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Sunset Hygro and Algae from Hell
Subject: Re: Sunset Hygo
> >Sounds like H. polysperma 'Tropical Sunset'. I believe this wa
> >developed at Tropica in Denmark, but is now grown extensively i
> >Florida.
>
> Karen: This plant was independently 'developed' in the U.S. I sa
> Nursery in Florida during the late 1980's, at which time the U.S
> obtaining a patent. I mentioned this to Claus Christensen of Tro
> conceded that coincidences do occur. <g>
Thanks! I knew I'd seen an Aquarium Heute article on a pink Hygro
being developed by him. Neat that it occurred a second time in
Florida too.
> All H. polysperma are considered to be noxious weed in some Sout
> States and for example, is not supposed to be shipped to or sold
> I have found that sunset does not grow as fast as 'regular' H. p
> put regular in quotes because the Dennerle plant catalog (availa
> members <g>) shows pictures of 3 varieties besides the sunset:
> (1)H polysperma (dwarf hygo, from India) - pale green
> (2)H. polysperma, "Golden-Brown" - (presumably from SE Asia) - u
> have the different color
> (3) H. polysperma var CEYLON (discovered in 1980 in Sri Lanka) -
> slender leaves.
Gee, I'd better go back and have another look at my Dennerle
book!<g> I've seen different looking H. polysperma in people's
tanks, abut figured it was just cultural differences.
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Subject: hair algae from hell
> It appears I've got some hair algae started in my tank. (40g oc
> half-dozen small cats and otos, lots of plants.)
>
> It only got bad when I got the pH up to around 8.0 and the hardn
> in the 2/3 range.
Why are you trying to _raise_ your pH? Your plants would do
better at a lower pH, and were probably able to out compete the
algae until you did this to them.
> I hate cleaning tanks (witness the oto's), so is there anything
> can suggest to eat/destroy the hair algae? will black mollies e
> this sort of algae?
There will always be maintenance involved in any planted tank...
or fish tank for that matter. It should be possible to edge your
tank into a "steady state" where the plants do better than the
algae, and some algae eating fish clean up _most_ of the rest. I
don't like using Mollies for algae control (although some people
seem to be able to manage it) because in my tap water, unless I
add salt the Mollies don't do well.
Otos, Siamese Algae Eaters and Platies are better bets. Most
impotant, though is to encourage good plant growth. (pH of 8 does
not)
------------------------------
Karen Randall
Aquatic Gardeners Assoc.
Boston, MA