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Hi all, Would the Eheim one work? <"EHEIM Vorfilter"> These would help to some degree, but I'd really want to stop the external filter picking up the saw-dust etc. I definitely don't want that inside the filter. It doesn't matter that the saw-dust etc. doesn't have a high <"Biochemical...

Hi all, That may well be where the problem lies. The build up of organic debris is likely to be <"inside the filter">. I'm a <"great pre-filter fan">. It <"was some issues"> with Panaque spp. keeping that originally led me down thinking more about <"the oxygen and nitrification">. I've gone...

Hi all, You can use a horticultural fertiliser, <"it is a lot cheaper"> and a bit more <"plug and play"> than making your own complete mix from the base chemicals. This is a nutrient calculator: <"Nutrient Dosing Calculator">, we also have super-duper UKAPS one <"IFC Aquarium Fertilizer...

Hi all, Do you have a pre-filter on the intake? cheers Darrel

Hi all, The flocculant (from the aluminium sulphate addition) is aluminium hydroxide (Al(OH)3) <"High flux water purification using aluminium hydroxide hydrate gels">, which forms the wall paper paste like gel (coagulant), in harder water. I'll be honest I can't imagine any use for it...

Hi all, I really don't know, but it has to be one or the other. "Death by luxury uptake" is quite common in higher plants. As well as PO4--- <"in Protea spp."> etc, it is one of the problems of ferrous iron in water logged soils...

Hi all, Not really, I'd guess that it is less prevalent in soft water. This might help, apparently they are used as model organisms, so there are culture details <"Coleochaete | Haseloff Lab:"> Cheers Darrel

Hi all, Because of the colour it could conceivably be a Red Algae (something like <"Hildenbrandia">), but it is likely to be <"Green spot Algae"> (Choleochaete), these are calcified and difficult to remove. I just get a little bit of this (where sunlight strikes the corner of the tank in the...

Hi all, It is lovely, if it was a "new" plant everyone would want it. cheers Darrel

Hi all, I have <"Ramshorn snails (Planorbela duryi)"> in all the tanks, and I think the only places where I ever get BBA are places <"where they can't graze">. Have a look at <"BBA on high tech tank!">. I'm a great believer in a picture being worth a thousand words, so here is my (Eric...

Hi all, I agree with @Wookii , we don't know what causes BBA, but I'd be surprised if any of those were that relevant. We have a couple of long, but inconclusive, threads <"What exactly causes BBA?"> & <"What exactly causes BBA? Part 2 - Bacterial imbalance"> cheers Darrel

Hi all, I think it is an encrusting Red Algae (Rhodophyta), but not the coralline one <"Pneophyllum cetinaensis - Wikipedia">, below. I think the Coralline Algae (I've never seen the freshwater one) are all more pink, probably because the white calcium carbonate (CaCO3) masking the red...

Hi all, It is an encrusting Red Algae (Hildenbrandia) <"Large Dark Red Spots">, but I don't think it is calcified. Personally <"I really like like it">, and I wish any of these would grow for me <"Thorea Hispida - I think??"> & <"Plant (?) identification - NAME FOUND - Caloglossa!"> Have a...

Hi all, Welcome to UKAPS. Can we have a picture? Difficult with "Green Algae" like Cladophora, they belong to the <"same clade as all the higher plants">, and share the <"same basic physiology and photosystems">. The easiest way to think of them is as "plants you don't want". Reduced plant...

Hi all, <"It Is">. I'd buy it, and I wish I was battling it, it is lovely. Red Algae (Rhodophyta) are <"difficult to control">, and not much eats them, but they often <"spontaneously detach"> for reasons unknown. We think that Ramshorn Snail grazing works long term, because <"they graze of...

Hi all, A paper has come my way that looks at this in a freshwater context, it is a wastewater paper, so it isn't entirely relevant to aquariums, but it is a "planted tank" paper: cheers Darrel

Hi all, Those are <"filamentous diatoms"> (Fragilaria (Synedra) spp.) . They will go away in time. Cheers Darrel

Hi all, I'm not a CO2 user, but do you have CO2 bubbles in the tank (I think I can see them in the photo)? That would tell you a little bit about flow. Assuming the flow is pretty good, personally I would just go low-tech, where the <"large gas exchange surface works to your advantage">, in...

Hi all, You will have to add a relatively large amount of CO2, purely because of your tank architecture with a large surface area to volume ratio. cheers Darrel

Hi all, Sorry to hear that. We think that Aroids (Bucephalandra, Cryptocoryne, Anubias, Schismatoglottis spp.) are prone to melting new set ups partially because of their <"inability to survive high ammonia levels">. cheers Darrel

Hi all, I'd probably see how that goes first before changing anything else. If you still aren't happy in a month's time? I'd carry on feeding the plants, just start by halving? the volume of fertiliser added. Your plants can only make use of the extra CO2 you've added if the mineral nutrients...

