Intro And My Fishy Project - Cora

Errrmm, the people who criticise aloe vera don't have a good word to say about Prime on the grounds that Seachem won't say what's in it and the company admits they don't know how it works. But other people swear by it.


I would do a diluted test as soon as you can find time. The last thing you want to do is add a lot of ammonia if nitrite is over 15 ppm.

Bacterium aphrodisiac anyone?

Wine! A glass of merlot in the tank and they'll be at it like stoats!

Pinotage or shiraz-pinotage for me 

Algae grows when things are not in balance, and different types of algae specialise in growing when different things are absent/ in abundance e.g. if I recall correctly green spot algae is a result of too much light and not enough co2 ( I might be making that up  ).  There are guides available that tell you this.  This should mean that if you can identify what algae you have you can identify what is not' in balance'.  That said, I think you are absolutely right that once you have emptied and cleaned the tank following the completion of your cycle, your problem should reduce (assuming it is a cycle related imbalance).  If your struggling - take a few photos and I'll try to identify the algae and we can try to work out the root cause from there.

If you provide more light, nutrients and carbon dioxide than your plants can use, then inevitably algae will take advantage and use the excess.

I.e. if things arnt balanced because there is an excess of something...

http://www.tropicalfishsite.com/types-of-algae-growth-found-in-the-home-aquarium/

Where have I gone wrong here Richard? I'm keen to understand this issue.

Morning. Cheers for the interesting feedback, guys.

From what I understand a new tank is in a state of flux with most parameters, and algae can be a common outbreak.

But of course, I am experimenting with dosages and have over-provided something. The substrate is inert but I have ADA iron-bottom multi-nutrient sticks in "strategic" equidistant positions throughout the tank. I have pressurised CO₂ which I try to balance to 3 bubbles per second. I have used liquid ferts though the last time was over a week ago. I stopped use EASY CARBO however I have read that it is good for getting rid of algae (because it's not actually carbon but an aldehyde).

I've also yet to establish a set routine for "day" for the plants. I keep the tank blacked out but because I don't have a solenoid regulator the plants don't always get the same light at the same time every day. My plan was to give them "day" in the evening but I don't know if that's enough hours of light?

The plants have shot up incredibly, but as you can all tell from the above, it's not an ideal setup and obviously I am overdosing something. I've discovered that a sustained "black out" seems to regress algae significantly. Is 3 bubbles/s too much? I can try two. There are many variables!

I'm probably just waffling now. My guess is that the nutrient sticks are sufficient for the planted plants but if I add liquid fert for the few non-planted plants that's overdosing the tank and algae is taking advantage.

As I did a 50% water change yesterday (more on this below) I sucked up a lot of algae clinging to the plants and wood. There was lots of it, and of various types! There was even some bright blue/green stuff (cyanobacteria??).

Update on tank stats BEFORE Sue's dilution test:

Ammonia: ~0 (remember I'd given another 3-4ml the previous day)
Nitrite: >4 (unknown)
Nitrates: ~40

I took 10ml of tank water and added 30ml of fresh water straight from the tap and tested for Nitrite. The reading of this 40ml dilution was 1.0ppm. By my maths (I worked on the Space Shuttle*) this means the tank concentration is ~ 4.0ml.

I replaced 50% of tank water with fresh water. That was last night. I will do more readings later today and resume the cycle process!




*Not Challenger...

Quote from: Cora on June 10, 2016, 09:23:48 AM

I've also yet to establish a set routine for "day" for the plants. I keep the tank blacked out but because I don't have a solenoid regulator the plants don't always get the same light at the same time every day. My plan was to give them "day" in the evening but I don't know if that's enough hours of light?

I'm confused..... is this a solenoid regulator for the CO₂ 'cos all the lights need is an el cheapo plug in timer thingy..... usually ~£5 from B&Q (other hardware shops are available). However, people say (don't they always) that you should have the CO₂ on for the same time as the lights so use a solenoid regulater plugged in to another of B&Q's best. I have the fish lights on from 11am to 9.30pm.... seems OK for me.

If you have a drop checker thingy with your CO₂ kit then you'll know if you've got the bubble rate right. Otherwise (if you have a KH test kit) then you can use this chart.

I have a drop checker. It takes a while to turn from blue to green. Unfortunately I have ridiculously soft water but neutral pH. I haven't determined the minimum drops required to turn the checker green after a reasonable interval.

I need a solenoid for the valve/regulator, yeah - because Fluval's is already attached to the canister and needs to be manually opened/closed. A basic timer for the lights would be fine, you're right.

I've read that it's best to start the CO₂ a bit before lights, so the water has some saturation (sufficient partial pressure) before the plants "wake up" with light. If I can get a solenoid which fits onto the CO₂ cannister I'll be laughing. Look, I'll prove it: 

I suspect you may be overdosing on everything.

The "light causes algae" argument is common. I get to survey a lot of ponds for work. Often, a pond may be completely in the open, exposed to full sun all day, but have very little algae. Conversely, some quite shaded ponds have a lot of algae. I've concluded that it is high nutrient levels that are generally more significant than light.

It always seems odd to me that some people spend so much time, effort and money on additives and gadgets, while others (including me) manage to grow plants perfectly OK and without particular algae problems without adding anything at all, and with only "normal" lighting levels.

I'll only believe the "balance" idea if someone can show me a proper scientific reference for evidence. The fact that something is repeated on numerous internet sites doesn't make it true, just look at all the conspiracy theories etc............

I always like your style, Richard No nonsense and pro-science!

I heartily accept that I am overdosing on everything! 

You follow the Walstad method, right? So I assume you have a soil substrate but let fish provide the poo and CO₂ for nutrients? How many hours of light do the plants get each day?

Not all my plants are easy-growers, and I have a few red ones and harder "carpet" plants.

As a rule I reject conspiracy theories, but everyone knows that Crab People rule the world from deep underground. Just saying.

My tanks typically get about 10 hours a day of light, but it does vary as I don't use time switches, not unknown for me to forget to switch off in the evening for several hours, or forget to switch on in the morning.

I always think it's best to start simple and complicate things one by one. For more difficult plants, I would start by increasing light intensity, not duration, but intensity which is a different thing and more important. I'd see how that worked, then only look at other changes if things aren't satisfactory. If you add more than one "extra" from the beginning, then if there are problems you won't know which factor is the critical one. As in any scientific experiment, you only change one variable at a time.