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Everite products in UK



Andy Moore asked recently if anyone in the UK is using Everite products. I
started lurking here just before christmas and after reading the Archives
and the articles by Karen, Steve, George et al , I decided to dust off the
old packs of Everplant D and Everite  #2 , these have been hanging around
for about 5 years since I last used them. I started with  Everite #2 about
10 years ago , this is " an iron rich substrate additive prepared in pellet
form for adding to established aquaria " , there is no indication of
content but it looks like red clay balls , or rather it used to be clay
balls , now its extruded pieces about 2"long .  Its easy to insert into the
substrate next to needy plants but it does disintegrate slowly and sink
through the gravel. Clouds the water when pulling up clumps of Crypts but
soon settles.  When I first used it I had a 5ft tank full of valis that 
you couldnt see through because the plants were so dense and the clay  did
seem to keep them fed. On changing to my present  tank I also inserted the
clay into the substrate but  Ive been on low light  plants ( java fern,
anubias , crypt.affinis ) for a few years and havent needed to feed much.
Until now! With my new found enthusiasm , increased light  and stem plants
I have found all the problems I thought I had left years ago! 
I started to use Everplant D which is a trace element mix , again no
analysis is quoted but it is supposed to be a daily addition at 1
drop/5galls (imperial not US) and started to get BGA problems ( this didnt
happen 5 years ago but a lot of water has flowed through the tank in that
time)  . I live in a soft water area and my water has been great for the
killies ive been keeping for years and I havent tested my water other than
conductivity for a long time.( 70mS from the tap). When I started getting
BGA  I assumed phosphate or nitrate was built up in my substrate with 10
years accumulation and actually went and bought the test kits! Nitrate was
low <10 on Aq. pharm dry tab kit but phosphates were 2ppm . and this was
after 2 weeks waterchanging 30% every 2 days.Low fish load and  low feeding
. So I tested my tap water and found that was >1ppm Phosphate , So a 50%
change with rain water twice in 2 weeks and treatment with Kents phosphate
sponge has brought it to <0.5 . It appears the water company has started to
add phosphate to reduce corrosion of pipes. (And I thought the poor egg 
fertility performance of my killies was due to lack of water changes ,
actually the reverse seems to be the case ). I am  actually using 1 drop/10
gall 2-3 times a week until things settle down.
The other product I have used was the Everplant M which is a monthly
"fertiliser tablet" again no information or analysis and personally I
wouldnt use this again I intend to go the PMDD route .
 I am now  adding dolomite and MgSO4 ,reduced the photoperiod to 10 hours
from 13 and added Ammonium nitrate ( I use this at work) to give nitrate
around 10-20 ppm . The algae has nearly disappeared ( I hope) and plants
seem to be doing well so I will keep using Everplant products until I can
find a source that provides an analysis. If anyone in UK knows where to
find suitable products please let me know.
In the UK we cannot buy antibiotics over the counter so treating BGA this
way is ruled out , any other controls  
Sorry for the long post  but rather than contact Andy offlist I thought you
APDers from over the water might like to know that there are a few here in
the UK reading your posts. 

Back to lurking :- )

John Holt , BKA 17/9 , Bury ,Lancs , UK
jdholt at compuserve_com




































John Holt BKA 17/9 , Bury, UK
jdholt at compuserve_com