I've fought with algae, fought with shoddy equipment, and fought with crappy substrata... I finally moved onto compressed CO2, with good results. I scrapped my kitty litter/sand substrate and went with inert quartz, with decent results, although algae began to flourish. It made no sense, my tank was planted well, but nutrient uptake just wasn't enough. Then I read about EI dosing, and was intrigued with the logic behind it, or in some cases lack thereof (at least in my head). Extra nutrients has always equalled extra algae, but that is not the case. I ordered the big 3 from Greg Watson, slashed and burned through my algae infested plants, and replanted with even more. I am SO impressed with what EI along with good light and CO2 accomplishes, and the lack of algae growth in comparison to previous incarnations. Here's what we look like now, about two weeks into EI.
Bacopa Carolina, Java Moss, Ludwigia Peruensis, and Hygrophyllia Difformis from L to R
Hygrophyllia Polysperma "Rosenverig" and Cabomba Carolina from L to R
I have some Cabomba Furcata, and Ludwigia Repens in the mail waiting to replace the bare stone pathway. I still have a bit of algae growing on the gravel and hairgrass, but nothing in comparison to what I had before sitching to EI. The L. Peruensis is growing in a beautiful shade of bloody red, it's quite striking (my first red plant to do well).
Bacopa Carolina, Java Moss, Ludwigia Peruensis, and Hygrophyllia Difformis from L to R
Hygrophyllia Polysperma "Rosenverig" and Cabomba Carolina from L to R
I have some Cabomba Furcata, and Ludwigia Repens in the mail waiting to replace the bare stone pathway. I still have a bit of algae growing on the gravel and hairgrass, but nothing in comparison to what I had before sitching to EI. The L. Peruensis is growing in a beautiful shade of bloody red, it's quite striking (my first red plant to do well).
