Tom, need affirmation or redirection

[jrneuzil]

Tom, I need some affirmation or redirection

My 55 has been set up and running with a heavy planting since early December. This tank was largely a transfer from my 20 gal which was doing great. I had a problem with GSA that went away around a week ago after I upped my PO4. I am now battling some green dust algae. I also saw some cupping of leaves and what seemed to be some poor growth so I also upped my KNO3 and Traces to the following doses about two weeks ago.
CO2 is around 50PPM
Traces 3x week = 20ml
KH2PO4 3x week = 3/16 tsp.
KNO3 3x week = 5/8 tsp.
I have 260 watts of PC lighting or approx. 4.7 watts per gallon.

Some have suggested cutting down on the amount of light I am running. If I shut down half the light bank then of course I would be at 130 watts or 2.36 watts per gallon.

I am now getting great plant growth and a lot of pearling. Currently my only issue is the Green Dust on the plants and some on the glass.
I am uncertain if I should just stay the course and be patient or if some further adjustments are in order.
JR


Thanks for looking.

 

[colonel]

Re: Tom, need affirmation or redirection

Hey JR search around there is a LOT of info already posted about green dust. Basically if everything else is good and plants are healthy and you are happy with the tank other than the Green dust. I would leave things alone and start trying to rid it through glass scrubs, water changes, filter cleaning, gravel vac etc. You will see all of these things suggested. Just take a look. Basically Tom has said he has had bouts of this and the algae never stuck around. Those are just a few ways he was able to rid of it faster. Hope you have some luck with it!
http://www.barrreport.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1513&highlight=Green+Dust+Algae
http://www.barrreport.com/forums/showthread.php?t=891&highlight=Green+Dust+Algae
Matt

 

[jrneuzil]

Re: Tom, need affirmation or redirection

Thanks Colonel, but I have done all the searchs and read all the info on it. I guess I just need to hear from someone I trust that I am going in the right direction or not.
JR

 

[Tom Barr]

Re: Tom, need affirmation or redirection

Add a little MgSO4 each week(1/2 teaspoon or so after water change).
Otherwise, the links to the threads explain most of it.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[srozell]

Re: Tom, need affirmation or redirection

I guess I just need to hear from someone I trust that I am going in the right direction or not.
JR

Hehe.. judging from the thread title it looks like the list of people trusted is pretty short.

 

[Tom Barr]

Re: Tom, need affirmation or redirection

Hehe.. judging from the thread title it looks like the list of people trusted is pretty short.

I trust you srozell :gw
Everything sounded great to me

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[jrneuzil]

Re: Tom, need affirmation or redirection

Well golly, I did not mean that I don't value what someone else might say. It just that I made the decision to run this tank based on the book of Tom. Sometimes when I read all these threads I see some confusing differences in the opinions given and end up back comparing them to what Tom has said here. So I came back here and asked to get clariffication. I have read the thread listed above several times and am applying the advice found there. But still I needed to hear if I am going in the right direction or not before I had to turn around and start over. I was most concerned about the amount of light. That seems to be the first think that other have suggested I change.
Tom did throw me with the suggestions to add MgSO4. I did not see that coming. I will read some but I thought you added MgSO4 when your water was soft, and mine is somewhat hard. But hey, if Tom told me to add toilet water to the tank every week I believe I would. It's not some much that I don't trust what some else may say, but that i do trust was Tom says.

I hope I did not offend anyone, I did not mean too.

JR

 

[srozell]

Re: Tom, need affirmation or redirection

I hope I did not offend anyone, I did not mean too.

JR

LOL, oh oh... I didn't mean to cause any alarm or dissentionin the ranks!

I hear what you're saying. We all have posts that we put out there awaiting the sage advice of Tom Green-Thumb.

 

[VaughnH]

Re: Tom, need affirmation or redirection

Not to cause a panic or anything, but......I understand that Tom gets paid to kill aquatic weeds around the state. Tom refers to our beloved aquatic plants as weeds. And, we take his advice about growing them?????

 

[Tom Barr]

Re: Tom, need affirmation or redirection

But those are bad plants, they deserved to die.
Our weeds deserve enslavement and torture(pruning).

I will use the term weed loosely here, generally any fast growing plant that can take over a tank rapidly.



Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[jrneuzil]

Update for those who may be interested

Ok, the GSA and green dust I had been worried about seems to have stopped reappearing so that is good. Over the last two days I am seeing what appears to be a deep red to brown dust. Diatoms I suppose but it has heavily coated several leaves.
I am thinking I should just keep doing what I am doing, pruning and cleaning and wait it out.
JR