S. Repens issue continued.

[Supermassive]

@nabokovfan87 Nitrates were 20ppm on Monday and I added one dose of easy green on Monday and Tuesday. I did my water change today and did a double dose of easy green plus the iron and phosphorus. I was planning on testing Nitrates again tomorrow.

 

The leaves are larger but I don't think those leaves actually grew in my water. I think they are the original leaves from when I bought the plant. I don't have much hope for it at this point.

Maybe I could get a second light for the front portion of my tank but idk if it would be worth it. It would be also be kind of nice for getting pictures of my fish.

[nabokovfan87]

On 11/22/2023 at 8:28 PM, Supermassive said:

Maybe I could get a second light for the front portion of my tank but idk if it would be worth it. It would be also be kind of nice for getting pictures of my fish.

I'll have to show you in my tank, I can raise and drop the light and it's clear I needed to raise it to cover the front of the tank.  Light location and coverage is always something people may struggle with and never realize. If you can raise it up 4-6" then that might help.... It's tough to say, but I'll have to visually show you what I'm seeing in my side and then compare it to your setup and what you're seeing as far as light coverage.

Light with shadow, light directed at the front of the tank to show without the shadow.

To be clear, the shadow I have now is absolutely acceptable, it was much worse when the light was lower.  If it's against the lid, raised slightly, raised higher, it's just a variable you can play with and adjust the intensity as you lift it up.

In a pinch, use a stack of Legos or a sheet of plastic taped to the rim. They also sell them on Etsy. Bentley has a video showing his and they are really nice!

[Supermassive]

@nabokovfan87 Okay that makes sense. Thanks for the suggestion. Ill see what I can find to elevate it more.

[Supermassive]

@nabokovfan87 I've been doing a little searching on amazon and etsy. Maybe I'm not searching the right thing but for what people are charging for risers I could get another nicrew. I searched aquarium light riser and most of it is for rimless tanks. The ones that can be used on rimed tanks are around $30 and I could essentially get another nicrew for that price. Unfortunately I don't have any legos either.

[nabokovfan87]

On 11/23/2023 at 8:08 AM, Supermassive said:

The ones that can be used on rimed tanks are around $30 and I could essentially get another nicrew for that price. Unfortunately I don't have any legos either.

What is the light you have?

[Supermassive]

On 11/23/2023 at 11:11 AM, nabokovfan87 said:

What is the light you have?

Its this nicrew. The 18-24in

 

Sorry, now I see the bracket they make for it. Its around $10

Edited November 23, 2023 by Supermassive

[nabokovfan87]

Maybe something like this works?

https://a.co/d/04LkIIW

You can always get one that's cheaper for a different light and just use something like a zip tie to secure it. (Drill a hole to feed it through)

The cheapest one I saw has an opening and a channel for the light to rest on, make for fluval lights, and it was about $8 or so.

[Supermassive]

@nabokovfan87 I read some of the reviews on the hygger brackets and some people said it wasnt tall enough. Also idk if it would fit my light or if it has to be a hygger light. And I said I found the nicrew bracket but I'm pretty sure it cant be used with a glass top so I actually cant use it. Also I'm in Canada so idk if well see the same products. Ill keep looking around. Thanks for the help.

Edited November 23, 2023 by Supermassive

[Supermassive]

@nabokovfan87 Shipping on Etsy is around $20 for me so its just not worth it to buy a bracket from there. I could get the 12 inch Nicrew for the front of my tank for the same cost or less.

[Supermassive]

@nabokovfan87 @JE47 @anewbie I adjusted the position of my light so the S.repens is getting a lot more direct light and bumped it up again to 60%. Its a 14W LED, but idk if that actually says anything about the amount of light it gives off. I'm just concerned I'm going to get a bunch of algae on my other plants. I have been running it at 20% since the tank has been setup.

[nabokovfan87]

On 11/23/2023 at 9:13 AM, Supermassive said:

@nabokovfan87 Shipping on Etsy is around $20 for me so its just not worth it to buy a bracket from there. I could get the 12 inch Nicrew for the front of my tank for the same cost or less.

If you go to the hardware store. Just get some plastic sheet. Then you just cut that to the shape you need and use double sided tape to put it on the rim of the tank. I'll sketch it out if you need be. I have a photo somewhere but it'll take a second to find.

