I thought I would convey my accidental 'discovery' of some points Tom and Vaughn in recent posts have been making about algae and non-CO2 tanks.
Tank:
20gal, non-CO2 + Excel. ADA AS substrate, 36W AH supply, photoperiod = 11hrs
Normally dose at about 60% EI, 2x per week (2x per week I add: nitrate = 3ppm, phosphate = 0.6ppm, K+ = 6ppm)
WC 50% weekly
Just returned from 10-day vacation. Before I left algae had been taking strong foothold. Tank looked pretty crappy. Day before I left did 70% WC and dosed NPK + Excel. Cut photperiod back to 6hrs per day. No ferts, no excel, no WC for 10-day period. Fish were fed by helper 3x.
Low and behold, upon return yesterday the tank is nearly algae-free. It looks far better after 10 days no fert and no water change with lower light.
(Lamotte test nitrate = 2.2 ppm upon return, didnt' bother to test phosphate)
Conclusion:
My fert regimen was likely too much for this tank; I had too much light; large usual WCs may have caused CO2 levels to fluctuate encouraging algae.
Less work = nicer tank? Trick will be to see if I can maintain that balance now that I've returned and up-ed the photoperiod.
Tank:
20gal, non-CO2 + Excel. ADA AS substrate, 36W AH supply, photoperiod = 11hrs
Normally dose at about 60% EI, 2x per week (2x per week I add: nitrate = 3ppm, phosphate = 0.6ppm, K+ = 6ppm)
WC 50% weekly
Just returned from 10-day vacation. Before I left algae had been taking strong foothold. Tank looked pretty crappy. Day before I left did 70% WC and dosed NPK + Excel. Cut photperiod back to 6hrs per day. No ferts, no excel, no WC for 10-day period. Fish were fed by helper 3x.
Low and behold, upon return yesterday the tank is nearly algae-free. It looks far better after 10 days no fert and no water change with lower light.
(Lamotte test nitrate = 2.2 ppm upon return, didnt' bother to test phosphate)
Conclusion:
My fert regimen was likely too much for this tank; I had too much light; large usual WCs may have caused CO2 levels to fluctuate encouraging algae.
Less work = nicer tank? Trick will be to see if I can maintain that balance now that I've returned and up-ed the photoperiod.