Journal 55G Eternal Newbie Planted Tank

[Valerio]

Hi to all, here is the journal of my single tank that I set up 2 years ago or so. Last February I changed the substrate but I neglected the tank for a month. Fortunately the new substrate and medium-low light prevented the disaster, but I got a lot of BBA on slow growers like Eriocaulon, Anubias and Cryptocoryne.
This is a second hand tank, it was cheap and had a stand included, but it is what it is.

Why "Eternal Newbie"? Because I have been in the hobby for ten years, but I have never reached what I wanted the most: a steadily healthy planted tank with a nice scape. At the beginning my failures were due to bad suggestions, but then because of me: mainly due to my impatience for results and always looking for perfection. Basically, I had short spells of healthy growth interrupted by long periods of chaos in the tank. Because I changed too many things too fast, I never had the chance to understand what was actually effective.

17th April


Tank size: 120x40x52h cm, 47x15,7x20,5h inches

26th April


Citizens:
22x Black neons (Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi)
7x Otocinclus (I'd like to bring them to 12-15)
1x female Pearl Gourami (Trichoporus leeri)
2x Amano shrimps
I feed the black neons and the pearl gourami well, small doses 2-3 times a day.

5th May

Plants:

• Heteranthera zosterifolia
• Lysimachia parvifolia
• Ludwigia palustris 'Green' (added two weeks ago, arrived in bad conditions)
• Staurogyne repens (added two weeks ago, emersed form adapting)
• Ludwigia sp. "Mini Super Red"
• Eriocaulon sp. "Vietnam" (BBA on old leaves, bad conditions)
• Pogostemon deccanensis (it has never grown well but I don't surrender)
• Lysimachia nummularia
• Lysimachia nummularia "Aurea"
• Hygrophila polysperma "Rosanervig"
• Bacopa salzmannii "Purple" (added two weeks ago, emersed form)
• Bacopa monnieri "Compact"
• Bacopa monnieri "Compact White (added two week ago, in vitro, getting GDA or diatoms)
• Cryptocoryne wendtii "Flamingo" (never grown well, last chance.)
• Nymphoides sp. "Taiwan" (added two weeks ago, in vitro)
• Anubias barteri var. nana "Pinto"
• A big Anubias congensis (probably wrong name by the producer), it was given to me for free but I don't think I have the space for it.
• Floaters: Limnobium laevigatum, Spirodela polyrhiza, Hydrocotyle leucocephala
• Hanging pots (still working on them): Gymnocoronis spilanthoides, an unknown plant I took from a lake round here

7th May


Substrate: Tropica Aquarium soil, 3 months old. I added a lot of MasterLine root caps under it to boost it. Then three weeks ago I tried to add them again, but it's a PITA, so I think I will use only liquid fertilizers.
Light
Week Aqua P1200 Pro V3, 11" above water surface
47% R/ 50% G/ 47% B/ 15% UV
8h + 0,5 h ramp up and 0,5 h ramp down
Filter: Tetra ex 1500 plus
CO2: solenoid valve with timer. The filter uses hoses with strange ID/OD, 22/27 mm or so. I am simply injecting CO2 in the filter because I couldn't find a solution for these hoses... Now I have found a CO2 reactor and a hose that hopefully fit both without restricting the flow too much. Let's see in a couple of weeks.
Mantainance: weekly 75% WC. tap water only until two weeks ago (KH lowered to roughly 2 with a solution of HCl+H2SO4), then 5/8 Tap (with KH still lowered to 2) + 3/8 RO.
My tap water contains (ppm): Ca 50, Mg 18, HCO3- 200, Cl- <2, SO4(2-) 24, K<0,5, Na 1, NO3- 4.
By mixing 5/8 tap with 3/8 RO I should get roughly 32 ppm Ca, 11 pm Mg, KH 1.
I am trying to clean the substrate at every water change, since the black neons poop a lots.