Found it.

On 11/23/2023 at 11:03 AM, Supermassive said:

I'm just concerned I'm going to get a bunch of algae on my other plants. I have been running it at 20% since the tank has been setup.

Very understandable. Keep an eye out and see how it goes!

Edited November 24, 2023 by nabokovfan87

[Supermassive]

On 11/23/2023 at 7:01 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

If you go to the hardware store. Just get some plastic sheet. Then you just cut that to the shape you need and use double sided tape to put it on the rim of the tank. I'll sketch it out if you need be. I have a photo somewhere but it'll take a second to find.

Found it.

Oh yeah that would work. I might decide to do that. I've been thinking of just of zip tying some plastic sheet to the bracket on the light kind of like you suggested earlier.

[Supermassive]

S. repens is doing a lot better since I moved the light and increased intensity. New growth is coming in MUCH faster and the old leaves are dying MUCH slower. I'm getting a little bit of algae on the front glass but it seems very manageable. 

I should have listed to Roy originally when he said it looked like I needed more light. That seems like it was definitely my main issue.

I am noticing some of the new growth is quite pale compared to others though. Does that seem like iron deficiency.

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Hi @Supermassive,

I'm seeing some improvement on the new growth.  Have you been monitoring your nitrate levels?  Faster growth may cause the NO3 levels to drop.  Continue to dose the Seachem Iron once a week.  Let me know what the NO3 ppm test at and we discuss a next step.  -Roy

[Supermassive]

Yes I've been monitoring nitrates. Its been around 20-30ppm consistently until recently. They've actually been really high recently because I had to treat my fish with paracleanse and it ruined my cycle. I did a 50/50 dilution on a nitrate test today and it was very red even at half concentration so my nitrates were at least 80ppm maybe even 160ppm. I did a 3 gallon water change after that and didn't add any kind of fertilizer. I've been dosing the tank with prime daily for about 3-4 days plus using stability. Will prime make nitrates unavailable for plants? And I have been using the iron after normal weekly water changes.

oops, that was meant to be @Seattle_Aquarist

Edited December 4, 2023 by Supermassive

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Hi @Supermassive,

No, Prime will not will not effect the availability of nitrates to the plants.  It is very good at 'locking up' ammonia but has not effect on nitrates one way or the other.  When dealing with high nitrates I usually increase my water changes.  When you have recovered your nitrogen cycle and the NO3 ppm level is back to normal we can discuss other possible changes.  -Roy

[Supermassive]

@Seattle_Aquarist Tank is cycled again. I haven't measured ammonia or nitrites in 2-3 days and I've been adding stability for ~4 days. Nitrates were around 30-40ppm today. Slightly higher than I'd like but I'm comfortable with that.

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Hi @Supermassive,

As I stated earlier I am seeing some improvement on the new growth but the chlorosis (yellowing) on the older leaves which could be a result to a lack of iron when they were emerging however I think that some magnesium may help improve the chlorophyll generation (i.e. green color) and it may increase the growth rate as well.  Before adding magnesium I like to check the water parameters.  I've re-read this thread and do not see your water parameters indicated; could you please provide some current water parameter measurements?  Thank you, -Roy

[Supermassive]

@Seattle_Aquarist Kh is ~30ppm. GH is ~100ppm. Ph is ~7. Temp 78-80. I don't really know my other parameters except I had potassium tested recently and it was 20ppm. I had my GH at around 80ppm for a long time but recently I've added some GH booster to bring it up a bit cause I want to get a couple Amano shrimp and I also noticed my java fern was getting some curled, cupped, and misshapen leaves. I'm using Aquavitro mineralize which is 13.5% calcium and 1.2% magnesium. I was unable to find information about the calcium magnesium ratio in my tap water and from what I heard at my LFS they don't make test kits that you can buy for freshwater for cal or mag.

[Seattle_Aquarist]

On 12/4/2023 at 1:15 PM, Supermassive said:

@Seattle_Aquarist Kh is ~30ppm. GH is ~100ppm. Ph is ~7. Temp 78-80. I don't really know my other parameters except I had potassium tested recently and it was 20ppm. I had my GH at around 80ppm for a long time but recently I've added some GH booster to bring it up a bit cause I want to get a couple Amano shrimp and I also noticed my java fern was getting some curled, cupped, and misshapen leaves. I'm using Aquavitro mineralize which is 13.5% calcium and 1.2% magnesium. I was unable to find information about the calcium magnesium ratio in my tap water and from what I heard at my LFS they don't make test kits that you can buy for freshwater for cal or mag.

