Help - Nitrites have peaked yet ammonia has not started to drop

JRB__ · 10-27-2009, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OrangeCones

What plants do you have? Different plants require different care.

What kind of light do you have (type and watts)?

Plants -
1 x large anubis planted on a nice big peice of driftwood
1 x smaller anubis planted on a pagoda rock
1 x smaller anubis planted on a terracotta Urn
3 x Amazon sword
4 x Java fern
Don't know exactly what kind of anubis they are but the large one on the driftwood and the smaller one on the Urn both grow flowers.

Lights -
Aqua One 36 Inch twin T8 relector:
2 x 30W - 1 tropical globe (light purple color) 1 sunlight globe (white color)

OrangeCones · 10-27-2009, 10:41 PM

All of the plants you have do fine in low light without added fertilizer in the water column or CO2. The swords would like root tabs for fertilizer since they primarily feed by the roots and are heavy feeders.

JRB__ · 10-27-2009, 10:53 PM

Thanks,
So as far as my nitrate levels go, my plants will be fine without fine tuning the levels yeah? I'm not looking to grow them really large or keep aquatic plants as a 'pet' I just want to keep them looking healthy, green and clean.

OrangeCones · 10-28-2009, 12:18 AM

Everyone seems to have an opinion. Here is mine: Keep nitrates between 5 and 20, and you should do fine. Lower than 5, and you risk Blue-green algae. Higher levels are linked to the growth of many different algae.

JRB__ · 10-28-2009, 07:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OrangeCones

Everyone seems to have an opinion. Here is mine: Keep nitrates between 5 and 20, and you should do fine. Lower than 5, and you risk Blue-green algae. Higher levels are linked to the growth of many different algae.

Well you have 20yrs experience keeping planted aquariums (i'm only 23yrs old!! lol) so thats good enough for me.
Thanks-

OrangeCones · 10-28-2009, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRB__

Well you have 20yrs experience keeping planted aquariums (i'm only 23yrs old!! lol) so thats good enough for me.
Thanks-

You're welcome!

I'm glad you are thinking ahead for your pleco. I see too many folks keeping a large fish in a way too small tank and then either it dies early or they 'get rid of it' by dumping it on a fish store to try to resell. To me, if you cannot take care of the animal for its normal natural lifespan, don't get it to start with.

Newman · 10-28-2009, 06:32 PM

I know youre referring to me now >_<
Look i asked the pleco to be bought when i had no idea about what they were...i think a lot of people are that way when they begin.

OrangeCones · 10-28-2009, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Newman

I know youre referring to me now >_<
Look i asked the pleco to be bought when i had no idea about what they were...i think a lot of people are that way when they begin.

Huh? I wasn't referring to you or anyone here in particular. And I know that pet stores do not give out the correct information.

I've known people that take the 14" pleco into the store and 'trade it in' for the same species, but a 2" one, knowing (now!) that it will outgrow their 20gallon tank. The store does not try to talk them out of it, nor suggest a smaller species of fish.

And I've seen store employees euthanize the fish being traded in. Very sad.

Newman · 10-28-2009, 09:20 PM

Lol, i was just kidding. I did do that with my pleco tho. I gave it to an owner however, not a store.

OrangeCones · 10-28-2009, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Newman

Lol, i was just kidding. I did do that with my pleco tho. I gave it to an owner however, not a store.

Would you go out and buy a common pleco for your current tank again, knowing what you now know? I think not!

10-27-2009, 10:41 PM	#22
OrangeCones Large Fish Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: USA Posts: 983	All of the plants you have do fine in low light without added fertilizer in the water column or CO2. The swords would like root tabs for fertilizer since they primarily feed by the roots and are heavy feeders. __________________ ~It is easy to dodge our responsibilities. But we cannot dodge the consequences of dodging our responsibilities. ~

10-27-2009, 10:53 PM	#23
JRB__ Little Fish Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Australia Posts: 279	Thanks, So as far as my nitrate levels go, my plants will be fine without fine tuning the levels yeah? I'm not looking to grow them really large or keep aquatic plants as a 'pet' I just want to keep them looking healthy, green and clean. __________________ ~ They call them fingers, but I've never seen them fing.. ~ 20 Gallon: Planted 5 Guppies 12 Neon Tetra 2 Otocinclus 5 Hockey Stick tetra Baby Blue acara 70 Gallon: Planted Cichlid Community 2 Peppermint Bristlenose 3 Clown Loach 110 Gallon: Lake Malawi Cichlid Community Banded Leporinus

10-28-2009, 12:18 AM	#24
OrangeCones Large Fish Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: USA Posts: 983	Everyone seems to have an opinion. Here is mine: Keep nitrates between 5 and 20, and you should do fine. Lower than 5, and you risk Blue-green algae. Higher levels are linked to the growth of many different algae. __________________ ~It is easy to dodge our responsibilities. But we cannot dodge the consequences of dodging our responsibilities. ~

10-28-2009, 06:32 PM	#27
Newman Super Fish Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Northern NJ Posts: 2,796	I know youre referring to me now >_< Look i asked the pleco to be bought when i had no idea about what they were...i think a lot of people are that way when they begin. __________________ Credit goes to Lludu

10-28-2009, 09:20 PM	#29
Newman Super Fish Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Northern NJ Posts: 2,796	Lol, i was just kidding. I did do that with my pleco tho. I gave it to an owner however, not a store. __________________ Credit goes to Lludu