• pH:
• Temp:
• KH:
• GH:
• NH4:
• NO2:
• NO3:
• PO4:
• Iron:
• Dosing: 10 mL Flourish, 20 ml Excel, 7.5 ppm NO3, 1 ppm PO4
• NO3:PO4 Cumulative Dosing Ratio: 22.5:2.8 = 8.0

Notes:

UVS effect on nitrate levels?

• pH:
• Temp:
• KH:
• GH:
• NH4:
• NO2:
• NO3:
• PO4:
• Iron:
• Dosing: 25 mL Excel, 1 tsp MgSO4, 2 tsp CaSO4, 15 ppm NO3, 5 ppm K, 1.8 ppm PO4
• NO3:PO4 Cumulative Dosing Ratio: 15:1.8 = 8.3

Notes:
50% water change:
2.5 tsp baking soda
20 mL Amquel+
15 ppm NO3
5 ppm Flourish potassium
1.8 ppm PO4
1 tsp MgSO4
2 tsp CaSO4
25 mL Excel

I noticed that after every water change, in the beginning of the week, that the plants seem to show a nutrient shortage, which seems to be potassium. There are black pinpoint holes in the leaves of the L. repens, and the stargrass shows black patches in the beginning of the week before growing out nice and green. I still have some leftover flourish potassium, so I added 5 ppm to the water change. The yo yo loaches are uprooting some of the plants, especially the A. senegalensis, which is annoying to replant, since the stems are so buoyant.

I ran the UV sterilizer for the last 2 days, which still didn't make any impact. It seems to accelerate the decreasing levels of nitrates. Yesterday, I added 7.5 ppm NO3, after levels fell to nearly zero from a level of 10 ppm only the day before. I learned the hard way that if nitrate levels fall to zero for more than a day, the plants quickly suffer, especially the plants which take their nutrients more from the water column rather than the roots (anubias, H. micranthemoides, java fern). That's why I'm reluctant to run the UVS for long periods of time, though the slight green water is bugging me. I'll probably run the UVS for several days this week, and keep a close eye on the nitrate levels.

Interestingly, several hours after the water change, the red on the leaves of plants was noticeably more green. I had waited a couple hours after the water change to add the nitrates/potassium. Usually, I add the nitrates immediately after the water change. I waited this time, because my theory is that the Amquel+ neutralizes/locks up the nitrates if I add them into the tank at the same time. The change in the leaf colors seems to bear this out, though perhaps the extra dosage of potassium could also be a factor.

Yo yo loaches still not eating the snails

• pH:
• Temp:
• KH:
• GH:
• NH4:
• NO2:
• NO3:
• PO4:
• Iron:
• Dosing: 10 mL Flourish, 20 mL Excel, 1.2 ppm PO4, 10 ppm NO3
• NO3:PO4 Cumulative Dosing Ratio: 35:4 = 8.75

Notes:

Some of the cherry shrimp have grown nice and large (~1 inch) and a very bright red.




Although the yo yo loaches look busy, I haven't noticed them eating any snails or even showing any interest. When I crush snails, the baby angelfish are more interested in eating the crushed snails than the yo yo loaches. Even the cherry shrimp are more interested in nibbling on the snails. I guess I'll have to wait and see.

Yo yo loaches

• pH:
• Temp:
• KH:
• GH:
• NH4:
• NO2:
• NO3:
• PO4:
• Iron:
• Dosing: 10 mL Flourish, 20 ml Excel, 10 ppm NO3, 1 ppm PO4
• NO3:PO4 Cumulative Dosing Ratio: 25:2.8 = 8.9

Notes:
I bought a pair of yo yo loaches from a LFS, and let them loose in the tank. They are about 1.5 inches long and have pretty leopard like markings all over their body. So far, they're pretty shy, but are more active at night, nosing around all over the tank. They don't seem to be bothering the shrimp so far, but they don't seem to be bothering the snails either. At night, I crushed the snails I could see to try to entice the loaches.

I have to admit, though, that the snails are very good at cleaning up the algae on the leaves. The green algae is largely gone from the leaves. If they could only practice some birth control...

Yesterday, the angelfish spawned again.

UV on green water

• pH:
• Temp:
• KH:
• GH:
• NH4:
• NO2:
• NO3:
• PO4:
• Iron:
• Dosing: 35 mL Excel, 1.8 ppm PO4, 15 ppm NO3, 1 tsp MgSO4, 2 tsp CaSO4
• NO3:PO4 Cumulative Dosing Ratio: 15:1.8 = 8.3

Notes:
50% water change:
20 mL Amquel+
2.5 tsp baking soda
15 ppm NO3
1.8 ppm PO4
35 ml Excel
1 tsp MgSO4
2 tsp CaSO4
The green algae is slowly but surely disappearing from the plants. The bit of green water, though, is still persisting. An overnight run of the UV did not work. I probably have to run it for a longer period of time, but I'm afraid of it causing a reaction with making some nutrient unavailable to the plants as experienced in previous longer runs. I will probably run it for a longer period of time just before the next water change.

As for the %^&* snail problem, I will probably start trying to look for some loaches, either the yoyo or kuhlie loach and hope they eat the snails without eating the shrimp.

