Mmiller2001

https://www.bart-laurens.nl/dutch-style-aquarium/ https://barrreport.com/articles/tips-and-tricks-for-dutch-style-aquascaping.47/

Problems problems problems. For the first time, I'm worried about this journey! The GDA is insane, I should have taken a picture but you could barely see into the tank. The GDA is covering every plant. My wife and I scrapped it all out and brushed most of the equipment. This left so much dust in the tank, that a bloom has started. Added 4 more Harlequins and 2 Oto's. As of this morning, the Oto's are sipping air from the surface, they are definitely not happy. I've reduce my CO2 and also my dosing. I started my cheap UV sterilizer too and I might just go ahead and set up a permanent UV system on this tank also. They just work so well! New dosing: 12ppm NO3 5ppm PO4 25ppm K .63Fe (proxy) So either this bacterial bloom, or green water bloom is just enough to reduce O2 in the tank that the Oto's are feeling it. I will probably do a water change tonight just to relieve some stress if the CO2 reduction doesn't work. The good news: I'm down to 10 species and I think the street is coming in nicely. I will adjust the curve a bit, I think it's too extreme. I'm removing the Bacopa, back right, and putting in a Hygrophila species. Also, the Belem is coming out (this takes the tank to 9 species) and I removed the Helferi. I put Purple Repens in that will be my foreground/ carpet. The little green plant in the forward area is only there temporarly, It melts in my 75 and I'm trying to save it. So ignore them. Trying Wallichii in the back left but it is on the chopping block as it could be a rule breaker. If you look at the left foreground, I added some extra Purple Repens. See it's normal color versus the same plant covered in GDA just behind it! Wow, right!

It's amazing how I set out to accomplish a goal and fail so miserably at it. I was suppose to reduce my plant species, which I did, but by only 4. Sad. And now I'm left with too many red plants. And I committed a sin by using a red plant as a curtain plant! So I still need to get down to 12 species and I'm currently at 19. The good news is, I was able to create some space in the tank and also really cleaned the substrate. My BBA problem was spreading and I'm pretty sure it was a flow problem and too much organic build up. I will know in a few weeks if this all helped. I also changed my dosing a bit and will post the numbers now. I've increased PO4 because by weeks end, I'm down to about 2ppm. I'm not sure this is the best course to take and I'm thinking a mid week "boost" dose would be a better solution. Maybe I will drop to 7ppm and do a 1 to 2ppm dose mid week? I forgot to mention how badly I hate Eco Complete. Absolute garbage.

Well written! I had a flashback just reading it! Thank you for sharing. You are not alone. I felt the same way after I killed my entire tank.

Share what happened so others might learn.

You were not off in any way. Root tabs aren't needed at all. And more often than not, cause more problems than they are worth. Oftentimes, people get caught up in dosing instructions, when they should be learning what they are actually dosing. Understanding the individual components of nutrients and the PPM we dose them in creates a more stable aquarium. My guess is that you are simply under dosing the tank. However, a planted aquarium is more than just nutrients. Light drives the whole system, and CO2 plays a large role as well. The best advice I can offer is to individually correct each component so you can rule out the problem. If you square away nutrients, and still have problems, then you can safely say the problem is elsewhere. It could be light, or it could be something else. We would simply move to the next step in the equation and make changes there. However, don't make too many changes at once. For every change you make, wait at least 3 weeks to observe the results. Even in my high energy tanks, I wait 3 weeks before deciding what impact the change has had. If you are sticking to Easy Green, here's a chart to get you started.

There is no reason to add a CO2 diffuser if you are not going to inject CO2.

I would just dose the incoming water per directions. So if you removed 10 gallons, and replaced 10 gallons, just dose 1 pump. If you are consistent with your water changes, this "front loading" strategy works very well and maintains stability slightly better. 40 to 50 ppm NO3 is too high. I don't know of any strictly maintained tanks running such high NO3. I'd imagine that recommendation is to compensate for such low PPM of PO4 and K in Easy Green.

Seachem Meds are excellent and any inert substrate comes down to cosmetics. All inert substrates grow plants very well, except maybe the finest of sands, and you shouldn't use ultra fine sands. Seachem filters are okay, I had a few problems with a tidal 55, but customer service fixed the problems quickly. Seachem Prime and Stability work well and Garlic Guard does what it's intended for. The Seachem line of fertilizers are a total rip off and I would avoid them at all cost. Do they work, sure, but you are being ripped off. You are being ripped off. Root tabs are not necessary. I think people use them as a crutch without realizing the problems they can cause. Just put an ounce more effort into researching fertilization, it's worth it to do so. Is Seachem a good, brand? Absolutely.

I have. I really like it.

It's a different species of Bacopa.

Good suggestion, I will just give them away.

Good suggestion, but I'm maxed out on space...and the desire to maintain it! 😆

Thank you. I am getting BBA again and some weird looking white spots on a couple of plants. I'm thinking the flow is lacking in those areas causing CO2 fluctuations.. As for the white spots, I have no clue, honestly. And more and more, this tank has become a repository for plants and I think it's definitely beginning to diminish the tank as a whole. There's 26 species in the tank right now and truth be told; it should be 12-16. I love the Dutch style, so why not try to stick close to those rules? The trouble I'm having is where do I put the plants I remove? Do I toss them? That seems wasteful, but some of them are very common and can be repurchased for a few dollars. I guess I could go up to a 120 gallon, but I really don't want to start over. And if I go bigger, I want custom, and that's going to be expensive. I really love the 75 size, it's big enough without being too big. I eventually want to get the UNS 120P, but that doesn't solve the current dilemma.... Let me know if you know what in the world is going on in these pictures!

My tanks will never look like this one. 😭

I hate that plant!

Try Ludwigia Repens too. Amazing red plant for low energy tanks.

Man, interesting things going on. I can't keep nutrients in this tank at all. The GDA is insane. Hopefully this all passes soon.

I will say nitrates generated from organics should be zero and nitrates added from salts should be around 5ppm to 30ppm. Essentially, enough should be present that availability never reaches 0ppm.

I would leave PO4 at no less than 5ppm. How much plant mass do you have?

I think it's a combo of several things. Mostly low CO2, high GH and high KH. Possibly low fertilizer too.

This is what I would get. Or just get the NPK alone and then get Micro Mix EDTA+DTPA If you want to set or raise GH, add the CaSO4 https://greenleafaquariums.com/products/pps-pro-aquarium-fertilizer-package-jars-edta-dtpa-version.html https://greenleafaquariums.com/products/calcium-sulfate-caso4-aquarium-fertilizer-1lb-jar.html This would last you years. I'm full EI dosing and haven't dented my NPK+Micros, but on my 2nd bags of Mg and Ca. I run 4 tanks and 2 of those are high energy.

https://rotalabutterfly.com/nutrient-calculator.php

No, individual salts sold special for aquariums. But you could toss them on lawn. My wife collects my water change water to fertilize her garden in the Summers.