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03-14-2006, 08:58 PM
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#1 |
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 49
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No PHOSPHATE planted Substrate
What planted tank substrate isnt going to make my water a phosphate bath for phytoplankton???
geeze! Is flourite ok?.... what Do you guys think that will be good and NOT be a phosphate producer? |
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03-14-2006, 09:14 PM
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#2 |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Southern Indiana
Posts: 312
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I saw you were attempting to breed cardinals. I use Flourite in a 10 gallon planted tank with a DIY co2 injection system and "Great Value" brand drinking water. I add no chemicals (other than weekly for the plants) and my ph is a steady 6.2 The only time I had an algae problem was due to co2, and it has cleared up since I added the co2 system. With this set up, I have succesfully bred blue rams. I don't know how that compares with cardinals, but I have heard they are difficult. My fry are now free swimming...we will see how it goes from here.
BTW, I kept a small school of cardinals in this tank as dither fish and they did great. Didn't lose a single one and their color mas like no cardinal I have seen before. |
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03-15-2006, 06:23 AM
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#3 |
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Aquatic Naturalist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Age: 32
Posts: 14,982
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Why would a plant substrate add PO4 to a tank? I know of none that do.
__________________
For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.  Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress) |
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03-15-2006, 11:05 AM
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#4 |
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 49
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Im honestly not sure... All I know is the conjuction I was useing before, which was Flourite, ecocomplete, and gravel caused some SERIOUS phosphates...
now that I have switched to a non plant substrate.. AKA just plain gravel from LFS then the phosphates and algae have gone away... I was useing alot of ACID REGULATOR with the previous conjuction... and I read on it about its a phosphate buffer not for planted tanks now...so I wonder if the phosphates where absorbed into the conjuction? to seachems ferti-tabs cause phosphates??? I am not useing ANYTHING with phosphate in it now... I think thats alot to do with it... OH, and yes, thanks for the help on the flourite... WOW I LOVE rams... I will have to try those too!!! 
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03-15-2006, 01:35 PM
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#5 |
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Super moderator
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,100
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Tap water can sometimes contain a high level of phosohate already. Whatever's causing your high phosphates, I doubt it's your gravel.
__________________
If you have a big enough tank with enough hiding places, pH of around 7, you can keep virtually any fish together as long as all the fish are around the same size and these two groups of fish are avioded: Serrasalmus Tetradon(figure eights and dwarfs are the exception). I keep a successful community of fish in a 4 foot tank including the following families: Cichlids, tetras, loaches, gouramis, barbs, rainbows, livebearers, killiefish, catfish, puffers. |
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03-15-2006, 01:58 PM
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#6 |
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Aquatic Naturalist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Age: 32
Posts: 14,982
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Phosphate buffers seems to have been your problem. Planted substrates have high cec which allow them to draw nutrients from the water column and store for later release. The substrate wasn't your problem, the ph altering chemical was.
Upon further thought, there was a bad batch of ewco-complete out a while ago that was high in phosphates. Caribsea replaced them all for free if I am correct.
__________________
For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress) |
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03-16-2006, 10:53 AM
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#7 | |
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 49
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No not tap, our tap containes lower than .1 phosphate plus Im not even useing tap, Im useing RODI water...
Quote:
I added a BUT LOAD of that acid regulator... that stuff is HORIBLE... I DONT RECOMMEND IT AT ALL!!! however, that doesnt explain my phosphates in the nano now... the water and gravel was taken out compeletly and replaced... But I did preserve the biofilter... plus my makeup water is high in phosphates too, but the RODI water is 0... whats up with this??? again I am adding a tiny bit of acid buffer, with contains NO phosphates and is formulated for planted aquaria, and by TINY I MEANNN TINYYY!!! some freshtrace for the fish, which contains no phosphates, some flourish trace for the plants, which doesnt contain them, and some blackwater extract... which I dont know if it does or not... lets try and figure it out! |
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03-16-2006, 12:20 PM
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#8 |
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Aquatic Naturalist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Age: 32
Posts: 14,982
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Cpl things here......................
You do know fish give off PO4 as a waste product also correct (depending on food used). Food can have PO4 in it. What brand names of the products are you using?
__________________
For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress) |
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03-16-2006, 02:59 PM
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#9 |
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 49
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yes, very aware.. but it still shouldnt be that high..
Im using TetraAqua for the BLKWATER extract, seachem for the trace's, and foods are Tetramin tropical flakes... thats it... |
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03-16-2006, 05:29 PM
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#10 |
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Banned
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: N. Tonawanda NY
Age: 46
Posts: 188
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Stop using all that junk and collect some dang rain water and use some peat moss to lower your ph and stain the water. If you want close to pure water STOP ADDING crap to it.
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03-16-2006, 11:25 PM
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#11 |
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Aquatic Naturalist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Age: 32
Posts: 14,982
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Well I wouldn't have put it that way but in short, thats correct.
__________________
For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress) |
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03-17-2006, 05:55 AM
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#12 | |
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Super moderator
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,100
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Quote:
 The natural options are always the best when it comes to fish.
__________________
If you have a big enough tank with enough hiding places, pH of around 7, you can keep virtually any fish together as long as all the fish are around the same size and these two groups of fish are avioded: Serrasalmus Tetradon(figure eights and dwarfs are the exception). I keep a successful community of fish in a 4 foot tank including the following families: Cichlids, tetras, loaches, gouramis, barbs, rainbows, livebearers, killiefish, catfish, puffers. |
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03-19-2006, 12:56 PM
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#13 | |
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 49
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Quote:
There is always an artificial way to do it to mimic the real thing.. Besides... doesnt matter anymore... I figured out why I had phosphates in the substrate before, and why I have then in the same tank with a different substrate now... the tetra aqua is JUNK FULL of phosphates... so Im doing water changes with fresh RODI water with a bit of trace in it now... |
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