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Re: Any thoughts on controlling algae growth in my live, floating plants
I have gotten the stuff too. It is usually a sign of deteriorating water
conditions and too many nuti\rients and waste items in the water. That is
why Bob's water changes and circulation works so well to dissipate and break
down those materials. That is also why limiting the phosphates is so wise.
More demineralized water may help.
It is also possible to dump the dreaded duckweed on the tank surface (along
with the water changes, etc.). The rapidly reproducing duckweed will shield
everything from light and more importantly absorb a certain amount of the
nutirents needed by the cyanobacteria or blue green algae. Extra duckweed is
mulched into the garden removing the extra nutrients. Afterwards of course
you have to get all the pesky duckweed out of there.
Medications may kill the blue-green algae, but then you are stuck with the
dying algae (or whatever the stuff is) plus the nitrogenous water that
nurtured it in the first place. Better to remove the causes of it.
Those creatures also carry fairly easily from one tank to another. Treat
that tank as a quarrentined tank until conditions clear up. Don't share nets
or siphon tubes with other nets. Stick your hands in there only after
servicing all other tanks first - then scrub down.
The smaller tanks are less stable than larger ones and in this sense more
vulnerable to losing a biological equilibrium.
> Over the last few months, I've been getting excessive growth of blue-green
> algae developing in my floaring plants (hornwort). ... My tanks are 2.5 or
5.5
> gal tanks with sheets of plexiglass (with holes cut in them for
> ventilation/ir movement), and incandescent and some flourescent lights.
The plexiglass tops are for holding in the killies, many of whom would die
of terminal dehydration otherwise. It also raises humidity for plant growth.
Plexiglass also admits more UV waves for the plants than glass. Lastly it
bends easier and allows me to inadvertantly dump things into the tanks.
A heavy plant cover preferably of water sprite, maybe of hornwort, Najas,
water lettuce, water hyacinth, or Salvinia will cut down on air born killies
and encourage the appearance of fry. Even the less preferable tiny plants
such as wolffia, giant duckweed or duckweed are somewhat useful this way.
They too can get infested with the cyanobacteria. When that happens I toss
the fragments infested and clean up my act. Crypts or Java fern are
carefully rinsed. If they reinfect, they are again cleaned and placed in
tanks without light for a time.
Well it's time to go grade some papers and catch the season opening
Cubs-Mets game. Hope burns eternal. Go Cubs!
All the best!
Scott
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