[Vpaw]

Ok I have my 20 gallon planted, with fish. I have an HOB filter, and I fill up the water enough so that it doesn't disturb the surface. These are all things I learned from the forum so far btw.. I stopped using the carbon filter cartridges and have padded nice things in there instead (not sure how or if to change them...?) I stopped adding salt. I took out the air stone. I have micro and macro nutrients that I add once a week, but might stop doing that. I bought a plant light, zoomed flora sun.i have black titanium moon sand.

I have african dwarf frogs though, so I have read that they do bad with co2 boosters and fertilizer? I don't currently have any fertilizer. I do have a co2 booster that I add every other day, but since it's bad for the frogs, what else should I do instead?

I don't know the names of the plants.. But here's a picture of my tank...

Sent from Petguide.com Free App

 

[Romad]

Nice looking tank :thumbsup:

It's really about finding your balance. Light duration, nutrients etc. Do you have your lights on a timer? 8-10 hours a day of light should be sufficient for those type plants and then complete darkness at night.

A good plant fert. is Seachem Flourish Comprehensive once or twice a week. I never use CO2 products or boosters unless I have black hair algae present.

For the sword, you can buy Seachem root tabs and bury one under the sand near the sword. Those are good for 3 months or so.

As for your filter pads, only rinse them out in tank water when you do water changes. If they start to fall apart, only replace half at a time so you don't lose the beneficial bacteria housed in the pads.

 

[Vpaw]

Nice looking tank :thumbsup:

It's really about finding your balance. Light duration, nutrients etc. Do you have your lights on a timer? 8-10 hours a day of light should be sufficient for those type plants and then complete darkness at night.

A good plant fert. is Seachem Flourish Comprehensive once or twice a week. I never use CO2 products or boosters unless I have black hair algae present.

For the sword, you can buy Seachem root tabs and bury one under the sand near the sword. Those are good for 3 months or so.

As for your filter pads, only rinse them out in tank water when you do water changes. If they start to fall apart, only replace half at a time so you don't lose the beneficial bacteria housed in the pads.

Ok, I forgot to answer...

I do have my lights on a timer. 12 hours a day it's on and off

Don't they need co2 though?

And I think that African dwarf frogs are sensitive to fertilizer, so is there something g that won't harm them?


Sent from Petguide.com Free App

 

[SeaHorse]

Hi no lots of plants/tanks do not need co2. Take a look at my aquarium tab on the left under my name <----- , my 75 is fully planted... NO co2. And it would be double that if I actually fertilized regularly too. Not sure why! lol

The water return on your HOB SHOULD break the surface. Keep an eye for fish breathing at the surface, gulping air, or... a film on the surface. If you get either of these then drop the water level just a tad so that it breaks the surface tension. It's kinda like seeing stagnant water with a film... all you need is to break the surface tension with an airstone and pump or the filter return.

 

[Vpaw]

Hi no lots of plants/tanks do not need co2. Take a look at my aquarium tab on the left under my name <----- , my 75 is fully planted... NO co2. And it would be double that if I actually fertilized regularly too. Not sure why! lol

The water return on your HOB SHOULD break the surface. Keep an eye for fish breathing at the surface, gulping air, or... a film on the surface. If you get either of these then drop the water level just a tad so that it breaks the surface tension. It's kinda like seeing stagnant water with a film... all you need is to break the surface tension with an airstone and pump or the filter return.

So, I was once again mislead by the pet store saying they won't survive without the co2 *sigh*


Sent from Petguide.com Free App

 

[Boredomb]

Plants do need Co2 its a nutrient they have to have to grow. In a NPT there will be a small amount of it from the breaking down of debris by the bacteria and fish will provide some as well. This is usually the number one limiting factor for plant in natural plant tanks or low tech tanks. Which is why we choice certain plants that can deal with the lower amounts. Stems on the other hand (not all) usually do best with the additional dosing of Co2 as lots of them need brighter lights and more nutrients to grow properly. So the store didn't necessarily mislead ya. They just didn't tell ya all the info.

 

[SeaHorse]

LOL... that's ok!! There really is a balance to it tho. I've been overstocked... which means my fish are producing poop... therefore producing Ammonia. Plants take up harmful Ammonia in their processes so it has worked. I am Lazy!! I don't fert but when I DO!!!.. I will see a new leaf within 2 days.
Your lights have to be the right bulbs too(!!), I can't advise on that part other than I went to the LFS and said give me a 4 foot bulb for plants. You should be disciplined about the amount of time they are on, so get a timer if you can. You can set them to come on at noon and off at 10pm if you want to watch your tank at night... just on and off like normal day/night. The fish need that too. Circadian rhythm. Even the fish need darkness to sleep at night.
If you begin to get overrun with green algae then cut back the lighting by an hour to see if it settles down. Your clean up crew, snails, otos, BNPleco will take care of that.

 

[Boredomb]

Also think you would be alright to add seachems flourish comprehensive. It has most nutrients plants need and works good. Its already diluted and gets diluted even more when you put it into the tank. So I think the ADF will be okay. Dry fertilizer on the other hand may or may not be. If you pre mix the micro and macro ferts in a water bottle (not the same bottle thinking thats not a good idea) it will probably be OK as well. But not sure on this as I have never had ADF.

