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FINALLY!
Well, I'm finally there. I have been fighting algae of every shape and
color for two and one-half years. I have been dosing PMDD (supplies from
Homegrown Hydroponics)regularly, adding CO2 (parts from various flea
markets, used cylinder from the local fire extinguisher business, and gas
from the local welding supply store) constantly, and trying some other
ideas I picked off of the list.
I'm not sure exactly what did it, but I think it was adding the elodea that
took care of the problem. I had been using peroxide to keep a BAD case of
blue-green algae from absolutely taking over the entire tank, gravel,
plants, glass and all. I read that elodea would help. I went out and bought
some. At first I was not replanting all of the clippings, so probably
didn't have enough in my 75 gal. to do the trick. Once I started replanting
everything I clipped, things started happening.
I came in one day and VOILA!, ALL of that nasty, slimy stuff was GONE. Not
just almost gone, ALL gone. Overnight! What a thrill! A few days later, the
fur that covered every piece of gravel on the surface of the substrate was
gone. All of it. I nearly fainted. PARTY TIME!
In the next few days, the black beard algae and hard black spot algae that
grew on the older leaves in the tank disappeared. It did leave the infected
areas of the leaves yellow, but that was easily remedied by a little
selective pruning. The holes that plagued my sword plant leaves also
stopped appearing. Some of them looked more like a Madagascar Lace than a
sword.
Even the green-spot algae on the tank walls has vacated the premises.
I'm free! I' free. I'm free at last, of algae anyway. (Apologies to Dr.
King.)
My only problem now is the plants are growing too fast to keep up with. I'm
having to prune the elodea and another plant (picked up in southern
Louisiana from a bar ditch) about every three to four days. The swords have
grown to the water's surface and are beginning to shade the tank. I guess I
will have to prune them as well. One of the swords is sending up stalks and
making little baby swords. I have replanted 10 to 12 of them already. It
looks like a jungle in there.
Anyway, many thanks to all the contributors to the list who shared their
experiences. I would never have done it without your knowledge, as well as
the stories of those of you that won the battle. Keep the faith, stay the
course, and fight the good fight.
Thanks again,
Douglas Guynn
dguynn at nwol_net
915.368.5411
Nobody cares in what direction you want the wagon to
go if you won't get out of it and help push." --Jonah Goldberg