Journal Advanced planted tank - Lean dosing experience

[BenB]

Your Rotala indica and Ammania look great!
I've been wanting to add the Rotala to my tank, but I've been waiting to get the algae more under control and also, the plant shops are low on supply of tc plants right now.

 

[CincyScaper]

Your Rotala indica and Ammania look great!
I've been wanting to add the Rotala to my tank, but I've been waiting to get the algae more under control and also, the plant shops are low on supply of tc plants right now.

Thanks. Not sure which plant you are referring to as Ammania, the ludwigea arcuata maybe ? If you want any of the plants let me know i can mail it to you for the mailing cost.

 

[BenB]

Thanks. Not sure which plant you are referring to as Ammania

Oh, I think maybe it is Alternanthera

 

[CincyScaper]

Oh, I think maybe it is Alternanthera

Yup AR mini - love this plant - wanted to let it grow taller to see the pinkish undertones

 

[BranchScape]

lovely

 

[CincyScaper]

Got the hair algae back, the same as before which i am quite confident is Spirogyra sp. Responds very well to API algae fix and works like magic but definitely killed shrimp before in my tank and hesitant to use it now with the Cherry shrimps (which i am not sure if they are alive).

Previously i was quite confident my trigger was high light but now i think it might be the co2. I switched my co2 tank for refill and started using glycerin in bubble counter and increased co2 slightly. This along with a couple of days when i had too much water (less agitation) might have triggered a co2 imbalance.

I have decided to try continuous co2 to see if this allows me to stablize the co2 faster and more easily. My RO water comes out at a ph of 7 with a TDS of 35 so definitely not the best RO unit; and the more i read about plant health an acidic pH seems desirable. With the continous co2, the pH seems to hover between 5.8 - 5.5. Need to get more data points on what the pH does at night when the plants stop using Co2. Will repost in a few weeks to see how this goes.

 

[CincyScaper]

Shrimp sighting after many weeks, seems to have survived the API algaefix treatment. Hopefully there are more.

 

[JayP]

Shrimp sighting after many weeks, seems to have survived the API algaefix treatment. Hopefully there are more.

One way to bring them out is to toss in a treat pellet near the front. A lot of folks like the products from this place:
Shrimp Envy

 

[MrJG]

Good catch about the co2 varying with water level/less/more agitation. I think this might have been vexing me as well as I tend to let evaporation take its toll, maybe I’ll start topping off to keep things more consistent.

You’ll find that neos are pretty resilient and can take a lot of different water parameters assuming stability. I’ve found that they do tend to do a little better with at least a little kh but if you see molts after water changes they are probably good to go.

 

[CincyScaper]

Good catch about the co2 varying with water level/less/more agitation. I think this might have been vexing me as well as I tend to let evaporation take its toll, maybe I’ll start topping off to keep things more consistent.

You’ll find that neos are pretty resilient and can take a lot of different water parameters assuming stability. I’ve found that they do tend to do a little better with at least a little kh but if you see molts after water changes they are probably good to go.

Yes, have changed my routine and now top up the tank with RO every morning, this ends up with less co2 off gassing during the photopheriod.

In regards to the kh , my RO system is at 2.

 

[CincyScaper]

One way to bring them out is to toss in a treat pellet near the front. A lot of folks like the products from this place:
Shrimp Envy

I have been tossing algae wafers close to the front but not sure who eats them or if it gets dissolved. Any specific product from Shrimp envy that you recommend ?

 

[SmartAlec13]

I have been tossing algae wafers close to the front but not sure who eats them or if it gets dissolved. Any specific product from Shrimp envy that you recommend ?

Are you removing the algae wafers after a certain period of time? I ask because if you're having algae issues, this would be a potential cause. Its generally good to not let food sit in the tank longer than a few hours.

I get around this by tossing in a small portion of a wafer instead of the whole thing, so even if I leave it, I know it'll be consumed soon enough.

 

[JayP]

I have been tossing algae wafers close to the front but not sure who eats them or if it gets dissolved. Any specific product from Shrimp envy that you recommend ?

None of my neocaridina or Amano shrimp have ever shown much interest in generic algae wafers from the local pet store. They tend to sit in the tank untouched for a long time and disintegrate.

From Shrimp Envy, my shrimp absolutely love this: Lowkeys Ultra Supple

There's a post here where others talk about the products their shrimp love from the same place.

 

[Naturescapes_Rocco]

Yeah my shrimp go crazy for Shrimp Envy, highly recommended!

 

[CincyScaper]

9 months

Did a rescape and waiting for new plants (some from @Burr740) thank you at @Akshay and @GreggZ for feeding my addiction.

Unfortunately I think I have to remove this amazing rotala bonsai bush which has breached the surface and seems to have relatively good algae resistant properties. It has been shading the other plants in the back. Not sure I will have enough space for the plants that I have ordered. Anyways as I decide, possibly the final photo shoot of this amazing plant bush. (Do feel dramatic since it will grow back ….. in 4-6 months)

 

[snowballs99]

9 months

Did a rescape and waiting for new plants (some from @Burr740) thank you at @Akshay and @GreggZ for feeding my addiction.

Unfortunately I think I have to remove this amazing rotala bonsai bush which has breached the surface and seems to have relatively good algae resistant properties. It has been shading the other plants in the back. Not sure I will have enough space for the plants that I have ordered. Anyways as I decide, possibly the final photo shoot of this amazing plant bush. (Do feel dramatic since it will grow back ….. in 4-6 months)

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looking really nice and clean.

How do these tanks on lean dosing function after the substrate depletes though? Or are you just going to mix in some fresh soil every few months to keep it going loaded?

I noticed way better results with lean dosing when my soil wasn't depleted.

 

[CincyScaper]

looking really nice and clean.

How do these tanks on lean dosing function after the substrate depletes though? Or are you just going to mix in some fresh soil every few months to keep it going loaded?

I noticed way better results with lean dosing when my soil wasn't depleted.

I used APT feast, which I believe is quite rich and has been going strong now for 9 months. The rotala sp (except the Florida) do really well in the same old substrate. There was insane growth the first couple of months but now more steady which I what I like. There are some plants which started stunting like the Pogostemon d., Blyxa and adding root tabs has helped. I plan to add some fresh aquasoil when I add some new demanding plants.

 

[JacksonL]

9 months

Did a rescape and waiting for new plants (some from @Burr740) thank you at @Akshay and @GreggZ for feeding my addiction.

Unfortunately I think I have to remove this amazing rotala bonsai bush which has breached the surface and seems to have relatively good algae resistant properties. It has been shading the other plants in the back. Not sure I will have enough space for the plants that I have ordered. Anyways as I decide, possibly the final photo shoot of this amazing plant bush. (Do feel dramatic since it will grow back ….. in 4-6 months)

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I love the colour gradient from deep green in the dense lower portion to the lighter greens, yellows, browns at the top. Super impressive specimen.

 

[snowballs99]

I used APT feast, which I believe is quite rich and has been going strong now for 9 months. The rotala sp (except the Florida) do really well in the same old substrate. There was insane growth the first couple of months but now more steady which I what I like. There are some plants which started stunting like the Pogostemon d., Blyxa and adding root tabs has helped. I plan to add some fresh aquasoil when I add some new demanding plants.

Looks very good for 9 months, especially when your growing weedy stem plants.