Lauren A

Great, thank you. So, now I have another question. I didn’t mention it before, but after looking into it further on the forum this am, I’m a bit nervous. I had a few Anubias that rotted that were attached to a log - some by gorilla glue others with fishing line. I had reached out to a friend about a month ago why this happened and she said they may have been a bad batch or I was attaching them too tight. I think that’s the right word to describe it. Needless to say, I added more Anubias after removing them and again a couple rotted. This is the whole rhizome. The leaves actually looked healthy but literally broke off the rhizome. It’s been a couple weeks now, and still randomly I will notice parts of rhizomes melting. These plants mainly came from one online seller. Most of them tissue culture but a couple larger ones were in pots. So, it’s been a couple weeks and now this am, a very small Anubias nana from a tissue culture rotted real bad - smelled bad and fell apart when I removed it. it was not attached to anything. One from the same cup had some longer roots so I planted the roots only and it looks good so far. Should I be nervous of disease in my tank? Besides the hygro leaves, my tank looks good. There are Anubias in there still that look good with no rot. Any suggestions? Could this all be intertwined with a deficiency? Thank you again!

Hi, This was really kind of you to put together for me. Thank you very much. I can definitely do a 50% water change a week no problem and follow the dosing for this technique. Thank you for attaching the conversion chart too. I have a betta in the tank only with 4 little horned nerite snails. I’m building another tank as we as we speak that will also house a betta. As long as their healthy, I’m happy, but a pretty tank with lots of healthy plants is a huge bonus of course. The more I learn, the better! I believe this is the K test kit, but I just want to confirm before I order it? At some point I’d like to start using dry ferts but I want to feel confident I know what I’m doing. This is extremely helpful since I’m still new to the hobby. Thank you again so so much! Once I get that K reading, I will reach out to see what you think.

Hi, thank you and sorry for the delay responding. I dose .08 ml of Easy Green with a dropper two times a week. The pump is 1 ml and I keep about 1-1.5 inch space at the water surface open so I figure my tank is probably filled with 8 gallons instead of 10. That’s just me estimating so I don’t know if I should do the whole pump. I worry about overdosing. Normally, according to the master test kit by API, nitrates are 5-10ppm after a water change. When testing during the week I’ve seen them as high as 30-40ppm but usually they are right at 20ppm or below. I’m going to pick up that test kit for potassium. My Gh is 40ppm and Kh is 80ppm. When I first set up this tank I had no Kh but it seemed to stabilize through time. I did not realize I should test iron 10mins after adding. I don’t want to add any today because it’s a day early so next time I’m scheduled to add it, I will get an accurate reading. I have Seachem Potassium but should wait to test it first. I really appreciate your help. I will dose Easy Iron tomorrow to see what the correct reading is.

Thank you!!!

Hi, I have a 10 gallon heavily planted tank that’s has been running about 3-3.5 months now. It has been doing great dosing with Easy Green two times a week and Easy Iron every other day. I do weekly water changes/cleanings and my betta lives in the tank with 4 tiny horned nerite snails. I also top off the water sometimes every day sometimes every other. The hygro siamensis 53B has developed spots on the leaves over the last month or so. I’ve been trimming them off but I would like to get to the root of the problem. They are growing very quickly and definitely don’t look miserable by any means, but maybe someone can help me. When I test for iron, I never get a reading. I’m not sure why. I read a potassium deficiency can cause the leaves to turn too. If I do need potassium, is there a product and test kit you recommend. Also the bacopa i have also has yellowing leaves. As you can see in the photo, some of the leaves in my dwarf water lettuce also get tiny yellow dots or even yellowing leaves I trim off. Sorry this is so wordy and thank you for reading! I forgot to mention that I also use root tabs by Seachem

Hi @Fish Folk thank you so much for your advice. This tank I was going to add it to is on the warmer end because I have a betta in there. It’s about 79-79.5 degrees. I primarily planted easy/intermediate plants and they are all doing excellent on that tank and it’s been running for 3 or so months now I think I will save the glosso for my next tank. I’m starting it this week. I just have to make sure it will thrive in sand. That’s great to know about cooler water. I had no idea. Thank you very much for your help! Im always learning new things on the forum. Have a nice day!

