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Old 20-04-2003, 07:11 AM
 
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Default substrate heating..

(GregSki) wrote in message
Dupla traces daily (the recommended dosage). Ever since I read that Fe
levels of about 0.2ppm can cause thread algae I halved the traces as
well as the tablets. This hasn't done anything to the algae yet (in 2
weeks). I have been adding K+, NO3 and PO4 weekly but a little bit
above what you are suggesting. I was adding about 20-30ppm of K+,
15-30ppm of NO3 and 0.5ppm of PO4 (that's with no fish in the tank).
Hmmmm...might have to change my strategy then.



I really wish folks would not assume that 0.2ppm Fe residual is
somehow a good level.

It's not nor is maintaining a residual.
Nor is a single Iron test kit I've used worth a wooden nickle.
Folks test something that is very difficult to assume much about with
kits that are not telling you much.

The thing to "test" with traces or other nutrients is simply keep all
the nutrient levels relatively the same and manipulate one at a time
for at least a 3-4 week run to ascertain the effects on plant growth.

I grow plants, not algae. Therefore the focus should be on their
health, not the algae. Healthy happy growing plant is no match for
algae.

Folks seem to get bulldogged into thinking that iron or PO4 is the
cause of algae woes. Well, if the other stuff is off, it can help
algae but if the NO3, CO2 light etc are fine, you can add a large
amount of both and not get a lick of algae.

So do they cause algae? Not by themselves. It is those other
nutrients, K, lack of NO3 etc that are all out of balance.

If there is an algae inducing nutrient it is NH4.

Regards,
Tom Barr