The 20g Long Progress

[Sovereignty]

Why did they tell you that you can't do CPD's?

They said my parameters weren't right for them and my tank wasn't set up correctly. I took it mostly as a load of bs but it drives home the point of research saying one thing and people saying another lol.

 

[sharkweek178]

They said my parameters weren't right for them and my tank wasn't set up correctly. I took it mostly as a load of bs but it drives home the point of research saying one thing and people saying another lol.

You're right. That's fake news. CPD's would be fine with your parameters. Your pH is on the low side but still ok for them.
I like Seriously Fish and find them to be pretty authoritative. But not even they are right about everything. All we can do is as much research as we can do so that we can evaluate information as best we can. Experience helps. But if you don't have that, then research will have to be a substitute.

 

[Sovereignty]

Slowly getting rid of the diatoms. Woo!!!

 

[Sovereignty]

One thing after another.

My co2 regulator has stopped working. The solenoid clicks on and off with power but it's not pushing co2 through the system. There is plenty of CO2 in the tank and when I open the release valve co2 is released, so people think it's a faulty solenoid. Sadly I think it's connected to the regulator itself.

I bought the regulator as a kit from my LFS, its called Insta. The solenoid was already connected.

Thankfully I called the LFS and he called a buddy of his and they're going to hopefully have a replacement unit this Saturday. I was worried my tank would be without co2 for... who knew how long.

Someone said to check the pressure too but the knob everyone seems to think turns to raise/lower the pressure... I've cranked that thing as hard as I can, right or left doesn't matter, it won't budge... so I dont think.... I can even adjust the pressure like that... but its on... just about 40 which should be ok.

On a 20g tank... I doubt a 5lb co2 tank is already empty in just... what... 3 months?

 

[vince82]

I use CO2 with one of those baking soda and citric acid kits, and I have a similar issue with the solenoid: it turns on, but when it does the pressure regulator lets out nothing. Looks like it gets "sticky" if there is equal pression on the 2 sides. If you tap it or change the regulation a bit it works again. Until next morning.
So I just lowered my bubble count (1.5/s) and decided to leave it on 24/7 without the solenoid.
Been going 4 days, seems better.

 

[Sovereignty]

Got the stuff figured out and we're back lol it seems like it was the solenoid. Hopefully this one lasts longer.

 

[Sovereignty]

So ive been noticing my ludwigi is growing green leaves now which I wonder if the iron content is dwindling then. Cus nothing else has changed. Went and bought some flourish iron. We'll see what happens. I have to trim up my tank again hahah so I'll share pics after that's done.

 

[Byron]

So ive been noticing my ludwigi is growing green leaves now which I wonder if the iron content is dwindling then. Cus nothing else has changed. Went and bought some flourish iron. We'll see what happens. I have to trim up my tank again hahah so I'll share pics after that's done.

Iron has little if anything to do with the leaf colour. It is light. Plants with red leaves are red because they reflect red light, just as green leaf plants reflect green light. Red (along with blue) is essential for photosynthesis of all plants, and red is the more critical of the two. If the tank light is high in the red, red leaf plants will be more successful because there is light available.

This old wives tale about iron seems eternal. You can certainly kill plants with too much Flourish Iron, I did it twice when I was being persuaded to use more iron. The iron (which is a micro-nutrient) in a comprehensive supplement like Flourish Comprehensive Supplement is all sufficient in balance with everything else.

 

[Sovereignty]

Iron has little if anything to do with the leaf colour. It is light. Plants with red leaves are red because they reflect red light, just as green leaf plants reflect green light. Red (along with blue) is essential for photosynthesis of all plants, and red is the more critical of the two. If the tank light is high in the red, red leaf plants will be more successful because there is light available.

This old wives tale about iron seems eternal. You can certainly kill plants with too much Flourish Iron, I did it twice when I was being persuaded to use more iron. The iron (which is a micro-nutrient) in a comprehensive supplement like Flourish Comprehensive Supplement is all sufficient in balance with everything else.

But the lighting hasn't changed other than hours on but when I increase i get algae. I think I'm at the point where things are pretty balanced out now other than my red plants loosing red on new growth. There still seems to be plenty of nutriants in the water because every time i think there isnt and start dosing my fertz i get algae. So i havent bothered dosing really since i set the tank up. And when I dig in to some research and even words from folks at my LFS they say iron helps red plants.

 

[Byron]

But the lighting hasn't changed other than hours on but when I increase i get algae.

I assumed from your post that the Ludwigia had red leaves when you got it, but they have since become greener. The light they were previously under was probably different. Under your light there seems to be insufficient red in the white mix. This is common with many LED units, they are very "cool" which is higher blue but lower red. Plants will struggle under this.

There still seems to be plenty of nutriants in the water because every time i think there isnt and start dosing my fertz i get algae. So i havent bothered dosing really since i set the tank up. And when I dig in to some research and even words from folks at my LFS they say iron helps red plants.

We all know not to trust what any fish store tells you, unless they are knowledgeable. The iron myth has been around a long time, but it has never been proven. Back in the 1980's iron clay substrates (laterite) were the rage...but no one does these any more because they had no benefit over inert sand with balanced nutrients added via liquid/tab fertilizers. Kitty litter then became the rage, another ridiculous idea.

