Go Mark Go! Dave -----Original Message----- From: Hess, Clay A [mailto:clay.a.hess@boeing.com] Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2005 12:57 PM To: Greater Seattle Aquarium Society member chat Subject: RE: [GSAS-Member] Algae control Mark, For me to keep rambling with something of interest you will have to offer more than this last email. You have done a great job of covering the subject. I know many of us enjoy and appreciate gaining insight from expert aquarium keepers such as yourself. Keep sharing, this is the best way to learn.....thanks again. Clay -----Original Message----- From: Mark Pearlscott [mailto:mark@pearlscott.com] Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2005 12:05 PM To: Greater Seattle Aquarium Society member chat Subject: Re: [GSAS-Member] Algae control Okay, here we are again, and I guess I missed a few points in my previous response... but you have done a great job in pointing those out. Reiterated for others: I assume a balanced tank to begin with. I also am assuming the right quantity/quality of light (lumens) for your tank. I was specifically talking about length of light provided. These back and forth ramblings will hopefully make it clear to anyone reading them. Cheers, Mark Hess, Clay A wrote: >Hmmmm, so, here is another one I could not resist. Soooo,if we use the >supposition that, less light does slow plant growth....one would expect >that more light speeds plant growth. If you look at algae as a plant, >then, light would have some impact on the growth rate of algae in >theory. From my own tanks I have seen this. Yes, plants grow slower >in a low light tank......and if that tank is prone to algae, the algae >will grow slower too....but, it still grows. The problem comes about >when the slow growing algae still outgrows the slow growing plants. >Similarly, algae will grow faster in a higher light tank, as will your >desired plants. So, which grows faster? > >The point being, I believe Mark is correct in stating that day length >does not matter so long as your tank is in balance to begin with (ie, >the desired plants are outgrowing the algae). If your tank is out of >balance to start and the algae is outgrowing the plants, then, more >light will only make this effect worse in theory, and in my own playing >around I have seen this too. > >Where is Eric in all of this.....he has loads of plant experience >too......more data please. > >Clay > >-----Original Message----- >From: Mark Pearlscott [mailto:mark@pearlscott.com] >Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2005 11:23 AM >To: Greater Seattle Aquarium Society member chat >Subject: Re: [GSAS-Member] Algae control > > >I'm not sure that day length matters too much. I have experimented in >the past with short (8 hours) and long cycles (up to 16-18 hours)... and > >I didn't notice any discernible difference in plant or algae growth >that > >I could attribute to a change in the light duration. Now when I say >discernible difference, I mean that I didn't see algae grow more/plants >grow less, or vice versa. Less light does equal less growth total. >MTC. > >Mark P. > >A JACOBSON wrote: > > > >>Just a thought. How long do you leave your bulbs on each day? I've >>been told that algae likes longer "days", so my tanks are on a strict >> >> >11 hour timer. > > >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: John Ruhland<mailto:john@drruhland.com> >> To: Greater Seattle Aquarium Society member >> >> >chat<mailto:gsas-member@thekrib.com> > > >> Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 2005 11:48 PM >> Subject: Re: [GSAS-Member] Algae control >> >> >> Paul, >> Thank you for your response. >> It is a 72 gallon with many plants, 8 baby daffodil Brichardi (from >> Susan), and one Leporinus fasciatus, about 10 inches long. pH 7.4 >> KH 80 >> GH 80 >> Nitrite, Nitrate, and ammonia have always been very low, usually not >> even measurable. >> >> I have added small amounts of epsom salt in the past, and still add a >> small amount of rock salt, about 1 tbsp with every water change >> >> >(about > > >> 15-20 gallons). >> I have also added SSKI (Iodine) and Oregon Grape Root extract (a >> powerful natural antibiotic I make), but this was some time, and >> numerous water changes, ago. >> I added a multi vitamin (Kent Zoe), and buffered Vitamin C, and a >> >> >very > > >> small amount of essential fatty acids (Kent Zoecon), but that was >> >> >some > > >> time ago as well. >> After a water change 2 times ago, all the small snails mysteriously >> died. That might hold the key to the problem. I did not use any new >> sponges, soaps, or any cleaning >> materials. I've stopped using a small amount of Aquasafe that I had >> used in the past to remove the chlorine. I do not recall if I used >> Aquasafe at that water change two >> times ago, although I think I did use it. Months ago I used Ichstop >> >> >in > > >> that tank, the only other medicine I have used up until now. >> >> Lighting began as twin 48" bulbs. Then I turned them off for over one >> day. Then I switched to a new light containing 4 65 watt twin tubes. >> (My reading suggested changing lighting, either decreasing or >> increasing, could eliminate algae. It would probably require turning >> the lights off, or even covering the tank, for three days to make a >> difference.) None >> >> > > > >> of the light changes helped. >> >> Let me know if any other info would be useful to know. Regards, John >> >> >> On Mar 16, 2005, at 10:13 PM, Paul M Wallace wrote: >> >> > John: >> > >> > It has been several years since I had green water(result of a pH >> >> >down > > >> > product) and it seems that GW is aggravated by ammonia. With that >> > said you probably have an imbalance of nutrients. The good news is >> >> > > > >> > that when balance is restored, the GW will go away. >> > >> > So I am curious about your water parameters. How much light, are >> >> >you > > >> > adding carbon or nutrients? >> > >> > -Paul >> > >> > 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. >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > _______________________________________________ >> > GSAS-Member mailing list >> > GSAS-Member@thekrib.com<mailto:GSAS-Member@thekrib.com> >> > >> >> >http://lists.thekrib.com/mailman/listinfo/gsas-member<http://lists.thek r >ib.com/mailman/listinfo/gsas-member> > > >> > >> > >> >> >> >> Dr. John F. Ruhland >> The Natural Health Medical Clinic >> 4002 - 25th Avenue S, Seattle, WA 98108 >> 206-723-4891 >> www.drruhland.com<http://www.drruhland.com/> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> GSAS-Member mailing list >> GSAS-Member@thekrib.com<mailto:GSAS-Member@thekrib.com> >> >> >> >http://lists.thekrib.com/mailman/listinfo/gsas-member<http://lists.thek r >ib.com/mailman/listinfo/gsas-member> > > >>_______________________________________________ >>GSAS-Member mailing list >>GSAS-Member@thekrib.com >>http://lists.thekrib.com/mailman/listinfo/gsas-member >> >> >> >> >> >_______________________________________________ >GSAS-Member mailing list >GSAS-Member@thekrib.com >http://lists.thekrib.com/mailman/listinfo/gsas-member > >_______________________________________________ >GSAS-Member mailing list >GSAS-Member@thekrib.com >http://lists.thekrib.com/mailman/listinfo/gsas-member > > > _______________________________________________ GSAS-Member mailing list GSAS-Member@thekrib.com http://lists.thekrib.com/mailman/listinfo/gsas-member _______________________________________________ GSAS-Member mailing list GSAS-Member@thekrib.com http://lists.thekrib.com/mailman/listinfo/gsas-member _______________________________________________ GSAS-Member mailing list GSAS-Member@thekrib.com http://lists.thekrib.com/mailman/listinfo/gsas-member