Is My Tank Too Low-tech?

[tgo]

Here are some stats on the set-up

Tank Size: 2 month-old 10 gallon
Lighting: single T8 14 watt Hagen Sun-Glo bulb
Light Duration: 8 hours per day
Plants: lightly planted; anubias nana, java fern, moss ball, and some type of crypt (new)
Subtrate: standard small gravel
Filtration: Aquaclear 30 (150 gph)
Fertilzers: None
CO2: None

Water Parameters: Nitrites 0ppm, Nitrates 5ppm, and Ammonia 0ppm.

The question I have is whether I should improve my lighting and add something like Seachem's Flourish Excel or another fertilizer. The growth is quite slow and I have a bit of an algae problem. I have an AFF and zebra snail to munch on the algae, but I have read that algae is a symptom of poor plant growth. Also, my nitrates are quite low still (cycled about a month). I am concerned my plants aren't getting enough nutrients and that I should be adding nitrates to the tank. The anubias and java fern grow new leaves slowly, but they also have a bit of algae that grow on the older leaves.

If I don't need to change my lighting, is it worth adding Flourish Excel with my current 1.4 wpg?

Thanks

 

[AdAndrews]

Here are some stats on the set-up

Tank Size: 2 month-old 10 gallon
Lighting: single T8 14 watt Hagen Sun-Glo bulb
Light Duration: 8 hours per day
Plants: lightly planted; anubias nana, java fern, moss ball, and some type of crypt (new)
Subtrate: standard small gravel
Filtration: Aquaclear 30 (150 gph)
Fertilzers: None
CO2: None

Water Parameters: Nitrites 0ppm, Nitrates 5ppm, and Ammonia 0ppm.

The question I have is whether I should improve my lighting and add something like Seachem's Flourish Excel or another fertilizer. The growth is quite slow and I have a bit of an algae problem. I have an AFF and zebra snail to munch on the algae, but I have read that algae is a symptom of poor plant growth. Also, my nitrates are quite low still (cycled about a month). I am concerned my plants aren't getting enough nutrients and that I should be adding nitrates to the tank. The anubias and java fern grow new leaves slowly, but they also have a bit of algae that grow on the older leaves.

If I don't need to change my lighting, is it worth adding Flourish Excel with my current 1.4 wpg?

Thanks

this may work for you, although to get better plant growth, use of a fertiliser, in form of TPN+ (get it from aqua essentials or the green machine) should be dosed daily or weekly with the water change, i do daily for best results, little and often about 1.5ml of tpn+ should do for that size tank. you can get other ferts, but tpn+ is amazing.. it is all in one, containing trace elements, iron etc. and npk. so is all you need.. also i would dose a liquid carbon fertiliser, in the form of AE aquacarbon(aqua essentials) or easylife easycarbo or excel as you mentioned(the green machine/ aqua essentials) both are really good, although the first mentioned is slightly cheaper.. dose about 1.5ml for that size tank daily.. it also helps keep clear of algae

dose using a plastic seringe.

good luck

 

[tgo]

sounds good to me Will TPN, Flourish or Easycarbo add any nitrates to my tank and will I notice these in liquid tests?

 

[RadaR]

sounds good to me Will TPN, Flourish or Easycarbo add any nitrates to my tank and will I notice these in liquid tests?

No they won't add any nitrogen to the tank. TPN+ would.
Neither would it register on test kits. Nitrate test kits for the fishkeeping hobbyists, are rubbish.

 

[tgo]

do you mean they're rubbish cause they're inaccurate?

 

[RadaR]

do you mean they're rubbish cause they're inaccurate?

Indeed I do good sir.
Let the flaming begin

 

[tgo]

Does the API liquid test tend to underestimate or overestimate nitrates, or both?

 

[RadaR]

I'm pretty sure it's both. I stopped using mine years ago though.

 

[aaronnorth]

do you mean they're rubbish cause they're inaccurate?

Indeed I do good sir.
Let the flaming begin

flourish does contain a source of nitrogen, albeit not much, however because your tank is low tech i think it will be enough,

 

[lljdma06]

do you mean they're rubbish cause they're inaccurate?

Indeed I do good sir.
Let the flaming begin

What!? There is no flaming in this section. You are safe. We are all united in this plant geekdom.

