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Re: [GSAS-Member] Algae control

Thank you Mark. That paper was most useful. I am pasting in below some of the points from the paper that I will try, including removing the carbon filtration and discontinuing use of Aquasafe. Maybe Paul's response which I am awaiting will further elucidate important considerations. 
John
(c) Enriched substrates are probably the best means of supplying phosphates to plants provided steps are taken to minimize the leakage of phosphate into the water column. Substrate fertilizers such as Pond Tabs should be buried deep in the substrate where their nutrients are preferentially available to plant roots. Substrate circulation should be minimized to prevent phosphate from leaching too rapidly into the water column. Avoid gravel cleaning and other substrate disturbances if at all possible. Eliminating substrate circulation completely would not be desirable (even if it were possible) because supplementary fertilizers are usually added to the water and must be transported to the roots somehow.
Tap water is not recommended as a source of trace elements because it may be deficient in one or more elements, and rapid plant growth is likely to deplete the elements far more quickly than they can be replaced.
Certain water treatment products (Aquasafe, NovAqua) should be avoided as they bind metals (including iron), making them unavailable to plants. They may also contain phosphate buffers. Simple dechlorinators or products such as Amquel are a better choice for treating tap water during water changes.
Carbon filtration may remove necessary trace elements from the water. With regular water changes and good plant growth, carbon filtration is not necessary and should be omitted.
(i) As a general principle, avoid adding fertilizers, water treatments, or any other products to one's aquarium unless the products completely disclose the concentration of each ingredient present. Otherwise, there is no way to knowing what effect (if any!) these products will have on the aquarium's inhabitants. 




On Mar 17, 2005, at 7:52 AM, Mark Pearlscott wrote:


John,
Since this seems to be a hot topic, and my guess is that lots of people don't know lots about it just yet, here is the original paper on PMDD (http://www.cam.org/~tomlins/algae.html). This should give you all the information you need to know to get your tank in balance and all plants growing like weeds. If you need a supplier of nutrients, try Eco-Elements (I'm pretty sure that is the name), a hydroponic supply store up here in Shoreline (off 175th and I-5).
My experience with green water is that the tank is "usually" deficient in Nitrogen. So, going through the method of checking what is missing, you might want to confirm this for your tank before adding Nitrogen (which seems counter-intuitive).
With that being said, you might just want something fast and easy, and there is such a ting. Keep the micron filter or paper filter in you canister, and add a "particulate clumper" to the tank (available at most pet stores). With the clumper added, all the little pieces of algae stick together, and then are able to be filtered out by the filter. Just make sure to clean your filter after the algae has come out of the water column. I had a friend use this, and it was gone in one afternoon. 

Good luck,

Mark Pearlscott



John Ruhland wrote:
In the past few weeks, I've had an algae problem as well. Rather than coating any surfaces, it simply turns my water green. While it is a pretty color, I am unable to see anything more than about 4-5 inches from the glass. I've added two filters to the original filter. The pleated paper filter that came with the Magnum canister filter, and that I was told would turn water crystal clear, has not filtered out anything, so it must be only a few microns in size. Besides the magnum filter, I have a Magnum HOT, and a Marineland Emperor with Bio-wheel. At first I changed the water every day or two and added a bit of salt, thinking that would slow the growth of algae, but since that did not show much improvement, I decided to wait it out. Any recommendations would be helpful. Anita recommended getting tiny organisms that would eat the algae. 

Fortunately, the fish seem to be doing alright.
Thank you,
John
It is the tank where I put most of the plants I got at the plant sale as well. 
On Mar 16, 2005, at 2:56 PM, auntie.fran@netzero.net wrote:
Thanks, Barbie...I'll see if I can find one. There's a synodontis in the tank -- got him as a bottom feeder -- but I'm not certain which type, but he sure doesn't eat algae! 


Growing old is inevitable; growing up is optional.

-- "Barbie" <barbie@fishaholics.org> wrote:
Synodontis petricola eat hair algae also, and would be much more suited to life with african cichlids, IMO. 

Barbie

  ----- Original Message -----
  From: auntie.fran@netzero.com
  To: gsas-member@thekrib.com
  Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 2005 11:11 AM
  Subject: Re: [GSAS-Member] Algae control
Will apple snails eat beard algae? And, will they survive in a tank with blue daffodils and yellow labs? 


  Growing old is inevitable; growing up is optional.

  -- "A JACOBSON" <amjacobson52@msn.com> wrote:
Shortly after the plant auction I was setting up a 55 gallon tank and cannibalizing plants from my other tanks to fill it. Sure enough, the tank I took the most plants out of suddenly was being overwhelmed by several types of algae. I immediately crammed in a bunch more plants and tossed in a baby SAE. The increased plant load stopped the algae spread in its tracks, and now the baby SAE, the 5 otos, the large SAE, and the snails I no longer bother, are slowly cleaning the algae from the plants -- I'm also snipping off leaves that are completely algae-covered, so they can concentrate on only partially covered leaves. And it seems to be working.
I bought a 30 gallon long tank a couple of months ago from someone who had let it go downhill. It had two beautiful pieces of bogwood covered with a dwarf java fern, but every leaf was black from algae. Same with the anubias and the sag, and the glass of the aquarium itself. Did the same thing. Cut off the worst leaves (and every time I go in there I trim a little more, giving the new leaves a chance to grow), tossed in 2 SAE, and added a field of crypts that I bought for that purpose at the plant auction. It's not quite there yet (crypts are still looking pretty forlorn), but it is SOOO much better. A few apple snails are surviving, despite the loaches (maybe there are too big for the loaches?) and they are going a yoeman's job of clearing off the remaining black on the leaves. 

  Anita
    ----- Original Message -----
    From: welenofsky@comcast.net<mailto:welenofsky@comcast.net>
    To: GSAS Member<mailto:gsas-member@thekrib.com>
    Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 2005 6:56 AM
    Subject: [GSAS-Member] Algae control
Since the plant auction, I've had all different types of algae plaguing my tank. What kinds of fish besides SAE will help control it? Where can I get these fish locally? Does anyone have any SAE or other algae-eating fish they don't want anymore? I have discus in the tank. I may just take it down and bleach the plants and/or strip the leaves off. 

    Susan
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  Dr. John F. Ruhland
The Natural Health Medical Clinic
4002 - 25th Avenue S, Seattle, WA 98108
206-723-4891
www.drruhland.com

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Dr. John F. Ruhland
The Natural Health Medical Clinic
4002 - 25th Avenue S, Seattle, WA 98108
206-723-4891
www.drruhland.com

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