How much fertilizer and light?

[juliana-mae]

I have a 9 gallon Fluval Flex cycled tank with a female betta and two nerite snails. There has been one anubias in there attached to the mug and the water parameters are 0 for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates - it's been like that for a long time which I think was fine for just the one plant. I do a 50% water change once/week.

I added new anubias, java fern and the moss ball just a few days ago. How much fertilizer should I dose and how often? (if any) How long should I have the lights on?

I have the plants temporarily tied down to a piece of driftwood. The driftwood was causing excessive tannins so I'm not sure if I'm going to keep it. I added the activated carbon back in, so seeing if that will work. I did boil it twice so we'll see what happens this time around. 

There also seems like there is some sort of brown something on the existing anubias. Is that algae or could it have been from the driftwood that was in there before somehow. 

Thank you!!

[Sleepy]

Quote

I have a 9 gallon Fluval Flex cycled tank with a female betta and two nerite snails. There has been one anubias in there attached to the mug and the water parameters are 0 for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates - it's been like that for a long time which I think was fine for just the one plant. I do a 50% water change once/week.

I added new anubias, java fern and the moss ball just a few days ago. How much fertilizer should I dose and how often? (if any) How long should I have the lights on?

I have the plants temporarily tied down to a piece of driftwood. The driftwood was causing excessive tannins so I'm not sure if I'm going to keep it. I added the activated carbon back in, so seeing if that will work. I did boil it twice so we'll see what happens this time around. 

There also seems like there is some sort of brown something on the existing anubias. Is that algae or could it have been from the driftwood that was in there before somehow. 

Thank you!!

I would first say if you have those parameters and only the one Betta causing a load really you could go much further out on your water changes and this would allow for more nutrients for your plants especially now that you've added more. I wouldn't keep the lights on more than 8 hours and dose 1 pump easy green per week to start.

[Lennie]

Hey @juliana-mae,

Welcome to the forum.

All of those plants are slow growers. So it is hard to comment on your fertilizer/light routine when you make a change, as seeing results on plants may take weeks to show up.

I would recommend keeping lights to 6-7 hours, and adding floating plants on top to block some light and shade the anubias, otherwise, it is very likely it will end up being covered in algae, as they are slow growers, and they are very close to light source and get a direct light in the middle. Your betta would enjoy some floating plants too! Do you like floating plants?

Tannins are nothing harmful. With the water changes, they will go away by the time.

the "brown" on anubias can be brown diatoms, which is common in new setups. You may try to scrub the leaf gently and see if it comes off easily. If it does, it is very likely brown diatoms. Nothing to worry. You can manually remove it that way. When the tank starts maturing, it will go away, unless your water has silica in it, which is not really common.

You really don't need to dose a lot with slow grower plants. I would dose much less than recommended and observe any potential deficiencies. Anything that plants can't utilize, works on the team algae. Floating plants may help consuming excess nutritients in the water column too as they are fast growers!

[juliana-mae]

@Lennie @Sleepy Thank you both so much! I was keeping the lights on way too long. 

Yes, the brown easily comes off the leaves! I will clean off this weekend when I do a water change. 

I did try floating water lettuce, but it was never successful - leaves browning and then it all died when I dose the tank with medication for a sick betta (who ended up dying, along with my pearl weed.)

Is there another floating plant and seller you would recommend? I don't see anything on Aquarium Coop. I got the water lettuce from my LFS, I didn't see many other floating plants there. I do need a refill on my ammonia test kit so will be stopping my PetSmart, if that would be at all recommended. 

I'm also thinking I might need to get a lift kit for the aquarium to be able to keep floating plants because the lights are so close the water as is. I'm thinking this may have been part of what the water lettuce didn't like.

Edited April 2, 2023 by juliana-mae