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Trading one problem for another... repost



reposted with word wrap on (I hope)...

Observation:  want to get rid of all that unsightly algae.
Induce green water for a couple of weeks.

I apologize in advance for asking yet more algae related
questions - but I am frustrated and don't want to let this
get the best of me.  If you don't want to yet another algae
post please skip to the next message  :)  This one is
looooooooooonng.

    About 2 months ago, I got reinvigorated about my plant
tank and did a major teardown/replanting.  Immediately
following was a plague of brown algae coupled with slow
growth of my plants.   I suspected some sort of deficiency
so I stepped up the fertilization regimen.  Theory being
best defense against algae are healthy growing plants.
Bottom line... I traded a brown algae problem for a
green/cloudy water problem.  The following is an abridged
version (believe it or not).  (I have been taking notes with
every dose/water change/etc.  Supposedly a good habit :)

Tank setup:
-    120gallon - pressurized CO2 into reactor
-    2 250W MH 12hrs/day - bulbs ~6-8 inches above water  -
good reflectors
-    eheim 2213 filled with ehfimech and floss - mainly used
to pump water through reactor (btw - almost 10yrs old...
never a problem with the eheim)
-    powerhead with sponge prefilter
-    Large window allows LOTS of morning light
-    Small stands of hygro,  and ludwigia
-    10" square stand rotala indica - full height of tank
-    One large amazon lots of chain swords - fairly decent
coverage
-    Lots of vallisneria and some dwarg sag

Based on my notes, here is the sequence of events.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Tank parameters prior to green water bout:
-    water clear - some brownish algae lingering on chain
swords and in rotala
-    ph6.6        kh 4        gh 4 (cheap test kits)
-    Iron maintained 'tween 0.05 and 0.1 (lamotte)  - dosed
TMG 25-50ml every 2 or 3 days based on reading
-    NO3 maintained at 1.0 to 2.0 (lamotte) - multiply by
4.4 for NO3? - dosed 1/2 tsp every 2 or 3 days based on
reading
-    25% weekly water changes (no dechlorinator used)
-    dosed 1/4 tsp MgSO4 ~every 4 to 5 days
-    added 1Tbsp dolomite every water change (suspected
possible Ca deficient - leaves curled and distorted.  Snails
died out previously.  Shells were clear)
-    fish seem very healthy - 2 pairs of kribs raising fry
-     started dosing PO4 (old PH 7.0 fix - sodium
phosphate/sodium diphosphate) - plants appeared to perk up
somewhat - no PO4 testkit (I know, I know :)  Initially
dosed 2 tsp 2 weeks prior to GW and 1 tsp every 2 to 3 days
afterwords
-    10 days before GW - changed filter floss in eheim...
(hadn't cleaned since before teardown... very gross) - nice
green furry algae coating one chunk of driftwood - kind of
nice looking actually

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Green water appeared 1 day after 25% water change

After onset of massively green water:
-    Daily 50% water changes for 1st week... guess what..
didn't help
-    Need to add KNO3 to maintain ~1/4 tsp with every H2O
change - level ~0.05 to 1.0 (2.2 to 4.4)
-    Continued dosing TMG to maintain Fe level at 0.05 to
1.0
-    Lighting maintained
After 1 week of GW
-    Water changes done only every 3 or 4 days (gets old)
-     Lighting maintained
-    NO3 not being used - level running at 2.0-4.0
(8.8-17.6)
After 2 weeks
-    Enough already... Will is tired, very frustrated, etc,
etc... lights out, CO2 off, no ferts, blackout for 1 week

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Removed blankets last weekend and 50% water change
-    25ml TMG - 2 Tbsp MgS04 (based on Chuck's dosage
calculator)
-    Raised lights so bulbs ~12 inches above water
-    Used amquel due to possible theory that ammonia spikes
might cause GW and I had not been using amquel before
-    Absolutely NO algae anywhere - hygro had grown
bigger/fuller - prior to GW was just the small amount
-    Chain swords slightly pail but looked very healthy
-    Large Amazon nearly double in size

Now to my dilemma...   water still a little hazy after
lights back on but still pretty clear.. However, it is
starting to cloud up again and I am very bummed out.  Any
suggestions?

Will