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Single-celled Algea? (fwd)
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 19 Feb 1997 15:10:39 -0500 (EST)
From: AllenKAgX at aol_com
To: owner-aquatic-plants at actwin_com
Subject: Single-celled Algea?
HI,
I recently (6 weeks ago) set up my first planted tank. All the plants
started to take root and grow nicely. Then over a period of a week in the 3rd
week I started to get green single-celled algae. There is a little hair and
bearded algae attached to things, but the water is clouded with this
single-celled green algae.
I've read on this list that I may have a trace element shortage. Water
changes do not help (MA. water is soft, KH <1, and alkaline, pH >7.6). I
added 5 grams of Epsom salt + Kent fertilizer. I am not sure if that helped.
The tank did begin to clear, but then clouded up again. I added an additional
5 grams of Epsom salt when it began to cloud, along with a water change and
fertilizer to no avail. The plants are growing well, but some are slowing,
probably because the light is being cut of by the algae.
My dreams of a beautifully lush planted tank have been dashed. Now I have a
big tub of pea soup. Can anyone give me some suggestions on what to try?
Here are all of the specs:
55 gal., DIY CO2
SUBSTRATE
Bottom 1" Sera Floradepot (contains peat, trace elements, nutrient salts,
etc)
Mid 1" 2-3mm gravel
Top 2" 5-7mm gravel
WATER CONDITIONS
74 degrees F
pH 6.8-7.2
KH 3-5ppm
CO2 15-40ppm (LaMotte Test Kit)
Fe 0.3-0.4ppm
NH3/NH4 0ppm
NO2 0ppm
FERTILIZER
Kent Freshwater Micronutrient Supplement w/ Fe (Fe chelated w/EDTA, salts of
K, B, Mg, Cu, Zn, & Mo.) once/week
LIGHTING
3x40W 48" (1 Verilux full spectrum, 2 Perfect-a-Lamps)
INHABITANTS
Hairgrass (Elocharis parvula), Red Amazon Sword (Echinodorus osiris),Another
Echinodorus I haven't identified, One or two other plants that I haven't
identified &1 Pleco
Thanks,
Ken Allen & Twister the Greyhound, a 40 mph couch potato.