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[APD] remove the algae or endless pruning



On Fri, 19 Nov 2004 00:23:50 -0800, Steve Pushak <teban at powersonic_bc.ca> wrote:

Thomas wrote:
My goal is to grow planted tanks, no worry about algae

This is fine. The Barr approach works well with fast growing plants. Its just too high maintenance removing the tons of algae that grow and replanting the tops of the masses of Hygrophila polysperma. There are many of us who are well beyond the stage of simply growing tanks full of green stuff and want to work with Anubias, Crypts, Spathiphyllum and a host of other slow growing plants. Maybe we don't all want to spend every Saturday afternoon pinching and pruning.

You have not tried adding phosphate. You have not even tried the particular 'Tom Barr' method that everybody thinks of when they think Tom Barr method (i.e. added CO2, higher light). Your posts are usually about dealing with particular species of algae that cause you problems by targetting it specifically. Tom Barr's posts are about not having to worry about algae at all. Describe you tanks, follow the instructions given and Tom Barr will cure all your algae ills... (ok so that is a little cheesy)
Carry on doing things the way you are doing and you may get algae to grow!


Start clean; stay as clean as you can. If you do get algae (it can
happen easily) then you have two choices. Live with it like Tom and
forego the slow growing plants for a jungle of H poly or clear it out
and start over. If, heaven forbid, you should find yourself with a tank
filled with Oedogonium or Spirogyra, don't make the mistake of believing
that you can cure it by pouring in nutrients. You will have to remove
all the plants with large colonies on them and replant the tops of the
fast growers. Be prepared to do this every week. Yes, this may be great
fun for newbies but its certainly not an optimal strategy for those of
us who have a life outside of aquariums.

One of the Tom Barr methods (non-CO2) involves nothing more than topping up for evaporation and making the occasional water change at several month intervals... I would say that Tom Barr can grow plants slowly as well as quickly.


--
Andrew McLeod
thefish at theabyssalplain_freeserve.co.uk

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