Hi all, What @PARAGUAY says. Just ignore whatever the <"phosphate (PO4---) test"> tells you, you can get reasonably accurate values via semi-quantitative titrimetric methods (something like the <"JBL low range test kit">), but they still don't tell you anything useful. Silicate content is a...

Hi all, Same for me. I still don't think there is anything <"fundamentally wrong with the tank">. My suggestion would still be <"just watch the plants"> and change some water for a while and see what happens. If you go back through <"the thread">, then the OP has changed <"all sorts of...

Hi all, You just need a suitable mix of nutrients. Plants don't care where that potassium (K+) ion came from, it is exactly the same as every other potassium ion, <"there aren't any special ADA ions">. It just means that <"conditions are suitable for plant growth"> and your plant health looks...

Hi all, It is just gorgeous. I wondered about that, but I couldn't find anything suitable. I've seen <"Spongilla lacustris - Wikipedia"> which is the right colour, but not the right shape. It appears to show dichotomous branching, so possibly a Liverwort? or a Lichen, pretty sure I've never...

Hi all, @LightingBamboozled suggestion or I use a <"big sponge block"> or you can use Eheim's ugly, but effective, prefilter <"EHEIM Vorfilter"> - <"Talk to me about filtration"> cheers Darrel

Hi all, The black "algae" is Cyanobacteria, it is also <"pearling on your substrate">. What <"filter media do you have in your filter">? I'll be honest I would never run a canister filter without an <"intake pre-filter sponge">. cheers Darrel

Hi all, It does look awesome, but I have absolutely no idea what it is. I'm pretty sure I've never seen anything quite like that. The chantransia form of Montagnia macrospora (a red algae) possibly look closest <"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/edn3.139">. I like the...

Hi all, You can combine any <"dosing regime"> with the <"Duckweed Index">. Although they are <"very different in their methodologies"> both <"Estimative"> & <"Duckweed"> Indices were "designed" to do away with the requirement for water testing. I use <"lean dosing">, but if you look at...

Hi all, We have a thread on cloning ADA fertilisers <"Mixing ferts to resemble ADA lineup">. All <"you need to ask"> the ADA fanboys is: If they can give you a <"scientifically coherent answer">? I'll go and buy the entire ADA range of fertilisers. cheers Darrel

Hi all, That would be the sort of level you are looking for for your datum value in the tank, somewhere around 150 microS. You just need to watch plant growth (as long as that is OK), if the conductivity value keeps creeping up, change a little more water (just with RO water) or add a little...

Hi all, You are <"remineralising your tank"> to a <"much greater level than you need">. You can just add a very small volume <"of tap water">, I'd aim for~ 50 microS when your water is "remineralised". Then add your fertiliser and see what conductivity value you get. That is your datum...

Hi all, I'm guessing that if it does work (and I'd be in the dubious camp) that the acetic (ethanoic) acid (CH₃COOH) content isn't particularly relevant. There isn't much you can pin down from the blurb <"Algae Control">, which partially why I'm dubious. The vinegar (or vodka) dosing is to...

Hi all, It maybe the lack of water changes. I like <"regular low volume water changes">, others will prefer a larger volume weekly change. I honestly wouldn't worry too much. I'd follow @John q 's advice and add @Karacticus / @GHNelson's <"floating"> or floated stem plants <"Using stem plants...

Hi all, <"That isn't true">, have a look at @Roland 's tank, plants and parameters <"Soft water tank">. That is quite a high value, the only thing you might need to add is some calcium (Ca), if you don't add any all ready? cheers Darrel

Hi all, Yes <"Java Fern Help">. You can plant them. Good, that sounds really promising. Good advice I think. cheers Darrel

Hi all, Years ago I had a Black-Neon Tetra (Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi – Black Neon Tetra — Seriously Fish) with a large internal tumour, she was still just about able to swim and eat, but it had distorted her entire body. Eventually I knew I had to euthanize her, but she was too small to...

Hi all, That must be a possibility with <"CRISPR - Wikipedia"> and I know where we could get the genes from - <"Bullia digitalis - Wikipedia">. Although a thought occurs, that you might really want a non-surfing Ramshorn snail? In which case I've already got them and <"they just need...

Hi all, Definitely, who needs <"Karl Popper>? In fact a <"business opportunity"> may beckon. Tangentially I read an "interesting" article about Donald Tr*mp and lying and people's perception of it, where it said that it doesn't matter that he is lying, because he is sincere in his belief in...