Hi @Supermassive,

What are you dosing for a GH Booster?  How much? How often? What size (gallon) tank? -Roy

[Supermassive]

On 12/4/2023 at 6:09 PM, Seattle_Aquarist said:

What are you dosing for a GH Booster?  How much? How often? What size (gallon) tank? -Roy

Aquavitro Mineralize. My tank is 10G. I've only dosed 0.5ml two times which is supposed to increase GH by 5ppm per dose. I dosed 0.5ml when I got the GH booster and then I did it again 2 days later. That brought my GH from ~80ppm on Thursday to ~100 on Sunday which is where I was recommended to have it. Now I'm just planning on adding a tiny bit when I do water changes to maintain ~100ppm GH.

When I did the water change yesterday I also dosed the GH booster. I did a 3gallon water change and added just under 0.3ml to the new water to try and match the 100ppm in the tank.

 

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Hi @Supermassive,

OK, along with the Easy Green, and the Seachem Iron, we are going to add some additional magnesium.  Most tap water has much higher levels of calcium than magnesium.

Ideally for a planted tank the calcium to magnesium ratio (Ca:Mg) should be between 3:1 and 4:1.  The Adding magnesium will increase the dGH slightly.  Go to your local drug store and pick up some Epsom Salt (magnesium sulfate; MgSO4*7H2O).  Buy the cheapest stuff on the shelf with no additives (like scents).  A pound will last you a long time with that 10 gallon and should only cost a couple of dollars.  Next do an "Initial Dose" of 1/2 teaspoon to your tank.  This will add about 5 ppm of Mg to your tank and increase the hardness by about 1 dGH (19 ppm).

Thereafter, when you do a water change, add 1/4 teaspoon of Epsom Salt for every 4 gallons of water you remove and replace in the tank.  This should maintain the higher magnesium level.  Again we do the above for a month, watching the new growth as it emerges and matures.  If magnesium is causing the chlorosis they new growth should be 'greener' with the additional chlorophyll and the additional glucose (sugars) being produced may increase plant growth even further.  Hope this helps! -Roy

 

[Supermassive]

@Seattle_Aquarist Okay I will get some Epsom salt and dose the tank. Ill let you know if anything changes before a month. Thank you very much for all the help.

 

One thing I'm curious about is how come it will only add 5ppm of magnesium but nearly 20ppm of GH? I thought the magnesium was part of GH so it would also increase by 5ppm. Where does the extra 14ppm come from?

[anewbie]

On 12/5/2023 at 2:08 PM, Supermassive said:

@Seattle_Aquarist Okay I will get some Epsom salt and dose the tank. Ill let you know if anything changes before a month. Thank you very much for all the help.

 

One thing I'm curious about is how come it will only add 5ppm of magnesium but nearly 20ppm of GH? I thought the magnesium was part of GH so it would also increase by 5ppm. Where does the extra 14ppm come from?

Most epsom salt have additive which is unhealthy for fishes; Last time i was at whole food their 365 brand was suitable for internal usage (i think it can be used as a laxative or something) and it was dirt cheap; conversely places like nilogc sell epsom salt. However if you order random epsom salt on amazon or similar make sure it has no additive as it might be quite unsuitable for critters (if you have critters in your plant thingy).

 

 

[Seattle_Aquarist]

On 12/5/2023 at 12:08 PM, Supermassive said:

@Seattle_Aquarist Okay I will get some Epsom salt and dose the tank. Ill let you know if anything changes before a month. Thank you very much for all the help.

 

One thing I'm curious about is how come it will only add 5ppm of magnesium but nearly 20ppm of GH? I thought the magnesium was part of GH so it would also increase by 5ppm. Where does the extra 14ppm come from?

Hi @Supermassive

I was a chemistry major 55+ years ago but the computations based upon molar weights has long since left me.  Here is the information regarding 1/2 teaspoon of MgSO4*7H2O.  Maybe someone who took chemistry in this millennium can check the math for you...lol.