Mmiller2001

Can you get NilocG? Or APT?

Wait a couple of weeks and see how it goes. Constantly changing parameters (including light) causes instabilities that algae can take advantage of. If it persists, and if you are staying on top of maintenance, then try lowering to 50%.

Thank you. Flourish is basically an ultra light micro mix and I still don't know what its application is for. Basically, you are dosing additional water to the tank. You want a good all in one fertilizer, preferably with lower Nitrates and iron DPTA chelated or a combination of EDTA and DPTA. I would lower your light intensity to around 50% and reduce duration to around 8 hours. Unless you have a specific fish requiring 82 degrees, I would lower to 76-78 degrees. There's mulm in the tanks and this needs to be removed and increase water changes. Moss like cooler water FYI. Additional information: Angel fish grow to 5 inches long and over 6 inches in height. Once they start getting bigger, they will most likely kill the Ember's.

Are you dosing fertilizer?

Chihiros RGB2 120

It really comes down to DLI (daily light interval). Not a largely used term in planted tanks, but it's still relevant. You can have too short of a photo period regardless of intensity and too low of intensity even for a longer period. It really comes down to plant type, high energy or low energy tanks and husbandry. My suggestion is a total of 8 hours at a medium to medium low intensity. Starting there will probably produce the best results. If you have high demand plants, a bit more will be needed.

http://www.selectaquatics.com/Levamisole.htm

I'd also follow that up with Levamisole.

If you suspect wasting disease, I would use Panacur C Canine Dewormer Dogs 1 (3 Packets) Gram Each Packet Treats 10 lbs https://a.co/d/bQ45qiL

It would be standard at best. Petco will do it for free. If you want a real and detailed brake down, there are mail services I would use before paying my local fish store. I can tell you your CO2 levels are between 2 and 4ppm if you are not injecting it.

Not yet, but one fell off last night and just the 2 held it down. I'm definitely waiting a month before testing it. The remaining bolbitus is going to float until then.

Also, I don't think the Hygrophila will stay in the tank long term. I'm firm on not having stems in this tank. That said, maybe back left is a better spot for it but I plan on lowering lights even more so time will tell. I'm also second guessing the Trident mini down the central log. Maybe it will look nice as it propagates and fills in. A positive note; the behavior of my Apistos have changed and I see the male alot more. Each are setting up homes in and around the wood and they sift the sand. They must have been miserable with no nooks to call home.

I got a bit more done last night. The Bolbitus came in rough so I'm in for a long wait before it looks nice. I'm thinking I will finish off the plants with Petco cultures going forward. Pricey, but I know what I'm getting. Also thinking about letting the Val Leopard to overtake the right and back right. Kind of a Val garden back there. We will see. She's showing signs she's ready to go nuts. I still haven't solved my second tier problem. I tried to glue the wood together, and both super glue and hot glue gun wouldn't hold the 2 pieces together. Maybe cement? Still waiting on the wood to sink. Going to raise KH another half degree and lower NO3 dosing to 8ppm weekly.

Can't wait to follow their progress! It opens up so many more plant options and it's a whole new learning curve. Please tag me when you begin.

Not sure, I bought Hygrophila 52B and they sent me that. Some type of Hygrophila.

If I make any changes, nute wise, for the green spot algae; I'll raise P by 2ppm.

Yeah, somewhere in there. We start filling the day before water change.

Don't use one. I or my wife keep an eye on it when we fill. Alexa reminders as well.

Lowered

Maintenance goals tomorrow. 100% water change, maybe 70%. Remove all dislodged moss parts and pick out random Eco Complete nuggets who snuck in on top of the sand.

Did some testing last night. I haven't tested in a long time and I guessed almost exactly where the tests showed. I'm seeing more than usual green dust algae and now seeing green spot algae. I know when green dust algae really starts picking up, I'm over 25ppm NO3 and if I see green spot algae, I'm under 8ppm P. I've never been able to stop green spot algae with phosphate below 8ppm. Nitrates tested around 27ppm and P was 4 to 5ppm. I don't think I'm going to change any dosing. I'm temporarily adding 4 stems of Hygrophila Polysperma and bumping up CO2. I may rethink the CO2 bump. My goal is not to push this tank. I hands down want a lower light tank and less co2 refills. I should probably just lower light. Sorry, thinking out loud. 100% lowering light and putting CO2 back to where it was.

I use Bulk Reef Supply's system. Before COVID, they were really cheap. I started with a 4 stage and over time added a second membrane and a booster pump. I have 2 32 gallon Brute gray garbage cans and a 44 gallon. I bought them over a period of time, I would rather just have 2 cans, but hindsight is 20/20. I use 2 for water changes and 1 is always just plain RO. If I front load, I dose the cans with all Macros. If I do daily dosing, I only add GH to the cans. I fill them to just over flowing and then remove 1 gallon. This way, I know exactly how many gallons I have. I have a 2000gph sump pump from eBay, long hose and a DYI nozzle. I run simple fountain pumps and old unused heaters to mix and bring water to a reasonable temperature in winter.

Thank you for the kind words. I really appreciate it. But you set the bar low 😜. I'm still just a beginner and don't come close to the George Farm's of planted tanks. I'm just really good at emulating the masters and now just beginning to finally see the lines underneath.

It will be significantly higher. Just use it on plants outside.

My Apistos own there territory and will slam into any fish that enters. Have a backup plan if you try it.