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Green Water
In a message dated 7/26/00 3:53:25 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
Aquatic-Plants-Owner at actwin_com writes:
<< I believe that my system
may be Potassium limited, the plants aren't getting enough, thus the green
water. >>
I just thought I'd mention my recent experience with green water. I think
rooting around in the Jobe's spiked substrate kicked it off but one never
really knows. It usually goes away as mysteriously as it appears but
meanwhile it is irritating. Not wishing to wait around for a natural death I
tried a couple of things.
First thing was a blackout for a week. This had the advantage of setting all
the other algae(s) back a bit too but then a blacked out tank is even harder
to enjoy than one whose water is green. The green eventually returned anyway,
Now I started throwing money at it. The first thing I bought was a Vortex
diatom filter. Now this is a really cool product whose looks and literature
read like something from the 50's. Did a great job of cleaning up the water
but unfortunately the next day the Green returned. Oh well, I'm sure I'll
find it useful to clean up after major plant rearranging sessions.
Next I bought a CustomSeaLife double pass UV sterilizer and a small Rio which
I hooked it up to down in the sump.
That did it. No more green water and a noticeable decrease in all algae(s).
Water is crystal.
Now, of course, I'm worried about nuking the trace elements away leading to
deformed plants. I have been (over?)dosing the 75 daily with 3 ml of a 1tsp
Microplex/170ml water mixture. Don't see any problems so far and I hope to
eventually disconnect the UV and perhaps rotate it to another tank when I do
set up. Matter of fact, I'm even considering doing the same with the CO2 as
I'm ready to start accepting a little less high growth/maintenance in my life.
BTW plant gurus; waz up with the black lines and leaf tips on my Hetra z.
Stargrass? Almost looks like a physical injury - like the leaf was bent
double - mostly toward the ends. Can't finger a piscine suspect yet - but it
sure looks fishy. Everything else in that tank grows super.
Bob Olesen
West Palm Beach