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Re: SEVERE algae problem - HELP!

>a) Fertilizer is bunk. I add the "daily dosage" of natural gold, but only
>once a week, during the water change (1/3 volume). Some of my aquarium
don't
>get fertilizer at all. They still grow like mad, pearl bubbles all day
long,
>and all the plants have great color. Not a shred of alqae disturbs any of
my
>setups.

>>This depends largely on what your water does and doesn't have in it and
the fish load you have.  Some people need to dose, some do not.  Part of the
fun is finding out which category you are in.<<

Fertilizer isnt bunk, it is what it is. There is no denying the science of
plant physiology. Plants need certain things to sustain life and energy for
growth. One way or another they need to find these things to grow, either
through their roots in the substrate or from the water. Since nitrogen is
one of the nutrients that plants use in the largest amounts, and perhaps
they utilize this before anything else, this can sustain plants in well
establised aquariums...all the mulm built up over a period of months and
years under your gravel is rich in nitrogen and phosphate. Newer tanks dont
have that luxury. "Growing like mad" and "pearl bubbles all day long" is a
very relative and general statement with nothing to compare it to. What you
consider rapid growth and photosynthesis may be feeble compared to other
peoples experience. What you consider normal growth, may be limited to
someone else, who knows. The fact you are adding something on a weekly basis
is providing the plants with something. How bright your light is will create
the demand for nutrients.

>d) Don't use tap water if you have an easily accessable source of
>RO/distilled water

>>If you use only distilled/RO water you will have no buffering cpacity.  If
you have no buffering capacity you will problems like I do not wish to
describe.  Cutting problem water with RO water is a good idea, but using
straight RO only . . . well I wouldn't want to try and deal with that
challenge.<<

Not only is RO/ or distilled water void of any KH buffer, but it is also
void of any and all minerals unless you reconstitute it...and then whats the
point? Tap water can be rich in minerals, meaning you will not need to
fertilize as much.

Robert Paul H
http://www.aquabotanic.com
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