Baby shrimp sighting

• pH:
• Temp:
• KH:
• GH:
• NH4:
• NO2:
• NO3: 5
• PO4: 1.5
• Iron:
• Dosing: 10 ml flourish, 20 ml excel, 7.5 ppm NO3, 1.2 ppm PO4, (3.75 ppm NO3 yesterday)
• NO3:PO4 Cumulative Dosing Ratio: 33.75:4 = 8.4

Notes:
Saw that the stargrass was looking a bit ragged, checked the nitrates yesterday, was about 5 ppm, so I added another 3.75 ppm yesterday.

I put in a piece of zucchini in a shot glass into the tank yesterday to see if I could catch any snails. There were only less than 5 snails that were kind enough to enter the cup. Manually, I must be killing at least 10 snails a day now.

Today, I saw several tiny baby shrimp about a third of an inch long; it looks like they are doing well and steadily multiplying.

Snails multiplying

• pH:
• Temp:
• KH:
• GH:
• NH4:
• NO2:
• NO3:
• PO4:
• Iron:
• Dosing: 10 mL Flourish, 20 mL Excel, 7.5 ppm NO3, 1 ppm PO4
• NO3:PO4 Cumulative Dosing Ratio: 22.5:2.8 = 8

Notes:
Manually killing a lot of snails lately, don't know how to eradicate snails without killing the shrimp as well...

It seems that I probably have ramshorn snails: Snail ID

There doesn't seem to be any good way of removing the snails except by perhaps trapping them, i.e. baiting with lettuce or zucchini and removing attached snails several hours later.

A bit of green water

• pH:
• Temp:
• KH:
• GH:
• NH4:
• NO2:
• NO3:
• PO4:
• Iron:
• Dosing: 1 tsp MgSO4, 2 tsp CaSO4, 15 ppm NO3, 1.8 ppm PO4, 30 mL Excel
• NO3:PO4 Cumulative Dosing Ratio: 15:1.8 = 8.3

Notes:
50% water change:
20 mL Amquel+
2.5 tsp baking soda
1 tsp MgSO4
2 tsp CaSO4
30 mL Excel
15 ppm NO3
1.8 ppm PO4

There is still green algae growing, though the plants are starting to grow normally again with the proper nitrate levels. There is also still a bit of green water. It seems that the Excel helps suppress it, but not completely eradicate it. I keep forgetting to run the UV the night before a water cahnge to try to completely get rid of the green water.

You can see the water is a bit cloudy

The snails that must have hitchhiked on the un disinfected plants are really prolifigating: I could even see snail eggs on the tank walls.

Two of the harlequin rasbora died yesterday, probably because the CO2 bubble rate was set too high. I fixed the rate.

• pH:
• Temp:
• KH:
• GH:
• NH4:
• NO2:
• NO3: 10
• PO4: 1.5
• Iron:
• Dosing: 20 ml Excel, 10 mL Flourish, 1.2 ppm PO4, 3.75 ppm NO3
• NO3:PO4 Cumulative Dosing Ratio: 26.25:4 = 6.6

Notes:
Using new phosphate kit (Seachem)

• pH:
• Temp:
• KH:
• GH:
• NH4:
• NO2:
• NO3: 5
• PO4:
• Iron:
• Dosing: 20 ml Excel, 7.5 ppm NO3, 1 ppm PO4
• NO3:PO4 Cumulative Dosing Ratio: 22.5:2.8 = 8

Notes:
Green dust algae is still building up more quickly than normal.

• pH:
• Temp:
• KH:
• GH:
• NH4:
• NO2:
• NO3:
• PO4:
• Iron:
• Dosing: 25 ml Excel, 1 tsp MgSO4, 2 tsp CaSO4, 15 ppm NO3, 1.8 ppm PO4
• NO3:PO4 Cumulative Dosing Ratio: 15:1.8 = 8.3

Notes:
50% water change:
25 mL Excel
1 tsp MgSO4
2 tsp CaSO4
2.5 tsp baking soda
20 mL Amquel+
15 ppm NO3
1.8 ppm PO4

Nitrate usage back down

• pH:
• Temp:
• KH:
• GH:
• NH4:
• NO2:
• NO3: 10
• PO4: 2
• Iron:
• Dosing: 20 mL Excel, 10 mL Flourish, 0.6 ppm PO4
• NO3:PO4 Cumulative Dosing Ratio: 15:2.4 = 6.25

Notes:
Angelfish laid eggs again. Nitrate usage has gone back to normal since the removal of the angelfish fry.

CO2 tank refill

• pH:
• Temp:
• KH:
• GH:
• NH4:
• NO2:
• NO3:
• PO4:
• Iron:
• Dosing: 25 mL Excel, 1 tsp MgSO4, 2 tsp CaSO4, 15 ppm NO3, 1.8 ppm PO4
• NO3:PO4 Cumulative Dosing Ratio: 15:1.8 = 8.3

Notes:
Refilled CO2 tank today, cleaned out tank.

50% water change:
20 mL Amquel+
25 mL Excel
1 tsp MgSO4
2 tsp CaSO4
15 ppm NO3
1.8 ppm PO4
2.5 tsp baking soda