No trout Trout tank

[fr499y]

I do and always have done. Stable water is key with shrimp which is why the smaller more frequent water changes are recommended.

[LookoutTrout]

I think I can do this, if I dose at 40% of EI then 20% weekly water changes mean ferts have the same theoretical maximum. I know a big part of EI 50% water changes are about removing organics but I will be producing less of that (I'm not convinced) so should still work out ok.
Right now the deficiencies are causing my hygrophila to almost collapse, I had a Doh! moment this morning while I'm waiting for potassium to be delivered that the Plant Boost ferts I have do contain potassium and magnesium so I've tripled the dose and should have enough to last until I have all the salts together.
I'll then split my ferts into micro, nitrates (as required), other macro and Liquid CO2 but I'm dropping the dose of that to wean my tank off what I suspect is unnecessary. I'm slightly worried I'm changing too much at once but I'd rather get it done and work on fine tuning the auto doser.
Dropping this here so I don't lose it, it will be useful for working out my adjustments to the standard EI measures and substituting monopotassium nitrate with potash.
http://theplantedtank.co.uk/calculator.htm
My colour coded silicon tubes and EI kit have arrived, now waiting on the auto doser and potash. Conveniently I have next week booked off work to put it all together.

[LookoutTrout]

I also need to take another look at my FX4. When I did the first clean a couple of weeks ago only the inside edge of the sponges had collected any particles so it looks like water was flowing up the side of it instead of through it as I imagine it is designed to work. I don't see how I could have put it together incorrectly so hopefully all is now good.

[LookoutTrout]

The extra fertiliser worked, I've had noticeable growth today. I'll do a double dose tomorrow and carry on like that for a few days.
As well as growing and getting greener the leaves have also changed angle up towards the light.
Before (a few days ago but was pretty much the same this morning)

Today

[Andys temperate tank]

I also need to take another look at my FX4. When I did the first clean a couple of weeks ago only the inside edge of the sponges had collected any particles so it looks like water was flowing up the side of it instead of through it as I imagine it is designed to work. I don't see how I could have put it together incorrectly so hopefully all is now good.

The fx filters push the water up the sides first then down through the baskets to the pump. How often are you cleaning it out? I'm down to twice a year on my fx6 now.

[LookoutTrout]

The fx filters push the water up the sides first then down through the baskets to the pump. How often are you cleaning it out? I'm down to twice a year on my fx6 now.

I cleaned it after a month, mainly to check the new kit was working properly. As far as I can tell the water should circulate round the outside of the outer sponges first, then go through them to the inside of the ring and over the top to the inner media. They had collected enough to make me think 6 monthly changes won't be often enough but it was in the wrong place iyswim. I'll take a photo at the weekend if it is still the same, only the inner edge of the outside sponges had collected any dirt.

[Andys temperate tank]

The fx filters push the water up the sides first then down through the baskets to the pump. How often are you cleaning it out? I'm down to twice a year on my fx6 now.

I cleaned it after a month, mainly to check the new kit was working properly. As far as I can tell the water should circulate round the outside of the outer sponges first, then go through them to the inside of the ring and over the top to the inner media. They had collected enough to make me think 6 monthly changes won't be often enough but it was in the wrong place iyswim. I'll take a photo at the weekend if it is still the same, only the inner edge of the outside sponges had collected any dirt.

It will likely depend how you have it set up. I only have coarse sponges and sera siporax media in mine to keep it flowing as freely as possible.

Mind I also have a biomaster 250 on the same tank and I swap the pre filter sponges every water change.

[LookoutTrout]

Equipment update:
I pulled the FX4 apart again and it all looks good, the design means water should flow up both sides of the sponges with a pressure drop between sides. I took out some of the excessive bio media and I can now ignore it for a few more weeks.
The Jebao doser 3.4 is now fitted and waiting for me to do some more testing and calibrating. As it is a lot cheaper than other options I expected it to be a bit naff in places but I was pleased, the instructions and the app are both good.
I bought some pretty colour coded air hose so I know which drug is in which pipe and now if I go away anywhere I only need someone to overfeed the fish.

[LookoutTrout]

Fertiliser update:
Well my growth spurt didn’t last, I had a couple of days where everything looked great. Plants that had been dormant since they went in months ago suddenly started growing, they are Staurogyne Bihar, lilaeopsis novae-zelandiae* and one of the Bacopa. All that has pretty much stopped now, as if a small store of a nutrient has been used up quickly. I haven’t got the same leaf issues as before, little deterioration of old leaves so that’s good. The Frogbit is also still coming back from a completely brown leaf death throw so another good sign that I’m probably just low on something rather than missing it.
There could be a different reason I haven’t considered, I guess things going on in the substrate might affect things but that’s clutching at straws. Assuming it is a standard nutrient issue I thought about the possibilities.
I switched to EI salts 3 days ago, growth had already stalled.
1 CO2 – water lettuce is affected so this isn’t it.
2 NPK – I’m dosing P & K at 40% of EI so not them, N tests at a fairly steady 10ppm and P has gone from trace to nearly 1ppm.
3 micros – again, dosing at 40%
4 I stopped using liquid CO2
I’m ignoring 4 at the moment but desperation may see me try it again.
The only thing I’m not adding at a known rate is nitrates so I’m starting to doubt my test kit. Rainwater from my butt tests at 5ppm, I know rain has some nitrates but I don’t think it’s anywhere near that high. As my tank water tests higher than rainwater I assume that there is at least some nitrate in the tank, but is a nitrate test like an ammonia test where it can give a false reading? I looked at a few side by side test kit reviews and generally they are inconsistent.
I’m left thinking that maybe I have nitrates but not enough to promote strong growth, so I may start adding 1ppm per day to see. For now I’ve added some to my plant buckets in the garden (along with tank water) to see if they pick up more.
If nitrates don’t make a difference then I’ll crank up macro and micro alternately and if nothing has worked I’ll use up what’s left of the liquid CO2.
Anyone have any thoughts on the most likely cause?
* That’s what it was labelled as but I think it is micro sword.

Before

After 1 week

Before I started adding phosphates the Rotala on the left was just a stringy mess of tiny black leaves.

[LookoutTrout]

I've found some naffness of the Jebao doser, it didn't dose automatically when it should have.
My problem was I'd blocked the doser from having internet access, as soon as I restored it then it started working as expected. I'm not over the moon about that as I like to be a little careful about what I let loose on my home network, it means the doser can be controlled from anywhere you have an internet connection which is great if you care about that.