Recent content by DaveKS

Truthfully all I’m seeing is a tank that is suffering because of the once a week dosing regimen. Feast or famine dosing. Simply take that same amount of fert and just add it to a 1gal jug and simply top off for evaporation 3x a week while feeding your fish. Keep the nutrient levels in tank...

How is natural nitrogen cycle reductions “risky” for the aquarium inhabitants?

Get those starts planted. Swords placed into substrate, tips barely emerging from water.

Micorrhizae are a basic building block of soil structure wether terrestrial or aquatic. Those microbes are responsible almost all of the nutrient uptake that occurs in the root zone. They are the middlemen that convert raw nutrients into a form that plant roots can uptake with little to no effort.

See this article and see if it seems similar to what you’ve got going on. And yes, I could definitely see shrimp going crazy for it, probably super nutritious for them. Fungus in Your Fish Tank? Could Be a Good Thing.

Yes, anything you can do to get water moving around tank in a circular motion will help.

Nice. Way too complicated for me. Spotlight effect down center looks fab. My terrestrial plant stand has 2 extra RGBW par20 bulbs at front deck door that gets good indirect light, both controlled by Alexa. Both come on 20min before actual sunrise time with lavender color and then both switch to...

Seriously, bring the Val 3 or so inches forward so they are in the light. Their just going set there and stagnate back in the dark edges.

I’d likely look at circulation problems, not GPH but dead spots with little to no circulation. Here’s my 2.5g. I dose Thrive S at 1/3 label rate. Use a pitcher with 7cup water and 25drops Thrive. Then I use that to top off for evaporation 3x a week. Drop the added K, you’re just throwing...

I’m going to be critical here so don’t take it as being negative but as trying to help. With those type of premade tank/hood/light combos the lights are really not very bright. If you want any type of success with the Val (?) and Sword plants that you currently have pushed way bback into the...

Your PH and KH jumping up is probably just your substrate finally getting saturated (CEC binding sites at full capacity). It’s basically a nutrient/hardness sponge that has now absorbed all it can. This is probably going to be your new normal. Time will tell. From this point on if you want to...

Definitely all on (WRGB). The blue’ish white/blue combo will foster Cyanobacteria/slime algae cultures.

Royal Gramma are aquarium denizens. So vibrant in coloration. Not offensively boisterous in demeanor but will stand their ground.

How about raise your GH/KH slightly and get a Purple Striped Gudgeon. :-) Maxes out about 6”+. Doesn’t eat plants but 1” dither fish will need to go elsewhere. Absolutely one of my fav fish I ever kept. Just feed them regularly and smaller tank inhabitants are not a target. Mine once he was use...

The big fat female with the internal dark spot above back end is pregnant.