hollyfish2000
Members
ARRGH. My 58-gallon planted tank is doing the BBA thing and it's making me crazy. I'm tearing it apart this weekend (in part to catch my aforementioned wiley Bolivians) but also to try and do a mini start-over.
Tank has been set up about seven months. I have a powercompact light with nearly 200 watts, but stagger the light so it's not full power for the full eight hours (in an attempt to lower the WPG). Maybe that's wrong. I do have presssurized C02. I have it heavily planted in Eco-complete. My nitrates had been quite low to begin with (lots of plants not a lot of fish) and I'd been dosing with nitrogen and phosphates. But have since stopped that as nitrates hover in the 10 range now. Phosphates are either .5 or 1 (can't recall) from the last test. I dose occasionally with potassium, iron, trace, Excel and Flourish from the Seachem line. I use Seachem plant tabs, too. I have mostly big swords, plus crypts, anubias, java fern, microswords, vals of various sorts, wistera, giant hygro, etc. etc. Mostly moderate to low light type plants. Temp is 78. Filters are Fluval 405 and 205. Ph less than 7. Water changes are only about 25 percent a week in an attempt to keep the nitrates high enough for the plants.
Significant amounts of BBA is on the solid objects, including driftwood, output nozzles, etc. It's also on the anubias leaves and other plants.
Generally speaking, too, the swords aren't exactly thriving. I remove a lot of leaves due to BBA but also because the ends have turned brown.
So I have an imbalance. But what is it? Too little light? Too much light? Not enough . . . ???
Any advice appreciated.
Tank has been set up about seven months. I have a powercompact light with nearly 200 watts, but stagger the light so it's not full power for the full eight hours (in an attempt to lower the WPG). Maybe that's wrong. I do have presssurized C02. I have it heavily planted in Eco-complete. My nitrates had been quite low to begin with (lots of plants not a lot of fish) and I'd been dosing with nitrogen and phosphates. But have since stopped that as nitrates hover in the 10 range now. Phosphates are either .5 or 1 (can't recall) from the last test. I dose occasionally with potassium, iron, trace, Excel and Flourish from the Seachem line. I use Seachem plant tabs, too. I have mostly big swords, plus crypts, anubias, java fern, microswords, vals of various sorts, wistera, giant hygro, etc. etc. Mostly moderate to low light type plants. Temp is 78. Filters are Fluval 405 and 205. Ph less than 7. Water changes are only about 25 percent a week in an attempt to keep the nitrates high enough for the plants.
Significant amounts of BBA is on the solid objects, including driftwood, output nozzles, etc. It's also on the anubias leaves and other plants.
Generally speaking, too, the swords aren't exactly thriving. I remove a lot of leaves due to BBA but also because the ends have turned brown.
So I have an imbalance. But what is it? Too little light? Too much light? Not enough . . . ???
Any advice appreciated.