55g updates and questions

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aparker2005

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Apr 15, 2007
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Hey everyone! Update on my 55g. I'm wondering if I'm just worrying over nothing or if I'm having a problem.

I've noticed a lot of my plants have brown looking algae on them. Ill post pics below. Will a BN or otos help with this? It seems to come off pretty easy when I rubbed it with my finger. It's on my filter intake and tree root as well.

Next, my wisteria leaves are curling at the end on some leaves. It's mainly the middle and outside leaves. I have lush green at the top.

Does my Java Moss look okay? It isn't spreading fast. Maybe I'm expecting too much too fast with it.

Last, my cabomba and wisteria both have roots shooting out everywhere. Is this a good thing or normal?

I dose excel daily, Flourish comp Sundays and Thursdays, and tetra flora pride I just got. I did the initial flora pride dose and regular treatment after my water change. Add root tabs for my sword. Cabomba and wisteria once a month.

Lights (130 watts 10000k) are on 5-9 am, and 5-10 PM.

Does all of this sound good or am I doing anything wrong? I've seen some growth but it seems I hit a wall. Maybe just over thinking.

I plan on getting otos tomorrow. Hope they help!


















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Byron Amazonas

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Jul 22, 2013
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Diatoms (the "brown algae" that easily comes off leaves using your fingers) are often an issue during the first 1-3 months of a new tank, but after that can be caused by low light or silicates (a type of mineral). The common so-called "algae" eating fish like otocinclus, farlowella, bristlenose, whiptails will eat this, usually readily, but you should find the source just in case something else is needed. Conditions causing diatoms are often unsuitable for plants, and there is some evidence here.

What is the GH of your source water? The "hard" minerals (calcium especially, also magnesium) are not sufficient in prepared liquid fertilizers to compensate for soft or very soft water so these have to be present in the source water.

Light might be an issue. A 10,000K colour spectrum is very high in the blue but very low in the red, and red is essential for plants to photosynthesize. A Kelvin between 5000K and 7000K seems to work best. I use a mix of tubes, one 5000K and one 6500K, over my dual-tube tanks. For a time I was using a mix of 6500K and 11000K but after changing I realized I am having significantly less problem with algae. Is your lighting T5, or something else? The 130 watts is a lot of light, depending what it is.

Byron.
 

aparker2005

AC Members
Apr 15, 2007
375
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37
Arkansas
Diatoms (the "brown algae" that easily comes off leaves using your fingers) are often an issue during the first 1-3 months of a new tank, but after that can be caused by low light or silicates (a type of mineral). The common so-called "algae" eating fish like otocinclus, farlowella, bristlenose, whiptails will eat this, usually readily, but you should find the source just in case something else is needed. Conditions causing diatoms are often unsuitable for plants, and there is some evidence here.

What is the GH of your source water? The "hard" minerals (calcium especially, also magnesium) are not sufficient in prepared liquid fertilizers to compensate for soft or very soft water so these have to be present in the source water.

Light might be an issue. A 10,000K colour spectrum is very high in the blue but very low in the red, and red is essential for plants to photosynthesize. A Kelvin between 5000K and 7000K seems to work best. I use a mix of tubes, one 5000K and one 6500K, over my dual-tube tanks. For a time I was using a mix of 6500K and 11000K but after changing I realized I am having significantly less problem with algae. Is your lighting T5, or something else? The 130 watts is a lot of light, depending what it is.

Byron.
Thanks. I have no idea what our gh is. I do think we have hard water for sure though.

When I bought new bulbs, the 10ks were the only ones in Stock for my Coralife compact fluorescent fixture. So I had to get something. I figured 10k would have worked.

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Byron Amazonas

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Jul 22, 2013
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Pitt Meadows (within Greater Vancouver, BC) Canada
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Thanks. I have no idea what our gh is. I do think we have hard water for sure though.

When I bought new bulbs, the 10ks were the only ones in Stock for my Coralife compact fluorescent fixture. So I had to get something. I figured 10k would have worked.

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The GH you should be able to ascertain from the website of your municipal water supplier. GH impacts fish so it is wise to know what is coming out of the tap, aside from the plant and algae issues which can be related.

I would recommend tubes/bulbs around 6500K, or a mix of 5000K and 6500K. I believe you will see better plant response. And the high blue is known to be a cause of some algae.

Byron.
 

gmh

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Feb 5, 2007
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Santa Barbara area
As a compromise you could replace one 10000k bulb with something like a 5000k. Cutting back an hour or two on that photoperiod is also probably wise as you do have pretty high lighting assuming those are 48 inch long fluorescent tubes. How much Excell do you dose?
The roots shooting out of the Wisteria and Cabomba are normal. Stem plants are always looking for nutrients and sending out new roots.
 

aparker2005

AC Members
Apr 15, 2007
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Arkansas
We live in a very small town so I'll have to ask our water department.

I ended up getting 2 55 Watt 6500k CFLs today for $17 shipped from 1000bulbs.com. I'll see how they do and cut back to 8 hours.

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