cgmac Posted January 8, 2006 Report Share Posted January 8, 2006 Lotsa info for you ....sorry for long post! Battling a hair/string algae problem for about 3 weeks now. I think it is due to an overdosing of iron. I have stopped dosing iron for about ten days relying just on Flourish iron content. Tank is 33 gallons. Tank parameters are: ammonia and nitrite 0, phosphate 0.5 mg/ml, nitrate 10 mg/ml, ph 7.2, kh 90, gh 160 Dosing: diy co2, 3ml Flourish 2x wk, Flourish Excel 6mls daily (double dose for algae problem-fish are okay) , potassium (nosalt mixture) 2x wk, nitrate and phosphate are tested regularly and dosed if needed. Mostly have to dose phosphate (generic Fleet enema) only a few drops after a h2o change and dosing of nitrogen really is not needed...unless one of you tells me that it is not high enough!!! Flourish root tabs put in about 2 months ago. I have some Jobes for ferns and palms but have not put them in for fear of adding to the algae problem. I think they would help my crypts, who seem to get dark spots and melt a couple of leaves a week, but also have new growth. Lighting: 2 x 36 watt pc, 10 hrs daily Filtration: AC 200, 2 sponges and ceramic insert pouch Flourite substrate, New Life Spectrum community flake food fed one small pinch daily. Fish: 10 cardinal Tetras. 6 Bleeding Heart Tetras, 3 Otocinclus Thanks much for your help !! I am ready to pull out my own hair and the hair algae in the tank, sick of doing 2 x wk water changes as I have to pull a bucket around and get my son to help me lift it !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquanerd Posted January 8, 2006 Report Share Posted January 8, 2006 Your CO2 levels should be raised, with your PH and KH it brings your CO2 to only 9ppm, which is very low. I'd raise your CO2 to 20 - 30 ppm, I would also try The Estimative Index for your dosing. Hope this helps abit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgmac Posted January 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2006 I am using a 3.8 L juice jug for co2, should I add another one with a T connector, or another one separately? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanker Posted January 8, 2006 Report Share Posted January 8, 2006 My experience points to a tee not working so well... go for a second set-up completely. For best results, fire up batch #2 half way through #1's life-span for the most consistant bubbles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgmac Posted January 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2006 That makes alot of sense and I did mix up another batch last night and hooked it up to a T connector, simply because I didn't have a spare check valve. Will be going out today to get one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgmac Posted January 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2006 Does anyone know where you can get a brass check valve in Calgary? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanker Posted January 8, 2006 Report Share Posted January 8, 2006 Plastic works fine... and remember, you're playing with fairly low pressures in DIY setups so most 'commercial' check valves will require a higher pressure to activate. Sometimes cheap is good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted January 8, 2006 Report Share Posted January 8, 2006 Almost all algae problems are a result of not enough CO2. That being said, you are adding Excel, which isn't CO2, but works the same. If you're already dosing with Flourish, you don't need to dose with Flourish Iron - that is if you're using city tap water. I too, use the Estimative Index for keeping planted tanks. Here's how I dosed my 35 (I used past tense b/c it's now a 55!): Pressurized CO2 at 1-1.5 bubble/sec. 90W T6 lights on timer for 12 hrs/day 50% WC each week on WC day, dose 1/4 tsp KNO3, 1/8 tsp KH2PO4 on day after, 10mL traces (Tropica Master Grow) Dose ferts every day - macros one day, traces the next. Do 50% or more WC each week. If the tank is planted well with fast-growers, this method will work wonderfully for your tank. If you have moderate or slow growing plants, you don't have to dose as much, but still dose as often. Keep CO2 as constant as possible. Run 2 (or 3, if you want to be real sure) DIY breweries at a time. Upgrade to pressurised when you can, as it all gets a lot easier then. HTH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garhan Posted January 8, 2006 Report Share Posted January 8, 2006 (edited) keep up the water changes and increase your lighting to 12 hours per day. As for the Iron in a 33 gallon tank 6 drops is suffient every other day. Jobe sticks will also give you a algae out break if they are disturbed or exposed to the water colum. Jobe sticks have a large source of urea and that will be a major problem. I use Jobe sticks in potted plant containers for my sword plants and crypts, but they are never disturbed while the pot is in the tank. A non C02 tank is Ok, seeing that you are dosing a liquid carbon or are you. What is Flourish as this is a product Trade Name. Is it Flourish - Potassium or Flourish - Carbo or... Edited January 8, 2006 by Garhan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgmac Posted January 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2006 (edited) To clarify Flourish, that is for traces. When this bottle is finished I am thinking of a switch to Tropica Mastergrow (just to see if there is any difference) I have hooked up another diy reactor and brought the bubble ladder out of semi retirement! I have mostly fast growers , with one anubias (want to add more but will wait until things stabilize) , a java fern and a couple of crypts and banana plants. I am going to do another water change tonight and try to remove some of the algae, not easy stuff to get hold of. I use a magnum 250 to polish the water after changes. Pressurized CO2 would be awesome but I am on a budget, maybe in a few months. I really appreciate all the feedback. :beer: Edited January 9, 2006 by cgmac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted January 9, 2006 Report Share Posted January 9, 2006 WCs and more CO2 will probably cover it for you. Keep us posted. Watch out, Excel can kill Valisneria at doses more than recommended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgmac Posted January 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2006 Thanks for the info Jason....that would explain why the vals don't look so good. I thought it was because of the algae problem. Thanks for the fert info as well. It helps to have a guideline to follow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted January 9, 2006 Report Share Posted January 9, 2006 that would explain why the vals don't look so good I lost 2 nice stands of Val by slightly overdosing Excel. The Tiger Val has since recovered - it was getting much more substrate fertilization. The Corkscrew Val is just now starting to send out some new plants. This happened back in late Oct! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgmac Posted January 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2006 Good day ! I just tested ...... ph was 7, and KH was 85 ppm so that came out to about 14 ppm CO2. It took about 8 1/2 drops of regent to get the color to change, with regard to the KH. So things have improved over two days ago. But from what I am told, 14 ppm co2 will not be quite good enough. I am going to have to improve diffusion of the co2 that I am providing. Off to do the water change....didn't have time last night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgmac Posted January 10, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2006 (edited) I have completed the water change and have my magnum running with the micron filter in it. I trimmed some of the plants, but there is still so much algae "waving" at me and I am just not likin' it !! What can I expect to see happen with the algae if the co2 level is at 14 ppm and I start dosing ferts? The ferts that I have available to me are: Flourish for traces Flourish Nitrogen generic enema for Phosphate no salt for potassium Flourish Excel and Flourish Iron Any dosage recommendations would be appreciated ! Edited January 10, 2006 by cgmac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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