mikeyboy123 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 14, 2024 12:58 pm Hi Fluxtor.
I have to ask, why the aquasoil? With the plants you've got you just don't need it. The algae outbreak could be due to a number of things but I am suspecting that you've currently just got too much nutrient in the water as the aquasoil is only 6 weeks old and is likely leaching nutrients. This may reduce with time and your algae may reduce accordingly or it may not.
I'd add two amanos and two nerites as well as a vallis or a bunch of egeria densa centre back and see how it goes over the next few months. If things stabilise out and the algae ceases to be problematic then great. If not, then a new approach may be required.
Vallis is pretty low maintenance. You just let it get on with it and if it gets going it'll grow vigorously and send out runners in all directions. If the shoots pop up in an undesirable place then just cut the runner and remove the shoot. Other than that you don't need to do much with it. Once the egeria gets going it'll require frequent cut backs. For best results and ease of maintenance I'd recommend putting 6-8 stems of egeria into a ceramic ring. You don't need to "plant" it as such, the ring will just weigh it down in place. Then, every week, grab the bunch of egeria by the base of the stems and pull a couple of inches down through the ring and trim off what you have pulled through. Pop back in tank.
Keep us posted on how it's going.
I'd just go for plain sand with root tabs for the root feeders and tnc lite as a liquid fert. Keep it simple.fluxtor wrote: ↑Sun Jan 14, 2024 13:14 pmmikeyboy123 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 14, 2024 12:58 pm Hi Fluxtor.
I have to ask, why the aquasoil? With the plants you've got you just don't need it. The algae outbreak could be due to a number of things but I am suspecting that you've currently just got too much nutrient in the water as the aquasoil is only 6 weeks old and is likely leaching nutrients. This may reduce with time and your algae may reduce accordingly or it may not.
I'd add two amanos and two nerites as well as a vallis or a bunch of egeria densa centre back and see how it goes over the next few months. If things stabilise out and the algae ceases to be problematic then great. If not, then a new approach may be required.
Vallis is pretty low maintenance. You just let it get on with it and if it gets going it'll grow vigorously and send out runners in all directions. If the shoots pop up in an undesirable place then just cut the runner and remove the shoot. Other than that you don't need to do much with it. Once the egeria gets going it'll require frequent cut backs. For best results and ease of maintenance I'd recommend putting 6-8 stems of egeria into a ceramic ring. You don't need to "plant" it as such, the ring will just weigh it down in place. Then, every week, grab the bunch of egeria by the base of the stems and pull a couple of inches down through the ring and trim off what you have pulled through. Pop back in tank.
Keep us posted on how it's going.
Thanks for the advice it's very much appreciated.
As for the aquasoil I don't know really but I guess that's just down to my inexperience. What would you suggest as an alternative? Maybe a small nutrient base with a capping of some sort. I currently have the 4 amanos and I think 2 Zebra nerites I say think as I've only seen one of them for a while and I already lost one of the original 3 I put in.
I will look up the plants you mention as know me and my normal obsessive approach to hobbies this won't be my only tank and even if it is it will likely get a redesign at some point!
