This is my first serious attempt to have a planted tank. Most of the plants have doubled in size in the last week. The Amazon Sword plants are alive but not growing much. I added macro and micro fertilizers. My lighting has been very strong. During this time I had an algae bloom. I followed the advice given to others on various threads. I cut the lighting and vacuumed the gravel removing what must have been the macro fertilizer that I had added. I made water changes several times each day since there are no fish in the tank as yet, and that is my concern.
I am monitoring nitrates and nitrites. I checked for ammonia and it was zero. My nitrates are barely safe at 40 ppm, but my nitrites are dangerous at 10 ppm. I have added 12 ounces of Cycle nitrifying bacteria into a bed of lava rock in a DIY wet/dry filter in the hood above my tank and in a bed of balls that came with the Eheim canister filter. It has been a couple of days and there is no change in either of the nitrogen readings. I would like to add algae eaters to clean the algae off my plants. I have cleaned most of it by hand. Eventually I want to add fish and if you have any suggestions on what more I can do to get the nitrites down it would be greatly appreciated. I am continuing the water changes and vacuuming the gravel. I can't think of what else to do. Any ideas?
I am monitoring nitrates and nitrites. I checked for ammonia and it was zero. My nitrates are barely safe at 40 ppm, but my nitrites are dangerous at 10 ppm. I have added 12 ounces of Cycle nitrifying bacteria into a bed of lava rock in a DIY wet/dry filter in the hood above my tank and in a bed of balls that came with the Eheim canister filter. It has been a couple of days and there is no change in either of the nitrogen readings. I would like to add algae eaters to clean the algae off my plants. I have cleaned most of it by hand. Eventually I want to add fish and if you have any suggestions on what more I can do to get the nitrites down it would be greatly appreciated. I am continuing the water changes and vacuuming the gravel. I can't think of what else to do. Any ideas?