10g are amongst, in my humble opinion, one of the more difficult tanks to light. They are smaller than the 20g, which the size in which WPG applies better to. WPG is not really a fixed rule, more like a really rough guideline anyway, so don't take it too seriously, because it varies significantly with tank size and the type of lighting you use. 1.4WPG of T8 in a 20g is usually adaquate lighting for a low-moderately lit tank, it might not be enough for a 10g. It may work for you and I'm not discouraging you from trying. You may get good results. Your system is relatively young and will be going through some growing pains. I like the idea of adding some mild ferts first. I think people are a bit too light hungry in the first place and if you can get good growth with less, by all means, go for it. I've grown sturdy stemplants, anubias, and crypts with like .5WPG of T8s so it's totally possible. But it was in a larger tank, about 45g. I currently have 28W of T5s on my 10g and use no CO2 or regular ferts, and find the growth quite good. I consider this 10g a low-light tank. It may seem like a lot of light, but compared to what Amano puts in his tanks, it's really not much, but my tank isn't designed to grow quickly to get a scape, take nice photos, and then take down. It's meant to house fish for quite some time, and I don't want crazy growth, just healthy, manageable growth, and I am fine with some algae.

I'd personally add more plants if I were you, but that's just me.

llj

 

[tgo]

do you mean they're rubbish cause they're inaccurate?

Indeed I do good sir.
Let the flaming begin

What!? There is no flaming in this section. You are safe. We are all united in this plant geekdom.

10g are amongst, in my humble opinion, one of the more difficult tanks to light. They are smaller than the 20g, which the size in which WPG applies better to. WPG is not really a fixed rule, more like a really rough guideline anyway, so don't take it too seriously, because it varies significantly with tank size and the type of lighting you use. 1.4WPG of T8 in a 20g is usually adaquate lighting for a low-moderately lit tank, it might not be enough for a 10g. It may work for you and I'm not discouraging you from trying. You may get good results. Your system is relatively young and will be going through some growing pains. I like the idea of adding some mild ferts first. I think people are a bit too light hungry in the first place and if you can get good growth with less, by all means, go for it. I've grown sturdy stemplants, anubias, and crypts with like .5WPG of T8s so it's totally possible. But it was in a larger tank, about 45g. I currently have 28W of T5s on my 10g and use no CO2 or regular ferts, and find the growth quite good. I consider this 10g a low-light tank. It may seem like a lot of light, but compared to what Amano puts in his tanks, it's really not much, but my tank isn't designed to grow quickly to get a scape, take nice photos, and then take down. It's meant to house fish for quite some time, and I don't want crazy growth, just healthy, manageable growth, and I am fine with some algae.

I'd personally add more plants if I were you, but that's just me.

llj

Get more plants! I was hoping somebody else would suggest that

Thanks for all the advice, I will try to keep my existing light setup, try some Flourish, and get a plant or two more. If I decide that I need more light, what kind of canopy and lighting would you suggest? What is in your setup llj?

My crypt is melting, won't be trying that again. I was thinking some java moss, or some small foreground plants.. .I 'd also get more java fern, it seems hardy. Any other suggestions?

 

[Geoff1991]

do you mean they're rubbish cause they're inaccurate?

Indeed I do good sir.
Let the flaming begin

What!? There is no flaming in this section. You are safe. We are all united in this plant geekdom.

10g are amongst, in my humble opinion, one of the more difficult tanks to light. They are smaller than the 20g, which the size in which WPG applies better to. WPG is not really a fixed rule, more like a really rough guideline anyway, so don't take it too seriously, because it varies significantly with tank size and the type of lighting you use. 1.4WPG of T8 in a 20g is usually adaquate lighting for a low-moderately lit tank, it might not be enough for a 10g. It may work for you and I'm not discouraging you from trying. You may get good results. Your system is relatively young and will be going through some growing pains. I like the idea of adding some mild ferts first. I think people are a bit too light hungry in the first place and if you can get good growth with less, by all means, go for it. I've grown sturdy stemplants, anubias, and crypts with like .5WPG of T8s so it's totally possible. But it was in a larger tank, about 45g. I currently have 28W of T5s on my 10g and use no CO2 or regular ferts, and find the growth quite good. I consider this 10g a low-light tank. It may seem like a lot of light, but compared to what Amano puts in his tanks, it's really not much, but my tank isn't designed to grow quickly to get a scape, take nice photos, and then take down. It's meant to house fish for quite some time, and I don't want crazy growth, just healthy, manageable growth, and I am fine with some algae.

I'd personally add more plants if I were you, but that's just me.

llj

Get more plants! I was hoping somebody else would suggest that

Thanks for all the advice, I will try to keep my existing light setup, try some Flourish, and get a plant or two more. If I decide that I need more light, what kind of canopy and lighting would you suggest? What is in your setup llj?

My crypt is melting, won't be trying that again. I was thinking some java moss, or some small foreground plants.. .I 'd also get more java fern, it seems hardy. Any other suggestions?

Ive read that crypts can melt at first, but if left alone they will send out new shoots and grow.

 

[aaronnorth]

i would add another 15w T8 on if you decide on more lighting, bearing in mind you will get quicker growth so more fertiliser will be needed, and also quicker growth/ higher chances of algae.
Crypts do tend to melt when first introducd, but they will soon recover.

Anubias
java fern
moss balls
crypts
hygrohillia polysperma
echinodorous sp
frogbit (floating plant)