Seachem Flourish Line Of Products.

Hey all! I would like to know which seachem flourish products are going to help my christmas moss, Anubias and java fern grow better. It has been two months and so far, my Anubias (I have three) has only shot up one leaf each with the exception of the petite nana which I got a couple of days ago. The Christmas moss is looking a bit dead with only a couple of “leaves” that are a healthy dark green. My tank is a fluval edge 6 gallon and I’m using the fluval edge stock light (4.4watt, 347LM, 6500k). My ph is at 7.6 and the KH in my tank has dropped from 3 to 2 within a week and I don’t know what has caused this. My “tap” water is at a KH 4 so I’m stumped on why it has dropped and water changes don’t seem to help in bringing it back up. Oddly enough my ph has remained the same. I am still cycling my tank with some zebra danios and I may have come to a stall with the cycle (made a stupid rookie mistake by accidentally cleaning an intake sponge)...

Anyway...

Which seachem products should I introduce to help my sappy looking plants? I already use flourish (basic) and I don’t want something that is going to raise my ph higher than it is now (I’ve been trying to keep it steady and stable for the dwarf puffer I will be getting once this tank of mine cycles and danios are returned).

I was looking into flourish advance or flourish excel but not sure which one to use in conjunction with regular flourish (if I even need it). I also saw that they have flourish trace as well as iron, phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen but not sure if I need any of those. I feel like less is more especially with my low tech plants but don’t know which products to go with and what would work best to get some plush looking plants/moss in my tank. I don’t want to use co2 because I’m just not comfortable with using all the high tech stuff right now. I’ve also heard about NilocG aquatics Thrive all in one ferts... are those better than seachem? If so which one should I use to get the best results?

Any suggestions?

 

How many gallons is the tank? Based on your plants, I really don't think you'll need co2. I don't have a specific product I recommend, but you're already dosing with liquid fert which is good for your plant selection. Everything sounds good except for maybe adding more light. 6500k is perfect. Depending on how many gallons your tank is, 4 watts might be a bit low. Most aI'm for at least 1-2 watts per gallon at the minimum. Maybe add a second light? I'd also like to add that in my experience, java fern and anubias nana were just slow growing plants in general. It may not be anything you're doing.

 

How many gallons is the tank? Based on your plants, I really don't think you'll need co2. I don't have a specific product I recommend, but you're already dosing with liquid fert which is good for your plant selection. Everything sounds good except for maybe adding more light. 6500k is perfect. Depending on how many gallons your tank is, 4 watts might be a bit low. Most aI'm for at least 1-2 watts per gallon at the minimum. Maybe add a second light? I'd also like to add that in my experience, java fern and anubias nana were just slow growing plants in general. It may not be anything you're doing.

It’s a 6 gallon so I’m not sure if I need more lighting. If I do, what would you suggest? I have a fluval edge so the top is constructed of non removable glass. I’m trying to avoid an algae bloom though. My Anubias shot up a new leaf about a month after it was introduced to my tank. However, my moss is looking horrible and hasn’t grown at all. All of the plants were introduced at the same time. The fern has black spots and one of them has formed a root on the leaf. From what I have read, the black round spots are where new leaves will form? I just want to find something to use so that I can get the best results. I haven’t heard much about the NilocG thrive ferts but the all in one sounds like it’s better than buying different variations of seachem products.

 

It might have just taken a month for your anubias nana to adjust to the new environment. It might just start taking off now. Yes, the java fern leaves tend to turn into that very unattractive appearance right before a bunch of new leaves sprout up, so it sounds like the plants are adjusting well. Personally, I'd leave things be and see what progresses a month from now since everything is settled in.
For lighting, I'd probably leave it alone for now. If you do end up thinking you'll need to add another, I've personally had great experience with just cheap clamp lights. That really just depends on how much you care for appearances.

