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Isn't this high for a planted tank? I've been dosing my 20 gallon twice weekly with 1.5ml of Fluorish liquid fertilizer. I am aware that it contains phosphates in it, and every single day, there is a bunch of debris on my plants, which seems to be nasty algae. I rub it off with my finger, but it's back the next day. I'm beginning to think it's cyano again. I have 85 watts of fluorescent light on it, and 3 crypt wendtiis, about 10 stems of cabomba, and about 10 stems of ludwigia repens. I also have a clump of java fern that is stubborn to attach to my lava rock.

I also have the hagen CO2 system, but it doesn't really do anything, so it doesn't count.

BTW, I have a 50% fluorite 50% washed gravel substrate.


[span class="edited"][Edited by Lindy 2004-08-11 05:53][/span]

I'd stop with the ferts for now, and do some major water changes. The tank isn't planted heavily enough to use up the ferts you're giving it, so the algae's taking over. Plant more heavily with some fast-growing stems, do some water changes, and cut your fert regimen back a good bit.

-Molly
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If your co2 system "isn't really doing anything", that's where I would start. 1 ppm of phosphates isn't a big deal if you have 10 to 12 ppm nitrates and some plants that are sucking the nutrients up. I think mousling is on the right track.... cut off on the dosing, add some fast growing plants, get that co2 working. With that many wpg for lighting , if the plants aren't uptaking the ferts then something has to give.

The plants you have need fert in the substrate near the roots, not liquid fert..

Instead of large water change (more than 30% can stress sensitive fish) Do a 30%, then add hornwort to your tank.. It will suck up the excess nutrients.

[span class="edited"][Edited by DaFishMan 2004-08-07 23:29][/span]

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