# My Water Parameters! What should they be for keeping Plants?



## ICEMAN330824 (May 30, 2006)

Hello! I just recently set-up some new equpiment on my planted red belly tank. I installed a new 9watt Turbo Twist UV Light & Power head, a new Compact light system(2 -65watt compact=130watts[Dual Daylight 6,700°K/10,000°K and Dual Actinic 420 nanometer and 460 nanometer bulbs] + 1 moon light), and a Hagen CO 2 system. Both the light fixture & Uv light are on a 12hrs cycle toghter. I have provided pictures of them below. Basically Im looking for advice on how to start dosing my tank to stimulate great plant growth. I have all the ferts and systems in place to where there should be no reason for my planted tank to fail. Below I will list my water parameters. Again I just bought this big test kit to test everything, so some of my test are kinda iffy to me but who knows thats why Im posting to get everything right to a T! I will also list all of the items in and on my tank to best decribe it. *Just please advise me of what my parameters should be and how to get them there by dosing what? Thanks for all of your help in advance!*

*My Tank Description:*
View attachment 110212

-30 Gallon Tall Tank
-50lbs of Sand
-10lbs of Plant fert mixed in with sand
-Diftwood & Assorted Plants
-A Qty of 3 - 1" Red Bellys
-A Qty of 7 - 1" Ghost Shrimp
-Ecllipse Hood with built in biowheel and filter
-Big Heater
-Dual Compact Flourecent Light fixture[Dual Daylight 6,700°K/10,000°K and Dual Actinic 420 
nanometer and 460 nanometer bulbs] + 1 moon light), 
-9 watt Turbo Twist UV light & Powerhead running at 120gph
-Hagen CO 2 system w/ Bubble diffuser/counter.
-Coralift Timer strip set on 12hrs cycle for lights

*List of water Conditioners*
-Bottle of Water Declorinator
-Bottle of Flourish
-Bottle of Flourish Iron
-Bottle of Flourish Excel
-Bottle of Flourish Nitrogen
-Bottle of Flourish Phosphorus
-Bottle of Flourish Potassioum

I do a 10-15% water change once a week with R/o water.

*My Water Parameters*
-Temp = 79.2deg F
-Ammonia = 0
-Iron = 0 - 0.1
-Nitrite = .05 - 0.1 p.p.m
-pH = 7.4
-GH = Medium Hard/Hard
-kH = 0 (not sure if I tested this correctly)
-Chlorine = 0
-CO2 = 20p.p.m (not sure if I tested this correctly either)

Please advise me on what you think I should dose and how often & what my water parameters should be. Thanks

ICEMAN!
















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## kirch24 (Apr 14, 2006)

sounds like you know what your doing


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## ICEMAN330824 (May 30, 2006)

kirch24 said:


> sounds like you know what your doing


lol. I guess but I still need some of these guys on here with the beautiful planted tanks to give me some advice on how to dose etc. Thanks tho.

Iceman!


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## ICEMAN330824 (May 30, 2006)

COME ON GUYS NO ADVISE FROM THE PLANTED TANK EXPERTS?









ICEMAN!


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

> -10lbs of Plant fert mixed in with sand


^^that doesn't sound too good.. what did you use? 


> Dual Actinic 420
> nanometer and 460 nanometer bulbs]


what is that?
if you are using actinic bulbs, They are for reef tanks


> 9 watt Turbo Twist UV light & Powerhead running at 120gph


some have issues with micro nutrients while running u/v filters in their planted tanks.. but it might be better you have it on there since you put some kind of fertilizer in with the sand..


> I do a 10-15% water change once a week with R/o water.


ok to use r/o water, but I would up the % to at least 40% water change per week, as soon as you start dosing good
You didn't post 2 of the most crucial water params--nitrAtes, and phosphates. 10-25ppm, and .5-2ppm perspectively.
try to eyeball potassium around 15-20ppm, iron is ok(dose more if the plants get a white look to them)
CO2 needs to be @ 30-40ppm

I will say that you still have plants that are not true aquatic plants in your tank. AKA Mondo grass, and that sword looking plant with white on it's leaves. 
Im going to say it again, I would remove those plants ASAP and get a refund from where you bought them so you can get real aquatic plants in there..

You also need to get *more plant mass* in the tank ASAP. Especially fast growers. Plants do much better when there are more of them in the tank.
I also think that for your setup, you should think about getting pressurized CO2 in the near future. 
You have a lot of good light, (as long as there are no actinic bulbs) and CO2 is a must for that --again 30-40ppm

There is my .02$


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## ICEMAN330824 (May 30, 2006)

DiPpY eGgS said:


> > -10lbs of Plant fert mixed in with sand
> 
> 
> ^^that doesn't sound too good.. what did you use?
> ...


OK THANKS FOR YOUR ADVICE & $.02 LOL. I WILL REVIEW THESE THINGS YOU BROUGHT UP TO MY ATTENTION. ESPECIALLY THE NITRATES/PHOSTFATES/POTASSIUM LEVELS, ILL POST THEM TONIGHT. THE FERT THAT IS IN THERE WITH THE SAND IS CALLED "Eco-Complete Plant Substrate" GOOD STUFF I HEARD. I GUESS I NEED TO TAKE OFF THE ACTNIC LIGHT AND PUT IN ANOTHER DAY BULB IN REPLACMENT OF IT. ILL ALSO LOOK INTO FINDING SOME MORE SMALLER PLANTS THAT GROW FAST. HOPEFULLY SOME GRASSY PLANTS. THANKS DIPPY AGAIN!

ICEMAN!


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## killerbee (Aug 18, 2004)

Got your Pm, here are some of my thoughts.

Also Dippy is the man to go to he know his aquatic plants and the neccessary









Eco complete is great i use the same stuff in my tank mixed with sand and it works great. If i were you though i would of did a 1/2 and 1/2 mix though.

Actnic light are said not to be good for p's. IME nor for plants i tried them as i liked the purple look but it just created algae.

UV light: work nice ime again, but as dippy said some people don't like it because of said micro nutrients killer. But i have mine on 24/7.

Lights: Your combo of 67K and 10K is sweet i had the same setup but decided to just use 67K only as i like the look. The 10K are way too bright and does not show the beauty of my black sand as the 67K do. And i only have mine on for a period of 8hrs but i have low light plants.

Don't have experience with ro water. But doing weekly changes is always good.


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## ICEMAN330824 (May 30, 2006)

killerbee said:


> Got your Pm, here are some of my thoughts.
> 
> Also Dippy is the man to go to he know his aquatic plants and the neccessary
> 
> ...


THANKS MAN! GOOD STUFF. I WILL BE BUYING ANOTHER BULB TO SWITCH OUT FOR THE ACTNIC ONE.


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