Hi, I picked up some beautiful glossotigma tissue culture cup as an impulse buy. I have a couple 10 gallon planted, one in particular I’d love to try out. Just curious though, am I wasting my time without CO2 injection even trying, I have the Fluval 3.0 Nano light and dose Easy Green and Easy Iron and root tabs. I do have floaters too. I know a little experimentation is fun, but I am setting up another tank this week I could try too. I would appreciate any advice! It’s no biggie if not, I will plant in my grow-out tank and see what happens. Thank you!

Hi, thank you so much. I’m so glad I asked. I appreciate your help. Have a great day!

Hi, this is a question I’ve wanted to ask for some time now. I have a planted tank with Flourite gravel and sand. It is heavily planted and has been running for about 2.5 months. Currently I have one betta fish and 4 horned nerite snails in the tank. I’ve read online that with planted tanks I shouldn’t go crazy siphoning and stirring up the gravel since my plants and their environment need the nutrients. People have commented that they don’t touch the gravel near their plants but I’m wondering, how do I get all the poop out without stirring up the gravel? Bettas need such clean water but since I have little area where there are not plants or wood or stones, what should I do. Right now, I do weekly water changes and cleanings and top offs as needed. I have been really getting in there vacuuming but now I think I might be going overboard. I appreciate your help! Thank you for reading!

You’re welcome. 😊. Thank you for all of your help and new ideas. I hope you have a nice day!

Thank you very much. I’ve bought plants from them in the past and will check them out. Your tanks are beautiful, btw. I was just looking at your journal and wow, thank you for sharing. They are absolutely stunning!

I seriously have so many products, you’d think I had 10 fish tanks! 😆 I really appreciate all of your help. Now I’m intrigued, I had no idea there were dry fertilizers made for planted tanks out there. You find this simpler? Is there a product line you use? I have to look this up now! Edit: I have heard of NilocG but never looked into it. I just looked them up. I’m wondering if I should try them out.

Okay, thank you. Do you think that Easy Green contains enough Ca and Mg to build up? Maybe dosing 3 times a week instead of 2? Or do you recommend I use additional separate products? I do have API’s calcium and I believe I have Magnesium by Seachem but I have to double check. I always get nervous when I add anything to my tanks. That’s why I’ve been using the Easy Green and Iron and Root Tabs to keep it uncomplicated. At one point though, before Easy Green, I think I bought every product Seachem sells from their Flourish line but found it to be a little intimidating and didn’t want to overdose anything. Thank you so much!

I definitely must’ve missed something. Thank you for letting me know this. I always thought it was just showing the range but this is great news. Thanks so much for your help!

Also, how to do you personally get an accurate read on your Gh? Is there a particular kit you use? I bought a Kh and Gh test kit by API and it’s very vague. It does not give exact numbers.

Hi, @Mmiller2001This is such great news. I’ve been stressing over it for weeks. To lower the Gh, will the Indian almond leaf or even tea work? I could add it now to prep for my betta. I want the water to be perfect when I head out to buy one 😊. Thank you very much for your reply!

One more thing: I have a small/medium sized pagoda stone in the tank too.

Hi, I have a 10 gallon planted tank (heavily) that I started about 2 months ago. It is cycled by the “silent” plants method and doing very very well with new growth and algae that my 5 tiny horned nerite snails keep under control. They were added about 3 weeks ago and at that point I had a moderate amount of algae they’ve been cleaning up well. I have a ton of floaters (frogbit, dwarf water lettuce, red root floaters, spangles). I also have lots of Anubias, Java fern on mopani, Crypts, S. Repens, bacopa, cardinal lobelia and Hygro Siamensis 53b, and I’m trying to carpet Monte Carlo and Anacharis floating. I’m not sure if these details are important. I have a HOB filter and bubbler/diffuser My current parameters are: Ph 7.2, Kh is approx 20ppm (possibly less) Nitrites 0, Nitrates 10ppm, Gh (Hard) approx 150ppm, No ammonia I’m using Easy Green 2 times a week and Easy Iron every other day. I understand that Kh needs to be higher to prevent Ph instability and I had a little success with crushed coral in my filter. This did harden my water and raise my Gh a lot though, which is normally very soft since I use Poland Spring as my source. My towns water is toxic at this time. My question relates to me planning to add a new betta fish (I have not purchased yet) at some point hopefully soon. I use Flourite substrate which does not soften the water. I use Indian Almond Leaves in my betta tanks always and I know this will slowly soften my water but basically, what do I do to raise the Kh, without raising my Ph while also keeping my Gh lower to create nice soft acidic water for my betta? I know this is wordy but just wanted to see what you think? Thank you so much! Edit: I’m not sure if this relates but I have a substantial amount of black lava stone crushed in a mesh bag underneath the fluorite that I created an upward slope with. I don’t know if this influences anything either

