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RE:algae and no response
>Now what puzzles me is all current water readings are very close to what
>I've posted here and they've been this way for a few weeks now. The bloom
>does not seem to be subsiding, it's not gaining, but definitely not going
>away in a great hurry. The E. tennalus is growing well but it's not losing
>its new found coat, the same can be said for the E.latifolius
>(magdalenensis) and C, nevelli (again). All plants are growing well given
>the circumstances and my Alt.reinecki and Rotalia macrandra are holding
>their own (still red although starting to go a little orange) My ambulia is
>starting to go a little wirery on me too though, from the reduced lighting
>as would be expected.
Rather than chemical perhaps it is biological. Things need sometime to heal
and get back on line.
> I suppose my question in the end is "how long does it take for this
>unwanted stuff to die off" and what is keeping it going.
Your biological cycles are off and they take some time(perhaps 2-4 weeks) to
get back. Be patient and keep up on maintenance. Remove/harass the algae as
much as you can. Get your PH down to about 6.8 for awhile and keep it
**stable**. UV won't do nothing BTW. Buy more fast growing temporary plants
instead.
Even after you have all of the levels in your tank in the "right range" it
takes some time to build up "tank momentum" and have the plants/bacteria
growing/absorbing nutrients. Once everything starts cycling then the plants
will take off and the algae will be gone for good.
I think many many plant keepers experience this situation at some time or
another but just keeping up on maintenance and being patient will cure most
of it. Many of us neglect a tank or go on vacation at some point. Getting it
back can piss you off after doing a bunch of testing and still no results.
It takes some time to get going again. Algae won't really grow but it won't
go away when the tank has been re-done/crashed some and gotten back up to
snuff until the plants start growing fast again.
I dread the
>thought of a complete tear down. (so much so that I'm willing to fork out
>the money for a U.V. unit if it'll help at all. I figure if it was on a
>daily timer set for once or twice a week, 12-14 hrs per day, it might help
>by preventing any further spreading and also by minimizing the free
>nutrient build up from the dosing between water changes)
>
> My other question was how come people don't post any responses to these
>algae questions to the APD. I've seen a few others with similar Q's and
>problems, but they never seem to get any public responses. Any reason? I'm
>guessing it's to save space maybe. In any case, thank you for your time in
>reading this and for any advice that you can offer and sorry for the length.
>
>
>Jeff
>
>
>Water Chem.
>ph 7.1 +-.1 (does not want to hit 6.8 for some reason)
Get the ph lower! Say 6.8 or so and keep it there using only CO2.
This is your main issue at the moment. The extra nutrient load can be
removed by water changes.
>Kh 6
>Gh 5.5
>TH 14 (Any ideas on what the extra 2.5 dgh might be? Toronto water)
>Fe .25 aprx.
>No2 0.
>No3 0. ? (triple checked, PMDD measures 80+ ppm per .1 ml)
>PO3/4 .25 aprx ? (test starts at 0-.5ppm)
All good.
>NH3/4 0.
Don't remove too much(NO3) of this one from water changes! Fe is a little
high.
>Co2 12-15 ppm (I hope) consistent result prior to the addition of peat
>filtration.
Sound a little low for that KH. I got the same KH but slightly higher GH.
Go to ph 6.8. Your fish will be fine etc with the KH and GH you have.
>Lighting 245 wtts staggered over 11 hrs and over varying locations.
> (Lately 150 wtts over 9.5 hrs limited to the back of the tank.)
>
>Filtration, Fluval 403 (primary) and 303 (secondary with a 4ft T shaped
>intake) providing mechanical and biological filtration plus peat.
Perhaps remove the peat? Bring up the PMDD up gradually over the course of
2-4 weeks. Your plants aren't using near as much as before this mess
started. Test for the Fe/NO3 etc for amounts used to se how much the plants
are using, if you wish or you can just watch closely.
>
>Chemical filtration when needed via an external removable aqua clear.
>(Carbon, Water Softener Pillow, Phosphate or Nitrate)
>2, 201 Powerhead with 12 inch water uptakes and foam in the corners for
>added circulation.
>
>(planning on a bio load to 65-70 inches of fish when completed, then this
>happened, Tank has been up for close to a year now problem free, with the
>exception of this of course)
>
>PMDD for fertilizer with the five or six Root Tabs every 30+- days where
>needed.
>
>All tests are Aquarium Pharm except for the Fe, it's Red Sea. The PO3/4
>test is dry tab all other are liquid.
>
>
>Thanks again if you read this far ;)
>
>Oh water changes were 1/4 to 1/3 once a week, lately its been 1/4 every 4-5
>days.
You have plenty of filteration and good water changes. I'd lose the internal
filters myself.
Regards,
Tom Barr
>
>Jeff Bennett