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Re: Aquatic Plants Digest V4 #305



Mr Alan Kaufman solved his over stocked tank issue to some degree by adding
a plant filter to his tank. Essentially a wet dry filter with a plant added
instead of so much media so that the roots are 1/2 in and 1/2 out of the
water. I have used this method for many years on higher stocked tanks. It
does a very job at removal of nutrients. You need a 135gallon for the fish
load you have BTW. You'll be fighting a lot with algae and the tank until
you do something about it. You can add the plant filter but it will/may not
solve all of your problems. A plant filter is about 5 x more efficient than
submersed plants. Best thing would be to get a bigger tank! Could you suffer
through that idea? A nice 135 gallon? You could add erythromycin to kill the
BGA/CB but something else will come in it's place likely but maybe not if
the plants are growing really fast with lots of light. Sometimes you can get
away with it.
FWIW, 
Regards, 
Tom Barr 


>OK..... So I have too many fish in my 55G plant tank.
>
>Using Flourite, 55G tanks, Dave Gomberg CO2, AHsupply 2x55WCPF@5K,
>2x40W@Daylight, photoperiod 12 hours, TMG (1 ML/day, timed).
>4 Discus (1yr old), 4 SAE, 30 Cardinals, 30 Rummy Nose, 4 OTO
>
>NitrAtes are very high, +40ppm (Lamotte) and BGA is proliferating and
>smothering everything.
>
>Lots (and lots) of plants!
>
>5 Swords, Corkscrew (forest), Red Telenthera (a forest!), Wisteria, r.
>Indica everywhere, Abula, Zostrifolia, riccia, chain swords, dwarf sag
>(flowering, btw), pygmy sword, Java Fern, Milfoil, R. Wallichi, T.
>Sunset....
>
>Short of getting rid of some of the fish (the schooling is great!) or
>changing water on a daily basis, any thoughts on how to get the nitrates
>lower to stop the BGA from covering everything?
>
>I also have a zero reading form LaMotte on Orthophosphate, but the cheap
>"Dr. Wellfish" kit shows significant PO4.
>
>Looking for some answers,
>
>Thanks,
>
>- - Jeff