This site is supported by the advertisements on it, please disable your AdBlocker so we can continue to provide you with the quality content you expect.
  1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.
  2. We are after as many aquarium plant images that we can get, doing so will assist us in completing the aquarium plant database.

    https://barrreport.com/threads/aquatic-plant-images-wanted.14374/
    Dismiss Notice
Cookies Aquarium Plant Images Wanted

Algae ultimate solution

Discussion in 'General Plant Topics' started by jonny_ftm, Jun 6, 2010.

  1. jonny_ftm

    jonny_ftm Guru Class Expert

    Joined:
    Mar 5, 2009
    Messages:
    821
    Likes Received:
    1
    Local Time:
    2:42 PM
    Hi,

    It's crazy how sometimes algae issues can be easy to manage. My high tech 60gal 110W light was doing fine until I decided to stop waterchanges as I was bored. Algae appeared, BBA and green threads. I switched to 50% WC /month and 50% lower dosing, things improved but not the quiet zero algae it was

    Now, I'm moving home and decided to stop the tank forever (planning on a Tanganyika)


    Turned off CO2, stoped ferts completely ---> green algae bloom
    I let it alone, no WC, no algae removing, no maintenance: after 2 weeks, alage is quiet gone completely, yet plants (swords, crypts, ferns and some stems) are doing fine, just growing sooo slowly. Light is the same

    What I meant to show you: often, we get too much stressed about algae, especially when we start in the hobby. Once you don't care about them, they will go. Strange, but works often. The less you touch your tank, the easier an equilibrium point will be reached. Hard to resist when you see algae blooms, but you often should :)
     
    #1 jonny_ftm, Jun 6, 2010
  2. hbosman

    hbosman Guru Class Expert

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2008
    Messages:
    277
    Likes Received:
    0
    Local Time:
    2:42 PM
    Yeah maybe when we keep messing with things, the ultimate solution becomes a moving target. It was a change that caused the algae bloom in the first place, missed water changes, missed ferts and still high lighting. Whenever I caused algae blooms is because I made to many changes at once. If I only uprooted 25 % of the plants, the ammonia increase may not initiate a green water bloom but if I move 80 %, then I'm asking for trouble. Yeah sometimes it takes all of the self control I can muster to not change such and such because, I ready made some other changes.
     
    #2 hbosman, Jun 6, 2010
  3. Tom Barr

    Tom Barr Founder
    Staff Member Administrator

    Joined:
    Jan 23, 2005
    Messages:
    18,662
    Likes Received:
    603
    Local Time:
    2:42 PM
    So are you now convinced that non CO2 w/o water changes is one of the best methods around?

    Regards,
    Tom Barr
     
    #3 Tom Barr, Jun 6, 2010
  4. jonny_ftm

    jonny_ftm Guru Class Expert

    Joined:
    Mar 5, 2009
    Messages:
    821
    Likes Received:
    1
    Local Time:
    2:42 PM
    Yes, I never thought CO2 could be shut down and yet no dramatic issues. Much lower maintenance.
    Sadly, I won't have time to keep playing with this tank as I have to shut it down soon. I'm sure that even decreasing the light by 50% will improve things much better than now. Very fun to have a tank to play with that way. You try one thing and see how it goes. No waterchange tank look easier to achieve without CO2 than with CO2. Looks obvious though as CO2 drives the growth.

    I will keep it for another 3-4 weeks before I turn it off. Meanwhile, no WC, no CO2 and no ferts, maybe 50% less light if my luminaire supports running one bulb. Let's see how it does. Soil is rich in micro. Food and fish load, should provide macro as Tom said. However, I'm really impatient to start it again as a no plants African cichlids tank. I'll open a new topic once ready to start it. I plan a +3 months no light fish-less cycling

    I'll keep you informed and thank you for the feedback
     
    #4 jonny_ftm, Jun 6, 2010
  5. Tom Barr

    Tom Barr Founder
    Staff Member Administrator

    Joined:
    Jan 23, 2005
    Messages:
    18,662
    Likes Received:
    603
    Local Time:
    2:42 PM
    It seems the under sophisticated and over sophisticated attitudes get non CO2 really well.
    Why bother with all this high techy stuff?
    Why deal with work?

