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Rita

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Posts posted by Rita

    Diatom algae question

    in Plants, Algae, and Fertilizers

    Posted

    Hi all,

    so I’ve had my planted tank up and running for 1 month, and I’ve been fertilizing with easy green twice a week as the pants are sucking up the ferts like crazy. They are growing, however so is the diatom algae. I purchased some shrimp and snails last week and they have a smorgasbord lol. So my question is some of the plants are getting blanketed by it. Do I let it be? Should I try knocking it off? 

    Anubias help

    in Plants, Algae, and Fertilizers

    Posted

    **update** I contacted co op customer service and after seeing the picture she said it’s likely rotten... so I took it out to check and the rhizome was soft, discolored and it smelled rancid. They have refunded my money. I may try again if it comes back in stock.

    Do I need to fertilize????

    in Plants, Algae, and Fertilizers

    Posted

    So I’m new to all this... and I have set up my first planted tank ever a few days ago. I have stocked a 20 gal long with basically one of every easy plant I could get on Co op in EcoComplete and have an FluvalSmart aqua sky light on a timer for 10 hours of daylight and 2 hours of blue light. 

    I have also tested my water out of the tap to know what I’m working with:

    PH: 7.6

    Ammonia: 0.5 ppm

    Nitrite & Nitrate: 0 ppm

    Phosphate 10 ppm (or greater) it was suuuper dark

    GH: 125.3 ppm

    KH: 196.9 ppm

    So I am 100% on board with the philosophy of... welp, let’s just see what happens with the tank in a couple months and see what’s working and what’s not... however my question is with such hard water and what appears to be ridiculously high phosphates do I even need to fertilize? I bought easy green and have not dosed it yet... and I know that will add a certain amount of phosphates... so I feel like robust algae will be in my future lol. Also is there any way to know which minerals are in my hard water? The tank has only been set up since Tuesday (10/13) but I plan on testing the actual tank water tomorrow for fun.

    Thanks everyone!

    Lighting question

    in Plants, Algae, and Fertilizers

    Posted

    Hello!

    So I’m starting a 20 gal long planted tank (waiting on my Co Op plant order as we speak!) and had a lighting question. I ordered predominantly easy low light plants since I’m brand new to this, and I have a FluvalSmart aqua sky light. How do I know if this light will emit low, medium or high light? I understand the depth of the tank matters (12 in high), and the light sits directly on top of the glass lid, maybe an inch gap. Does anyone have any experience with this light for planted tanks?71B026C4-2305-49B8-985D-2A06C2EA44D5.jpeg.deda991ab1f8529d1c50f08ee4a80d62.jpeg

    Preemptive algae question

    in Plants, Algae, and Fertilizers

    Posted · Edited by Rita
    Posted in wrong forum

    Hello,

    I would love some opinions please! So I’m in the process of setting up a 20 gal long tank... and I recently found out my location might introduce too much natural light and cause recurrent algae issues... I have a picture of the location (don’t mind the mess). There is about 30 minutes of sunset that shines through the sliding glass door, but I would of course draw the blinds so it wouldn’t beat on the aquarium directly. So I was told that even with drawing the blinds it would still be too much light and cause algae. The reason for my questioning is I do have the option to put this tank in a bedroom (office) which has significantly less natural light... if the answer is to move it I’d like to do it before I fill it!

    Thanks in advance!!

     

    PS. Apologies for not posting this in the plants and algae forum... if I knew how to delete this and put it there I would! 

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    F26FD89F-38F3-41C6-82AE-85AB52E812F8.jpeg

    Quarantine tank cycling question

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    1 hour ago, Brandy said:

    If you are setting up a QT to get your very first fish for the display, you wont have luck seeding the filter for the QT from the display tank before buying the fish. The bacteria wont have enough food if there are NO ammonia sources. If you have a smaller display tank, you can just put the first fish in directly and add meds to the tank as needed. If the display is over 30g though that can get very expensive.

    After you have a few fish in the display tank you can then seed a filter for the QT, and quarantine all additional fish. 

    If your display is big, I would get used filter media from you LFS, and seachem Prime and Stability, and a few of the toughest fish/snails you plan to keep, and do a fish-in cycle in the QT. A handful of duckweed or other floaters are great too.

    Alternatively, if you don't like that idea, add some food to the QT each day as if there were fish in there, and let the ammonia come from the food, once the cycle is done (by testing), siphon out the gross detritus and start your quarantine in a cycled tank. 

     

    I have a 20 gal long tank... and my plan would be to have a few Armando shrimp and Nerite snails... then add about 6 cory’s and then a betta... so perhaps after getting the cory’s I should wait a month-ish then theoretically I will only have to quarantine the betta in a separate tank?

    Quarantine tank cycling question

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by Rita

    Hello,

    I am new to the aquarium hobby and I have a few questions regarding quarantine tanks. I am planning on cycling my display tank the "Cory" method of live plants and liquid fertilizer only (no ammonia), then slowly introduce fish as the plants show signs of growth. However... this does not seem like a practical way of cycling a quarantine tank. Would I be forced to do the ammonia or fish food method? Also I have heard of people putting 2 filters in their display tank to build the beneficial bacteria then transfer that filter to the quarantine tank. If that is the case... would I still have to put ammonia or fish food in to "feed" the bacteria? If no ammonia or fish food, is the only other option basically "fish in" cycling? 

    Thanks!

    Welcome to the C.A.R.E Forum - Look here first.

    in Introductions & Greetings

    Posted

    Hello!

    I’m from the San Francisco Bay Area and I am brand new to the hobby! (Not including my childhood fishbowl fish). 
     

    I have already learned a ton (and now feel badly for those fishbowl fish I had lol) and I still have many more questions.  I don’t have any pictures to share as I’m still stocking up on my supplies but I’ll be excited to share my progress with you all!

    thanks!

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