It’s definitely a terrible feeling. I just can’t believe I caused this to happen. Thank you for your understanding words and support. Thank you for your help with the snails too. I’ve tried so many shrimp pellets that are supposed to be delicious for the snails but they don’t touch them. I’m going to look into the Chlorella tablets now. I’d like to keep a small bio load in the cycling tank and thought about buying a ramshorn today after speaking with a friend in the hobby. I hope you have a nice day and thank you again. 🙏

Thank you all so much for your support. I actually cried while reading all of your replies. You’re so kind and understanding. It means so much. I don’t want to give up on the hobby and I love bettas and all animals. Growing plants both in the tank and emersed has been such a fun experience. I’m sure you can all relate but it really is painful when you try so hard to do everything the perfect way and a mistake happens that ruins everything. It feels like failure. I will let it continue running. I don’t want to give up. One thing I’m unsure of is if I would just add fish food to the tank to keep it cycling? I could put the snails in too of course but it has no algae in it yet and my nerites won’t eat anything else. Thank you again for all of your support and kindness. I’m fairly new to all of this and did lose a betta about a year ago - he was very sick though for a long time. That was tough. It’ll take time to figure out what’s next. I hope you all have a very nice night. 🙏☮️ Hi Kathy, I’m going to look into all of your suggestions. Thank you so much.

@Mark H.I didn’t mean to post my question twice. I’m so sorry to hear that. I’ve thought about starting a shrimp tank. Nothing right away though, I’m still in shock about Buddy. It’s such a bad feeling when you feel responsible. @Mark H.Ok, thank you. I have a bubbler running and I might put my snails in there once if and when algae is present.

Hi @Mark H.Ok, do I keep the filter running? Thank you for your help.

Hi @Mark H.Ok, do I keep the filter running? Thank you for your help.

Hi, My betta fish died overnight in a 10 gallon planted tank I recently set up for him. It is currently cycling with Prime and Stability. I overfed him the day he was moved into this tank and he experienced severe bloat and swim bladder disorder over the course of 2 days. I overfed him while coaxing him into the cup I moved him over him, which is a mistake I have never made. Please no harsh comments because I couldn’t feel worse than I do right now. I’m absolutely devastated and beside myself with grief and guilt. There was also build up of dust from Seachem substrate I vigorously rinsed before hand, so I’m not sure if he inhaled the dust because he was having trouble breathing and staying at the top of the water when he first got sick. I had installed a bubbler right away and dealt with the dust, but by then he was so sick. I also contacted Seachem directly and they said it would not harm him. There are so many factors running through my head and I am absolutely devastated. I am a very responsible fish owner but I made a fatal mistake. He looked as if he got dropsy. My question now is, what do I do with my tank. It’s moderately/heavily planted. I’m showing .1 nitrites today, that I was told was normal since I am cycling the tank. It’s been running for 2 weeks now. It couldn’t be cleaner and I am showing no ammonia. I have a consistent issue with Kh because I use Poland Spring water (my towns tap is toxic and he has been in this water for a month) but my Kh is 0. I’ve been using Wonder Shell to help this. I’ve only seen a slight increase in Gh thus far. I hate to break down the tank because it was a true labor of love. I was trying to give my betta a better home because his previous tank (also a 10 g planted) has a blue green algae issue that I’m treating and the plants have taken a hit. If anyone can offer me some advice or would like more info, I’d really appreciate the help. Thank you.

Ok, thank you very much. I appreciate your help. I hope you have a nice night.