Hi all, It is just conjecture, but the only places I I tend to get any <"Black Brush Algae"> (BBA) are places where the <"flow is very fast"> (outlets of powerheads etc) or <"on filter sponges">. I don't have any proof (or tanks without snails) but I think that lack of grazing by Ramshorn...

Hi all, I don't think natural light will be an issue now, even if it was in the summer. Cheers Darrel

Hi all, It is really difficult to say. In terms of their photosynthetic pigments and basic physiology the green algae are the same <"as all the higher plants">, so what suits the plants you want also suits the plants (algae, but still plants) you don't want. I'd try removing as much of the...

Hi all, Probably wise. I'd still try the Amazon Frogbit and see what it looks like after ~2 weeks cheers Darrel

Hi all, Do you dilute your tap water with RO or rain water? If you don't? I'd ignore the tank values you've recorded, because they are very, very different from the tap water values. If you did have a source of less salty water you could use in the tank? It is likely to help. I'm not going...

Hi all, How do you feel about snails? <"I'm a fan"> and they will help with the green algae. I also think you may have problems with your fertiliser, some-one will know, but I think you might need <"a bit more"> when you are adding CO2. I think we are somewhere in <"Liebig's limiting...

Hi all, Both, I think filamentous diatoms, <"Fragilaria / Synedra">. Cheers Darrel

Hi all, You can use an "all in one" mix from Tropica, TNC etc. You just need one that contains all the essential plant nutrients. I use a horticultural fertiliser "Solufeed 2 : 1 : 4". Cheers Darrel

Hi all, Yes, that is one of the ways that "phosphate strippers" work at wastewater plants <"How to Remove Phosphorus from Wastewater | SSI Aeration">. A continual dose of iron (ferric) chloride (FeCl2.6H2O) is introduced into the wastewater stream and iron phosphates precipitate out. You...

Hi all, That would be my guess. It is also my guess for why <"increasing phosphate (PO4---) levels"> reduces GSA. It would take longer for <"this to show in the Frogbit">, compared to the algae. cheers Darrel

Hi all, Amano shrimps will, along with some fish <"Algae eaters in the aquarium - | Aquasabi">. cheers Darrel

Hi all, Green Algae (Chlorophyta) are difficult to control, because they share <"the same photosystems, and basic physiology">, as all the higher plants. If you like they are all "plants", just some are <"plants you want"> and some are "plants you don't want". cheers Darrel

Hi all, That is one of the problems with the deficiencies of the non-mobile plant nutrients (the ones that effect new leaves) it is only new leaves that are healthy. Are you still using the same chelate? If you are? More of it won't help because the iron (Fe) is, almost becoming non-available...

Hi all, OK <"Chemiclean - Chemi-pure Advanced Aquarist Products">. Even if we work from the assumption that Chemiclean does what it says on the label, it is still going to "not work" in the longer term because cyanobacteria have the <"ability to grow incredibly quickly"> and the tank...

Hi all, Definitely cyanobacteria. A bit of a strange question, but which <"media do you have in your filter">? I'd try syphoning, but it is a short term fix, like all the things you've tried already. This is a strange one, because your plants are showing signs of a deficiency of one of the...

Hi all, Certainly does <"20g Round Pellia (Susswassertang) | Shrimpland">. I like it, it suits my <"hands off"> style, but it possibly isn't a plant for those who like neat and tidy, or planned scapes, as it gets absolutely everywhere. cheers Darrel

Hi all, I think that is the idea <"Black-out treatment - | Aquasabi">. That is where I'm coming from, basically concentrate on plant health. It is <"back to the coffee, not the froth"> argument. I've already typed this so I'll leave it in, but what @Andy Pierce says Because we think that...

Hi all, I'll be honest I'm not a black-out fan, I'd always trade healthy plant growth for everything else. cheers Darrel

Hi all, Yes, it is a mad idea, why would you want to add lots of copper (Cu) to your tank? I think that has hit the nail on the head. Those are really the problems we face, <"a nuanced answer">, couched <"in neutral terms">, is actually <"less likely to find favour"> with the "general...

Hi all, Why is he <"mucking about with biocides">? He really needs a <"machine gun">. You might be interested in Tom Barr's @plantbrain comments in this thread <"Ecological Stoichiometry & Algae.">. @Brenmuk asks the invertebrate question later in that same thread <"Ecological Stoichiometry...

Hi all, This is in sea water, but I'm going to guess equally applicable to fresh water. <"https://aquafishcrsp.oregonstate.edu/sites/aquafishcrsp.oregonstate.edu/files/boyd2014silicondiatoms_gaa.pdf">. cheers Darrel

Hi all, I'm a diatom fan, particularly of Bacillaria paradoxa, the "slide rule" diatom. The persistent, and species specific, diatom frustule means that they can be used for all sorts of things, <"forensics">, <"climate and habitat reconstruction"> and as a <"trophic index">. True. All...

