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Ok. I have a 125g with 225 watts of total light. I currently have at my disposal regular flourish (for micro's) flourish potassium, and flourish excel (i have no c02 at this time). Substrate is 25% flourite 75% gravel I have a moderatley planted tank with various low to moderate plants growing in there. The lights are on for 10 hours per day on a timer. SO here are my questions.

1: Should I add another light an if so how many watts (I have all 6.7k lights since this seems to be the closest to sunlight and best for plants).

2: I need a recommended fert regime

Ok here are my current lights I have 2 walmart shop lights each pushing 80 watts and a coral light pushing 65. Ill attempt to draw the arrangement below. If i need diffrent ferts plz recommend. My Nitrate level is around 40 ppm. I have no test kits for anything besides ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph. If a pic is absolutley nessisary I can barrow a camera and take 1.

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- is walmart lights
= is the coral
. = space holder

weighates,

To No1: if you add more light then you get in realm where algae outbreaks are more common, in particular without adequate fertilizers (more to that later) and insufficient plant mass. Take a look at my 125G Log (if you haven't done so already) and learn from my mistakes .

No2: The ferts you add are insufficient and will cost you a lot of money over time. CO2 addition in a 125G via Excel will get very expensive. Basically, you need Nitrates (N), Phosphates (P), and Potassium (K) for macros and a micro mix, like Flourish Trace or TMG.

Why don't you post a picture of your tank so we can see how planted it is? If that is not possible then give us a very very detailed description of it. Also, what is your maintenance routine and how many fish (what kind) are in there? How long is the tank set up already?

Hope this helps,

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

If the plants are suitable, low to moderate light, as you say, your current set up is fine.

All you're really missing is about 1 teaspoon of KNO3 and 1/8 teaspoon of KH2PO4 once or twice a week (if not very heavily planted once is fine). Add the Flourish and Excel as per instructions on bottle.

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Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

Ok thanks alot for the advice. I will try to post a pick tonight. Where do I find kno3 or KH2PO4? I mean which products cause I looked at the LFS on the back of the bottles and I couldnt find those.

My Nitrate level is around 40 ppm

Your not currently adding no3, but your nitrates are 40ppm.

Why is that number so high. How often do you change the water and how many and what kind of fish are in the tank?

All that good advice given to you by little_fish and Bensaf require more or less weekly water changes to keep the ferts from getting to heavy and to replenish traces and other goodies in the tap water.

You could get the kno3 and the po4 from the site linked below or for the no3 you could use Greenlight Stump Remover from lowes/home depot. that brand of stump remover is pure Potassium nitrate. If you get the no3 and po4 you probably don't need the flourish potassium. The regular flourish is good for your micros. So all the products you need are no3,po4,flourish and excel. There is alot of so4(potassium) in the kno3 and some in the flourish

http://www.gregwatson.com/




My Scapes

ok ill goto home depot for the kno3 but is there anyway to get the po4 besides the website? My nitrates are currently high because I was away for 1 month and my roommate didnt do anything he was supposed to do while I was gone (honestly not a big suprise). So unfortunatly I came home to a dead tank. I did a 50% wc took out all the bodies and planted the tank and added 25 or so small fish like tetras (had oscars & convicts before). The new fish are happy and running around. The tank wasnt planted before so I am new to this.

Chris

PS- Well 1 baby convict survived some how and he is growing up very nicely with all his new friends. Yes I am very angry with my roommate who agreed to do the aquarium maintinence.

Nitrate in the 10 to 20 range is sometimes desirable in a planted tank, because the plants need it (kno3) to process food but without plants and in the 40ppm range is definitely lethal. It always pays to change 50% of the wate weekly or bi-weekly.

O.K this is gonna sound weird but if you don't want to go the online route you can buy a Fleets Enema for the po4. That's right an enema. Make sure the active ingredients listed has a couple of phosphates on it. You only need about 1 to 1.5ml for your tank each dose.

BTW - Don't buy just any stump remover. Some of other ingredients in it. You want the Greenlight brand and I got it at Lowes, didn't see that brand at Home Depot near me.
There might be another acceptable brand, but I don't remember which one.

My Scapes

ok. well uhh I have no idea what stores would even have an enema. Any suggestions where i would go to obtain that??

Thanks Chris

Drugstores, supermarkets sell enemas. If you don't know what an enema is I'd suggest you educate yourself. It's fascinating reading



My Scapes

Come on now! Or you can go the easy route and just buy the Flourish Phosphate product

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Back in the saddle!

I think it was upikabu (not sure though) who once attempted to send his significant other out to buy an Enema for him. She found out what it is before she hit the store and wasn't too pleased .

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club