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Re: Funny little green things
> Re: Funny little Green Things>
There are so many people smarter than me that I haven't been very active
at answering but I think I would like to make a few comments re this
thread. First of all, Wolfia or fish meal as it is sometimes called is
a surface floating plant that is very tiny and is coarse to the touch.
It is about a tenth the size of duck weed. Volvox colonies have been
well described and they are about the size of wolfia but they float in
the water. They are not nearly as bright a green as the wolfia and the
two are as different as you could imagine. The original requestor for
i.d. could clarify by telling us if the stuff is floating or not.
Re the other creature/plant. I think it is a colony of plumatella which
is also known as a byrozoan or moss animal. I haven't seen any in 35
years but they are cool to look at, especially under about a 20 power
magnification. There is a fixed tube or case and the animal has about
15 or so tentacles that come out of the tube. Each of these is covered
with cilia that pull food into the mouth. When growing ideally these
things can form a brown moss appearance. In the structure you can see
little seed like dark spots that are about half the size of a daphnia
egg. They are obviously a filter feeder and probably related to
sponges. My formal biology stopped in the 8th grade so you will excuse
bad spelling and some inacuracy. I found them to only grow in fairly
good water. While I can't be sure this is what was described, I think
it is because of the description and closeness to the true name.
> I've heard of Plumeria, but I've never even seen a picture of it. We
> can't get Volvox to grow either. We use pickled specimens to teach
> 1st yr undergrads about plant diversity.
> > Since we have some serious Botanists on this List, could anyone explain this
> > stuff? I was told the "Plumarea" was virtually impossible to grow in a
> > laboratory setting.
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> There's a world of difference between laboratory culture and a
> healthy fishtank! Lab culture usually involves fertiliser, light and
> water. Its very far from the natural situation. Usually only one
> species is cultured at a time, and we go to great lengths to avoid
> contamination. In a fishtank you have a different setup. There are
> all sorts of plant (and fish!) produced substances in the water that
> can't be simply broken down into X conc PO4. A tank may not be
> natural, but its a lot closer than lab culture.
>
> Jacques
> ___________________________________________________
>
> Jacques Gerber
> Botany Department
> Rhodes University
> Grahamstown
> 6140
> South Africa
>
> Dept Tel#: 046 6038596
> Dept Fax#: 046 6225524
> Home Tel#: 046 6225000
> ___________________________________________________
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sun, 10 May 1998 11:12:28 +0200
> From: "Wim Hanssens" <Wim.Hanssens at village_uunet.be>
> Subject: Black Brush Algae
>
> >>I've only ever been lurking so far. The only reason I read this list (2
> >>years) is to get rid of my black brush algae, the only real problem I've
> had in my last 2
> >>tanks. So far I did not see anything relevant.
>
> >Dump the false SAE and for a 30 gal get 4 SAE. They are a kick >to watch
> >and will get rid of the algae. Feed very lightly (no food left for the
> >SAEs).
>
> >Dave Gomberg
>
> I'd like to do that . I've seen SAE at work and they really look funny
> acting like lawnmowers as they go over the leaves together. My false SAE is
> a pain in the *, he hates yellow fish and won't stop chasing them. My
> platies are yellow, but since there are so much of them, it's not really a
> problem.In my previous tank he chased my schuberti barbs, sometimes till
> they jumped out of the tank. He's almost impossible to catch though, and my
> wife won't let me remove him.moreover, I heard that SAE won't really help
> for an established BBA problem. As for feeding, I'm cutting down. My platies
> remove all food in less than a minute. I still feed twice a day, I 'll try
> once a day and see how it goes. This might help with the platy breeding
> "problem" too...
