Ok, firstly here's all the particulars:
I set up the following tank about a month ago:
75g Perfecto Aquarium with stand
Filters: Eheim 2217 x 2
Light:
Current USA Nova Extreme 48" 2x54W T-5
(one SlimPaq 10,000°K bulb and one SlimPaq "Freshwater" bulb 6700K, I guess.)
220W, or 3.9wpg. 9 hours a day.
Air pump: Tetra Whisper 100 Air Pump) with air stone.
C02 set-up:20lbs cylinder, regulator, solenoid, needle valve, 1 diffuser (one on each end of the tank planned. Another on order now) , Pinpoint pH controller.
Substrate:
(Cable heater)
20lbs of Caribsea Tahitian Moon Sand
25lbs of bagged laterite
80lbs of Eco complete
Temp: 77F, pH 6.6 (w/CO2 addition), GH around 10-11. KH, the API test kit solution turns yellow right away, so either I have a KH of zero, or the test kit is suspect..
With every WC (20% once a week), I mix tap water (pH 7.8) with demineralized water to get a pH of approx 6.6, and I add it slowly, 3 gallons at a time.
The pH controller is set for 6.6 (HI-6.8, LOW 6.7), and goes on at the same time the light does (lights are on for 9 hours a day), and the air stone goes on for 5 hours a night.
The pH goes from 6.6 when the CO2 and lights go on, to a 7.0-7.2 at night when the air goes on. Swings in either direction are gradual, with the addition of air or CO2.
The drop checker is reading GREEN, but I am thinking of getting a Lamotte test kit to see what my actual ppm is..
I add a capful of Flourish every day, as wll as a capful of Fourish Iron and I have peat and Boyd's Chemipure Excel (on the advice of a freind, even though I'm told that sucks up the liquid ferts you add) in my filters..
Here's a recent shot of the tank (admittedly before the staghorn REALLY took hold):
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll54/dougzdanivsky/tankoct16082.jpg
And here's some close-ups of the string and staghorn algae issues I'm having (more recent pic of the staghorn infestation):
Here's the current stocking: 1 BN, 4 otos, 6 pandas, 2 yo-yos
Oh, and there is INDIRECT sunlight in the room, coming from a NORTH facing window..
Now that I hopefully have all the details covered..
Why am I having algae issues????
I was told on another forum (Plant Geek) it's because I haven't been adding macro ferts, and that I should start immediately with an EI dosing regime..
Is this right?
I had always thought that that the more nutrients in the water, the more algae..
Can someone explain why this is not the case?
I was also told that the more fish I have in the tank, the less I need to worry about macros, as they will supply them with their waste, etc..
Is this true?
And if so, once I'm fully stocked should I discontinue or scale back with the ferts?
AND I was told I have WAY too much light on, and way too little CO2..
Is this so, do you think?
I also plan on adding 2 SAE, 4 dwarf cichlids (cockatoos), and 15 cardinals.
Regarding the tennelus:
I have no idea how I'm going to get it off them....
They look to be too forgone for anything except snipping them out in their entirety..
If I cut the affected tips off however, I've noticed, it grows back a reddish-yellow..
The other plants I can take leaves off and they'll grow back the same, but not with the tennelus..
Hope to hear from you soon, Tom!!
I set up the following tank about a month ago:
75g Perfecto Aquarium with stand
Filters: Eheim 2217 x 2
Light:
Current USA Nova Extreme 48" 2x54W T-5
(one SlimPaq 10,000°K bulb and one SlimPaq "Freshwater" bulb 6700K, I guess.)
220W, or 3.9wpg. 9 hours a day.
Air pump: Tetra Whisper 100 Air Pump) with air stone.
C02 set-up:20lbs cylinder, regulator, solenoid, needle valve, 1 diffuser (one on each end of the tank planned. Another on order now) , Pinpoint pH controller.
Substrate:
(Cable heater)
20lbs of Caribsea Tahitian Moon Sand
25lbs of bagged laterite
80lbs of Eco complete
Temp: 77F, pH 6.6 (w/CO2 addition), GH around 10-11. KH, the API test kit solution turns yellow right away, so either I have a KH of zero, or the test kit is suspect..
With every WC (20% once a week), I mix tap water (pH 7.8) with demineralized water to get a pH of approx 6.6, and I add it slowly, 3 gallons at a time.
The pH controller is set for 6.6 (HI-6.8, LOW 6.7), and goes on at the same time the light does (lights are on for 9 hours a day), and the air stone goes on for 5 hours a night.
The pH goes from 6.6 when the CO2 and lights go on, to a 7.0-7.2 at night when the air goes on. Swings in either direction are gradual, with the addition of air or CO2.
The drop checker is reading GREEN, but I am thinking of getting a Lamotte test kit to see what my actual ppm is..
I add a capful of Flourish every day, as wll as a capful of Fourish Iron and I have peat and Boyd's Chemipure Excel (on the advice of a freind, even though I'm told that sucks up the liquid ferts you add) in my filters..
Here's a recent shot of the tank (admittedly before the staghorn REALLY took hold):
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll54/dougzdanivsky/tankoct16082.jpg
And here's some close-ups of the string and staghorn algae issues I'm having (more recent pic of the staghorn infestation):


Here's the current stocking: 1 BN, 4 otos, 6 pandas, 2 yo-yos
Oh, and there is INDIRECT sunlight in the room, coming from a NORTH facing window..
Now that I hopefully have all the details covered..
Why am I having algae issues????
I was told on another forum (Plant Geek) it's because I haven't been adding macro ferts, and that I should start immediately with an EI dosing regime..
Is this right?
I had always thought that that the more nutrients in the water, the more algae..
Can someone explain why this is not the case?
I was also told that the more fish I have in the tank, the less I need to worry about macros, as they will supply them with their waste, etc..
Is this true?
And if so, once I'm fully stocked should I discontinue or scale back with the ferts?
AND I was told I have WAY too much light on, and way too little CO2..
Is this so, do you think?
I also plan on adding 2 SAE, 4 dwarf cichlids (cockatoos), and 15 cardinals.
Regarding the tennelus:
I have no idea how I'm going to get it off them....
They look to be too forgone for anything except snipping them out in their entirety..
If I cut the affected tips off however, I've noticed, it grows back a reddish-yellow..
The other plants I can take leaves off and they'll grow back the same, but not with the tennelus..
Hope to hear from you soon, Tom!!