Fertilization with KNO3, K2SO4 (dry dosed), KH2PO4 (dry dosed), MasterLine I, Iron gluconate (dry dosed), MasterLine Carbo

NO3-: 24 ppm (I used to dose 15 ppm until 3 weeks ago); 18 ppm after WC then 6 ppm.
K: 28 ppm, a bit more considering what I say about P.
PO4(3-): I have bought a JBL test and I tested them last week: when I dose 4 ppm I get less than 1 ppm after 48h. The soil is still absorbing a lot of PO4(3-), so I am goin to dose 4 ppm after WC, then 2 ppm everyday.
Fe/Micro: 7,5 ml of MasterLine 1 daily (0,07 ppm Fe) + 0,03 ppm iron gluconate daily (dry dosed)
MasterLine Carbo 7,5 ml daily and after WC. I think to stop it once I run out of it, but it will take me 4-5 months.

11th May (today)

Algae:

• GSA on glass and old leaves of Lysimachia parvifolia
• diatoms (I think) on floaters' roots and Bacopa monnieri 'White'
• BBA on old leaves of slow growers and recently on glass

Objectives/To do list:

• be patient
• be positive and do not focus only on what is not doing well
• clean the rear and side glass
• install the CO2 reactor (need to wait)
• install the Oase skimmer and tidy up the hanging pots and floating plants
• keep the journal updated!

 

[Naturescapes_Rocco]

Looks great! I love that heteranthera zosterifolia.

 

[BenB]

but I got a lot of BBA on slow growers like Eriocaulon, Anubias and Cryptocoryne.

We used to use Seachem Excel to treat BBA . I "assume" Masterline Carbo might be a similar product. I wonder why its not helping. I feel your pain on the Erios. Since part of the remedy of treating algae is trimming, it's hard to trim something that grows so slowly.

Why "Eternal Newbie"? Because I have been in the hobby for ten years, but I have never reached what I wanted the most: a steadily healthy planted tank with a nice scape.

Same here... and for me it's without significant algae. But it seems I'm getting closer all the time. I did much better 20-25 years ago when I had an inert substrate and T-5 fluorescent tubes. Grew plants like crazy with almost no algae.

Objectives/To do list:

• be patient
• be positive and do not focus only on what is not doing well
• clean the rear and side glass
• install the CO2 reactor (need to wait)
• install the Oase skimmer and tidy up the hanging pots and floating plants
• keep the journal updated!

I think having an objective list is great. For me, being patient is so hard. I only have one small tank. So the tendency is to want to have my hands in it all the time. It would do better if I'd dose and walk away. I need two tanks so I don't have so much time to over think.

Also, I agree with Rocco, I love your HZ. I had it years ago and tried it again recently. It grew so fast and my current tank is small. So it was not able to bush out where it looks its best. I ended up tossing it.

Lastly, I love your avatar. It made me think, I want to change mine to Becky from Finding Nemo.

 

[Valerio]

Hi, I am sorry about that purple effect of my pics, you can notice it by watching the soil. It's the phone camera, IRL I have set the RGB to get natural colours. I should try another app or the "pro" mode.

Looks great! I love that heteranthera zosterifolia

Also, I agree with Rocco, I love your HZ. I had it years ago and tried it again recently. It grew so fast and my current tank is small. So it was not able to bush out where it looks its best. I ended up tossing it.

Thanks! Well, it's a true weed, as I have already said I tossed it too one year ago for the same reason. It grew back six months later from the substrate, so I gave it another chance and gave her more space. I kept it in a 15G many years ago, without CO2 and low light (6 W LED or so), it didn't grow so big and so fast, definitely more manageable.
There's one thing I don't understand about Heteranthera zosterifolia: especially at the beginning of the photoperiod it has white top leaves, that become greener later. Even Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea' is a bit pale, then becomes more yellowish. Maybe it's the CO2, I should do the pH test to understand.

We used to use Seachem Excel to treat BBA . I "assume" Masterline Carbo might be a similar product. I wonder why its not helping. I feel your pain on the Erios. Since part of the remedy of treating algae is trimming, it's hard to trim something that grows so slowly.

