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Re: Aquatic Plants Digest V4 #925



> From: CDELAHUNT at aol_com
> Subject: Re: Help, black thread algae?
> 
> I have black thread algae, and some green spot algae, growing
> the worst in 
> the back of the tank where the strip light is.
> Tank specifics:
> 38 gallon, Fluorite substrate, six or so Flourish tabs in the
> substrate, 0 
> ammonia, 0  nitrites, ph of 7, kH of 6, two DIY CO2 bottles
> into a Fluval 304 
> intake, heavily planted, high fish load, 110 watts CF, weekly
> water changes 
> (about 30%), temp is about 80, lights are on about 12 hours a
> day.  Tested 
> for iron (zero) and nitrate with a kit that gives me a range
> of 12-25.  gH is 
> 8 -- it used to be 5 all the time, but now 8.
> 
> I am staying on top of this stuff, but it grows so incredibly
> quickly!  The 
> plants and fish are all doing well (some fish are spawning,
> and the other 
> fish follow and munch eggs like this is their personal Pez
> dispenser).  The 
> algae seems to grow mostly quickly on the plants in the
> "current".  Is there 
> anything wrong with taking off the directional outflow pipe
> and just aiming 
> the flow straight down?  Or am I barking up the wrong tree?


> 
> I have some Kent bottles of liquid Pro-plant, and its partner
> (one is a pink 
> label and one a blue, and I'd go read them but I'd wake up my
> dh, and we 
> can't do that!).  I used each once, but then hesitated to use
> them again 
> because I had read on here how iron dosing often will make
> algae grow worse. 

Sounds like you have enough NO3's. Kent pro plant has sodium
nitrate in it. The pink bottle. I'd just use KNO3 instead
personally. You may be even higher than you think on NO3's(your
test kit is too broad and inaccurate to tell much). I would not
add it in your tank(high fish load= high NO3 already)I'd do a
big water change and pull off as much algae as you can. Don't
add any NO3's until the test says they are gone pretty much. The
DIY CO2 can sometimes go over or underboard. Keep an eye on that
and your NO3. The high fish load is not helping. GH could raise
if the tap changed some. I'd add some trace elements but back
off the other pro plant stuff. Do bigger water changes. You want
lots of fish plus plants in a well lit tank with DIY CO2....you
got to do more water changes and work. I wouldn't put so many
fish in a small tank. It's not good for them(fish or plants) or
you. Concerning your flow..it should just be even as you can get
it and some surface movement is fine just not a lot. The thing
to back off when your worried about algae is getting the NO3
lower, not using less of the trace elements(blue bottle). You
can wait a day or two to add the trace stuff after a water
change but add some K+(see archive previous post etc) right
after the water change. K2SO4 at about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon once 
a week plus your trace mix and let the fish provide all the
NO3/PO4 would be a good over all plan. Big water
changes(50%+)+K2SO4+regular amounts of trace (blue bottle)
decent feedings+ keep a close eye on the CO2 amount in your
tank. 

Regards, 
Tom Barr




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