Checking I Am Doing Everything Right

[zoeb2912]

Hi all
 
I just want to make sure my plants are getting everything they need to grow properly.
 
Please correct me if I am doing anything wrong and any further advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
24 x 12 x 12 57L/15g
 
External canister filter 150lph Internal filter 600lph
 
1 x Hagan Life Glo 18" tube 8 hours
 
25 Danio Erythromicron
2 D.Gourami
1 BNP
6 Assassin Snails
 
AM 0
NI 0
NA around 30 but will check again and update (havent checked since finishing my plant stock)
PH 7.6
Temp at the moment its 23 but it fluctuates (working on this)
 
Easycarbo daily
Easy Profito weekly
W/C 40/50% weekly
 
2 plants from LFS think they are crypts
Cryptocoryne Beckettii
Red Ludwigia repens
Anubias nana petite
Red Root Floater "Phyllanthus Fluitan"
CABOMBA
WATER LETTUCE 
Microsorium mini
Hydrocotyle leucocephala
 
 

 

 

 
Thanks x
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

[Mamashack]

Your tank looks lovely!
Not sure about the planting but I would say you maybe have too many Danios in there. It's only a 60L tank and altho the tank foot print may be ok according to Seriously Fish, there seem to be a heck of a lot of fish in there.
Also the BNP can get to 5" long so the tank is a bit too small as they need 75L minimum really.

 

[fluttermoth]

Your tank looks lovely!
Not sure about the planting but I would say you maybe have too many Danios in there. It's only a 60L tank and altho the tank foot print may be ok according to Seriously Fish, there seem to be a heck of a lot of fish in there.
Also the BNP can get to 5" long so the tank is a bit too small as they need 75L minimum really.

 
I see your reasoning, but I think you're wrong about the emerald danios (I keep them as well

) They are very shy, so do need to be in a large group. They're also very, very tiny and have a very small bioload, so it's okay to 'overstock' them. Do keep a close eye on the nitrate level though, OP.
 
I'm totally with you on the bristlenose though; they're the complete opposite, very bulky and have a large bioload for their length. This tank is too small for one, IMO.

 

[zoeb2912]

I do see where your both coming from and I will in the future be swapping the BNP for otos and the DG for 5 more emeralds.
 
The DG's make so much mess its unreal, and I need the tank to mature some more before I add the otos, catching the BNP will be a job though as its heavily planted and he is tiny!
 
Any one know about the plants?
 
Thanks

 

[Mamashack]

Thanks for the correction, fluttermoth. Will consider these for my 60L once my last few platies have gone. Will research their other needs first tho. 
Sorry zoeb, I kind of skewed the replies towards the fish and you wanted to know about the planting - soz! 

 

[attibones]

What wattage is that Life Glow bulb?

 

[zoeb2912]

What wattage is that Life Glow bulb?

 
15w

 

[attibones]

T8 or T5? The heat of the lamp (6500 Kelvin, 4000K, etc) will also help determine if your lamp is bright enough to sustain the plants for a while. Depending on the light you have, and if you dose iron at all, you may lose the red in some of your plants, but they should just go green. I'm still learning about the plant world myself, but I think that a combo of the right light and iron keeps red plants red.

 

[zoeb2912]

T8 or T5? The heat of the lamp (6500 Kelvin, 4000K, etc) will also help determine if your lamp is bright enough to sustain the plants for a while. Depending on the light you have, and if you dose iron at all, you may lose the red in some of your plants, but they should just go green. I'm still learning about the plant world myself, but I think that a combo of the right light and iron keeps red plants red.

 
T8 6700k
 
Id like to keep the red if possible. 
 
I dont dose iron as far as I know.
 
Thanks

 

[Byron]

I would agree on the reached consensus concerning the fish changes.
 
To the plants.  I think you should be OK, the only questionable plant is the Cabomba.  I have found that without bright light it tends to fall apart after a few weeks.  If this starts, I would remove it.  You other plants are (or should be) fine with your light; I would consider this to be moderate but at the bright end of moderate, given the shallowness of this 15g tank.  I use Life-Glo on all my single-tube tanks, and I have many of the plants mentioned (tried Cabomba, fell apart as I say).
 
On the iron issue, I am not familiar with ProFito and on the website it lists the micro-nutrients and then says it also has other minerals, without mentioning them.  On the label, does it give these?  I would assume iron is included, as the data suggests this manufacturer knows what they're talking about, and I agree iron is necessary not just for the red but everything.
 
Red plants do need brighter lighting as someone mentioned, because they reflect the red to appear red, and red is essential for photosynthesis, but being a floating plant this should not be an issue right under the light.
 
How long has this tank been running?  Everything looks fine, but you have to give it a few weeks to see what is going to develop, good or bad.  Once you see the results, so to speak, you may decide to change this or that plant.
 