Yes, it's similar to Excel. It helps with BBA if I spot dose it. But about BBA I think I need to fix the usual things (CO2 swings, organics, flow). I keep on removing old leaves with BBA from Eriocaulon and other plants. They appear again especially on the Erio, while Lysimachia parvifolia is improving.
Anyway, about being positive, I have to say that I had far worse conditions in the past with algae: BBA , BGA, GDA and that damn Spyrogira. I am quite confident to solve it!

I think having an objective list is great. For me, being patient is so hard. I only have one small tank. So the tendency is to want to have my hands in it all the time. It would do better if I'd dose and walk away. I need two tanks so I don't have so much time to over think.

I understand you, and over thinking was one of the things that made me change something continuously If I had time (and space) I would definitely get one more tank.

Lastly, I love your avatar. It made me think, I want to change mine to Becky from Finding Nemo.

Thanks! Well, I like cats, even more if they are fat.

 

[Naturescapes_Rocco]

I'm so glad you said that about your HZ. My tops are deep green at night, and literally WHITE by midday. I thought something was wrong! But I’m in the same boat as you.

 

[Koan]

This will help you out

JBL 2414000 Proaquatest Co2 Direct : Amazon.it: Pet Supplies

JBL 2414000 Proaquatest Co2 Direct : Amazon.it: Pet Supplies

www.amazon.it

 

[Valerio]

I'm so glad you said that about your HZ. My tops are deep green at night, and literally WHITE by midday. I thought something was wrong! But I’m in the same boat as you.

Well, thank you! I was actually thinking it was something about its physiology rather than a deficiency, because it's growing well. I remember Syngonanthus macrocaulon doing this too.

This will help you out

JBL 2414000 Proaquatest Co2 Direct : Amazon.it: Pet Supplies

JBL 2414000 Proaquatest Co2 Direct : Amazon.it: Pet Supplies

www.amazon.it

Thanks Koan, I have a pHmeter to measure the CO2 profile, but I don't have much time to do it. Do you know whether this test works? I have read on this forum about the Hanna one but it's quite expensive.

 

[Koan]

Do you know whether this test works?

The chemistry should be the same as Hanna @Mitelog has been using this one

M

Post in thread 'CO2 instability.'

Feb 20, 2026

Hi,

So i finally tested my CO2 with the jbl test and it’s in the range i was thinking : the test change color at 35ppm ! ( i tested several times, at different time of the day )

So with all this i made a Yugang like reactor to have more stability on my CO2:
It’s now very stable from day to day !
My degassed water ph is at 7,51 and after 3 hours of the CO2 on, my ph is at a steady 6,32 to 6,34 all the photoperiod.


Now i can rule out the CO2 for my plant problem, but i’m litterally lost as to what can be the cause ???

I have checked my floating plant ( limnobium) and it...

• Mitelog

• 
• 

 

[Valerio]

Hi, Tuesday is my WC day, so yesterday I:

• cleaned most of the GSA and BBA off the glass. I have to say that GSA was easier to remove with a bit of elbow grease, while BBA ... it is growing near the substrate, so removing it from the rear glass was such a pain in the neck. It's a hard-to-reach place but I should at least try the credit card method or melamine foam.
• trimmed and replanted the Ludwigia sp. "Mini Super Red", because the old leaves were getting BBA and rotting. It would have been better to for a week or two, with longer healthy stems I could have achieved a decent slope

-removed most of the leaves with BBA of Erio Vietnam
- added Limnophila rugosa

• replaced the hanging pots with some I got from AliExpress, they let me control the depth to avoid the "swamp" effect. I filled them with fresh soil placed in filter bags, then replanted Gymnocoronis spilanthoides, Hydrocotyle leucocephala and the unknown wild plant, which I suppose is Mentha aquatica based on the smell.
• removed most of the floating plants and made for them these kinds of fences , kept in place between the pots with JBL plantis pins
• installed the Oase skim 350, I was afraid it was undersized for my tank, actually it's working fine. Let's see how it goes in the long run

(Once the plants grow out a little, I'm going to cut away the leftover bits of the bags)

I have increased the PO4(3-) front load to 6 ppm because of the fresh soil in the pots.
Thoughts

