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Algae or scum ?




>Started using PMDD (old recipe) about a month ago and since then I had a
>minor outbreak of algae of some kind. I have 2 MH ( a 4300K and a 5500K)
>over a 90 gal. tank with manual CO2 injection. It is dark green and forms a
>film or skin-like that can easily be sucked off with a turkey baster. It is
>usually found on slow growing plants like Java moss and Java fern. Can
>anyone out there tell me what it is ? Is it cyanobacteria ? 

Sure sounds like it.

>my red plants are not red. Will a 6500K or a 10000K MH lamp bring out the
>reds ? I have a 4300K MH lamp because it is cheaper and that's what was
>reccommended to me for freshwater plants. TIA.

I prefer lamps in the range of 5000-5500K.  I have had no trouble keeping
red plants red with these bulbs.  Some people report that higher K ratings
improve red coloring even more.  Remember, though, that increasing kelvin
rating won't help if the INTENSITY of the light is insufficient.
Karen Randall
Aquatic Gardeners Association