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Old 17-07-2003, 09:44 PM
SlimFlem
 
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Default phosphates too high, need advice

LeighMo, so you are saying since I match at the lowest testable level on my
Nitrite test, I have too much Nitrite?...so any measureable amount of
Nitrite is bad?? I thought my Eheim 2028 with 2 trays of ceramic and 1 tray
of efimech would supply more than enough bio life for the tank. what are
your thoughts? i will add some more plants. I like the open look and lots
of free swimming room for the fish, but i know it does need a few more.

I have a couple of options for reducing the light. I can either:

1) turn off 2 of the 65w bulbs
2) leave both on, but reduce the number of hours
3) reduce the amount of time the second set of lights comes on

what would be best? i know my Vals and Sags will slow their growth way down
if they don't get lots of light. Maybe it's best to leave both sets of
lights coming on, but reduce the number of hours. Opinions? i have reset
my timers for about 9.5 - 10 hours instead of the 12.5 - 13 it was on when
the DIY CO2 was going. I really didn't like the whole DIY difusser thing in
the tank and dealing with the yeast. Can a compressed system be kept to
look decent and not have a bunch of bulky crap in the tank? does anyone
have pictures of their compressed setups?

thanks.

"LeighMo" wrote in message
...
I was using DIY CO2, but after i had a herniated disc in my back about 2
months ago, I no longer am doing this since I can't really bend so much
right now to get under the tank and set them up. I live by myself.


You have too much light over your tank to do without CO2 injection. If

you
can't inject CO2, reduce your lighting. Otherwise, you'll be battling

algae
constantly. Try to get your lighting to around 2 wpg, if you can't inject

CO2.

The phosphate is probably coming from the fish food. You've got

measurable
nitrite in your tank. That means your biological filter is overloaded.

Your tank is lovely, but it also looks a little scant on plants. Adding

more
plants will "crowd out" the algae, and also help reduce nitrite and

phosphate.

I have a 75 gallon tank with slightly less light than you, and compressed

CO2.
I change 30%-50% of the water each week. And I have compressed CO2. (A

75
gallon tank is a bit large for DIY CO2.)

I use a Python, and it's probably the best money I ever spent. Don't

worry
about treating the water. You can do it in the tank. Dechlorinator works
instantly. You can add it before you start adding water back in, if

you're
really worried.


Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/



  #17   Report Post  
Old 17-07-2003, 09:44 PM
Rex Grigg
 
Posts: n/a
Default phosphates too high, need advice

On Wed, 07 May 2003 02:59:59 GMT, "SlimFlem"
wrote:

On the Python, I just run the water from the tap to the tank and add
the water conditioner to the tank. I don't get anal about the
temperature. If it's close I fill the tank. Swings in temperature
happen all the time in the wild. They are called rain storms. So
long as you are not dropping the temperature 10 degrees you are fine.

Any measurable nitrites are bad. Your filter is either overloaded
or your tank is still cycling.

For the lights turn off two of the bulbs.

CO2 can be done quite nicely. If you get a cylinder/regulator combo
that fits in your stand you will have nothing in the tank. You can
build a reactor that will plumb right into the out-flow line of your
cannister filter. The parts you need are a cylinder, regulator,
needle valve, and reactor.

LeighMo, so you are saying since I match at the lowest testable level on my
Nitrite test, I have too much Nitrite?...so any measureable amount of
Nitrite is bad?? I thought my Eheim 2028 with 2 trays of ceramic and 1 tray
of efimech would supply more than enough bio life for the tank. what are
your thoughts? i will add some more plants. I like the open look and lots
of free swimming room for the fish, but i know it does need a few more.

I have a couple of options for reducing the light. I can either:

1) turn off 2 of the 65w bulbs
2) leave both on, but reduce the number of hours
3) reduce the amount of time the second set of lights comes on

what would be best? i know my Vals and Sags will slow their growth way down
if they don't get lots of light. Maybe it's best to leave both sets of
lights coming on, but reduce the number of hours. Opinions? i have reset
my timers for about 9.5 - 10 hours instead of the 12.5 - 13 it was on when
the DIY CO2 was going. I really didn't like the whole DIY difusser thing in
the tank and dealing with the yeast. Can a compressed system be kept to
look decent and not have a bunch of bulky crap in the tank? does anyone
have pictures of their compressed setups?

thanks.



Semper Fi!

Visit the forums at Aqua Botanic!
http://aquabotanicwetthumb.infopop.cc/#1

Need Nitrate or Potassium for your tank? Go to www.litemanu.com
(Just a happy customer of the above!)
  #18   Report Post  
Old 17-07-2003, 09:44 PM
LeighMo
 
Posts: n/a
Default phosphates too high, need advice

LeighMo, so you are saying since I match at the lowest testable level on my
Nitrite test, I have too much Nitrite?...so any measureable amount of
Nitrite is bad??