 

It might have just taken a month for your anubias nana to adjust to the new environment. It might just start taking off now. Yes, the java fern leaves tend to turn into that very unattractive appearance right before a bunch of new leaves sprout up, so it sounds like the plants are adjusting well. Personally, I'd leave things be and see what progresses a month from now since everything is settled in.
For lighting, I'd probably leave it alone for now. If you do end up thinking you'll need to add another, I've personally had great experience with just cheap clamp lights. That really just depends on how much you care for appearances.

Ok thanks! Is my KH dropping because these plants are adjusting? Or is that an entirely different thing because my ph hasn’t changed at all and I test for everything every day at the same time to see how my cycle is going. It was at a steady 3 but just dropped for some reason regardless of water changes. I wish I could use clamps but I have nothing to clamp it to. My tank is completely rimless and the only opening to the tank is that little white plastic hood on the top middle part of the tank. I was thinking of using those cheap submersible led spot lights to just put on top of the glass where the moss is... do you think that will suffice?

 

I have no idea about what's going on with the Kh. Here's one of my clamp lights. I just have it sitting directly on the lid of the tank. There's no way for me to efficiently attach it to the tank.

 

Hi,

If you take a look at the “plant fertilizer” sub forum, there are some pinned threads that talk about ferts, i’d recommend reading them.

But for what is usually recommended is Thrive by Nilocg. Definitely better than buying all of seachem’s bottles *now we wait for Thunder to post his tanks* It’s cheaper and easier to use.

It also seems like the rest of the plants aren't getting any light, since the light is mostly pointed towards the middle. I’m not exactly sure which lights you can use to get better lighting. And idk if the submersible LED would be much help IMO. and from my experience, xmas moss seems to do best in medium light, but you can already see some new growth on it, which is good.

As for your KH, what do you use to test it? Do you know your GH? If the KH is only 2, i’d expect the Ph to fluctuate alot, but you said the Ph hasn’t changed.

I also see a Co2 diffuser at the back left, correct? What are you using? DIY or pressurized? What’s included in your filter?

 

Hi,

If you take a look at the “plant fertilizer” sub forum, there are some pinned threads that talk about ferts, i’d recommend reading them.

But for what is usually recommended is Thrive by Nilocg. Definitely better than buying all of seachem’s bottles *now we wait for Thunder to post his tanks* It’s cheaper and easier to use.

It also seems like the rest of the plants aren't getting any light, since the light is mostly pointed towards the middle. I’m not exactly sure which lights you can use to get better lighting. And idk if the submersible LED would be much help IMO. and from my experience, xmas moss seems to do best in medium light, but you can already see some new growth on it, which is good.

As for your KH, what do you use to test it? Do you know your GH? If the KH is only 2, i’d expect the Ph to fluctuate alot, but you said the Ph hasn’t changed.

I also see a Co2 diffuser at the back left, correct? What are you using? DIY or pressurized? What’s included in your filter?

I was looking into thrive products but I’m not sure which one to use. I have skimmed through some of the threads but it doesn’t really relate to my concerns for my moss and the KH issue combined.

And yes, the lighting is only hitting the middle portion of the tank. However, the Anubias I have in the corners have shot a leaf and they’re also getting light through their rhizomes. The only problem I’m having is with the moss. What kind of light would you suggest I use to help my moss? I can’t have something big or distracting as the tank is sitting between the dining and living room. Don’t want the lighting to be an eye sore but I also want it to be effective.

I use the apI liquid test kit to test for everything including GH and KH. The GH is 5 with the water I am using but in my tank it fluctuates between a 4 and 5. Lately it’s been at a consistent 4. I can’t figure out why both my GH and KH are fluctuating yet my ph has remained pretty stable (I’m not going to complain about that as I have had a hard time getting my ph to stay steady)... I am using spring water in my tank because my tap isn’t that great and I really don’t have the time to let 2 gallons of tap sit out for 3 days in order to do a water change. The spring I’m using has a better ph (7.6), ok GH (5) and ok KH (4) in my opinion which should be suitable for the plants I have and the DP I intend to house once my tank is done cycling. Do you think it’s fluctuating because I’m still cycling my tank?