You have diffused CO2, so you have set up a higher level for the light/nutrient balance. I don't know what fertilizers you are using, but it is common to have algae if they are out of proportional balance. Iron can not only kill plants, it can easily cause problem algae. It is a micro-nutrient.

I had little success with red plants because of my moderate lighting. I had that for the sake of the fish, and the plants have to manage or out they go and other species come in. The red plant I did have success with was red tiger lotus. This worked because the floating leaves were up under the light, and the light was a mix of 5000K (warm, with higher red) and 6500K (slightly cooler). These leavs got killed when I added the iron, but recovered when I stopped.

Iron is a micro-nutrient. It is also a heavy metal, and conditioners detoxify these. If you use Prime, it is worse; the chemical in this that deals with heavy metals, according to Seachem, prohibits plants from using the metals (iron, copper, manganese, zinc). The API Tap Water Conditioner does not have this detriment. If you use Prime, you are not helping things.

 

[Sovereignty]

I assumed from your post that the Ludwigia had red leaves when you got it, but they have since become greener. The light they were previously under was probably different. Under your light there seems to be insufficient red in the white mix. This is common with many LED units, they are very "cool" which is higher blue but lower red. Plants will struggle under this.



We all know not to trust what any fish store tells you, unless they are knowledgeable. The iron myth has been around a long time, but it has never been proven. Back in the 1980's iron clay substrates (laterite) were the rage...but no one does these any more because they had no benefit over inert sand with balanced nutrients added via liquid/tab fertilizers. Kitty litter then became the rage, another ridiculous idea.

You have diffused CO2, so you have set up a higher level for the light/nutrient balance. I don't know what fertilizers you are using, but it is common to have algae if they are out of proportional balance. Iron can not only kill plants, it can easily cause problem algae. It is a micro-nutrient.

I had little success with red plants because of my moderate lighting. I had that for the sake of the fish, and the plants have to manage or out they go and other species come in. The red plant I did have success with was red tiger lotus. This worked because the floating leaves were up under the light, and the light was a mix of 5000K (warm, with higher red) and 6500K (slightly cooler). These leavs got killed when I added the iron, but recovered when I stopped.

Iron is a micro-nutrient. It is also a heavy metal, and conditioners detoxify these. If you use Prime, it is worse; the chemical in this that deals with heavy metals, according to Seachem, prohibits plants from using the metals (iron, copper, manganese, zinc). The API Tap Water Conditioner does not have this detriment. If you use Prime, you are not helping things.

The ludwigia has had tons of new growth since I put it in the tank and that growth has always been red up until this most recent new growth.

I have Thrive as a fertilizer. And I dont use water conditioner since I use RO water (which I do remineralize with equilibrium from seachem)

 

[Byron]

The ludwigia has had tons of new growth since I put it in the tank and that growth has always been red up until this most recent new growth.

I have Thrive as a fertilizer. And I dont use water conditioner since I use RO water (which I do remineralize with equilibrium from seachem)

I used Equilibrium for about five years in two of my 8 tanks. It was specifically intended to deal with calcium deficiency, which it did. However, after a marine biologist asked me why I was using this and just what good did I think it was doing for the fish, I took a good look and discontinued. Flourish Tabs worked to solve the calcium deficiencyt. I have zeroGH/KH water, but again the fish are the important aspect of my aquaria and not raising the GH was better for them. There is iron in Equilibrium, and all you would need if you are still using this.

The change in appearance is due to changes in the aquarium's biological/chemistry systems. The species of plants and their number, the fish load, nutrient supplementation all factor in.

I checked Diana Walstad's book on the iron issue, and she has this:

Recommendations to maintain a certain level of iron may be based on work that doesn't apply to the home aquarium. For example, aquatic botanists and hydroponic growers routinely add EDTA-chelated iron, but their plants may be sterilized beforehand or grown emergent. Under these circumstances, chelated iron is essential and won't promote algae. But what is appropriate for aquatic botanists and hydroponic growers is not always appropriate for the home aquarist.​

​

Plants would continuously drain free iron (Fe2+ and Fe3+) from aquarium water, thereby depriving algae of a much-needed nutrient.​

​

Algal growth can be stimulated by as little as 0.005 ppm iron, which you probably can't measure. I would not feed plants iron based on what you measure in the water. High-tech tanks and those with CO2 injection may indeed require some iron and/or micronutrient fertilization of the water, but I would use these fertilizers sparingly and only if the plants were showing severe wymptoms of iron deficiency (interveinal chlorosis of younger leaves). [Ecology of the Planted Aquarium, p. 169]​

 

[Sovereignty]

Upgraded my filter to the Tidal 55 from the 35. I was getting surface film around my driftwood where the flow just wasn't strong enough but I didn't want to add in a powerhead. Seems to be much better now!

Also removed a good chunk of my 'grass' as it wasn't really spreading. It was growing up but the roots weren't strong enough to keep it in the substrate so I pulled up most of it that just kept floating away. I'm thinking it probably needs light closer to it... or a stronger light than what I have (although a 200$ light... you'd like to think it would be strong enough)

I kind of like it more open anyways. Can see the wood more. Might change things more in the future.

 

[Sovereignty]