# [Wet Thumb Forum]-parameters



## Carson (Apr 16, 2003)

Can I get a list of water parameter to shoot for in my 55 gallon planted tank? Thanks


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## Carson (Apr 16, 2003)

Can I get a list of water parameter to shoot for in my 55 gallon planted tank? Thanks


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## Rex Grigg (Jan 22, 2004)

Tell you what. You tell us what your water is and we will tell you what you need to change/add. There are no "perfect" water parameters.

Give us your light level, pH, kH, gH levels at a minimum. Let us know if you are injecting CO2. Tell us what you are fertilizing with and how often.

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## Carson (Apr 16, 2003)

I'm running a 55 gallon with 4 tubes at 160 watts total. 1-chroma50, 2-daylight 6500, 1-Trinon about 11 hours a day. For now I'm running a DIY CO2 bottle. Since I'm having trouble getting my Phosphates below about 4-5, I can't get a good CO2 est. PH is too low, about 6. kh is about 5. Gh is about 8. My Nitrates get sucked up as fast as I can add it, about 5 ml a day and still test nearly zero after a day. I've been adding 1 ml of flourish and 1 ml of trace a day. Also about 1-2 ml of Flourish excell a day. I was adding iron and potassium, but stopped because I've decided to address one problem at a time instead of just dumping alittle of everything in and hoping for the best. I've picked the phosphate levels as the first thing to get straighted out. Needless to say I'm successfully growing hair. I'm seeing plant growth everyday so something has to be working, even with the problems. I've got about 5-6 bulbs from walmart, and some plants I bought a Lowes garden center. They seem to be doing OK with new growth. I'm afraid to order any nice plants till I get things alittle closer to right. I won't give up till I'm bankrupt or insane.














OH, and I have laterite in my gravel.Anything else??


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## Rex Grigg (Jan 22, 2004)

I'm wondering why your phosphates are so high? Is it from your tap water? Have you added any kind of pH buffer? If it's not from your tap water then do 50% water changes each day till you get the levels down. You are not adding near enough traces and Flourish for your light levels. And you really need to keep up the iron and K. It really sounds like your tank is limited in a couple of nutrients and way to high in phosphates. That will lead to algae every time.

If your tap water is fit to drink then do the 50% daily water changes till your phosphates get down to reasonable levels. Then add your other ferts and you should be set to go. Also as soon as you can ditch the DIY CO2 and get a pressurized system.

Are your lights shop lights?

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## Carson (Apr 16, 2003)

My tap water test 0 phosphates. I was adding a ph buffer for a while and then without doing any research I bought the entire flourish line and added none other than phospharus. DUH! I'm running 2 double light coralife ballist kits. The ones that come with the caps and all.


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## Rex Grigg (Jan 22, 2004)

Ok, the lights are fine. Do the water changes to get the phosphate levels down. And to lower your pH use nothing but CO2.

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## kherman (Apr 7, 2003)

Maybe I missed sometihng, but with a pH of 6, don't we want to get it closer to 7? Granted, no plants are mentioned, I'd imagine something closer to 7 is desired.

As I still consider myself a newbie, does CO2 generally lower the pH?



> quote:
> 
> Originally posted by Rex Grigg:
> Ok, the lights are fine. Do the water changes to get the phosphate levels down. And to lower your pH use nothing but CO2.
> ...


http://www.geocities.com/kfh227- go there and see my future fish section to see what I have planned for my next 100+ gallon tank.

*I am probably going to start work on my stand for the 100 gallon tank in about 2 weeks(May 22). Pics coming soon







*


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## Rex Grigg (Jan 22, 2004)

But once he gets the water changed and the acid buffer removed his pH will go up.

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## kherman (Apr 7, 2003)

* Smacks head *

OK, makes sense. Just didn't catch on at first










> quote:
> 
> Originally posted by Rex Grigg:
> But once he gets the water changed and the acid buffer removed his pH will go up.
> ...


http://www.geocities.com/kfh227- go there and see my future fish section to see what I have planned for my next 100+ gallon tank.

UPDATE:
*I am probably going to start work on my stand for the 100 gallon tank in about (err umm) weeks(July mhopefully). Pics coming XXXsoonXXX late







*


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## Carson (Apr 16, 2003)

Thanks. I'll get it done. Phospharus is the same or contains phosphate, right?? And aprox. how much Flourish and trace should I be adding?


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