• too many plants I guess, but let's see
• Pogo deccanensis is driving me nuts, hopefully keeping phosphate over 2 ppm will help. If it doesn't work, another place with more flow is the final option, then I'm at my wits' end with this plant

 

[Valerio]

Hey, quick update!
Glass cleaning: I'm still working on the glass, and melamine sponges work absolute wonders against GSA! It takes way less effort to get rid of it, so I think I’ll stick with these for glass maintenance. The only downside is they seem to wear out pretty fast, especially if your glass is as dirty as mine. I’ll probably buy generic ones on Amazon next time instead of the Seachem ones. Do you think it makes any difference? As for BBA , I guess a credit card or a scraper are still the most efficient ways to go.

Substrate & Phosphates: The substrate is still absorbing phosphates. Last week, I dosed 6 ppm after the water change, and then 2 ppm daily. I skipped Sunday, and on Saturday I dosed 4 ppm to make up for it. On Monday morning, I tested the water with my JBL kit and it was well under 1. This week, I’m dosing 3 ppm daily to see how it goes, and I've lowered the potassium sulfate to compensate. Anyway, the plants seem to be responding really well, with some fast growth!
Iron: I’ve increased iron gluconate to 0.06 ppm daily (up from 0.03 ppm).

Skimmer & CO2: Installing the skimmer made a huge difference in gas exchange. Before, thanks to heavy surface agitation, I could only keep about half of the water surface free of biofilm. Now that it’s almost completely clean, I had to increase my CO2 flow by 50% (from 20 cc/min to 30 cc/min) and tone down the surface movement to compensate.
Plants: Hygrophila polysperma "Rosanervig" is getting super invasive. When I first started, I wasn't a big fan of Heteranthera, but this one actually turned out to be the real pain to manage. It shoots out horizontal stems and, if you let it go, it covers all the surrounding plants. Now that I know, I'll try to keep it in check; if it doesn't behave, I'll just replace it.

Next steps: filter cleaning, installing the new external pump, and finally setting up the CO2 reactor!
(Please bear with me, I’m super busy with spring cleaning right now, so I used Gemini to write this quickly!)

 

[Kwyet]

I didn’t know Seachem sold melamine sponges. This is what I use:

 

[Valerio]

I didn’t know Seachem sold melamine sponges.

Yes, they call them Algae pads, 3 sponges for 12 € Sachem Prime remains to me their only product with a reasonable price.

Thanks!

 

[CincyScaper]

I didn’t know Seachem sold melamine sponges. This is what I use:
View attachment 17228

Sorry to hijack the journal but how do you guys use these to clean the glass just next to the substrate. I always seem to have some gda left as a line above the substrate.

 

[Kwyet]

Sorry to hijack the journal but how do you guys use these to clean the glass just next to the substrate. I always seem to have some gda left as a line above the substrate.

You can use an old gift card/credit card to go between the glass and the substrate. If you need to, you can use it to pull the substrate back from the glass a bit so you can clean the glass.

 

[Koan]

how do you guys use these to clean the glass just next to the substrate

With this

Question of the Day Post in thread 'Hobby Hacks - your best tips, tricks and time-savers!'

Today at 8:31 AM

A new favorite







Chef's kiss, no notes

• Koan

• 

 

[CincyScaper]

With this

Question of the Day Post in thread 'Hobby Hacks - your best tips, tricks and time-savers!'

Today at 8:31 AM

A new favorite







Chef's kiss, no notes

• Koan

• 

OMG this was going to be my patent idea!

 

[CincyScaper]

You can use an old gift card/credit card to go between the glass and the substrate. If you need to, you can use it to pull the substrate back from the glass a bit so you can clean the glass.

Yes but when i pull the subtrate back especially on the sides where there is a big slope, this causes quite a mess.

 

[Kwyet]

Yes but when i pull the subtrate back especially on the sides where there is a big slope, this causes quite a mess.

I wouldn’t pull it back very far where there’s a big slope, just the top 1/2 inch. Along the front glass I go all the way to the bottom though. If you have a lot of mulm coming up, you can do it in sections and clean it up quickly with a small siphon.