[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index][Index by Month]

[AGA-Member] Low-light tanks & CO2



Hi, everybody. I joined AGA only a few weeks ago; I was wondering why
everyone liked mosses so much until I received the new quarterly!
Anyway, I'm confused about achieving equilibrium in my low-light plant
tank, and I could really use your advice.

Tank specs:
Tank: 75 gallon
Lighting: 4 28W T5 full-spectrum(2) and 6700K(2), 1 20W fluorescent, 1
15W fluorescent
Filter: Fluval 304
Substrate: 2/3 Flourite, 1/3 Eco-Complete
CO2: 2 Hagen Nutrafin DIY yeast reactors + 2 ladders
Heating: 2 250W Stealth
Set-up: 2 10lb. plus driftwood stumps
Plants: 1 large Aponogeton boivinarius, 2 Aponogeton madagascarensis, 1
Aponogeton crispus, several odd smaller Aponogetons, 12+ Crypts, 1 large
Kleiner Bar Sword, 1 Echinodorus major, 1 Echinodorus osiris, several
large Anubias barteri tied to driftwood, mid-sized Anubias congensis,
nana, azfeli, frazeri, Sagitarria subulata, many Sagittaria pusilla
(Dwarf Sags), many Echinodorus tenellus and some java moss
Fish: Five 4-5" Discus, five Roseline Barbs (denisoni), 3 spotted
headstanders, 1 gold nugget plec (small), 1 rubbernose plec (small), 1
pair killifish (Nothobranchius kafuensis) and 4 emerald cories
Tap water: 7.5 pH, 1 dH(17.8 ppm) carbonate hardness
Tank temp: 81-82 degrees F
Additives: Kent Freshwater Plant liquid fert. every water change,
crushed coral in the filter bed to raised KH and GH 
Water Parameters: NH4=0, NO2=0, NO3=less than 12 ppm, pH 7.5 before
turning off lights (haven't checked morning reading)

I wish I had a picture. Things are fine other than I do a lot of water
changes. But I want my plants to flourish, and the fish to enjoy water
parameters similar to their natural habitat. The problem lies in that I
can't get my pH down. I do so many water changes for the discus that the
driftwood doesn't have a chance to release enough tannic acid fast
enough, and I don't add enough C02 to lower the pH. Should I buffer? I
want my pH under 7.0, for sure.  

Am I going about this correctly? I raised my discus in a species tank,
bare-bottom, but they don't seem to mind the new additions. The killis
look hilarious, but I don't have any where else to put them!
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

_______________________________________________
AGA-Member mailing list
AGA-Member@thekrib.com
http://lists.thekrib.com/mailman/listinfo/aga-member