# my tank and plants



## mrspikes (Aug 10, 2004)

alright well im having troubles. heres the info i can provide.

i have a 75 gal. i think its about 48x18x24.

I have white sand, (bag just says crushed gravel), and about 24 sticks or Araunchas??? dont know how to spell it. its a leafy plant where the roots grow from the midsection of the plant rether than the bottom.

anyways, heres what i have in there.

two 48" 40 watt plant gro light bulbs. i had 1 48" blue coralife bulb and one plant gro because i hear the blue bulb helps but it didnt, well it might have, but im back to the 2 plant gro ones.

i am using Kent Freshwater Plant fertilizer every other day, using 8 capfuls each time. this is the highest recomended dosage.

I recently purchased CO2 natural plant system by nutra fin. however it failed to metion that it recomends 1 to every 20 gallons on the outside of the box. so now with that theory, i would need to spend another 90 bucks on it. this system is un pressureized, uses the sugar with water and CO2 activator and stabilizer, and only produces about one buble per 45 seconds.

some of my plants leaves are dying, other are staying the same. nothing is growing. is my set up sufficent or no? i dont really have very much money left.

EDIT: sorry forgot to add. tank temp is 82F. i have in blackwater extract, and i recently put in some med tablets for popeye and fin rot.

i was thinking of purchasing this

and im also going to get a moonlight and right now my bulbs are on 24/7


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## akamakaveli (May 4, 2005)

Sounds like those plants are Anachris.

The blue bulb you had was probably an actinic bulb which is absolutely useless to growing plants so leave that out. Keeping the bulbs on 24/7 isnt a good idea as plants only use light for a daylight photoperiod. Most people leave their lights on for 8-12 hours a day. I am not sure on this but keeping lights on 24/7 is adversely affecting your plants photosynthesis. You have low lighting just over 1 watt per gallon so I wouldnt expect any obvious growth.

I have no experience with the kent fertilizer but do you know what you are dosing? And if you have no way of testing then you might be adding ferts to your water that arent being used up by the plants.

As for c02 Id strongly recommend doing a diy yeast/sugar mixture in a few 2 liter bottles, this is very cost effective and something anyone can do. The reactor you linked I dont really know what it does but it doesnt look like something to produce c02, just a way of getting c02 into the water (maybe I am wrong).

Do some searches and research if youre really wanting to have your plants thrive.


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## Husky_Jim (May 26, 2003)

I also advise you to go with the DIY yest-sugar method for Co2 and for your littres i suggest to go with a gallon container.
The link you posted is only a diffuser.The spesific one is considered one of the best in the market but if you gonna buy the hole system it will be much expensive.....


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## mrspikes (Aug 10, 2004)

husky_jim said:


> I also advise you to go with the DIY yest-sugar method for Co2 and for your littres i suggest to go with a gallon container.
> The link you posted is only a diffuser.The spesific one is considered one of the best in the market but if you gonna buy the hole system it will be much expensive.....
> 
> 
> ...


ya thanks i looked it up and realized it and im broke so thats a no go.


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## spree_rider (Mar 20, 2004)

you need more light! you are barly over 1wpg you need to double your light at least, adding more ferts or co2 wont help any and isnt necessary with your low lighting.
the only thing that will grow in your tank is javafern/moss or other very low light plants, 
im suprised noboby said this yet.


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## james__12345 (Mar 25, 2005)

well i have even less than that (20 watts on a 29 gallon) and i have no problem with sagittaria, dwarf sagittaria, a compact sword, and an amazon sword that is just a little under lighted, but id say one watt per gallon would probably be enough for it too.

ive also heard that alot of plants have a hard time getting nutrients and rooting in sand, because it compacts.


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