Update: Green Water in New Tank

[The Gipper]

Last week I posted about my GW problem:

120 gal (4x2x2) stuffed with plants (Rotala indica, macranda, Hygrophila poly, Mayaca, Telenthera, Rubin Swords, unknown crypt sp, Anubias Nana anchored to driftwood)

3 SAE, 2 corydoras sp.
added 6 altum angels last week also
Temp 83
KH 3
pH 6.6 (CO2 controlled)
weekly 40 gal water changes
1 tsp K2SO4 + 1 tsp KNO3 at water changes
1 tsp KNO3 twice a week besides at water change
Fluorish as directed

Last week the tank was 3 weeks old and GW hit with a fury. Based on the feedback (thanks) I guess I was adding the full dose of macro/micro nutrients all at once instead of ramping them up due to new tank. Also, I didn't heed Tom's advice to get the plants going before adding fish (the altums were available so if I wanted them I had to get them at that time).

Here's my update: I ran out of CO2 this past Friday afternoon, and the pH went from 6.6 -> 7.6 in 24 hours! The gas store was not open until MOnday, so I went all weekend with a pH of 7.6. The GW immediately began to go away, to the point after Sunday's water change, it was almost non-existent.

Any comments on this? Does a sharp pH rise kill the little unicellular buggers?

pH returned to 6.6 by Monday night, and as of today, no GW has returned. Maybe that brief break allowed my wet dry bacteria to get better established, so it now handles the ammonia instead of the GW algae.

I think I shoud start adding the KNO3 and fluorish again. Any thoughts on that?

On my macro doses:

Is 1 tsp K2SO4 at water change and 1 tsp KNO3 3 times a week the proper dose?


Thanks for your anticipated responses.

 

[plantbrain]

FWIW, Adding CO2 increases GW growth rates unlike most algae.

If you look at the advice for blackout, it includes disconnecting the CO2.
The removal of CO2 to CO2 "adapted" algae can greatly reduce the presence but I think it'll come back unless you are lucky/add a bunch of plants etc.

Until your tank is really going full blast/fully planted, I don't think adding 3x a week is needed.

Stick with 2x a week or half doses till the plants pick up speed.
It takes a few days to be sure the gW is gone.
Crank the CO2 up first. Wait a day. Then add 1/2 dose. Wait and hope.
Less than this, and the plants will suffer. You can try a blackout whih will hurt the GW good also.

The other thing you can do is do a 100% water change, then add 20-40% of another tank's water into the tank if you have one around to do this with.

Feed the fish live Daphnia also. Altums after 3 weeks? I would not have done that
Algae eaters first then good plant growth, then the main fish.

Regards,
Tom Barr