 

[Vpaw]

LOL... that's ok!! There really is a balance to it tho. I've been overstocked... which means my fish are producing poop... therefore producing Ammonia. Plants take up harmful Ammonia in their processes so it has worked. I am Lazy!! I don't fert but when I DO!!!.. I will see a new leaf within 2 days.
Your lights have to be the right bulbs too(!!), I can't advise on that part other than I went to the LFS and said give me a 4 foot bulb for plants. You should be disciplined about the amount of time they are on, so get a timer if you can. You can set them to come on at noon and off at 10pm if you want to watch your tank at night... just on and off like normal day/night. The fish need that too. Circadian rhythm. Even the fish need darkness to sleep at night.
If you begin to get overrun with green algae then cut back the lighting by an hour to see if it settles down. Your clean up crew, snails, otos, BNPleco will take care of that.

Ok ok, I HAVE a timer which is what I tried saying earlier and I do have the special bulb. And my Otto and mystery snail do a great job. My Cory cats do good for the sand.

Then which fertilizer is needed that won't harm the frogs? (I have a BN pleco in another tank without plants.


Sent from Petguide.com Free App

 

[Vpaw]

Also think you would be alright to add seachems flourish comprehensive. It has most nutrients plants need and works good. Its already diluted and gets diluted even more when you put it into the tank. So I think the ADF will be okay. Dry fertilizer on the other hand may or may not be. If you pre mix the micro and macro ferts in a water bottle (not the same bottle thinking thats not a good idea) it will probably be OK as well. But not sure on this as I have never had ADF.

So I've heard seachem quite a few times.. Ill try that.. I have the Aqueon plant food thing that I put in once a week


Sent from Petguide.com Free App

 

[Vpaw]

I went to 2 pet stores today and neither had good plant fertilizer. One of them had liquid, and root tabs, but you'd have to use a lot of root tabs to have it work, and do it weekly.


Sent from Petguide.com Free App

 

[Sqbear46]

Very nice!

Nicole

 

[rexpepper651]

I went to 2 pet stores today and neither had good plant fertilizer. One of them had liquid, and root tabs, but you'd have to use a lot of root tabs to have it work, and do it weekly.


Sent from Petguide.com Free App

root tabs arnt a weekly thing thats like a 2-4 month thing. and ferts is a once a week thing. http://http://www.amazon.com/Seache...r=8-1&keywords=seachem+flourish+comprehensive this bottle will last you a looong time!.

 

[Vpaw]

root tabs arnt a weekly thing thats like a 2-4 month thing. and ferts is a once a week thing. http://http://www.amazon.com/Seache...r=8-1&keywords=seachem+flourish+comprehensive this bottle will last you a looong time!.

The link didnt work... But it's ok I found it anyways I believe I read in the description that you need to buy multiple things, because they didnt want to overdose one bottle?

Also would it harm my African Dwarf frogs?


Sent from Petguide.com Free App

 

[rexpepper651]

The link didnt work... But it's ok I found it anyways I believe I read in the description that you need to buy multiple things, because they didnt want to overdose one bottle?

Also would it harm my African Dwarf frogs?


Sent from Petguide.com Free App

? over dose? you can only over dose if you dont follow the instructions. for my 55g i use about half a top full which is barely anything. im not sure about it being safe for frogs or not that might be soemthing you would have to research more or even better contact seachem

 

[Boredomb]

Dosing for Flourish comprehensive is 5ml for every 60 gallons. It is really the only fertilizer you need besides root tabs (with certain plants) in a low tech tank. There are many products under the Flourish line so makes sure it says comprehensive and I think it would be fine.

 

[jentralala]

Should be safe for ADF, I've never heard of it being a problem. I use it with shrimp with no ill effects.

 

[Vpaw]

? over dose? you can only over dose if you dont follow the instructions. for my 55g i use about half a top full which is barely anything. im not sure about it being safe for frogs or not that might be soemthing you would have to research more or even better contact seachem

That's a good idea. Ill contact them!


Sent from Petguide.com Free App

 

[Vpaw]

Alright so they said that it wouldn't harm them, and that it's meant to be taken up right away by e p,ants so it won't be in the water too long. And they said I should get "For plant fundamental supplements, we recommend using Flourish OR Flourish tabs, AND Flourish Iron AND Flourish Excel." So... Um... Do I need ALL of those? What would be a good starting point? Liquid vs tabs?


Sent from Petguide.com Free App

 

[Boredomb]

Of coarse they told ya that its a company. LoL

As for liquid verse tabs this going to depend on the plants you have. Substrate roots plants (cyrpts, swords, and Vals just to name a few.) really need both. Even through rooted plants take up most of their nutrients viva their roots there are still a few they take out of the water column. If you have stems and floating plants just liquid ferts are fine.

As for hem suggesting Iron and excel I would not use those unless you would have or are going high tech. Comprehensive and tabs will do just fine in a low tech by theirselves.