[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Re: MBCREATVE's: Green water problem
MBCreative wrote:
>Me and my 29 gallon nursery tank 3 years old filled with plants now is for
>the first time having a green water algae problem. Nothing is different
>except for one thing. I used to keep about 1/2 of my plants in small
>pots—just because I moved them around a lot and also to control their
growth.
>About a month ago I freed them all and planted them in my very loose gravely
>substrate (I was not a plant enthusiast when I set up the tank--they came
>later and too late for laterite). My theory is that when they were in pots
>they were using whatever was in the water column. Now they are using what's
>in the gravel. The water column is therefore richer and now we are algae
>prone.
Without knowing your fauna diversity ( % of biomass in swords, % biomass in
stems) its difficult to hazzard a guess. Swords tend to rely on substrate
nutrition from roots a lot more than stem plants that prefer to extract
nutrients from the water column. Personally, I suspect the damage caused
to the root mass during removal from the pot and replanting is the source
of your problem. Give the mass time to recover its pre-replanting nutrient
extraction efficiency.
Get some peat moss in a mesh bag, place it your filter. The slow prodction
of peroxides does a number on green water w/o harming higher plants. I use
a peat moss-vermiculite, sand-Osmocote blend for my substrate at the start.
This prevents the formation of greenwater altogether from the start.
For long term control add 2-3 live freshwater clams to your substrate.
They are great filter feeders of green water.
D.Chang;
"Those who know HOW will always have a job...
Working for those who know WHY."
See my NEW (12/1) Plants and Driftwood at;
http://members.xoom.com/Boukmn/www/Boukmn_s-Homepage.html
eBay specials at:
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/boukmn/