Dark_Rider2k3

So here is my full tank specs:

55 Gallon:
8x Serpae Tetra
1x Angel fish
6x Rosy Barb
4x spotted corydoras
1x Banjo Catfish

I am using eco complete substrate with 1 large piece of driftwood to the far right.

As for plants, I have:

Java moss (some.. not as much as you all have seen in my pics... )
A small stack of Amazon Swords
Small stack of Lloydiellas
Small stack of Contortion Vals
2 Bamboo sticks

All of them are near the back of the tank. I am running 4 airstones with are putting out a decent amount of bubbles (which I'll be setting to run at night)

I also have a new NutriGrow plant lamp (48 inches, 40 watt, 1.5 inch DIA (t12) Fluorescent.

So, my question is, how much Flourish should I feed the plants? I have Flourish Comprehensive and it says to feed 1 capful per 60 gallons once or twice a week.

I would do that, but I only have a few plants (and if you exclude the Bamboo which isn't aquatic, then even fewer). So I don't want to over-feed and cause a huge algae bloom.

Thanks a lot and thanks for reading all this!! It's a lot haha.

Nate McFin

Plant nutrients typically arent going to cause an Algae bloom. You are much more likely to get algae when your plants have a lack of nutrients. Are you using root tabs under the swords? They really appreciate the extra supply of food at the root level.
Personally I would dose 4 ML or 4 threads on the cap as one thread equals one ML. Its just under the recommended dose but I would also use tabs.
Airstones really arent needed at night but if you like them go for it.
Where the pics?

Dark_Rider2k3

haha shame on me. I'll post pics soon. But I was told that airstones shouldn't be on at all times, and was recommended to do them at night. Is this true?

Nate McFin

Its not needed. I ran one at night on my planted when I first started it and then stopped. I was afraid I would wake to find the fish gasping at the surface. I read the same thing you did.They said plants use oxygen at night so to make sure your fish have enough oxygen, you should use one. It does off gas precious Co2 though which the plants will need come morning time. Co2 builds up at night then the plants use it during the day.
Unless your tank is completely loaded with plants you wont have an issue not using them. Even if it was loaded I am not sure you would either.LOL
Of course it wont really hurt anything. Especially if you will using Co2 or Excel as a carbon source.

Dark_Rider2k3

Okay then I'll just keep the running. If I start to see issues with the plants then I'll start regulating them. Posting pics in a sec.

BTW, You wont see much java moss, if any... I had hornwort in the tank that really did a number on my java moss (the reason I sold most of it lol)

Nate McFin

I was just cleaning my substrate last week and accidently sucked my Java Moss through the tube. It hasnt looked real good since. Sadly it looked great before it happened. I felt like such a tool. haha

Dark_Rider2k3

that sucks .

I am disappointed that my hornwort destroyed my java moss.. but it will grow back and look good as new .

Also, what are root tabs?

and as a final ?, is having the light on from 8 AM to 8 PM too much? or is that fine?

aquatic mouse

I used a little less than a cap ful in my 55 gallon. It worked GREAT! I had wisteria coming out the wazoo! I kept trading it in for store credit at my LFS.

Dark_Rider2k3

that's good to know! Also posted pics here:

Redone 55! Starting a planted tank!

Nate McFin

I started at 12 hours and scaled back to 8 after algae began to show. I would start at 10 and see how it looks.
Root tabs link- there are other brands but I really like these ones. I have read good things about API's root tabs as well.
http://www.seachem.com/Products/prod...urishTabs.html

Dark_Rider2k3

Thanks! I'll change up my timer, and get some root tabs!

Nutter

Seeing as your using Eco-complete I don't think I would bother with the Flourish at all. The only non-substrate rooted plant you have is the moss & it needs very little nutrient to grow well. It will get more than enough from the fish wastes & weekly water changes. Maybe add a capfull every month if at all. Using the substrate fertilizer tablets like Nate said is a very good idea, even with nutrient substrates. They will make sure your plants have everything they need & they will actually top up the nutrient levels in the substrate which will considerably extend it's working life. Nate is right about the lights & that less nutrient is often worse than too much.

On the subject of airstones in a planted tank, I think you will find that you don't need them at all to help supply oxygen to your fish as your tank isn't very heavily stocked & there aren't very many plants. You also shouldn't need tehm for the pH swings I'm about to explain.

In moderate to heavily planted tanks the use of an airstone at night isn't so much to avoid oxygen deprivation as it is to help lessen the PH swings during the day/night cycle.
Adding co2 to the water also lowers the PH. So during the day when the plants are taking in co2, the PH rises as the co2 levels drop. Then at night when the plants are releasing co2, the PH drops as the co2 levels increase. Sometimes the difference can be huge. This only really applies to tanks that either have no co2 added artifically, use Excel or have DIY co2 running 24hrs a day. It does not apply to systems where there is no artifical addition of co2 at night. The airstone coming on at night is to help disperse co2 from the water & reduce the severity of the PH swings that can occur. Anyone with DIY co2 or using Excel should check thier PH levels just before lights out & then again as soon as the lights come on. If the tank is moderate to heavily planted & no airstone has been on at night the difference can be as much as 1 1/2 points. Say dropping from 7.5 just before lights out down to 6.0 by the time the lights come back on. Even with the airstone on the swings can still be quite considerable. The oxygen starvation part is only in really severe cases with heavily stocked tanks. These swings are minimal in tanks with no co2 addition at all & mainly effect tanks using DIY co2 that is hooked up 24/7 or using Excel. Injected co2 systems are easily regulated so it is fairly easy to get a close to constant co2 level & avoid the swings in PH or at least make them very small swings.

Nate McFin

Eco complete is an inert substrate. It doesnt provide nutrients to plants othe than FE as it is made of clay. It gets dipped in a trace nutrients bath before packaging giving it some nutrients short term. The FE is the only one that is there long term and even then its not enough in a heavily planted tank. The thing that makes Eco different is that it has a high CEC (Cation exchange capacity) rating which means it has the ability to absorb nutrients. By adding flourish you are not only feeding the moss but also "recharging" the eco.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cation_exchange_capacity
As far as Co2 and Oxygen swings you are right about the Ph issue BUT PH swings due to Co2 will not affect fish. It is changes in KH (and a as a result PH) that really affect fish. Stable KH is what fish need for osmotic regulation. As long as KH is stable fish do not care about PH. The Co2/PH swing issue is a myth.
Co2 can be harmful at night when it isnt used by the plants if there isnt enough oxygen to go around for both the plants and the fish.(as Nutter pointed out) This is why most pressurized systems have a solenoid to turn it off at night.
Excel does not affect Ph either.

jprime84

I dont use an airstone at all in my tank. My pressurized CO2 is on an electric timer with the same 8 hour photo period as my lights.