New Aquarium 75 planted

[RickA]

I received my plants and placed them in my aquarium on sat this week. The aquarium is going though its cycle..   ph 6.6  ammonia  is 1 ppm and nitrite 2 ppm  and nitrates are 20ppm.. When do i fertilize tank ,.also the tank has been cycling 2 weeks now do i need to water change 25 percent or just let tank cycle.

 

Thanks everyone

[Brandy]

Hi Rick!

So, if no fish, I would just let it cycle. I would not fertilize yet, or change water, most plants won't start growing immediately unless you put in a bunch of duckweed. They will need to settle in, make little roots, maybe melt a little, and so on. And generally floaters are so robust and healthy that in a new tank they don't need fertilizer anyway. Extra fertilizer will just make extra algae.

If you have fish in there already, that is too much ammonia and nitrite, and you should change water asap, and consider other evasive measures.

[RickA]

Thanks Brandy

                       There are no fish in tank yet. I would prefer a fishless cycle and move to a natural balance in aquarium.  I test water evey few days and journal it.. Notice a few brown spot hole on the  "Windelov" java fern. I super glued them to a driftwood. Was reading and it might be potassium issues. May need to grab a bottle of Potassium at my local fish store. Seachem ok

[Brandy]

I would wait a tiny bit more. You are still very much in the settling in stage. If the plant has holes it is probably from the water it was in before, or some melting while it settles in. A java fern is particularly slow growing, and isn't likely to have developed a symptomatic deficiency in a week. 

I think there is a test for potassium but I don't have it. I really like tests myself, so if that interests you I would maybe get it, but I don't think it is really "required". I would wait for the cycle to finish and then start dosing with a simple all in one fertilizer like EasyGreen when nitrates are below 20ppm. Once the plants start growing they will suck up all of it really fast, then you know they are settled and you can start feeding (fertilizing).

Edited October 1, 2020 by Brandy