AquaLove Posted May 27 Share Posted May 27 I started my tank 1 month ago. Attached are the water parameters. I still have not been able to bring down the ammonia despite doing water changes twice a week. My plants look shriveled and messy despite using CO2, liquid fertilizer, iron, and root tabs. What gives, and what else should I be doing? Thanks 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitecloud09 Posted May 27 Share Posted May 27 On 5/27/2024 at 12:58 PM, AquaLove said: I started my tank 1 month ago. Attached are the water parameters. I still have not been able to bring down the ammonia despite doing water changes twice a week. My plants look shriveled and messy despite using CO2, liquid fertilizer, iron, and root tabs. What gives, and what else should I be doing? Thanks Hoping that your are in the cycling process? Because the ammonia is dangerously high. If there is fish in the tank, then add prime with daily water changes @AquaLove. Maybe I am misunderstanding. and then we can talk plants. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AquaLove Posted May 27 Author Share Posted May 27 (edited) @Whitecloud09 No there is no fish and yes I am still in cycling but its taking so long, I have been on top of the water changes and have added prime but nothing seems to work, I dont know if I am missing something here! Edited May 27 by AquaLove Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitecloud09 Posted May 27 Share Posted May 27 On 5/27/2024 at 1:05 PM, AquaLove said: @Whitecloud09 No there is no fish and yes I am still in cycling but its taking so long, I have been on top of the water changes and have added prime but nothing seems to work, I dont know if I am missing something here! Ok, that is good. No fish. How long have u been in the cycling process. For the plants, @Mmiller2001 or another plant person should be able to help there @AquaLove 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AquaLove Posted May 27 Author Share Posted May 27 @Whitecloud09 Its almost been 1 month but the ammonia doesnt seem to come down. Thank you I will try to ask some Qs from @Mmiller2001 to figue out what can I do for the plants cause they dont look good and I am losing many! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitecloud09 Posted May 27 Share Posted May 27 On 5/27/2024 at 1:12 PM, AquaLove said: @Whitecloud09 Its almost been 1 month but the ammonia doesnt seem to come down. Thank you I will try to ask some Qs from @Mmiller2001 to figue out what can I do for the plants cause they dont look good and I am losing many! Ok got it! The ammonia will be sitting there for a while, if your one month in, you might have a month more to go @AquaLove. It takes some time, mine took 1 and a half months 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mmiller2001 Posted May 27 Share Posted May 27 I'd like to know some information if possible. What's the peak ammonia before you change water? What is the average pH of the tank (pH can affect Fe). How much water do you change when you do it (in percent please). Which fertilizer are you dosing? What lights and how tall is the tank. How are you measuring CO2? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitecloud09 Posted May 27 Share Posted May 27 On 5/27/2024 at 1:18 PM, Mmiller2001 said: I'd like to know some information if possible. What's the peak ammonia before you change water? What is the average pH of the tank (pH can affect Fe). How much water do you change when you do it (in percent please). Which fertilizer are you dosing? What lights and how tall is the tank. How are you measuring CO2? Oh yes, lights are very important here as well. @AquaLove, agree with @Mmiller2001 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AquaLove Posted May 27 Author Share Posted May 27 (edited) @Mmiller2001 The ammonia peak is sometimes around 4 ppm before changing the water, with an average pH of 7.5. Initially, I performed almost 70% water changes, then reduced to 50%, and now I usually do around 30% water changes twice per week. I am dosing Nutrafin Plant Gro, Seachem Flourish Iron, and using Osmocote Plus for root tabs. The tank is 5 gallons, with a height of 10.2 inches, and the light is specifically for aquarium plant growth. Edited May 27 by AquaLove 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllFishNoBrakes Posted May 27 Share Posted May 27 Cycling an aquarium can take a long time. Especially if it’s “all natural” meaning you didn’t add any bacteria sources. @Mmiller2001 is the plant wizard and can help you way more than I can. My only advise is that a lot of plants are grown emersed (outside of water) and have to convert to their submerged (under water) form. As they do this they melt back and look terrible. But, as long as the roots stay intact they should bounce back, assuming your water has the structure they need to thrive. Your tank is only 1 month in. Give it time and see what works well in your water and what doesn’t. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mmiller2001 Posted May 27 Share Posted May 27 On 5/27/2024 at 11:27 AM, AquaLove said: @Mmiller2001 The ammonia peak is sometimes around 4 ppm before changing the water, with an average pH of 7.5. Initially, I performed almost 70% water changes, then reduced to 50%, and now I usually do around 30% water changes twice per week. I am dosing Nutrafin Plant Gro, Seachem Flourish Iron, and using Osmocote Plus for root tabs. The tank is 5 gallons, with a height of 10.2 inches, and the light is specifically for aquarium plant growth. Immediately stop the osmocote tabs. They are way too strong for a new tank and is an ammonia source. Only use them after you know what you are doing. And most who use them only have a single ball they use. I whole tab is way too much. Nutrafin Plant grow is a micro solution, not a complete fertilizer with NPK and I can't find any information on it. I would find an all in one fertilizer that is well balanced with NPK and Micro's and sart dosing at half the recommended. I would do a 50% change when ammonia hits 2ppm. So keep the tank between 1 and 2ppm ammonia until it cycles. How are you measuring CO2? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyxxl Posted May 27 Share Posted May 27 I currently use aquarium co-op easy green fertilizer and API root tablets check the photos in my signature file my tank is only a few months old 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyxxl Posted May 27 Share Posted May 27 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitecloud09 Posted May 27 Share Posted May 27 (edited) On 5/27/2024 at 3:38 PM, johnnyxxl said: I currently use aquarium co-op easy green fertilizer and API root tablets check the photos in my signature file my tank is only a few months old Yes, same, but I use ACs easy root tabs, they are so good, my moneywort is growing like a weed. Agree with @Mmiller2001. Stop those root tabs. This is why your tank is unable to cycle, cause the tabs are putting ammonia back in every time you use them @AquaLove On 5/27/2024 at 3:08 PM, Mmiller2001 said: Immediately stop the osmocote tabs. They are way too strong for a new tank and is an ammonia source. Only use them after you know what you are doing. And most who use them only have a single ball they use. I whole tab is way too much. Nutrafin Plant grow is a micro solution, not a complete fertilizer with NPK and I can't find any information on it. I would find an all in one fertilizer that is well balanced with NPK and Micro's and sart dosing at half the recommended. I would do a 50% change when ammonia hits 2ppm. So keep the tank between 1 and 2ppm ammonia until it cycles. How are you measuring CO2? Edited May 27 by Whitecloud09 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galabar Posted May 27 Share Posted May 27 What type of filtration are you using? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doktor zhivago Posted May 27 Share Posted May 27 Does osmocoat make aquarium products or is this just the regular garden fertilizer??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mmiller2001 Posted May 28 Share Posted May 28 On 5/27/2024 at 4:00 PM, doktor zhivago said: Does osmocoat make aquarium products or is this just the regular garden fertilizer??? Just regular garden products and are incredibly strong, hence people using them usually pull it apart and just use 1 or 2 beads. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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