say what do you think the odds are of a crypt that has been flowering at work coming home with me and keep flowering once it has been reastablished? The thing has flowered probaby 3 or 4 times now and not much really goes into that tank set up.

Thanks for the complement on the tank!

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Yup Wings, the tank is looking nice and you have truely come a long way. Even the Thing fits in now.

And yes, these are roots, and the stuff on the leaf edges is BBA in the beginning stadium. If you cannot get rid of it by optinizing nutrients and CO2 then Excel can be used.

I know nothing about flowering crypts though, if you want to know how to melt them then I can help you out .

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Right now my game plan it is to:
1. Keep up on my CO2 and Nutriants.
2. Trim the Hygro down so its not so close to the top water line.
3. Start dosing the crap out of it with Excel. (man I hope I have enough!)

LF (aka crypt melter!)
Thanks for the complement!

Edit: Shouldn't my flying fox eat this stuff?

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Wings,

Don't go too wild on the Excel, check if normal dosing does it first (use full tank volume initially, then 6 days with half that).

And this is from Chuck Gadds site: "SAEs are one of the only fish known to eat the dreaded Black Brush Algae"

So, I guess that means that the Flying Fox does not do it.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Looking good wingsdsc.

I like the way nothing really competes with the gian hydro around "the thing" keep it that way. Make it fuller with different textures and colors but keep everything at least a few inches lower than "The Thing"

Heard to tell from the pic, but the foreground plants look a bit weak. Maybe I missed something.





My Scapes

Dang it! I guess I got them mixed up on what did what! Should have known!


WC tonight. Also adding in 5 more Brillian Rasboras. MIght do some trimming of things. I have tons of home work so I guess we will see.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Forground plants? They are starting to come around. I got my first runner with the sag. I might buy some more but I was hoping that they would just spread around.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Say what do you think the odds are of a crypt that has been flowering at work coming home with me and keep flowering once it has been reastablished? The thing has flowered probaby 3 or 4 times now and not much really goes into that tank set up.

Crypts are notoriuosly difficult to flower submersed, very rare. Emmersed crypts flower easily. Chances are it won't flower again for another few years.

If you are lucky and leave a submersed crypt undisturbed and healthy it may flower after a year or so. May.

---

Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

Well this one at work has flowered at least three times now. The first was before it was in the tank it is now. It has been in place for maybe a couple of months now and flowered twice. I will have to take some pictures.

When a Crypt flowers does it normally throw out more than one flower at a given flowering. This one has two right now. I think last time it had two too. I might have to risk it. Knowing that this plant is known to flower.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Glass diffuser + New filter = Really high CO2.

I have tested my PH every so often and I have been getting it down to about 6.8 which is really really high CO2 (81 pmm). I have been backing it off slowly trying to figgure out where I really need it set at. Fish were starting to act a little weird so I guess that's about where the line of too much is. I think what I am going to aim for is a PH of around 7.0-7.3

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Little update....
I went a way for the weekend. Friday morning to Sunday night. When I got home tonight about half of my plants are pushing the roof of the water. I have never seen them grow so fast! I will try to get a couple of pictures in the morning.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Some new pictures.

Sorry I didn't link to each one.

Can anyone ID the plant on the counter. I thought it was a crypt but I am not so sure with the bulb like thing at the base. I will have to do some looking but if anyone can help that would be great.

I will post a picture of after the trim job in a while.

Ok just posted the post trim picture. It is the first picture.

Thanks everyone!

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Wings,

The good news is your scaping skills have surpassed your photographic ones. .

Tank is looking good (from what I could see) Good trim job removing the tall stuff from the right side. Get things alittle tighter and your tank will improve even more.



My Scapes

The good news is your scaping skills have surpassed your photographic ones.

Yeah I need to figure out a better way to take some pictures. A tripod for sure would help a ton. Right now I am sitting in my chair backwards and resting my elbos on the back rest. Seems to work much better than free floating. #2 would be to get my own cammer, a nice one, and play around with the setting to get the tank pictures right.

