Mmiller2001

I like Hygrophila Polysperma. Very easy and just does well in most conditions. An easy way to dose nutrients is to dose the incoming water. This way, nutrient levels are very consistent. If you change 1 gallon, dose a 1 gallon amount of nutrients each water change.

When and if they get ratty, I will cut it off at the base. Other than managing runners, that's all I do.

Alright, sorry I haven't updated the tanks in a while but I've been pretty active around the home. My wife is keeping me on my toes. Biggest changes are as follows. I've moved back to the 40 for the competition attempt but it's struggling. The 75 has/ is becoming that packed look I like. I'm front loading all macros with near 90% water changes. Both tanks are being dosed 18N, 8P, 25K and .5Fe as proxy. Still running 4.5dGH@3:1 and 0dKH. I introduced a crypt in the 40 and I'm preying it gets going. I've never had too much luck with tissue cultures. I'm also trying and desperately waiting for the rotala pearl mini and the salzmanni purple to fill in. This rotala growth is near parva speed and doesn't want to be touched. We will see! Pics are post trimming/ hair cut.

Doh, I totally read bladder snail. Ignore me.

This is what I used. It's top notch. FairmountSantrol AquaQuartz-50 Pool Filter 20-Grade Silica Sand 50 Pounds, White https://a.co/d/hVDoNTP

You will have to balance it. When you have high ammonia and enough light, problems will quickly get out of control. Welcome

I'm wouldn't dose more for now, plants love that ammonia. Keep lights low until it cycles. Unfortunately, algae love ammonia too. That EG dose is pretty low, your test kit is low resolution and may not show such low levels of Nitrates

H2O2 kills it immediately without hurting the BB. Follow Seattle's instructions and you'll be good to go.

More trouble than they are worth and not needed.

Going okay. I've gone back to the 40 and still working on a few plant selections. My layout is weak but I think I will have enough time to have a submission. We will see.

If you really want to push a planted tank, I would look to drop GH to 4-5dGH and get KH down to 3dKH. I would look up Thrives dosing information and dose it anywhere from 8 to 10ppm NO3 as proxy. Keep up the 50% water changes and stop all root tabs going forward. Stop gravel vacuuming completely for now and increase water turnover to a minimum of 5X water volume. Triple the current plant load and add a decent clean up crew. Also, crank the CO2, and get that drop checker to mostly yellow. Keep an eye on the fish anytime you adjust CO2. In the picture, that drop checker is indicating low CO2. Only clean the glass and filter. Clean the glass weekly and the filter monthly. The biggest problem right now, low CO² and KH is too high. I would also upgrade the light to something better.

Are you using tap water?

When I saw this in my neons, it was a stress response. How many are in the tank?

There's a few. I'm not familiar with them but Google should know.

Plants can struggle in such high parameters. They honestly want to be in soft water. Given enough time, they might adapt but those are some pretty high numbers and that can lock out some nutrients. I would look to drop GH and KH, but that depends on how far you want to take altering parameters. This might not be something you want to do.

What's your GH and KH?

Go to 9 squirts a week and stop or lighten up on the root tabs. I recommend 50% water changes a week but to each their own. If you do less water changes, and Nitrates get too high, back off one squirt a week until it hold around 20ppm. You can dose the 9 squirts over 6 days however you want. 3 squirts 3 times a week every other day is a good schedule.

I would avoid crushed coral and wondshell. Both are raising the calcium in the water and raising GH and KH simultaneously. With a planted tank, using potassium carbonate makes more sense and synergizes with fertilizer dosing. Using K2CO3 can be calculated to an exact dose to raise KH to an exact number while also adding K (potassium) to the tank. That said, my 5.1pH doesn't daze my bladder snails 😳.

I would dip the plants in a 10ml per gallon Hydrogen Peroxide dip for 10 minutes and return the snails.

Eheim 2217 classic, hands down on that size tank.

I'd shoot for 15 to 35ppm.

Test now after dosing.

This could be TB or defect. Keep an eye on things and wash your hands after entering the tank.

If you don't allow any shoot to reach the surface, it can be trained to stay more compact. But absolutely no lily can be allowed to reach the surface.

Yes. When a tank comes into balance and has everything it needs, growth can accelerate. That said, plant growth can also slow down when all its seeds are met. I prefer the later as it requires less trimming.