Which fert should I reduce to cut algae growth?
 

I have a 75 gal low light (3x 30w fluros) tank with about 50-60% plant
cover, and approx 100 small fish (good balance of varieties, including
bottom feeders, loaches, corys etc). The plants are all common varieties,
eg., java fern, java moss, elodea, amazon swords etc etc. Each week I do a
50% water change and add the following Seachem products: 35ml Excel, 3ml
Supplement, 4ml Nitrogen, 4ml Phosphorous, 10ml Potassium, 7ml Iron.
Filtration is an Eheim Pro II 2028.

No doubt many of you will be horrified at that brew, but I can assure you it
works, and the tank looks fantastic--terrific plants with moderate growth
and fish that are very happy and healthy. I'm completely satisfied with the
look, it's beautiful, just what I wanted. But ........

There is a small problem with algae. It's not serious, but about once per
month I have to trim some outer leaves off due to a dark green, dense algae
which forms along the edges of the leaves (and on the driftwood). I am
confident I don't overfeed (well, maybe just a tiny, tiny bit once in a
while), so I guess the algae is the result of overfertilising.

So my question is, which of the above ferts should I start reducing to try
to achieve perfection? I don't want to change the whole regime, because, as
I said, it works. I just want to tweak it a bit to reduce the relatively
minor algae problem. Thanks for any constructive advice.

blank wrote:

Seachem products: 35ml Excel, 3ml Supplement, 4ml Nitrogen, 4ml
Phosphorous, 10ml Potassium, 7ml Iron.

dense algae which forms along the edges of the leaves

I am confident I don't overfeed (well, maybe just a
tiny, tiny bit once in a while)

I've been seeing some of that same kind of algae lately. Unfortunately,
I can't honestly claim not to overfeed, as I'm definitely guilty of it.
I'm trying to change, really I am.


So my question is, which of the above ferts should I start reducing
to try to achieve perfection?

I would start with reducing or eliminating the phosphorous, and see
what happens. Unfortunately, there is no fast, sure-fire way to figure
it out, you'll just have to experiment with small changes and see what
effect they have. The fact that you do such a large water change each
week should help speed the experiment.


--
Eric Schreiber
www.ericschreiber.com

"Eric Schreiber" eric at ericschreiber dot com wrote in message
...

I would start with reducing or eliminating the phosphorous, and see
what happens. Unfortunately, there is no fast, sure-fire way to figure
it out, you'll just have to experiment with small changes and see what
effect they have. The fact that you do such a large water change each
week should help speed the experiment.

OK, thanks Eric. You are a highly respected contributor to this group so I
will cut the Phosphorous back to 3ml for a month or so and watch what
happens. Much obliged.

"blank" wrote in message
...

OK, thanks Eric. You are a highly respected contributor to this group so
I
will cut the Phosphorous back to 3ml for a month or so and watch what
happens. Much obliged.

OOPS, I meant cut it back BY 3ml. But what the hell, I will eliminate
it--what good is 1ml going to do anyway :)

blank wrote:

You are a highly respected contributor to this group

If that's the case, this group is in SERIOUS trouble! I'm just a noob
hobbyist who reads a lot, and has had some small luck with a planted
tank. Really.

I will cut the Phosphorous back to 3ml for a month or so and
watch what happens. Much obliged.

Let us know how it goes.


--
Eric Schreiber
www.ericschreiber.com

In article ,
blank wrote:

"blank" wrote in message
...

OK, thanks Eric. You are a highly respected contributor to this group so
I
will cut the Phosphorous back to 3ml for a month or so and watch what
happens. Much obliged.

OOPS, I meant cut it back BY 3ml. But what the hell, I will eliminate
it--what good is 1ml going to do anyway :)



Cut the phosphate and you'll get green spot algae. WHat you have
sounds like red algae, can you get a good pic of it?


--
Need Mercedes parts ? - http://parts.mbz.org
http://www.mbz.org | Mercedes Mailing lists: http://lists.mbz.org
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | Killies, killi.net, Crypts, aquaria.net
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Old wris****ches http://watches.list.mbz.org

"Richard" wrote
Cut the phosphate and you'll get green spot algae. WHat you have
sounds like red algae, can you get a good pic of it?

Yes, OK, I've taken the photos, but am having problems sending them. Once I
work it out I will post them to the binaries group and send an update to
this newsgroup.

