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GH and hair algae



All though I've kept aquariums for a long time - I've been serious about
plants for only about the last year and have  learned a lot on this
list.  I have a 120G plant tank that I've been having trouble with hair
algae in - BBA and from my algae key what looks like Rhizoclonium or
perhaps Cladophora - a coarse, kinky, stringy, nasty algae that my SAEs
don't touch.

I have lots of test kits but just recently got a KH test to supplement
my GH kit and found that my carbonate hardness is next to nothing coming
out of the tap (1dKH) and even less in my plant tank.  Some of my plants
like crypts are doing fine buy my vals and sags are the pits.   I plan
to get an iron test kit soon. (looking for resolution on this thread
posted recently as to what is a good affordable kit)

Any ways my question is -
Am I correct in assuming that the low KH  is a limiting factor on the
growth of plants in the aquarium and is it contributing to the hair
algae?  Also what would be the best way to remedy this and pull the KH
up with out screwing up the Ph and the like?.  Should I try adding a
pouch of oyster shells in the sump or what about this carbonate
supplement SW hobbyists use (Kalkvasser)?  I'm off to the LFS to see
what might make sense.

Any related input welcomed!

Here are the parameters of the tank 120G tank  (2X2X4').
Flourite gravel >100 lbs
Flourish tabs one package - 2 months ago
Flourish drops after water change - 10%/week or less
Tetra tabs in gravel (no phosphates)
240 W of light (6 T12 4' bulbs)
UGH ~ 100W
Temp ~76-78F
Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates, Phosphates = non detectable.
dGH ~ 10, dKH < 1
Ph ~6.5 but was lower when the hair algae started.
DIY CO2 ~1 bubble/sec or less through PH (cuts off at night).  CO2 ~7-10
ppm
6 ottos, 6 SAEs, 10 algae shrimp, 4 ghost shrimp, very few snails
BBA, Rhizoclonium, green spot algae and brown diatoms growing like
crazy.
Crypts, cobomba, aponogeton - good
echinodorus - ok
Sagittaria, Valisneria,  - the pitts
No food in the tank period
High water flow in the tank - I've toned it down recently (yes I know
this contributes)

thanks

Chris Wells
cdwells at concentric_net