Root tabs/fertilizer for monte carlo carpet

[be28ans]

To anyone who can help. My monte carlo was doing good til afew weeks ago, it started turning brown. Someone told me to add root tabs. I bought the co op root tabs but as u can see i ruined my carpet trying to stick them it the gravel. I finally got afew in the gravel and i fixed my carpet best i can. Do i need root tabs for my carpet?? Im running C02 and co op fertilizer once a week. 

[Mmiller2001]

You don't need root tabs. Probably more related to lack of co2, nutrient imbalance and/ or light. Can you tell me more about your tank. How much CO2 are you dosing, water change schedule and tank parameters. What kind of light is on the tank?

[be28ans]

Mmiller2001 i have the Fluval nano light, as far as C02 i make sure in the checker the liquid is always a light green, theres times when it turns blue and ill turn up the C02 alil more. I use the Co op fertilizer once a week , one squirt. Water changes i do every other week. I also use API Algaefix once a week for algae 

[Mmiller2001]

Take a water sample and let it sit out for 24 hours and pH it. Record that number. That will be your degassed pH. Then pH the tank at peak CO2 injection about 1 hour after your light comes on. That will be peak CO2. You want a 1 to 1.5pH drop from degassed pH. That puts you close to 30ppm CO2. Also, co2 on 2 hours before lights on and off 1 hour before lights off.

I would look into dry fertilizers and Estimative Index dosing. Unfortunately, Easy Green doesn't allow for ratio adjustments. I would be looking at dosing NO3 to 20-30ppm a week and easy green only doses 3ppm pere pump per 10 gallons. I have a feeling you are under dosing. 

I'd also increase water changes to 50% a week. This allows for low organics in the tank and also allows us to target nutrient ppm. Example, we can never exceed 2 times what we dose if all things inert. So if you dosed 10ppm of anything, did weekly 50% water changes, we could only ever have 20ppm. 

Stop the algae treatment too. Fix the other problems and you won't need it.

Edited September 20, 2021 by Mmiller2001

[be28ans]

Mmiller2001 Thank you

[Mmiller2001]

 

On 9/20/2021 at 2:45 PM, be28ans said:

Mmiller2001 Thank you

https://www.2hraquarist.com/blogs/choosing-co2-why

Here's a great resource.

Edited September 20, 2021 by Mmiller2001

[be28ans]

Mmiller2001 Thanks a bunch. Quick question. Water hardness how can i lower the GH. Water changes?

Mmiller2001 Thanks a bunch. Quick question. Water hardness how can i lower the GH. Water changes?

[Mmiller2001]

On 9/20/2021 at 5:01 PM, be28ans said:

Mmiller2001 Thanks a bunch. Quick question. Water hardness how can i lower the GH. Water changes?

Mmiller2001 Thanks a bunch. Quick question. Water hardness how can i lower the GH. Water changes?

The easiest way is to cut your source water with distilled or RO water. If source water was 10dGH and 10dKH and you wanted to change 4 gallons of water, you'd just add 2 gallons of distilled to 2 gallons of source. That would cause 4 gallons of 5dGH and 5dKH.