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sun, 10 May 1998 10:58:56 +0200
> From: "Wim Hanssens" <Wim.Hanssens at village_uunet.be>
> Subject: Re: Black brush algae
>
> My nitrate level is 20-30 ppm. My tap water has 30-40, so "big" water
> changes certainly won't help.(Tried weekly changes already). My fish load is
> indeed high, but nothing will stop my platies breeding, moreover, the
> problem dates from before that. I must say that since I stopped fertilizing
> and CO2 I got two new Anubias leaves that still don't have BBA on them( all
> the other leaves are completely covered). Also my Echinodorus is putting out
> new leaves twice as fast now. The Cabomba however is doing less well than
> before (still ok though).What I want to know is if anybody got rid of the
> stuff, without using Copper(will kill it, but probably kills my platies
> too), lots of SAE(hard too get, fishload already too high, have to be in
> from the start?). If I were to start over, I think I would try the
> "bleaching" approach. I read that sometimes it dissapears by itself. I'd
> like to find out more about this.I really want it to go, even though my wife
> actually likes it(and my platies seem to eat it).
>
> Wim
> >Subject: Re: Black Brush Algae
> >
> >Wim Hanssens wrote:
> >>
> >I've only ever been lurking so far. The only reason I read this list (2
> >years)is to get rid of my black brush algae, the only real problem
> >I've had in my last 2 tanks. So far I did not see anything relevant.
> >
> >>snip
> >
> >
> >You seem to have a high fish load and are making relatively small
> >water changes. (10% every 2/3 weeks) You don’t say what your nitrate
> >level is, but my guess is that it is high. I had a black brush algae
> >problem when because of a faulty test kit I allowed it to drift up to
> >about 50ppm. After making a series of 30% water changes to drive the
> >nitrate level down the algae began to disappear. I,m not sure it was
> >just lowering the nitrate level that solved the problem, but I would
> >find pieces of it floating in the tank and within a couple of weeks it
> >was gone. I keep the nitrate level below about 5ppm and the brush
> >algae has never returned.
> >
> >In your case I would try a series of 30% changes then 30% changes
> >every 2 weeks.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >==
> >Jim Spencer
> >Sayre, PA
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sun, 10 May 1998 11:23:20 +0200
> From: "Wim Hanssens" <Wim.Hanssens at village_uunet.be>
> Subject: Black brush algae
>
> Interesting. I think I agree with you that CO2 only makes sense if you have
> LOTS of light. BBA should do less good in higher PH, so I really do not
> understand why some people advise to use it to combat BBA (which is why I
> got it). IMHO CO2 only makes the BBA less obvious trough better plant
> growth.Did your BBA die back completely? Did you manually remove the dead
> ones?
>
> Wim
>
> >Exactly the same thing has happened to me. When the >compressed co2 ran
> out
> >the BBA died back, The plants may grow slower, but at this point >it only
> >means less pruning. The tank essentially looks like I want it to. I
> >don't
> >think I had enough light to fully utilize the co2 anyway.
> >Kind Regards,
> >Adam R. Novitt
>
> >>Since my CO2 ran out and I stopped fertilizing (Sera Florena >>liquid or
> >>tablet) completely things start looking a little better. The >Echinodorus
> >realy started putting out leaves. Cabomba grows slower, new >anubias leaves
> >still aren't covered with BBA.
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sun, 10 May 1998 09:38:10 -0400
> From: Kelly <apples at midohio_net>
> Subject: dormant period
>
> hi all,
>
> I have a Apon. rigidfolius that is losing its leaves--they just seem to
> come loose and float to the top. Is this normal--tank has only been
> planted for about 3 weeks now--or am I loosing this plant?
>
> I also have a Apon. ulvaceous that is doing well, except for a few of
> the leaves turning thin and brown--I cleared those out yesterday as they
> were just to ugly to look at anymore :) This plant also bloomed into a
> ugly flower that wrapped across the top of my water --doubling around.
> This flower spike grew VERY fast and I also cut it off yesterday--it
> just was not pretty! Reading about this plant it says not to forget it
> has a dormant period--what the heck does that mean and what do I do
> about it?
>
> Thanks,
> - --
> Kelly
> mailto:apples at midohio_net
> ICQ # 9473419
> My goal in life...is to be the kind of person
> my dog thinks I am!
