Social Feed

Hello everyone. Back in the game after a lengthy hiatus, and a few failed attempts to get after it again. Kids are older and super into which makes all this super fun again!

I run a 120cm rimless with 2 x Chihiros RGB II pendants. I had the dreaded dim red light all night problem and recently replaced the blue tooth controller and PCB boards on both units to v.10. Chihiros should do better, but thats a totally different post. Tank has been up and running for maybe 2 months now

Substrate: BDBS
Water: RO remineralized with APT Sky to GH 7ish and 0 KH. 90% change weekly.
Fish: booming colony of Sanke Swordtails, some ottos, and a handful of bloody mary shrimps.
Ferts: dry salts to full EI levels using good old CSMB
Filtration: one of those stainless canisters with a DC pump on top. Got it from GLA when they were in that game.
CO2: GLA regulator run through a NilocG reactor. On 2 hours before lights on, off 1 hour before lights out. (Light cycle 7 hours)
Plants: mix of Hygros, Ludwigias and a few other things. I like like to grow basic plants, really well, and dont have the patience for delicate things. I get a little lazy from time to time.

Question: I've been fighting some frustrating stunted and twisted tips on things like Ludwigia inclinata, some really frustrating melting on Heteranthera zosterfolia, some sad drooping leaves on Ludwigia glandulosa, and a touch of greenish water and maybe a touch of GSA/GDA. I'm not an expert, but I'm confidently ruling out nutrient problems given I'm on full EI. Not a micro toxicity, since that horse has been beaten to absolute death and I'm 90% water change weekly.

Im stating to wonder if CO2 isnt right. I guess I don't do the whole pH measurement thing... again, just a little lazy, and I think my plants are telling me what I need to know. I feel like ive maxed out everything I can with CO2, so my brain is starting to think lights are just too much.

This week I dialed the lights back to 70% after my water change on Sunday. I think I'm starting to see some small improvements in the stunted and twisted tips.

Could it be my lights were just too much, driving photosynthesis too fast and depleting CO2 levels during the day resulting in fluctuations the plants didn't appreciate? By turning the lights down to 70% did I take my foot off the accelerator allowing photosynthesis to be better balanced throughout the day with the CO2 being added to the system? I also reduced plant mass a fair amount this past week, which might have also reduced CO2 demand. Is my rationale wrong on this? Is it possible that these stupid high output lights, like Chihiros, when run at 100% are just too much for a CO2 reactor to keep up with in a greedy stem plant tank?

Thanks fellow planted tank nerds. Its good to be back in the game. I'll post some updates on our liverbearer low tech planted tank rack sometime soon too.

Haphazard photo as I walked by the tank tonight, attached for post tax, and yes.... we all see the slightly green/cloudy water.

--Steve