New plants problem

Byron

That assortment includes plants with quite opposite requirements light-wise, and thus nutrient-wise as the two are connected. Microsword is the one that may not work due to light, even when the tubes are replaced.

And on this, if the fixture is T8 you can only use T8 tubes. T5 tubes only work in T5 fixtures. HO only applies to T5. Two T8's will work fine, the micro sword is an "if" but otherwise OK. You want full spectrum/cool white tubes, with a Kelvin from 5000K to 7000K depending upon your preference in light. Lower K is warm white, higher K is cooler white. Plants tend to do well around 6500K on the cool side, and many "daylight" tubes are in this range. Tubes in fish stores such as the Life-Glo or ZooMed Ultra Sun are 6700K. If you want to save money, tubes by GE, Phillips, Sylvania with a 6500K are available in hardware-type stores. Only issue would be if these come in 18 inches, and I don't know that.

I really would not use water after the softener. If you read the article I linked previously, it will explain why. The TDS plus salt can make things worse even with a lower GH (which does not take into account TDS but only minerals like calcium and magnesium). This will affect the neons more than the corys. However, this depends upon how the softener works, something else i don't know.

What nutrient fertilizers are you using, if any? I know there is Flourite, but a liquid is also needed. Seachem's Flourish Comprehensive Supplement [make sure it is this one, the Comprehensive] is fine, or Brightwell Aquatics' FlorinMulti. A small bottle will suffice, it takes very little of either. In a 30g, only 1/2 teaspoon once or at most twice a week.

When the plants are growing, i would use them to cycle. Fast-growing are best, and floating plants the absolute best. Ammonia is a toxin to plants, fish and bacteria, which is why i do not recommend adding it to plant tanks. Let the plants do the work for you, naturally.

Byron.

Geomancer

I have had two melt, each in different tanks =/

johntroxel71

So should I get new tubes then?

If I don't use the softened water then how is the best way to get my GH KH down?

I use Seachem Comprehensive as a fertilizer.

How do i cycle if I dont use ammonia?

Another poster had asked if I was using "pure" ammonia. The answer to that is yes.

Byron

What do you have now? Give me the printing on one end of the tube. They may be fine for plants, just a bit purplish (the high K and it shows in the photos) but these are often weaker intensity so you'll losing light.

Can you find out how the softener works? What it adds?
Diluting the tap water with "pure" water or easiest is rainwater. This is discussed in the article I linked.

Good, that issue is solved.

You don't, that's the beauty. Plants need nitrogen as a macro-nutrient, and aquatic plants prefer it as ammonium. The ammonia released by fish and bacteria is taken up by the plants fast--they are faster than the bacteria at this--and changed into ammonium. In acidic water the ammonia is ammonium anyway, so they just take it up. Benefit is no nitrite is produced, so that stage is gone. As long as there are sufficient plants, and some fast growing, a few fish added will have no issues. I have set up dozens of tanks this way, adding fish with good plant growth on day 1. But if you go this, do major water changes to get the ammonia out. And make sure the plants are growing.

Byron.

johntroxel71

[quote=Byron;1059528]What do you have now? Give me the printing on one end of the tube. They may be fine for plants, just a bit purplish (the high K and it shows in the photos) but these are often weaker intensity so you'll losing light.

One is a marineland natural daylight f15t8/18"

The other is a powerglo t8 18000k.


Can you find out how the softener works? What it adds?
Diluting the tap water with "pure" water or easiest is rainwater. This is discussed in the article I linked.

It is a culligan soft-minder twin that uses water softener salt.


http://lattnerboiler.com/Culligan%20Soft-Minder%20Series.pdf

johntroxel71

I found online that the marineland is a 5000k light.

johntroxel71

Here are my water reading tonight:

ammonia 0ppm
nitrite 5ppm
nitrate 120ppm
ph 7.8
GH and KH 10

I had the ammonia at 5ppm last night, so it is breaking it down to zero in 24 hours. The nitrate is crazy high so I assume I should do a huge water change?

Byron, I posted the answers to your other questions above.

Byron

If you want to hold off on new tubes, the ones you have will be fine for plants. I find the Power-glo a bit purplish which I do not like, but as a light it is OK. So this is up to you. Remember that tubes whatever they are need replacing about every 12 months.

I would definitely not use water from that softener. You are making it less healthy for fish than if you left it alone. On this score, I would simply mix it with rainwater, half and half.

Byron.

Big Fate

Toss the power-glo and go with a Life-glo.. the power glo's light is too purplish for plants.

Once I did this my plants took off

johntroxel71

I have ordered 2 life-glo's for my tank. I switched it to a 5k and a 8750k but I am sure they new ones will be better.

I also believe I was dosing too much excel and too much comprehensive. I am going to just go with once a week for now with the comprehensive, but not really sure on the excel. I have stopped that completely for now.

I am still adding 10ml of pure ammonia to the tank to bring it up to 4-5pm. Ammonia goes back to 0 in 24 hours. Nitrites and Nitrates are both super high. I am 11 days into the cycle. I cant wait until the nitrites start going down so I know I am close to getting fish.