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sun, 10 May 1998 09:35:34 -0500 (CDT)
> From: eworobe at cc_UManitoba.CA
> Subject: Re: sig files
>
> I personally find Shakespeare deeply offensive, so would all those with
> quotes from his various works please remove them from their sig. files :)
>
> dave. (doesnt get much shorter than this)
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sun, 10 May 1998 10:57:04 EDT
> From: Bob Fenner <BobFenner at aol_com>
> Subject: Re: Aquatic Plants Digest V3 #255
>
> In a message dated 98-05-10 03:53:14 EDT, you write:
>
> <<
> As far as readily available books currently on the market, I have to
> agree that the best info is the the Baensch atlases. By the way, these
> are coming out in paperback soon, so the price should drop
> significantly.
> >>
> They're here; volumes 1-3 of the Freshwater Atlases have been redone, and
> issued, just not very well distributed as yet. Vol.s 4 and 5 and a
> comprehensive picture atlas that includes all five should be out later this
> year (98) in english... and I'm trying to talk Hans (Baensch) into just a
> single comprehensive Plant edition. The company involved, Microcosm
> 802-985-2700, Melissa at X 15.
> Bob Fenner (among other things Microcosm's Trade Sales Rep.)
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sun, 10 May 1998 11:19:28 -0600
> From: Kenneth Allen <sinagx at ibm_net>
> Subject: 55 Gal for Sale
>
> It's been a great adventure. Sometimes this tank is the emerald jewel of
> the house and at times it's be the algae farm. Mostly it's been a
> beautiful addition to my life. But it won't fit in the travels that I'm
> planning, so I have to sell it.
>
> One tank that holds water for sale, inventory:
>
> 55 Gal. Tapered back glass tank 48" x 18" x 14"
> (New $220)
> Contempo Oak 100 Gal. stand 61" x 19" x 30"
> (New $367)
> 48" Flourescent Light Hoods (1 bulb hood & 2 bulb hood) 120 Watts Total
> (New $55 & $87)
> 3 48" Iterpet Triton Flourescent Bulbs (New $69)
> 20lb CO2 Tank (New $116)
> Eheim CO2 set (New $313)
> Fluval 303 (New $80)
> 2 Acura 1000 150W 12" Heater (New $30)
> LaMotte Iron Test kit (New $60)
> LaMotte Hardness Test Kit (New $35)
> LaMotte CO2 Test Kit (New $20)
> Oakton Waterproof pH Tester 1 (New $69)
> Penguin 660 powerhead (New $16)
> At least 60lbs of Flourite (New $60)
> 20 lbs. 3-5mm gravel (New $15)
> 40 lbs. 1-2mm silica (New $30)
> Plants (nothing special)
> 3 Beautiful marbled and yellow Angel fish
> 16 Rosey Barbs (2 parents 14 offspring full grown)
> 2 Clown Loaches (0 snails)
> Solid Black or Graduated Blue reversible Background
> Lots of Rock gathered on the Maine cost and moved here
> Books and other Stuff
>
> Well over $1,500 of equipment and supplies that is up an running right
> now. $600 firm. I am only interested in selling it as a whole.
>
> Photos available via e-mail. Just tell me what platform and format. I am
> a sales rep for digital photography in TX, OK, LA and AR. So I can
> deliver the setup almost anywhere in the four states. If you are within
> 6 hours of Dallas I could deliver the fish and plants in my 20 gal
> cooler.
>
> - --
> Ken Allen
> 800-401-0299 Pgr & V.Mail• 972-417-7729 Hm.
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sun, 10 May 1998 13:03:27 -0500
> From: Cynthia S Powers <cyn at metronet_com>
> Subject: Unbelievable
>
> I see the religious sig debate has reared its ugly head again. I stated the authoratative APD position on this about a month ago. Look in the archives if you've conveniently forgotten the substance of the comments or if you missed them. As promised, those who perpetuate this discussion will be removed from the list. I'm sick of the whining, folks.
>
> Cynthia
> ListMom
>
>