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Permalink Reply by Keith the Aquatard on February 8, 2012 at 1:57am

More info would be good.

-What kind of light do you have?

-How many hours a day is it on?

-Are you doing water changes? If so, how much and how often?

-What type of plants are they?  Some plants melt normally, like crypts, some don't.

-Are you conditioning the water?  Adding fertilizers?  Running CO2?

-Is the tank by a window getting a lot of sunlight?

 

Lay down some more details and I bet people will be able to help you easier.

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Permalink Reply by Dylan on February 8, 2012 at 8:10pm

The tank was running with a 15w t8, i added another. 

Light has been running 8hrs/day no sunlight.

Been doing 70% water changes every other day (water conditioner)

No ferts, no c02

Plants: jungle val, amazon swords, java fern, a something else, and a crinum

Also (i added the second light yesterday, and when i got home today everything seemed to be perked up a bit)

Thanks!

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Permalink Reply by Dylan on February 10, 2012 at 6:06pm

??

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Permalink Reply by tyler albert on February 11, 2012 at 3:54am

hey ide try lots of water changes and lots of hardy plants and ide use duck weed

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Permalink Reply by Ethan on February 16, 2012 at 12:35am

Well, Dustin doesn't seem to do this, but you could just wait (to put plants in) and continue to do water changes for a few weeks.  This should get rid of the excess nutrients, ammonia, etc. that the dirt is expelling into the water.  It seems just sitting it out and not putting the plants in, until after the tank evens out and settles would help quite a bit.

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Permalink Reply by Wes F on February 21, 2012 at 3:12pm

I am waiting on an order of plants from dustin.  I had been waiting to set up my tank till they get here due to his advice about heavily planting from the get go.  I, have been wondering the same thing about getting a jumpstart and doing heavy water changes a couple times a day.  Kinda worried that i would end up with a tank full of algae though... Anyone else care to weigh in?

edit(another reason i am waiting is Dustin is sending me clay to add to the dirt)

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Permalink Reply by Dylan on February 21, 2012 at 11:21pm

I dirted my tank, and planted heavy at the same time. Everything melted for a bit but now (2-3 weeks later) everything is coming back and growing. Just make sure everything your planting is hardy, and that you fill the tank super slow those first few fills. And make sure to let some duckweed float and do its thing (usually some in every bag of plants he ships)

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