YES. Any measurable nitrite means something is wrong. The level you have is
enough to be fatal to fish over long periods.

I thought my Eheim 2028 with 2 trays of ceramic and 1 tray
of efimech would supply more than enough bio life for the tank. what are
your thoughts?


Did you do anything that might have affected your biological filter? Clean it,
use antibiotics in the tank? If not, your tank may be overstocked, or you may
be overfeeding. You don't have a lot of fish, but some of them are pretty big.


I have a couple of options for reducing the light. I can either:

1) turn off 2 of the 65w bulbs
2) leave both on, but reduce the number of hours
3) reduce the amount of time the second set of lights comes on

what would be best?


Turn off some of the bulbs. Changing the lighting duration won't make a
difference. You don't want to go less than 10 hours.

i know my Vals and Sags will slow their growth way down
if they don't get lots of light.


True, but they'll still grow. They are plants that do fine at moderate
lighting levels.

Can a compressed system be kept to
look decent and not have a bunch of bulky crap in the tank? does anyone
have pictures of their compressed setups?


You could inject the CO2 directly into the Eheim filter intake. The only extra
thing in your tank would be a few inches of thin, transparent airline tubing.




Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/
  #19   Report Post  
Old 17-07-2003, 09:44 PM
SlimFlem
 
Posts: n/a
Default phosphates too high, need advice

OK, thanks for all the advice. I will make some changes as per your guy's
suggestions and repost in a week or so and see how my Nitrite and Phosphate
levels are doing. And I'll be getting a Python. I didn't realize they were
so great. The bucket thing does get old. haha

Also, I have all the stuff to make a PMDD solution. I've had it for a month
or so and want to start using it. However, should I be using this only in
conjuction with a compressed CO2 setup?

thanks.

"LeighMo" wrote in message
...
LeighMo, so you are saying since I match at the lowest testable level on

my
Nitrite test, I have too much Nitrite?...so any measureable amount of
Nitrite is bad??


YES. Any measurable nitrite means something is wrong. The level you have

is
enough to be fatal to fish over long periods.

I thought my Eheim 2028 with 2 trays of ceramic and 1 tray
of efimech would supply more than enough bio life for the tank. what are
your thoughts?


Did you do anything that might have affected your biological filter?

Clean it,
use antibiotics in the tank? If not, your tank may be overstocked, or you

may
be overfeeding. You don't have a lot of fish, but some of them are pretty

big.

I haven't done anything at all to the filter in months and I have not used
any med's either. Thinking back, I probably caused this problem when I
slacked on the fronzen foods and fed mostly dry foods for a few weeks. I'll
also only feed fronze foods during the next couple of weeks and see how
things work out.



I have a couple of options for reducing the light. I can either:

1) turn off 2 of the 65w bulbs
2) leave both on, but reduce the number of hours
3) reduce the amount of time the second set of lights comes on

what would be best?


Turn off some of the bulbs. Changing the lighting duration won't make a
difference. You don't want to go less than 10 hours.


OK


i know my Vals and Sags will slow their growth way down
if they don't get lots of light.


True, but they'll still grow. They are plants that do fine at moderate
lighting levels.

Can a compressed system be kept to
look decent and not have a bunch of bulky crap in the tank? does anyone
have pictures of their compressed setups?


You could inject the CO2 directly into the Eheim filter intake. The only

extra
thing in your tank would be a few inches of thin, transparent airline

tubing.


The bad thing about all of this is that I am going to be out of country for
2 weeks next month and then have to move across the street as soon as I get
back. My tank will have to be broken down completely. =( It's been up
well over a year. =( =(

later.




Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/



  #20   Report Post  
Old 17-07-2003, 09:44 PM
Rex Grigg
 
Posts: n/a
Default phosphates too high, need advice

On Wed, 07 May 2003 12:15:35 GMT, "SlimFlem"
wrote:

OK, thanks for all the advice. I will make some changes as per your guy's
suggestions and repost in a week or so and see how my Nitrite and Phosphate
levels are doing. And I'll be getting a Python. I didn't realize they were
so great. The bucket thing does get old. haha

Also, I have all the stuff to make a PMDD solution. I've had it for a month
or so and want to start using it. However, should I be using this only in
conjuction with a compressed CO2 setup?

thanks.



No you should be feeding the plants. When you get a CO2 system you
will have to feed the plants more. But you should feed them. However
while we are on the subject I'm not a big fan of the PMDD one size
fits all formula. I dose each component of PMDD separately in my
tanks. If you want more on this subject I have written about it on
the Aqua Botanic web forum.

