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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.

------------------------------
 
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)

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Karen Randall
Aquatic Gardeners Assoc.
Boston, MA