As for the tank...
1. I want to fill the hole in behand the "thing".
2. Make the bunch of Sunset Hygro a more rounded bunch. (I think the reason this stuff grew like crazy is because my heater is back behind it.)
3. Maybe ditch the dwarf sag and go with Cryptocoryne parva. It does not get as tall and I think it would fit in better than the dwarf sag(too bright of a green)

Any other ideas from the plant geeks?


55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Looking good, a plash of color wouldn't hurt any.

The plant on the counter is an Aponogeton, crispus by the looks of it.

---

Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

Bensaf,

Thanks for the plant ID. I really thought it was a crypt until I pulled it out. It has flowered at work quite a few times so I guess it will probably happen in my tank too with it settles in.

Ideas for color and where to put it?


55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Anywhere off center to the left or right, in front of the Hygro.

With the type of plants you have there something with fine leaves. Ludwigia Arcuata would be perfect or Rotalas.

---

Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

I will have to see what I can get my hands on. Things are becoming very very green and a splash of color would be kind of nice.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Well the tank is going really well. Algae has seemed to move to the back burner and the plants are just going nuts! I am having to trim the Sun Set Hygro about twice a week. I am pretty sure it is because the heater is right behind them. I might have to move it.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Well you know when you go to the barber and come back saying what the heck was he thinking? I feel that way about my trim job from tonight! Some how I cut out a big chunk of the giant hygro leaving a big whole behind the "thing". Hate when that happens!

Other than that I found a dead dwarf rainbow stuck on the in take tonight. I think it was the one that jumped ship twice sometime last week. All the other fish are looking good.



55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Well, sometimes you need to give it a decent trim job to get it to grow into a certain shape. Took a hacksaw to mine last night actually. It'll grow back before long, no worries

And sorry about the rainbow...

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Back in the saddle!

Yeah I am not sure what happened with the rainbow. I thought it was doing fine but I guess not. It wasn't looking very nasty so I am guessing it died sometime within the past day or so but when it did its jumping trick was probably over a weekago now that I think about it.

After the post I couldn't stand how everything looked so I moved some plants and DW around. I feel a little better about it now.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Nothing too new. I moved some a few things around just a little bit last week. No other losses of fish. Plants are growing well. No signs of an algae attack.

some of my dwarf sag is starting to get a littel too tall for my likings. I like the plant but something shorter might have to come into the works. My thoughts right now are either cryptocoryne parva or just running my wisteria all the way around. Any other ideas?

Here are some picture of pre-trim and post-trim.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Found another dead fish this week durning the water change. I think it was another rainbow being I can only count 6 of them. This means I have lost 3 from my batch of 9 unless there is one hiding in the plant mass. I am really not sure of my oto count either but my brillant rasboras are in full count. All the other fish are looking fine. I don't really know whats going on with the random fish loss I am having. Maybe I should start testing my water just to make sure things are getting out of wack.

Wait! I just counted 7 rainbows so I have only lost two.

Before doing the water change I did the biggest trim and move of plants I have done in probably a couple of months.

Sunset Hygro is still growing like crazy. I think they might be picking up light from the window because they always seem to be growing that way.

I trimed the bottems of the Giant Hygro for the first time. Only the right half of them. There were almost no leaves half way down but they were really rooted in!

The exploding crypt in the middle I pulled up and found that it was probably about 4 or 5 big plants and a couple of little ones too. I took out the biggest ones and replanted some of the mid-sized ones a little father back.

I pulled about half of my "dwarf" sag. It was getting way too long. The longest leaves were about 8 to 10 inches. Not quite what I would like to call dwarf.

To fill in the area left by the sag. I used some wisteria clipings. I might for the time being just us that as a forground plant.

I added in a new plant tonight too! Red Ludgwigia. I placed this inbetween the Sunset and Giant Hygros. I like the splash of red in there.

I think that is all that I did tonight. Sorry no picture, I had to give my brothers camera back yesterday.... going to have to spend some cash and get one sometime soon...

