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Old 20-04-2003, 06:22 AM
Christopher Beeckler
 
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Default multipart question: planted malawi cichlid tank

I have a few questions regarding my tank. I have a 125g (60"w X 24"h X
18"d) with 2 light hoods each with 2x24" 20W power-glo lights and a 24" 20W
aqua-glo light. That makes a total of 120W, I put white cardboard backing
behind the lights to reflect more light into the tank and my substrate is
whitish gravel with a sprinkling of dark gravel. I have been noticing a
rough green algae forming on my anubias leaves (and glass) that my SAEs,
CAEs, and pleco do not appear to want to eat. I also have a minor snail
problem with little ones that came in as eggs on my plants. My older leaves
on my big anubias (with almost palm sized leaves) appear to be deformed,
before they used to be parallel to the ground but now some of the oldest
leaves are twisting and look dessicated almost. I have 15lbs of flurorite
under my gravel for the plants to eat and I fertalize monthly with tetra
florapride. I previously had my tank on a 12-13 hour photoperiod when it
was merely 80W and the plants seemed to do OK (this was the first 2 months I
had it), but now my photoperiod is 10 hours (for the past few weeks as I
have attempted to control the algae) and I'm wondering what is causing the
wilting look as well as holes in the leaves of my anubias and other plants.
Are the snails eating holes in them? Would I benefit with getting a CO2
system for my malawi cichlid pH 8.6 tank? I heard it lowers pH. I am going
to get a puffer in a few days to control the snails (my old one died) but
I'm wondering:

1) what can I do to control the algae?
2) do I have too much/too little light?
3) should I get C02 injection?
4) should I adjust my photoperiod more? (the tank gets additional light when
my roomates leave the lights on at all hours of the night, but those are
compact florescent bulbs for our living room so it shouldn't be providing
the right spectrum for plant growth)
5) what can I do to control the holes (some look like burns) and wilting?