Hi, new to a planted tank and had a few questions, I'll put a dash by my questions for easier reading. I am going to take my water in to the store tomorrow as my test strips are unreadable for ammonia. I believe my tank is finally cycled or very close to it. Here are my readings.
10-20ppm Nitrates
Ammonia and Nitrites low to none that I can tell
200ppm General Hardness
80ppm KH
7.2-7.4 PH
I have one unidentified plant that tagged along with my amazon swords. I also have flame moss, some sort of crypts, java fern, straight vallis, hornwort, anacharis, dwarf anubias, a floating banana plant I think is the name, and water wisteria.
--->I have read that I want a certain GH and KH and was curious if someone could tell me what I want parameter wise? I get confused with the degrees, ppm, and names for GH and KH.
--->Also I was wondering if someone had advice on adding water during water changes? Everytime I add water from a kitty litter bucket the flow disrupts my arrangement and gravel and I have to fix things by hand and pick out loose plant matter knocked around. I don't really have room for a bowl and have no desire to fill the tank much slower. It is a 55 gallon.
I went about planting backwards, having not known better. I got a 35 hex tank, switched to a 55 and then started adding plants and planning and then mixing in some flourite to the regular gravel however it is not at all done well since I had a layer of gravel, then some flourite, then some more gravel.
--->What fertilizer or fertilizers should I use for all the micro and macro nutrients the plants need? I am using Plant Gro Iron enriched once a week. I don't plan on doing more than a 25% percent water change weekly once things are established, preferably less. I have T5 flourescents 28 watts x 4 - 2 6700k bulbs and 2 freshwater bulbs.
One last thing. I plan on doing some sort of Co2 injection, possibly a DIY version as from what I have read I don' t have time to do 50% weekly water changes and constant pruning that go with high lighting and high Co2. I am not sure how to tell my lumens and whether my lighting falls at medium lighting or not at about 2 watts x gallon. Probably replace one of the freshwater bulbs with a 10k when one goes out.
10-20ppm Nitrates
Ammonia and Nitrites low to none that I can tell
200ppm General Hardness
80ppm KH
7.2-7.4 PH
I have one unidentified plant that tagged along with my amazon swords. I also have flame moss, some sort of crypts, java fern, straight vallis, hornwort, anacharis, dwarf anubias, a floating banana plant I think is the name, and water wisteria.
--->I have read that I want a certain GH and KH and was curious if someone could tell me what I want parameter wise? I get confused with the degrees, ppm, and names for GH and KH.
--->Also I was wondering if someone had advice on adding water during water changes? Everytime I add water from a kitty litter bucket the flow disrupts my arrangement and gravel and I have to fix things by hand and pick out loose plant matter knocked around. I don't really have room for a bowl and have no desire to fill the tank much slower. It is a 55 gallon.
I went about planting backwards, having not known better. I got a 35 hex tank, switched to a 55 and then started adding plants and planning and then mixing in some flourite to the regular gravel however it is not at all done well since I had a layer of gravel, then some flourite, then some more gravel.
--->What fertilizer or fertilizers should I use for all the micro and macro nutrients the plants need? I am using Plant Gro Iron enriched once a week. I don't plan on doing more than a 25% percent water change weekly once things are established, preferably less. I have T5 flourescents 28 watts x 4 - 2 6700k bulbs and 2 freshwater bulbs.
One last thing. I plan on doing some sort of Co2 injection, possibly a DIY version as from what I have read I don' t have time to do 50% weekly water changes and constant pruning that go with high lighting and high Co2. I am not sure how to tell my lumens and whether my lighting falls at medium lighting or not at about 2 watts x gallon. Probably replace one of the freshwater bulbs with a 10k when one goes out.