Yeah. It was just an unfortunate coincidence.
Caribbean Biotope Seagrass Tank
- Thread starter Michael Hoaster
- Start date
It is kind of tricky. I tie it around the root loosely, then insert the plant, before tightening it down. That worked for me.
For the record, I have begun ammonia dosing today. It replaces nitrate dosing.
I have made this change in response to reading that seagrasses prefer ammonia over nitrate, as a nitrogen source. Previously, I had dosed ammonia in the substrate, to limit its exposure to the bulk water. Then I read that seagrasses prefer ammonia uptake through their leaves, rather than their roots, so I'm dosing the water column.
I'm very curious how this will affect both the seagrasses and other tank residents. I of course, am proceeding very cautiously.
Next, I may try substrate fertilizing with a plant tab higher in phosphate, than the tabs I'm currently using. The reason for this is, I read that the grasses prefer phosphate uptake through their roots. I've always assumed that phosphate was always present in high enough quantities, that I never needed to dose it. Maybe it's time to test that assumption.
I will test these two new dosing methods separately, so only one variable will change at a time.
I have made this change in response to reading that seagrasses prefer ammonia over nitrate, as a nitrogen source. Previously, I had dosed ammonia in the substrate, to limit its exposure to the bulk water. Then I read that seagrasses prefer ammonia uptake through their leaves, rather than their roots, so I'm dosing the water column.
I'm very curious how this will affect both the seagrasses and other tank residents. I of course, am proceeding very cautiously.
Next, I may try substrate fertilizing with a plant tab higher in phosphate, than the tabs I'm currently using. The reason for this is, I read that the grasses prefer phosphate uptake through their roots. I've always assumed that phosphate was always present in high enough quantities, that I never needed to dose it. Maybe it's time to test that assumption.
I will test these two new dosing methods separately, so only one variable will change at a time.
I considered ammonia source over nitrate, but gave up on it after I concluded that ammonia is harmful at such low levels, that I could provide only what I felt was a minuscule amount of N via ammonia (like 0.1ppm) and could provide much more N safely as nitrate.(Like 10ppm)
I also suspected ammonia as a possible cyano booster, but the evidence for that is thin.
It'll be interesting what effects you see.
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I also suspected ammonia as a possible cyano booster, but the evidence for that is thin.
It'll be interesting what effects you see.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk
Very interesting, taricha. Thanks for sharing your experience. You make great points, especially about the different levels of harm, by nitrate v ammonia, and how that affects the levels of benefit. I will redouble my efforts to be careful. I don't want to throw everything out of whack.
ichthyogeek
New member
Sorry if I have it wrong, but aren't tangs in general super sensitive to ammonia? What about the gorgonian? The blennies? I can get behind dosing nitrates in planted tanks because they aren't as toxic...but ammonia?
Also, aren't you just feeding the beneficial bacteria in the tank? Or is it different because plants are better at absorbing the ammonia?
Also, aren't you just feeding the beneficial bacteria in the tank? Or is it different because plants are better at absorbing the ammonia?
saltydog07
New member
Love your tank!!! Mind if I ask where you got your red and blue macro from?
Yes, icthyogeek, I think the tang and the anemone would be the most sensitive to it. I did not dose ammonia today. I've just been observing. Do the grasses benefit? Does it harm other organisms? These are important questions. I'm not sure it's worth the risk. And yes, it is different because the plants soak up the ammonia efficiently. But, my first concern is all my pets' health. As I said before, I don't want to throw everything out of wack. Reconsidering!
Let me do a little more studying…
Let me do a little more studying…
Thanks, and welcome, saltydog07!
live-plants.com.
live-plants.com.
So, I've been observing the tank, looking for signs of ammonia poisoning. Everyone looks fine. But, I think I'll revert to nitrate dosing, until I can find more information. The risk/reward situation is not clear enough for me. And since things are going well as they are, I'm less willing to upset the applecart.
I did track down a quote right here on this thread: "I drip 5ml of ammonia is a high flow area of my 55G tank, once or twice a week" - Subsea. He keeps several soft corals and tangs in his macro tank.
