OK, we can improve things a lot here with that information. Though I would still want to try and track down data on the light. Light is critical, especially with LED which tends to be high in the blue but low in the red wavelengths. Aquatic plants require red and blue light to drive photosynthesis, and red is the more important of these; adding green to the mix does improvee plant growth notwithstanding the fore-going. Blue light without sufficient red to balance will encourage algae, so I'd like to get as much as we can on the light. Is the unit one where you can turn off/disconnect the blue and have just the white? And can you give me a link to the Amazon page? I may be able to trace down the manufacturer and find something.
the plant fert is flourish advance and I’m dosing 2.5 ml every other day (the bottle said to do it every day). I’m hoping this is a good one rather than A deadly one!
Here I can help you. I have seen this "new" product in the Flourish line but have not used it as I didn't really see a beenefit, and I still think that. It is all very well for this product to "stimulate the growth of roots and leaves" and "enhance mineral absorption" but it does not provide nutrients...except for four, namely magnesim, calcium, potash and phosphate. Adding the first two is no problem, nor the third, but the fourth is an issue. Once you have fish in the tank, there will be more than sufficient phosphate from fish food to supply the needs of the plants.
I use Seachem's
Flourish Comprehensive Supplement for the Planted Aquarium. I will say without reservation this is one of the best products for supplementing plant nutrients because it contains all the required nutrients (except hydrogen, oxygen and carbon which occur naturally in the aquarium) and the nutrients are in proportion to each other according to botanical evidence of plants' requirements. The "hard" minerals (calcium and magnesium) are minimal, true, because most people have these in their source water. On this, what is the GH (general hardness) of your tap water? [The Flourish Advance has these two nutrients which is OK.]
I recommend you get a small bottle of the Flourish Comprehensive Supplement; you use very little, and a small bottle will last months. If you can't get to the store presently, check online sources. My pet stores aree still open so people can help their pets, and only last week I got another bottle of this as I was running low. Once the Flourish Advance is gone, I personally would not get more, the Comprehensive is what you need.
I think the white sand is pretty rubbish.It shows up all the dirt so I’m going to get rid I think, especially now I know that.
A good idea. Play Sand is ideal, I have this in all my tanks. Other members in the UK use play sand, so they will know more and can advise if you can get it now or have to wait. But it is ideal substrate.
so I was adding ammonia on the advice of someone else on here because there is nothing in the tank yet and i guess there needs to be some to keep the bacteria going? If not dr tims what should I do? I can’t buy any livestock right now
When you have live plants, you do not worry about the nitrifying bacteria. Plants need nitrogen, and aquatic species prefer it in the form of ammonium (ammonia). There is some ammonium nitrogen in the Flourish Comprehensive, and I have used this in tanks with no fish for several months to keep the plants growing [my quarantine tank for new fish acquisitions is planted, but it can sit for months without fish]. Ammonia kills fish and plants, and some bacteria species, so I prefer to be safe and never add it if you have plants. While waiting for fish acquisition opportunities, the plants can get growing and then you are home free.
Even aside from the plant aspect, nitrifying bacteria will not die off for lack of ammonia, at least not for a few weeks, and depending upon other factors. The Nitrosomonas bacteria has the ability to go into a sort of hibernation. This is limited, and other factors play into it, but it is not really worth the risk of harming plants.
So, once the plants are growing well, fish can be added [we can discuss species and numbers later] without any fuss over "cycling" because it occurs in the background.
