[APD] Re: alder cones

[Thomas Barr <tcbiii at earthlink_net>]

"My first post.  I have some Dennerle TR7 which contains alder fruit
extract, from the cone of the alder tree.  This is alleged to help with
algae prevention.  I also recently visited a catfish breeder who kept an
alder cone in each breeding tank to ward off fungus.  The alder is
fairly common beside streams, lakes etc so the cones/fruit readily
available.   Does anyone have any experience or knowledge of using alder
cones?
Regards
Martin Gorjup"

Does anyone have efficacy studies with aquatic submersed plants showing it works to control algae and not retard aquatic plant growth? Doubtful. 
Which species of Alder trees?
I looked in several databases.
Alders (Alnus spp.) fix nitrogen symbiotically with Frankia spp

So they would seem to promote BGA growth......
I did not find any references to any studies on this for any alder species.

Like I've said perhaps well over 1000 times, the best way to prevent algae is to give the plants what they need to grow well. I seldom ever have an algae problem, when I do, I clean and prune and make sure the CO2 is correct. That takes care of every problem except for Green water and BGA, which a UV or a variety of methods can do or blackouts. 

Or I'm inducing algae on purpose. Few people (induce algae) do that for studies on aquatic plants. I do not know of anyone actually.

Rather than trying to find a "silver bullet", wasting time, money etc........ focus on the plants, that is what you are trying to grow after all. So start there.

If you are interested in algae inhibitors and their effects, you should learn how to grow algae well and grow thew species that you desire. I do this. 

Many extracts/compounds claim to be algicidal, some claim to make you into a virile stud that will please their woman, reverses the aging process, makes cancer go away, grow hair where you want it ands removes it where you don't. Just about any concentrated medium of plant extract poured on an algae culture will have some effect.

It might work...........and it might not, that is __the sell__, folks get desparate and these products simply play on that desperation. Some suggest an open minded approach, I suggest they are Aquaschisters after your $.
That rubs folks the wrong way, but I've done this so many times in controlled studies and have never been able to reproduce the results. I've also done back ground research and 99/100, they never work based on that either.   

This sends you down the wrong way, algae are indicators of poor plant growth and environmental problems, that is the issue that needs addressed. So focus on CO2(if used) and nutrients. Your goal is growing plants so their needs should come first. Always look there first. If you don't like the algae that's left after you believe you have everything under control there, check it again, and again. Prune, preen, clean, routine mainteanace etc. That takes out the algae. 

Regards, 
Tom Barr


 


 





 
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