In the end, ammonia dosing feels a bit like a risky shortcut. It may be too toxic to other organisms, to dose in high enough amounts to really benefit the seagrasses. Instead, I am upping the nitrate dosage, as a more low-risk change. I also hope to add ammonia the old fashion way-by adding fish.
I did track down a quote right here on this thread: "I drip 5ml of ammonia is a high flow area of my 55G tank, once or twice a week" - Subsea. He keeps several soft corals and tangs in his macro tank.
In the end, ammonia dosing feels a bit like a risky shortcut. It may be too toxic to other organisms, to dose in high enough amounts to really benefit the seagrasses. Instead, I am upping the nitrate dosage, as a more low-risk change. I also hope to add ammonia the old fashion way-by adding fish.
The seagrass meadow grows denser and taller.
Zippy keeps changing.
His constant motion makes it so in order to get a sharp pic of him, everything else is a blur.
Here he pauses momentarily, before turning and making another lap.
sam.basye
New member
Sweet fish. One of my favorite tangs. How many pictures does it take to get 1 good one of Zippy? Lol
Who is to blame for the visible foam wall? Seems like either you're getting overzealous with the pruning or Zippy's appetite has grown substantially.
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Who is to blame for the visible foam wall? Seems like either you're getting overzealous with the pruning or Zippy's appetite has grown substantially.
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Sometimes I get lucky, or I'm gradually learning how to best shoot him, but usually it takes a lot!
It's actually the caulerpa's fault. It grew so thick at the top, that it shaded the rest of the fake wall, leading to sparse growth lower down. I have since removed the huge caulerpa overhang, allowing lower plants to come back.
It's actually the caulerpa's fault. It grew so thick at the top, that it shaded the rest of the fake wall, leading to sparse growth lower down. I have since removed the huge caulerpa overhang, allowing lower plants to come back.
ichthyogeek
New member
Is that aiptasia in that last photo? Popping out of the racemosa? If so, are you planning on keeping it? Is it time for another fish like Mr. Zippy who prefers Aiptasia?
sam.basye
New member
Yeah, Michael. Someone needs to get on that..
Did it get introduced with the caulerpa?
I'm drip acclimating a new peppermint shrimp today, for the aiptasia anemones. I've had good luck with peppermints in the past. I had bought one a few weeks ago, but he must've been eaten, because I've seen no sign of it, and the aiptasias continue to proliferate. I looked into filefish too. My concern is that once they eat the aiptasias, they will go after something else. If I decide to add some zoas, I may consider one, as a grazer to keep them from overgrowing.
One thing I've noticed, after removing a huge amount of caulerpa a few weeks ago, is that my tank doesn't soak up the nutrient additions as quickly as before. So instead of increasing the nitrate dose, I need to decrease it. I also tried out the new iron supplement over the weekend. It's the Flourish brand, which is a little different, because it is the ferrous (Fe+2) form, rather than the ferric (Fe+3) form that I've used in the past. It's supposed to be more easily taken up by the plants, but it clouded the water for two days. I'm going to halve the dose for awhile. It definitely worked though. The reds are redder and the greens are greener.
All but one of the codium frags I had glued to the fake roots came loose. So I had to hand tie them - PITA! Putting two hands in the tank is tricky. A little while later, the last glued one came unglued…
One thing I've noticed, after removing a huge amount of caulerpa a few weeks ago, is that my tank doesn't soak up the nutrient additions as quickly as before. So instead of increasing the nitrate dose, I need to decrease it. I also tried out the new iron supplement over the weekend. It's the Flourish brand, which is a little different, because it is the ferrous (Fe+2) form, rather than the ferric (Fe+3) form that I've used in the past. It's supposed to be more easily taken up by the plants, but it clouded the water for two days. I'm going to halve the dose for awhile. It definitely worked though. The reds are redder and the greens are greener.
All but one of the codium frags I had glued to the fake roots came loose. So I had to hand tie them - PITA! Putting two hands in the tank is tricky. A little while later, the last glued one came unglued…
