He just wanted to know my light set-up. Thats all..
I forgot to tell you, that the Phosphorus in my tape water= 2.0 ppm.
Excel used as an algaecide
- Thread starter Hank
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I forgot to tell you, that the Phosphorus in my tape water= 2.0 ppm.
I'd keep the CO2 the same if not higher, a tad at a time.
You do not want to run ,low on CO2 more than anything else.
Regards,
Tom Barr
You do not want to run ,low on CO2 more than anything else.
Regards,
Tom Barr
Tom! that is exactly what I wanted to know. I was going to start to lower C02...
I think I used a double negative or something, you want to have plenty of CO2, nutrients are less important and will not become limiting if there's poor CO2.
If the CO2 is good, then algae and other issues are not a problem.
Bad CO2 leads to 95% of the issues folks have, master CO2, the rest is easy.
Reducing the light to moderately low levels makes management of CO2 much easier, less light= less CO2 demand= easily management, more wiggle room.
Focus on adding more, not less and keep up on things, watch the tank anytime you adjust the CO2, increase current/O2, reduce light etc.
This will help, just do this slow and progressively.
No rushing there.
Regards,
Tom Barr
Reduced lighting from 216 watts to 108 watts for 10 hrs. C02 is up 40 ppm.
Increase current/02? I'm not sure what you mean. I have 2 Eheim canister filters, the 2217 and 2128 w/210 watt heater. My tank is the 120p ADA(65 gallons) I use 2 Cal Aqua Labs efflux outflows, one at each end of the tank. No restriction to flow. For 02 I can raise the outflows slightly above water line, will this be OK?
Tom, thanks for all the great information you share.
One thing I still don't understand (although I believe you) is why optimal conditions for plant growth keep algae away. Since you're not limiting the nutrients available to the plants, these nutrients are theoretically also available for the algae. Why can't the algae use the same nutrients to thrive? Is it different micro nutrients that the algae need compared with plants? Do the plants release some sort of algaecidal chemical under optimal conditions? Why does the algae care what the CO2 level is? Regardless of the CO2 level, there is still light and nutrients available.
Jim
Dang, you blew some $.
I think you are okay for current, just reduce the light intensity down.
Is this aquarium open top?
If so, you can raise the light up pretty high, generally most ADA tanks run about 12-14" height. This reduces the intensity a good bit, gives better spread and reduces the weedy rates of growth.
216 is still a lot on light.
Even ADA stores have troubles managing such light on their own aquariums.
Stick with 108.
CO2, well 40 is relative 40ppm, it's not absolute.
I'd use that rate/measure only as reference to up or down, not assuming that it is in fact 40ppm CO2.
Best to watch fish and plants, algae etc, as a sign of correct CO2.
This takes time, experience and care.
Good flow/current, surface movement, plenty, but not enough to break the water's surface is a good rule of green thumb.
That's how much, I think 600gph or so is decent for the tank, one at each end should do well.
I'd do 50-80% weekly, maybe 50% 2x a week to get any issues resolved, then back to 50% weekly. After things settle down, you can go a few weeks without changing water, but this is with the lower light and a stable tank.
Good fish loads are wise as well, feeding them regularly, algae eaters etc.
I think it's best to watch the plants, their growth, recovery etc, the algae will go away once you fix the plant issue. Folks tend to think the other way with algae, this does not address the root issue however.
Poor fish get gassed by folks that are careless or simply do not respect CO2, forget to add enough O2 etc, or are impatient. Be careful with it, use less light since it makes management and risk much lower.
I can grow plants at 6w/gal or PC right over the top of the tank, but it takes more work to do so and I have to stay on top of things, I much prefer lower light, all my personal tanks are 2w/gal or less.
I went through a period of experimentation and testing where I used high light, but there was a specific purpose behind it. Some folks do this and learn the hard way, sure some can do it for awhile, but most stop after 2-4 years and go back to wiser management and less light.
My reason was to explore the max uptake rates for nutrients and also......for CO2 and how it responds to higher light.
Once I knew an upper bound for CO2 or ppm for NO3 etc, I could then use that as target for ANY planted tank, then reduce it down if chosen or see if these ppm's are harmful etc to fish, cause algae etc.
They do not, but management is more difficult as you get higher lighting.
Read Tropica's Biology of aquatic Plant's 4 part article on line as well, it's very good, they also have a good one about CO2 and light also.
This will help some things/larger concepts together.
Most folks focus narrowly on nutrients or algae, not the big picture.
Regards,
Tom Barr