My one other concern is the EasyCarbo.  It too does not say what it contains.  Some similar products, like Excel and API's CO2 Booster, are glutaraldehyde, a very toxic disinfectant chemical.  I won't use this, and it shouldn't be necessary here.  I've no idea what is in the EasyCarbo, so this is just a caution.
 
Lovely aquascape, and I do like that branch.  Well done.
 
Byron.

 

[zoeb2912]

I would agree on the reached consensus concerning the fish changes.
 
To the plants.  I think you should be OK, the only questionable plant is the Cabomba.  I have found that without bright light it tends to fall apart after a few weeks.  If this starts, I would remove it.  You other plants are (or should be) fine with your light; I would consider this to be moderate but at the bright end of moderate, given the shallowness of this 15g tank.  I use Life-Glo on all my single-tube tanks, and I have many of the plants mentioned (tried Cabomba, fell apart as I say).
 
On the iron issue, I am not familiar with ProFito and on the website it lists the micro-nutrients and then says it also has other minerals, without mentioning them.  On the label, does it give these?  I would assume iron is included, as the data suggests this manufacturer knows what they're talking about, and I agree iron is necessary not just for the red but everything.
 
Red plants do need brighter lighting as someone mentioned, because they reflect the red to appear red, and red is essential for photosynthesis, but being a floating plant this should not be an issue right under the light.
 
How long has this tank been running?  Everything looks fine, but you have to give it a few weeks to see what is going to develop, good or bad.  Once you see the results, so to speak, you may decide to change this or that plant.
 
My one other concern is the EasyCarbo.  It too does not say what it contains.  Some similar products, like Excel and API's CO2 Booster, are glutaraldehyde, a very toxic disinfectant chemical.  I won't use this, and it shouldn't be necessary here.  I've no idea what is in the EasyCarbo, so this is just a caution.
 
Lovely aquascape, and I do like that branch.  Well done.
 
Byron.

 
Thank you Byron.
 
The Profito  says, complete fert with iron, potassium, manganese and other vital nutrients. Multiple stabilized without nitrates or phosphates.
 
It doesn't list the ingredients for the easycarbo.
 
The Cabomba has really grown and is looking really good so I hope it stays this way, its my favorite in there.
 
The actual tank itself is quite mature but the oldest plants are only 2 weeks.

 

[Byron]

OK, I would just let it develop for a few weeks.  You may need nothing more, but the plants' response will tell you if you do.  Every aquarium is different; I have seven tanks at present, all planted, some of the same species in different tanks, similar lighting, similar fertilizing...yet I do see differences between them with plant growth/response.
 
I did miss one thing previously, the nitrate.  You give it as around 30 ppm, this is quite high.  You were going to check it, so that may have been inaccurate.  With things as you have them, I would expect nitrate to be close to zero here, certainly not above 5-10 ppm.  Have you tested your source water (tap I suppose) for nitrate?
 
Byron.

 

[zoeb2912]

OK, I would just let it develop for a few weeks.  You may need nothing more, but the plants' response will tell you if you do.  Every aquarium is different; I have seven tanks at present, all planted, some of the same species in different tanks, similar lighting, similar fertilizing...yet I do see differences between them with plant growth/response.
 
I did miss one thing previously, the nitrate.  You give it as around 30 ppm, this is quite high.  You were going to check it, so that may have been inaccurate.  With things as you have them, I would expect nitrate to be close to zero here, certainly not above 5-10 ppm.  Have you tested your source water (tap I suppose) for nitrate?
 
Byron.

 
Hi
 
I checked both my tank and tap water and the tank, which is 5 days since water change is around 30, straight from the tap is between 40-80. both very similar on the chart. I will get a picture of results. 
 
Thanks x
The test on the left of the pics, the lighter one, is from the tank. Test on the right is straight from tap.
 

 

 

 

[Mamashack]

For your tank test, zoeb, you could do a dilution test with RO/DI water if you have access to it. Then you can get a more accurate reading. Just remember to multiply the end result by however much you dilute by. Probably best to do half and half to start with then it's easy to just double the result.
I use Salifert for my nitrate test as it's easier to use, uses less water and takes only 3 mins. If the result is less than 10 you can look thro the side of the test container and divide the result by 10 - easy peasy. I do have API nitrate - purely because it came with the master test kit I got, but it's not one of the easiest to distinguish colour-wise so it's there for back-up mainly.
It would seem that your plants are using up some of the tap water nitrates. If you can access RO/DI water trying using it to dilute the tap water to a reasonable nitrate level. Just be careful with the resulting TDS/GH if you have fish that require specific levels. KH may be affected too altho this doesn't directly impact the fish - it helps the pH to keep stable.

 

[Byron]

Yes, I agree with Mamashack.  I would also confirm these results with your water supply authority, as high nitrate is dangerous to humans.
 
Byron.