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Re: Apisto spawn (was Algae and nutrients(GH etc) )
Thanks, Tom for your comments.
Since whining on list a few days ago, I checked, and there is indeed,
significant phosphate in this stuff.
The reason I was trying to reduce the GH was for the benefit of residents in
the tank. All soft water fish, and a few apistogrammas looking ready to
spawn. Well, since emptying the tank the other day and refilling with
filtered tap water, they have spawned (for the first time, yeah!)--without
the addition of this junk.
>
> I'm assuming if I had high phosphates (and
> > belatedly didn't think to check phosphate levels) they would have been
> > reduced to nil with that massive water change.
>
> **IF** your local water supply does not have them in there. I had 1.12ppm
> average in my old tap and now I have 0.06ppm. I have to add P now.
Tested tap water. Detectable phosphate levels, nowhere near as high as what
would be added using the Waters of the World, and even what I tested in the
tank (with a Tropical Science phosphate remover pad, with a change in the
meantime, for the past few days).
> It (P) will if you have plants that don't grow or aren't growing. In well
> run tanks P is never a problem unless there's too little of it. Plants use
P
> faster than most here on the APD seem to think. Folks keep saying its the P
> causing algae. Typically its a *lack* of something. CO2, NO3, Fe, P, K are
> the big ones. CO2 and K in slight excess and the other's in moderate/low
> amounts but **not** absent. If you can do that, you will likely not have
> many issues.
I think removing a large plant, and adding this stuff upset the balance. I
have another tank with high phosphate, and hardly any algae to speak of.
> What types of light? If it's a simple shop light two bulb set up at 2 watts
> a gallon you should be fine. At high light you may find adding the KNO3 and
> other items more a problems since they are used up fast. I add this to my
> tanks as well as jobes and lots of food.
80 watts over 29 gallons. I don't think the plants are utilizing the
nutrients well since they are smothered with this algae.
>
> GH)
> I see you were interested in reducing GH. Why? I had a GH of 9 and now have
> a GH of 24! I still have not had any problems with growing any plants.
> It's not GH. As long as you have enough GH I think things are fine. The
> upper limits I think I know at this point(24). They may be fine beyond this
> level as well. I have low light and high light tanks etc. I have a good
> amount of CO2 in the tanks(20-35ppm). My KH sits about 6 or so.
I added some NO3 before I noticed the apistos had spawned. Subsequently I
added a lot of fast growing stem plants from another tank after a major
trimming there, and fortunately, both phosphate and nitrate levels are coming
down. I didn't want to mess around too much in there. Unfortunately, I moved
some otocinclus in there before noticing the spawning also. They are having a
belated Thanksgiving feast (but hopefully not eggs).
Incidentally, I would have preferred not to mess with water parameters were
it not for the fish. I suppose it would be more desirable to have the fish go
spawn in another tank. A broken heater and a tank that won't stop turning
green is delaying my plans, so the apistos stayed where they were.
This brings up another question, though. I've read of many people having
apistos successfully spawning in planted tanks. I'm wondering if they are
keeping water parameters in line for the fish's liking, or the plants.
Sylvia