High Nitrates vs Fast growing plants

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nfinit1

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Jan 12, 2003
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Hi all....
At present I am dealing with a diatom/brown algae issue, that could be from trimming too many plants back , and inadequate lighting from an old 6700 power compact bulb

1)I have placed a 8800k bulb in the power compact till I am able to get the 6700k
WIll this be enough to help with the problem???
2)I have enough room to place some fast growing plants(they are said to help with Nitrates)
Can anyone suggest fast growing plants??

Thanks
 

djlen

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Aug 19, 2002
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If you like the color your new tubes light the tank with there's no need to change. I like the color that the 6700K's give, but I don't think it matters too much to my plants what the Kelvin rating is. Wattage is more important than Kelvin rating.

You don't mention wattage or tank size, but balancing your fish load, plant mass, and nutrients with your lighting will produce less algae.

Len
 

nfinit1

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Len Good to see you

DJ
The tank is 75 gal with 1.73 watts per gall

You are right....things are just out of balance
I trimmed the plants back to far...hoping to get them to bush out
Plus the bulb is due for a change.
these things along with a heavy fish stock are my problems

Since I have quite a bit of space....I will add some fast growing plants this week
Add another water change during the week
Cut back on the ferts just a bit
Keep adding the FLourish Excel(CO2)

Got any ideas on fast growing plants???
 

RTR

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Guilty of the same offense - I got fed up and tore out too much, knowing I was shooting myself in the foot. Hair algae within days, now coming under control by masses of anacharis. I like water sprite better, but it was not immediately available in the requuired quantity - this is in a 10-tank system.
 

djlen

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Aug 19, 2002
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Robert, I'm shocked!!:shake: You should know better.

I just did the same dang thing myself. I preach balance and then radically change it through the removal of too many plants.
Sometimes I wonder to myself, 'what was I thinking?'

Another lessen?...........................Probably..........will I learn from it............................Probably not.

Len:rolleyes:
 

RTR

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LOL! The fact that I know better did not stop me. :eek: It was one of those things that had gone on too long - herself had a 4-day meeting out of town and I was not scheduled for anything major, so 10 cleaned and reset tanks got done in 4 days and the area cleaned up a bit afterward. It was worth it. :cool:

Had photos been taken during the marathon, they would have been suitable for blackmail, but nobody other than the hound and my nephew saw the uproar and neither will tell - both have seen worse from me.

Now I just have to deal with a little algae and clear out Anacharis everwhere bit by bit as the reset plants grow in. I would be embarrassed to show my tanks with stem plants however - it is just not me.
 
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