    Both have a similar goal.
    No water changes, no work, no testing, no algae.

    Growth is painfully slow and that's the trade off, some species compete stronger than others and do not do as well for CO2.
    Otherwise, it's often just what many are looking for.

    I think the pretty pictures with CO2 enrichment is selling something but they really want this.

    Still, with less light, you can add CO2 and add maybe 2-3x more growth and then not have any plant species issues also.
    But it means low light, add sediment ferts etc..........then maybe one water change a month etc.

    Regards,
    Tom Barr
     
    #5 Tom Barr, Jun 6, 2010
  6. jonny_ftm

    jonny_ftm Guru Class Expert

    Joined:
    Mar 5, 2009
    Messages:
    821
    Likes Received:
    1
    Local Time:
    2:42 PM
    I get your point. I'm sure you're right. Once I decide to stop the 11 gal in my signature, I'll try 1x/month waterchanges then no CO2 + no waterchange. I'm just not tempted to mess with it now as it is a 0 visible algae tank after 7 months. I use a relatively high CO2 level but the overall consumption is very low 30-40 /mn
     
    #6 jonny_ftm, Jun 7, 2010
  7. Tom Barr

    Tom Barr Founder
    Staff Member Administrator

    Joined:
    Jan 23, 2005
    Messages:
    18,662
    Likes Received:
    603
    Local Time:
    2:42 PM
    For a CO2 enriched system, reduce the light instead.

    This is something I've been suggesting for a long time now.

    You still get growth with either, see Tropica's example about LIGHT AND CO2:

    Look at that CO2 and light matrix, with % growth, there's some growth for each case..........so we do get growth still........how much is what is important, or the "rate".
    Do you want say 1-2% or do you want 6%, maybe 6% with less light and CO2 gas, vs higher light and no CO2?

    Algae will be less on an issue with real low light and CO2, but also with low light and non CO2 provided you do no water changes.

    Regards,
    Tom Barr
     
    #7 Tom Barr, Jun 7, 2010
  8. dutchy

    dutchy Plant Guru Team
    Lifetime Member

    Joined:
    Jul 6, 2009
    Messages:
    2,280
    Likes Received:
    1
    Local Time:
    2:42 PM
    I recognize this very well. My non CO2 quarantine tank always has less algae issues than the CO2 enriched tank. Plants look better, cleaner. Just too bad that some plants don't even get half of the size compared to
    CO2 enriched, like L. Aromatica and P. Stellatus.

    If plant size was the same, the CO2 would be gone in 60 seconds ;)

    regards,
    dutchy
     
    #8 dutchy, Jun 7, 2010
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)
Loading...
Similar Threads - Algae ultimate solution
  1. PhilipS

    For Sale: Plant Sale - Algae & Pest Free Tissue Cultures

    PhilipS, Jun 12, 2018, in forum: Trades, swaps, sales
    Replies:
    0
    Views:
    172
    PhilipS
    Jun 12, 2018
  2. knives00005

    What Kind Of Algae Is This And How Can I Eradicate Them?

    knives00005, Jun 3, 2018, in forum: General Plant Topics
    Replies:
    9
    Views:
    273
    Allwissend
    Jun 4, 2018
  3. Eugene

    Is This Algae Or Bacteria Bloom Or Diatom

    Eugene, Apr 10, 2018, in forum: Algae Control
    Replies:
    7
    Views:
    470
    Laurence Turner
    May 8, 2018
  4. Harry Muscle

    Algae Id

    Harry Muscle, Mar 27, 2018, in forum: Algae Control
    Replies:
    1
    Views:
    411
    Allwissend
    Mar 30, 2018
  5. Richard Kao

    What Kind Of Algae Is This?

    Richard Kao, Mar 4, 2018, in forum: Articles
    Replies:
    3
    Views:
    589
    Phishless
    Mar 24, 2018

Share This Page