Algae bloom, changing fertilizers, EI weekly method

Fertilizers which I was using seachem:

• potassium(every other day)
• fluorish(every other day different than when adding potassium)
• iron(3 times a week)
• pressurized co2

Algae bloom

I won’t tell you how much ml of each I was using exactly and how much you should use. First I started like crazy, doing recommended dosages from the description on the bottle. I didn’t do 50% weekly water changes, because my parameters were fine, just a  30% every 2 weeks. I didn’t know about fertilizers build up and I had algae bloom(water blooming). My water was very green and thin film covered everything, but it’s nothing. 2-3 water changes each day one 50 one 35 one 25%, stooping with ferts for a while and after 3-4 days everything looked like my problem is going away. After my lesson I cut ferts in half and my plants didn’t show any deficiencies at all. So, it wasn’t expensive lesson, however one of my fish has changed into a big bubble of water and it died. It’s some kind of disease when fish accumulates water in the body. So, ferts 1/2 and water changes 25-30% every week and it was completely fine.

On the beginning I had seachem fundamental pack only and everything was growing fine. Then when after few weeks past I noticed that my aquatic plants growth is stunned. It was caused by potassium deficiency. I didn’t know it then, because I thought that when there is a potassium deficiency leaves are getting yellow. With my plants everything looked okay. After I added potassium I noticed that almost right away, after a day, my willow moss started shooting new bright green ends.

Plantex CSM+B and NPK

After 3.5 weeks I decided to try something new, since my fertilizers were almost over. I started adding all ingredients separately. I wanted to be the one who decides how much of each I need. One of my tank was without fish and here I had to supplement NPK three times every other day and CSM+B in the other three days, so six days in a week. In the end of the week I was doing 50% of water change.  The Estimate Index method of dosing is now known as a classic way of feeding your aquarium plants while maintaining an algae free environment. Reducing  the Nitrate/Phosphate/Algae correlation myth once and for all, it provides a ‘eutrophic’ solution in which nutrients are no longer the limiting factor in plant growth – shifting the emphasis towards lighting, CO2 and flow.

CSM+B: 1.50% magnesium, 0.10% chelated copper, 7.0% chelated iron, 2.0% manganese, 0.06% molybdenum, 0.40% zinc, 3.8% boron, EDTA 65.4%

EDTA  Its usefulness arises because of its role as a hexadentate (“six-toothed”) ligand and chelating agent, i.e., its ability to “sequester” metal ions such as Ca²⁺ and Fe³⁺ Helps with solubilization of ferric ions, at or below near neutral pH it is useful in agriculture including hydroponics. It is component of many aquarium additives.

Recommended dosage of CSM+B  is this much 3 times a week:

Over the week I was adding the fallowing nutrients to my  tank

Adding that much fertilizer you must have good lights, pretty much water flow and pressurized co2, however you can add how much your  tank need with what you have by figuring it out by yourself like me.

Removing chlorines and chloramines

For removing chlorines and chloramines from the water which I was adding I always use aquavitro product. It’s efficient, 1ml per 10 gallons. I’m adding 1ml to 5 gallons bucket from home depot, mixing it, letting it sit for a while and after I can add it to the tank. Also very good product is seachem prime which also detoxifies ammonia.