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Green film algae
I am a newcomer to the aquarium hobby, and about 4-5 months ago
I set up tank. I jumped in sort of head first, so although I
have now read all the FAQs, I didn't exactly follow their advice
when I was setting up the tank. Here are the particulars:
Tank: 70 gal. tall (36" wide X 30" tall)
Filtration: Fluval canister
Lighting: 4 X 30 watt fluorescent, on 12 hr timer
Substrate: Coarse gravel
Water changes: 20% every two weeks
Fertilization: Kent freshwater plant supplement with water changes
Fish load: ~25 smallish fish, fed heavily
Chemistry: pH 6.8, GH ~2, KH 1.7
ammonia, nitrite, nitrate all unmeasurable (?!)
Plants: Heavily planted with crypts (wendtii?), vallisneria,
anacharis, hornwort, echinodorus, hygrophila
difformis, java fern, duckweed
Anyway, I have a serious algae problem. The hair and black brush
algaes are unsightly, but what really bothers me is the green
film algae. After a thorough cleaning I get a noticable haze after
24 hrs. If I go a week without cleaning the glass I have a solid
opaque sheet of bright green. The SAEs pretend to eat it all day
long, and I can occasionally see snail tracks, but they can't
possibly keep up. In addition, many older leaves (crypts, echinodorus,
anubias) are covered with a dirty-looking film of dark green/reddish
algae that can be scraped off with a fingernail. Finally if I don't
have significant surface agitation I get a pale greenish "slick" on
the surface of the water. No green water, just a thin film.
I am trying to get a CO2 system set up, but I haven't yet located
a suitable needle valve. I am hoping that once I add CO2, the
improved plant growth will help to inhibit the algae. The
unmeasurable nitrates make me think cyanobacteria, but the stuff
on the walls is bright green. Any thoughts?
I don't suppose there is any market out there for 3' branching
stems of anacharis or surplus thickets of hornwort?
David Ozenne
dozenne at 10fold_com