On Sat, 3 Jun 2006 15:04:53 -0500, "Koi-Lo" None wrote:

Thanks for the info. I was hoping I wouldn't need to spend a small fortune
for test kits, fertilizers and other paraphernalia just to grow some nice
plants in these display tanks..........

Have you tried Barley Straw? It's supposed to be a cheap, safe
algaecide.

Cleaner fish & snails will only eat the shorter forms of black brush
algae. The longer forms react to CO2 and should detach after 2-3
months. If you aren't doing CO2 injection I'd reduce surface
agitation as much as possible and shorten the duration of light.
Rather than waiting for it to fall off and vacuum it up, I'd just get
rid of as much infested plant matter as possible. There are extreme
ways of killing & removing algae with chemical soaks. But the
infested plants are probably so sick it probably isn't going to work.

Maybe slower release substrate fertilization may be of help for
certain plants?

From what I'm seeing a small fortune is almost inevitable as one goes
up the learning curve. I'm finding it MUCH more expensive than
fishkeeping. IMHO Aquatic gardening on a tight budget is like fish
keeping with a small tank. More precision is required, it's harder to
move forward, and mistakes have bigger consequences. Of course I'm
trying to learn on the cheap as well

I just ordered "Algae: A problem Solver Guide" - Sprung. Maybe others
have reading recommendations that have helped them they can endorse?