[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
[APD] it's not pure light and dark?
Hi folks,
I had a problem with BBA for several months, and at the same time, had
plants that just weren't doing well. I read all sorts of stuff and
asked for help here. I cleaned and dosed and got a pretty good
culture system for BBA going. The stuff grows pretty fast in the
right conditions, creeping along the gravel and covering plants. I
finally came to the conclusion that I was dong everything too much
except for light. Just after the holidays, I treated the tank with
erythromycin. I did a 5 day treatment, but actually didn't change any
water until the 7th day, so erythromycin levels probably remained.
The BBA is gone. All the fish and shrimps and plants are fine. I
also bought a new light source, a 4 bulb (54w) T5 housing from
Catalina Aquarium in Sacramento (this doubled the light on my 55g tank).
With both changes and pretty much no other difference, the plants are
growing well, truly growing up and bubbling for days after a water
change. I still have a hairy green thread(?) algae on some wood, but
I can live with it and the shrimps and Siamese algae eaters seem to
enjoy it. I also have some algae on the glass but that also doesn't
bother me, the snails munch on it. I'm fairly satisfied with the whole
set up and have actually pruned a plant back twice and composted the
trimmings.
I run a pH meter connected to a CO2 tank. From what I've read, I
expected CO2 to be off when it's dark, but my solenoid clicks on and
CO2 is injected at night and early in the AM before it's sunny or the
lights are on. CO2 on means pH has risen. Plants use CO2 to fix
carbon and give off O2. If it's late at night, with just a little bit
of light coming from another room, or early in the AM first thing when
I get up, what's responsible for the CO2 going on? Any hints?
thanks,
John F. Hess, Davis California johnfhess at comcast_net
_______________________________________________
Aquatic-Plants mailing list
Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
http://www.actwin.com/mailman/listinfo/aquatic-plants