All the sag, crypts, and hygro clipping I have been saving are going into my store on Wed. Finaly I am making some cash with this hobby! Probably not going to be much tough.


55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Wings,

It is quite a while since I last checked on your log, I often forget to check into this forum, even while having 2 of my own tanks here.

What can I say, you have come a loooooong way

Plant mass is awesome and all seems to be growing very well. Yeah, dwarf sags can get pretty tall, I wouldn't have thought so myself when I only had them in my 29G low tech. There, they are growing much shorter than in my 125 high tech. I guess the term "dwarf" has to be seen in relationship to other sags, my narrow leaf sag, which initially looks like dwarf when purchased, reached a height of over 20 inches.

Keep it up and post more pictures, maybe of some detail sections,

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

LF,

Thanks so much! I will probably post some more pictures sometime this week. I have to take some pictures of my apartment to try to get rid of it for the summer which means I have to steal a camera.

Something I am thinking about Changing is the Giant and Sunset Hygro's. To get the color out of the Sunset I has to be quite close to the light(aka the top of the tank). Where I have it now I like to keep it lower than that. So I might swicht out the Sunset for the giant. This probably isn't going to happen any time too soon but its more of just a thought.



55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Nothing too much new with the tank other than what I talked about last week. I do have a hand full of pictures. I would post them all individualy but I still have a lot of homework to do and I should have done what I did with taking all these pictures!

I have a ful tank shot, top shot(for tetra!), a few shots of what I reworked last week, and a couple of the left hand side that I haven't messed with in a while.

I need to trim the Giant hygro down because its shading out things pretty bad now. The thing also needs a hair cut. Kind of looking like the 70's.

Oh can you find my new plant?

Look forward to seeing your coments!

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

The pictures! DUH!

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Well I did my WC tonight and did some major trimming. It was needed really bad. Basicly I chopped down the Giant Hygro. Talk about a plant that has come a long ways in my tank... dang its has gotten huge! I also gave the "thing" a hair cut. I came out with three or four hand fulls of java moss. Kind of looks funny now. Probably cut too much.

Pictures come in the morning!

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Here are a bunch of pictures for you all! Hope you like them. I like how it looks a lot better now but it really doesn't matter because I have to move it in a couple of weeks anyways. Just thought I would share.

Last week
The mess!
Giant Hygro
Whole tank as of 4/25
Right Side
Center
Left



55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Wings,

Definitely like the tank better now since you trimmed and tightened up the right side. Tight full groups is the way to go.

My Scapes

Thanks Tetra!

Now what plants are you talking about having them tighter? Mean grouped closer right?

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Wings,

Although I cannot be sure, I believe tetratech is talking about the same group on the right than I did (in the lost posts).

It is looking alreay better, but with your light you should not have a problem with creating a really dense group there.

Ingo

---

Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Ok I am guessing you are talking about the Sunset on the right side of the "thing". I have enough plant clippings floating in another tank of that to over double the amount of stems in that group. I am kind of thinking of making this be my main plant behind the "thing" once I move in a couple of weeks. I like the color but it needs to grow closer to the light to get the color. Therefore if I use the sunset as the main grouping I can let it grow super tall. The giant is easier to keep lower so I can keep that as a sub group on the sides.

But once I do move I might compleatly change everything... Kind of thinking of putting thet tank with the short side to the wall and having it make a T with the wall. Kind of liking the idea of a see through tank. Might be messy but fun. Who knows....

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Well not too much has changed with the tank. I lost another rainbow the other day. It has bee looking sickly for a while and I was just playing it out.

The move date is getting closer and closer. Being I am moving the tank and tearing it all up. I am kind of thinking of changing somethings.
1. Switching the 40 for my 55.
2. Placing the tank perpendicular to the wall and making it see through.

If I end up trying to pull of the the second option I am going to need to find a way to hide filter parts. What I am thinking about doing right now is running PVC pipe under the substrate and having the intake come up at a right angle. I will have to work on some pictures a little later today.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

This is what I am thinking for plumbing

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric