Re: [APD] 90 gal tank PO4 etc

[Thomas Barr <tcbiii at yahoo_com>]

> From: "Beth Lang" <lang510 at comcast_net>
> Subject: Re: [APD] 90 Gallon Tank
> To: <aquatic-plants at actwin_com>
> 
> I did test for phosphates and the results were .75.  I am
> using a phosphate
> remover since our water has a lot of phosphates in it. 


Err why remove it?
My tap had lots in it, plants grew better than any other folks
around who were not so lucky.

All that it means is that if you do regular weekly water changes
with the tap, you do not have to dose PO4.

> Everything was going
> pretty well with just a little algae on my plants, decorations
> and glass
> until I did a water change and bam!  Lots of algae.  I
> retested my nitrates
> and it was still at 5.  Now I know everyone is telling me that
> I have to add
> CO2 but the whole process scares me. 

Wellm, by doing that large water change, what do you think
besides PO4 did you also add?
Tap water is loaded with dissolved gases, CO2 is one of them.

Plants and algae prefer CO2, but the algae are much less limited
than the plants are, it helps the plants, but only if it's
stable and fairly high.

If you use non CO2 approaches, then you do NOT DO WATER CHANGES.
I know it sounds strange. 

But periodic water changes every week or two is determintal to a
non CO2 m,ethod, wereas they are great for a CO2 rich tank.

Plants take awhile to adapt to higher levels of CO2, algae
respond very rapidly.

You need to do one method or the other, you are now doing both,
the PO4 has no bearing, I add PO4 to high levels ina  Non CO2
tank, I never have gottern algae, same with adding KNO3 to the
non CO2 planted tanks and traces etc.

They use the same things at a CO2 enriched tank, but about , on
average, 10X less than a high  light/CO2 planted tank.

Still, your tap water has nothing wrong with it, nor is PO4 this
issue.


 I've been looking at
> articles on low
> tech tanks but it appears my 2.4wgp is too high.

Not really.

>  Are there
> any other
> options?  My LFS said to add java moss and add more algae
> eaters.  I really
> don't want to keep on adding algae eaters as I won't have room
> to keep the
> fish I want to add to the tank.
> Any suggestions? 

Sure see old post on non CO2 tanks I've stated and talked about.
Some have proposed that allelopathy cures the algae, but messing
with CO2 or NH4 are the best ways to get algae to grow in our
tanks.

I can add PO4 or NO3, Fe etc and never get algae in my non CO2
tank as wellas the CO2 enriched tanks.

That is a consistent pattern across the board.
If you maitnain low CO2, do that. If you want to add CO2, add
lots and much sure is stable.

One method affords water changes.

For the other folks that cry and bemoan water changes, they
should try a non CO2 tank, they really are very easy and look
good if you follow a few water column dosings(once a week), and
stop those water changes.

Just add water for a top off only(Tap water, not RO).
If you have lots of mulm and detritus in the tank, run a micron
cartiage filter/diatom filter etc. Activated Carbon for color
etc if needed. I've measured 30-40ppm of CO2 in tap water. When
you do a big water change, you will see a large increase in
pearling on the plants.

If you like that look, adding CO2 might be what you want to do,
it would likely solve a number of issues for you and most folks
love using it.

Still, I do not want to sway you, the chouice is youers, but the
path to non CO2 is actually simpler than you think and the
problems are not related to high PO4/NO3 etc.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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