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Handling Algae - It works!
I used to think there was a quick fix for algae. Algae eaters are useful,
but will never be the cure all. SAE will help with brush algae, otos with
diatoms, and while many claim that Jordinae floridae will help with hair
algae, it hasn't worked well for me.
So what to do... I have a relatively high tech system. I have a CO2 tank,
controller, PC lighting, flourite, etc. I was absolutely besieged with hair
algae. It was growing enough to fill a large cup in pullings every day, and
I wasn't even getting a quarter of it.
What eventually worked: perseverance. I continued to do my normal water
changes (hard water, no RO), continue to feed my fish, continued to dose
PMDD, continued to add CO2 and continued with an aggressive photoperiod (12
hours at 4 watts/gallon).
Eventually, the plants won out. In fact, it was a slow and steady decline.
From a magnificently algaed eye sore, the tank's algae began to slow its
growing, then began to die out altogether. Now, the algae is insignificant,
and I let it grow. The algae eaters eat what's there, and what isn't dies
as the nutrients are taken up by the vascular plants. Special thanks to
Chuck Gadd who generously donated a small army of snails that helped with
the dying algae.
I stopped doing tests on the water, moved away from the detail and began to
watch the tank. I let the PH and the known KH monitor the CO2 levels for
me, and I did my daily routine with the understanding that as long as my
plants were growing (and they were growing!!) they would eventually out
compete and outmass the algae... so the long road is done, and I have a
snapshot of the tank at:
http://www.lkraven.com/Aquarium/Index.htm
The fish-cam was usurped by my 12 gallon nano-reef at work, but that's off
topic ;).
Have faith, patience, and persevere! The algae goes away!
Neil
Whose tank now requires so little maintenance that he'll soon be forced to
set up a NEW tank.