New planted tank - need help

[robby]

I have started a new planted tank and need some advice -

Tank overview -
Set up about 4 weeks ago
75 gallons
Amazonia substrate
Ehiem 2217 x2 (one bio, the other carbon + bio, very little surface agitation)
Aqualight 4x65 (260 watts) - 7:30 am to 10:30 pm (probably too long but I like to see it at night)
Milwaukee co2 regulator with Ehiem diffuser direct into filter intake
Co2 - about 6 bubbles/minute (seems low, but fish gasp at top with even a little more)
84 degrees (want to have discuss ultimately)
0 ammonia, nitrite, some minor nitrate
2.5 degrees KH, ph 6.6, therefore co2 about 20 pm (probably need a separate co2 test)
some driftwood
Lots of plants  - annubias, large java fern, giant hair grass, alternanthera reineckii, hemianthus micranthemoides
35 cardinals (3-4 died), 2 cory cats
Dupla 24 - 6 drops/day
water clear but green tint (was greener after some plant loss early on)

Questions -

1.  Is lighting on too long.  Probably yes.  Any way to have lights on early morning and evening without going to 15 hours/day?
2.  There is some pearling (oxygen bubbles) on the driftwood related to algae growth.  I would of course like to discourage this but don't want to reduce co2/fertilizer for plants.
3.  Co2 rate seems very slow (6 bbm) but fish gasp with more and there seems to be enough co2 to cause pearling...so it must be ok, right?  How can I achieve the right co2 balance.
4.  I have lost a few fish.  I think this relates to excess co2 since i had co2 set higher and fish we obviously stressed.  Any other causes?
5.  Plants seem healthy and a little new growth but most are new so jury is still out.  I lost a number of plants before good light and co2 added.   Did not use any substrate fert.  Any other fert recommended?
6.  Tap water ph is 7.5.  So, co2/substrate (?) must be lowering ph.  I think that is ok, even desired, but when I get some discus, how can I lower the ph of new water so that discus not stressed over change (or maybe they won't be)?

I will try to post some pics.  Thanks for any help.

[sourapple]

Re: New planted tank - need help

Don't know the answers for all of your questions, but here's what I know:

Yes, your lights are on for way too long.  To fix your problem, go to Walmart and pick up a timer. You can set it so that it's comes on at 7:30am - 11:30am and then 6:30pm - 10:30pm. (This gives, you 8 hours. If you want to kick up to 10 that's fine too) This way you can get the right amount of light for your tank, as well as having it lite up when you want it to be.
If your plants are pearling and your fish are happy then I'm pretty sure your CO2 levels are fine. The only way to be sure is to get a drop checker. but fish gasping for air is defiantly a sign of too much CO2.

[eklikewhoa]

Re: New planted tank - need help

1. Lighting is on way too long. If you like to see it before and after work then split your photo-period in half.
2. Algae is from excess nutrients/excessive lighting/poor co2/ warm temps   basically an imabalance of them. Seeing that you are not dosing and your plants are slow growers or most of them it's not soaking nutrients fast enough.
3. Co2 sounds good... are you turning it off during the night? Co2 injected into the intake helps dissolve it into the water column but watch your canisters.... it might form air pockets destroying the filter and co2 turns rubber/plastic britle.
4. Poor acclimation to your tank or poor stock to begin with. Most fish bought at the LFS have been acclimated to our Houston waters and you need to acclimate them back. That and avoid sick or newly brought in fish.
5. Good substrate is golden in a planted tank. As for ferts there are plenty.... GregWatson dry ferts, Seachem Flourish complete line, ADA Brighty ferts, etc. I loved what ADA ferts did but it wasn't cheap... GW worked fairly decent and was the cheapest.
6. The discus will acclimate to the change. But if you are really worried about it you can age the water before hand.

[Mzungu]

Re: New planted tank - need help

Do you absolutely need to have the tank on both in the morning and at night? My timers are set to go on at about 11 in the morning, so I can play with the tanks when I get home at night.

Another thing, you might want to turn down the temp in the tank a bit. That could definitely be adding to the gasping you're seeing, as higher temps won't allow as much oxygen to be dissolved in the water. Also, cardinals can be a difficult fish sometimes.

[robby]

Re: New planted tank - need help

Thank for the help.  I'll reduce the lights, reduce the co2 some and move it away from the intake, reduce the temp, and improve the surface agitation.  Thnks again.