staghorn in eco

R

reiverix

Aye
Sep 4, 2004
1,470
0
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Columbus, OH
Just when I thought my tank had settled I noticed what I think is staghorn algae in my eco-complete. This stuff is hard to get out because it seems to have rooted easy because eco-complete is so porous. I really underestimated how much nitrate and PO4 were getting eaten by my plants. I was losing around 2ppm per day and the DIY CO2 was too unstable.

Now I've been on compressed CO2 for the last week. I dose traces twice a week and now I'm dosing KH2PO4 and KNO3 every other day to keep the levels up.

PH 6.6
KH 4
NO3 10ppm
PO4 1ppm

Will I just have to remove the topmost layer of my substrate? Or is there hope yet?


staghorn.jpg
 
Eww gross!

Do your ottos or SAE touch that stuff?

Anyway, I think the only way to get rid of it is to do a bleach soak.

Also, you may be adding to much potassium with your selected ferts KH2PO4 and KNO3.

For every teaspoon of KH2PO4, you are adding 8.8 ppm of potassium.
For every teaspoon of KNO3, you are adding 6.5 ppm of potassium.

Actually, 20 ppm of potassium is recommended so you should be alright.
 
Nothing touches it and no wonder. I never noticed it until tonight when I went eye level with the substrate. The tank has been set up for more than a month now and I expected a few outbursts of algae. I just trimmed down plants and thought I had it beat last week. This is terrible. I can't bear the thought of stripping the tank down and how could I possibly bleach the substrate without ruining it.
 
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