The diffuser looking thing isn’t co2. It’s an airstone for a nano tank. I’m using that kind so it doesn’t move my sand around. I don’t have much space for an airstone ornament nor do I want one and having a plain old airstone just blew sand everywhere. The one I have now doesn’t touch my substrate or anything else so my tank stays pretty clean. I’m also using it because I have heard that it could help provide a bit more aeriation and more oxygen when the lights go off and the plants start sucking up the oxygen in the tank therefore, I only turn it on at night (not sure if it’s working but the danios love playing in the bubbles). I’m a bit overconscious in keeping good amounts of oxygen in my tank for both my fish and my plants but careful not to overexpose my fish to gas bubble disease (even though I’m sure my filter and airstone won’t cause this).

My hob filter consists of sponge, bio media and carbon to clear the water from the Ohko stone I have in there. I knocked it down by accident while siphoning and tiny parts broke off leaving particles in the water that I wanted gone so my water looks and stays clear.

 

I was looking into thrive products but I’m not sure which one to use. I have skimmed through some of the threads but it doesn’t really relate to my concerns for my moss and the KH issue combined.

And yes, the lighting is only hitting the middle portion of the tank. However, the Anubias I have in the corners have shot a leaf and they’re also getting light through their rhizomes. The only problem I’m having is with the moss. What kind of light would you suggest I use to help my moss? I can’t have something big or distracting as the tank is sitting between the dining and living room. Don’t want the lighting to be an eye sore but I also want it to be effective.

I use the apI liquid test kit to test for everything including GH and KH. The GH is 5 with the water I am using but in my tank it fluctuates between a 4 and 5. Lately it’s been at a consistent 4. I can’t figure out why both my GH and KH are fluctuating yet my ph has remained pretty stable (I’m not going to complain about that as I have had a hard time getting my ph to stay steady)... I am using spring water in my tank because my tap isn’t that great and I really don’t have the time to let 2 gallons of tap sit out for 3 days in order to do a water change. The spring I’m using has a better ph (7.6), ok GH (5) and ok KH (4) in my opinion which should be suitable for the plants I have and the DP I intend to house once my tank is done cycling. Do you think it’s fluctuating because I’m still cycling my tank?

The diffuser looking thing isn’t co2. It’s an airstone for a nano tank. I’m using that kind so it doesn’t move my sand around. I don’t have much space for an airstone ornament nor do I want one and having a plain old airstone just blew sand everywhere. The one I have now doesn’t touch my substrate or anything else so my tank stays pretty clean. I’m also using it because I have heard that it could help provide a bit more aeriation and more oxygen when the lights go off and the plants start sucking up the oxygen in the tank therefore, I only turn it on at night (not sure if it’s working but the danios love playing in the bubbles). I’m a bit overconscious in keeping good amounts of oxygen in my tank for both my fish and my plants but careful not to overexpose my fish to gas bubble disease (even though I’m sure my filter and airstone won’t cause this).

My hob filter consists of sponge, bio media and carbon to clear the water from the Ohko stone I have in there. I knocked it down by accident while siphoning and tiny parts broke off leaving particles in the water that I wanted gone so my water looks and stays clear.

Hi,

I’d leave it as it is. It’s most likely adjusting to your tank conditions. Like I said I already see a bit of new growth on the moss, so that’s good.

How bad is your tap? Can you list the parameters straight off the tap and ‘gassed’ off(letting it sit for 24 hrs then testing it). BTW, you don’t have to let your water sit for 3 days, you can use dechlorinater and it instantly removes any chlorine and chloramines in the water.

I don’t think it’s fluctuating due to the cycle. I believe it has to due with the water you’re using. Spring water can change parameters due to where the water comes from, it can have different amounts of minerals available.