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Bleach
I want to comment on the recent bleach discussion, particularly the
person who asked why Olga was capping on the bleach method of
eliminating filamentous algae. I think the reason many of us resist
this approach is that we think extensive hair algae infestation (and
significant black brush algae for that matter) is the result of poor
aquatic gardening practices in the first instance. Many of us have
learned how to have beautiful, vibrant, fast or slow growing planted
aquariums without the presence of significant filamentous algae (or
black brush for that matter). We suspect bleaching is 'wrong headed' in
the sense that it's treating symptom rather than cause.
Steve P. says that's all well and good but the algae is still in our
tanks. I won't argue the point and if the theoretical annihilation of
filamentous algae is your goal, by all means carry on and battle the
last strand to the death. I would put it this way: If I can't see any
filamentous algae in my tank (and I look at my tanks quite closely) I
don't have a filamentous algae problem. If someone with a microscope
can find some in my tank, well, I'm interested in that, but it won't
keep me up nights strategizing how to eliminate it.
A couple of caveats: I am blessed with wonderful clean soft water from
the Sierras. I don't start out with any water problems that are not of
my own making. And I have one tank that has had a mild green
filamentous algae problem for about 2 years. I am able to see this
algae and pull out a small ball at water changes. I suspect that
extremely bright light (110 watts of CF lighting on a 40 gallon 16 inch
deep tank) and keeping many plants very close to the surface of the
water is the cause of the problem. I continue to goof around with
various ideas, but the problem isn't nearly bad enough to uproot
everything and bleach my plants.
Regards, Steve Dixon