Semper Fi!

Visit the forums at Aqua Botanic!
http://aquabotanicwetthumb.infopop.cc/#1

Need Nitrate or Potassium for your tank? Go to www.litemanu.com
(Just a happy customer of the above!)


  #21   Report Post  
Old 17-07-2003, 09:44 PM
Dave Millman
 
Posts: n/a
Default phosphates too high, need advice

SlimFlem wrote:

The reason I've always hesitated to get a Python is because I don't want to
put tap water directly into the tank. Isn't that how it works? I prefer to
airate the water for a day and adding Prime to it. Do you just turn the
Python on and let it start filling from the sink and you just squirt some
water treatment in at the same time? how do you control the temperature?
if my 5 gallon bucket of water gets too cool, i just add a little water
heated on the stove and let it airate for 20 minutes more or so and then
pour it into the tank. what do you think of this system.


Years ago, when Chlorine was all that was added to tap water, letting water
aerate for a day was sufficient to get rid of it. Actually, much of it outgassed
when passing through the aerator on the faucet.

Today, most of us live in areas where they use Chloramines due to tighter health
regulations-that Chlorine didn't stay put very well, after all! Aerating your
water does nothing to remove Chloramines. But the Prime you add takes care of
them quite nicely.

Regarding Python, the simple answer is to add sufficient Prime for the entire
tank when performing the water change-this is what the instructions on the Prime
bottle say. So if you are changing 20 gallons in a 70 gallon tank, just add
sufficient Prime for 70 gallons. This may be slight overkill, but it is safe for
your fish.

  #22   Report Post  
Old 17-07-2003, 09:44 PM
Dave Millman
 
Posts: n/a
Default phosphates too high, need advice



SlimFlem wrote:

Ahhhh, I think I will get some of this and put it in my magnum.

http://www.seachem.com/en_products/p...phosguard.html


Well, just to confuse the issue, here's another page on Seachem's site you
should read:

http://www.seachem.com/en_products/p...9_Flrsh_P.html

They get you coming and going, huh?


Consensus here on the list is this: Phosphate is one of the three macronutrients
(along with Nitrogen and Potassium) which, along with Carbon from CO2, are
necessary for plant growth. Plants cannot grow without it. Excess Phosphate IN
THE ABSENSE OF SUFFICIENT OTHER NUTRIENTS has been implicated in algae
outbreaks, but Phosphate alone is not the culprit.

  #23   Report Post  
Old 17-07-2003, 09:44 PM
Blarneytoad
 
Posts: n/a
Default phosphates too high, need advice

On Tue, 06 May 2003 22:57:34 GMT, "SlimFlem"
wrote:


snip


You need co2 plain and simple. If you go (if they are still on
the newsever)and look at previous discussions about algae
control you'll find a reoccuring theme: CO2 fertilizing will solve
algae problems the majority of the time. Higher plants will
out-compete algae every time if given enough CO2. Algae
seems to do best under "adverse" conditions that are not
ideal for higher plants especially when there is a lot of light.
  #24   Report Post  
Old 17-07-2003, 09:45 PM
Rich Conley
 
Posts: n/a
Default phosphates too high, need advice

You could put like a trough somewhere, and plumb a tube from the trough up to the
tank..put a submersible pump in there..... Use the python to take water out of the
tank, or fill the trough(in advance). Water from the trough can then be pumped into
the tank when you do changes.

Dave Millman wrote:

SlimFlem wrote:

The reason I've always hesitated to get a Python is because I don't want to
put tap water directly into the tank. Isn't that how it works? I prefer to
airate the water for a day and adding Prime to it. Do you just turn the
Python on and let it start filling from the sink and you just squirt some
water treatment in at the same time? how do you control the temperature?
if my 5 gallon bucket of water gets too cool, i just add a little water
heated on the stove and let it airate for 20 minutes more or so and then
pour it into the tank. what do you think of this system.


Years ago, when Chlorine was all that was added to tap water, letting water
aerate for a day was sufficient to get rid of it. Actually, much of it outgassed
when passing through the aerator on the faucet.

Today, most of us live in areas where they use Chloramines due to tighter health
regulations-that Chlorine didn't stay put very well, after all! Aerating your
water does nothing to remove Chloramines. But the Prime you add takes care of
them quite nicely.

Regarding Python, the simple answer is to add sufficient Prime for the entire
tank when performing the water change-this is what the instructions on the Prime
bottle say. So if you are changing 20 gallons in a 70 gallon tank, just add
sufficient Prime for 70 gallons. This may be slight overkill, but it is safe for
your fish.


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