New starter and tank

[Martinspuddle]

Yes, started cycling yesterday. Set-up currently is:

Keep your lighting photoperiod to a minimum, no more than eight hours per day. Plant fertilizers, dose daily and keep to a low dose until the plants get established.

[Axeman]

Yes, started cycling yesterday. Set-up currently is:

Keep your lighting photoperiod to a minimum, no more than eight hours per day. Plant fertilizers, dose daily and keep to a low dose until the plants get established.

I’ve got the fertiliser and noted. Also put some root tabs in for plants at back.

Is it advisable to remove the carbon from the filter. I read it was counter productive for plants

[Martinspuddle]

Yes, started cycling yesterday. Set-up currently is:

Keep your lighting photoperiod to a minimum, no more than eight hours per day. Plant fertilizers, dose daily and keep to a low dose until the plants get established.

I’ve got the fertiliser and noted. Also put some root tabs in for plants at back.

Is it advisable to remove the carbon from the filter. I read it was counter productive for plants

Carbon, er yeah, just slightly. Good way of removing chemicals from the water.

[plankton]

You shouldn't need carbon nowadays as most of the meds have a half-life of 48 hours, so there's no need for it except in extreme circumstances (for tropicals anyway, marine can be different).

[Martinspuddle]

(for tropicals anyway, marine can be different).

For marine fish only systems yes, but used with a reef aquarium it can be counterintuitive.

[Axeman]

What would you recommend for the “gap” in the filer. More biological, foam or just leave it?

[Martinspuddle]

What would you recommend for the “gap” in the filer. More biological, foam or just leave it?

Wouldn't harm to put more bio media in there.

[Bluetaurus]

Nice tanks those

[Axeman]

Started cycling last Sunday.

Been testing each day and results always been (give or the occasional slight movement on GH) for first 5 day:
KH 5
GH 12
PH 7.2
Ammonia 2-4 (little difficult to tell if 2 or 4)
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

Looks like nitrite/nitrate might have started to move today.

KH/PH still the same
GH looks to have increased slightly. Is that normal (maybe down to Seiryu rock?)

[plankton]

That nitrite definitely isn't zero.