On 2005-01-11, blank wrote:
eg., java fern, java moss, elodea, amazon swords etc etc. Each week I do a
50% water change and add the following Seachem products: 35ml Excel, 3ml
Supplement, 4ml Nitrogen, 4ml Phosphorous, 10ml Potassium, 7ml Iron.
Filtration is an Eheim Pro II 2028.


If you do a search, you'll find interviews and articles from Seachem
reps who basically say that a tank stocked with fish should produce
enough nitrates and phosphates to feed the plants in a tank. Seems like
you only need nitrogen and phosphorus if you have little to no fauna.
I add Flourish, Excel, and potassium. My algae has come under control
even with it sitting next to a window.


--
"I have to decide between two equally frightening options.
If I wanted to do that, I'd vote." --Duckman

OK, the photos are on alt.binaries.aquaria--dont ask me how I managed it,
because Im not sure myself. But anyway, something worked. So any advice on
my algae problem much appreciated.

In article , js1 wrote:
On 2005-01-11, blank wrote:
eg., java fern, java moss, elodea, amazon swords etc etc. Each week I do a
50% water change and add the following Seachem products: 35ml Excel, 3ml
Supplement, 4ml Nitrogen, 4ml Phosphorous, 10ml Potassium, 7ml Iron.
Filtration is an Eheim Pro II 2028.


If you do a search, you'll find interviews and articles from Seachem
reps who basically say that a tank stocked with fish should produce
enough nitrates and phosphates to feed the plants in a tank. Seems like
you only need nitrogen and phosphorus if you have little to no fauna.
I add Flourish, Excel, and potassium. My algae has come under control
even with it sitting next to a window.

Keep in mind Excel is an algicide.


--
Need Mercedes parts ? - http://parts.mbz.org
http://www.mbz.org | Mercedes Mailing lists: http://lists.mbz.org
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | Killies, killi.net, Crypts, aquaria.net
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Old wris****ches http://watches.list.mbz.org

On 2005-01-13, Richard wrote:

Keep in mind Excel is an algicide.


Hmm... That makes the end of this interview more clear now.

http://www.aquabotanic.com/carbon.html


--
"I have to decide between two equally frightening options.
If I wanted to do that, I'd vote." --Duckman

"Richard" wrote in message ...

Keep in mind Excel is an algicide.




Not really. In fact, algae grows quite well with excel, it seems to like
it.

--

Margolis
http://web.archive.org/web/200302152...qs/AGQ2FAQ.htm
http://www.unrealtower.org/faq

In article ,
Margolis wrote:
"Richard" wrote in message ...

Keep in mind Excel is an algicide.




Not really. In fact, algae grows quite well with excel, it seems to like
it.


Yeah, really.

You must have way more algae than it can handle then. If you write to Greg,
CEO of Sea-Chem and ask him if it's safe to grow Cladophoa he'll tell
you no, it'll kill it. But US Government regulations prevent him from
claiming it's an algicide.

It may not be a great algicide but the acetyl compound in it that releases
carbon is death on algae. (Even acetic acid kills algae in small doses).

--
Need Mercedes parts ? - http://parts.mbz.org
http://www.mbz.org | Mercedes Mailing lists: http://lists.mbz.org
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | Killies, killi.net, Crypts, aquaria.net
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Old wris****ches http://watches.list.mbz.org

Richard wrote:
You must have way more algae than it can handle then. If you write to Greg,
CEO of Sea-Chem and ask him if it's safe to grow Cladophoa he'll tell
you no, it'll kill it. But US Government regulations prevent him from
claiming it's an algicide.

Does it work with all kinds of algae?

It may not be a great algicide but the acetyl compound in it that releases
carbon is death on algae. (Even acetic acid kills algae in small doses).

Hmmm... I guess I should stop using Excel on my alage-eating shrimp tank
then... ;-)

--
Victor M. Martinez
Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM)
Send your spam he
Email me he

"Richard" wrote in message ...

Yeah, really.

You must have way more algae than it can handle then. If you write to
Greg,
CEO of Sea-Chem and ask him if it's safe to grow Cladophoa he'll tell
you no, it'll kill it. But US Government regulations prevent him from
claiming it's an algicide.



Of course seachem is going to say algae won't grow with it, they make the
product. I go by experience.


Algae grows better in my 20 with excel than it does in my 75 without. The
oto's and bushy nose plecos love it though, so that's okay.

--

Margolis
http://web.archive.org/web/200302152...qs/AGQ2FAQ.htm
http://www.unrealtower.org/faq