Hi all, It is a <"bit strange with ppm TDS">. We actually measure the conductivity (in microS) and this is a measure of all ions (charged particles) in solution. Rather than there being <"an absolute value">, everyone <"will start with a different datum value"> and then you just look for...

Hi all, It is another Ref Algae (Rhodophyta), <"Compsopogon caeruleus">. Yes, we think that Staghorn "outbreaks" may be caused by <"high levels of organic pollution">, which may originate from <"thick biofilms in the filter">. Cheers Darrel

Hi all, So do I. Cheers Darrel

Hi all, I have a monitor (rather than just a phone) and it is <"definitely BBA">. No, that is Instagram. I actually belong to a few FB groups and the insect, and local nature ones, are quite good. Having said that most of the fish ones I've glanced at have made very grisly reading, although...

Hi all, But you are going to get quality, if not quantity. Yes, a combination of <"more light"> and <"less nitrogen (N)"> Do you have <"Amano shrimps">? Another new one for me <"Seachem - Flourish Advance"> and it looks like another <"Seachem classic">. That should be better, but you might...

Hi all, @oreo57 is probably your best bet for an answer. I use a <"floating plant as my nutrient canary"> mainly because they have access to atmospheric CO2, but they also <"perform net curtain duties">. Very difficult to get a consensus, I tend to look a the areas where <"I have some...

Hi all, You definitely got a point. You usually only get <"cyanobacteria (BGA) outbreaks"> in fairly new tanks, tanks that aren't stable. Have a look at <"Seasoned Tank Time">. You might be interested in <"Dr Timothy Hovanec's comments about Bacterial supplements">. Other people will differ...

Hi all, Then you don't need to remineralise your RO water, the dissolution of the limestone (CaCO3) will add <"1 : 1 dGH : dKH"> and you are going to add magnesium (Mg) with your fertiliser. I only used foraged wood, but things like <"proper bogwood"> and <"oak heartwood"> last pretty much...

Hi all, Diagnosing nutrient deficiencies is difficult, but it is usually iron (Fe) deficiency that causes pale new leaves, because <"iron isn't mobile within the plant">. The problem with iron is keeping it plant available. Because of this we supply iron chelated, but some chelators are...

Hi all, I think some of the issue is your hard London tap water, but I think the amount of phosphate (PO4---) is a red herring. I think that plant growth is compromised <"by lack of available iron (Fe)"> and iron deficiency is much more likely in hard, alkaline water. If you look at the new...

Hi all, That is much more dGH than you need. There isn't really any advantage to using RO if you are going to then add a lot of calcium (Ca) to it. Magnesium (Mg) you are adding with your fertiliser already. Plants don't actually need much calcium. I'm guessing not. Plants need all <"fourteen...

Hi all, I can do <"much better"> (worse really) than that. cheers Darrel

Hi all, On one level they are much the same, because plants can only take up nutrients as ions, charged particles in solution. This means that <"every nitrate ion (NO3-)"> is the same as every other one, they don't know which fertiliser they came from, or <"how much it cost">. I'm using...

Hi all, That one is <"Nile Cabbage"> (Pistia stratiotes). Cheers Darrel

Hi all, I'm still none the wiser. I'm away for the next ~ ten days, but when I'm back I'll try and have a trawl through the scientific literature. One of the problems I had (before) was that it doesn't always state how the CO2 value was measured, and often it has been estimated via some other...

Hi all, That is definitely <"Thorea hispida">. cheers Darrel

Hi all, I'd look on those three (along with <"Asellus aquaticus">) as the <"essential no maintenance"> <"tank janitors">, that every tank should have. I wouldn't ever have had a tank without a floating plant (and I'm obviously a <"Frogbit obsessive">) or <"moss"> and now I wouldn't have a...

Hi all, They definitely work over time. I always have Ramshorn snails now (since 2008, and possibly before that), so I can't remember what the original time scale was. All of my tanks have some mulm, but they also have a lot of oxygen, so I'm working on the theory that that <"doesn't...

Hi all, It grows in high flow areas in my low tech tanks, I think this is because there are areas which the Ramshorn snails <"can't reach to graze">. It is also really common in <"high flow non-planted tanks">, where CO2 obviously isn't in use, but a lot of air bubbles are present. This is...

Hi all, That is what we need, the <"voice of reason">. Cows come in a range of colours naturally and you have Wagyu beef for the ADA disciples. You could sell both H2O2 or glutaraldehyde etc (suitably diluted and re-labelled) and the Cow as a kit. I think <"Dragon's Den may beckon for both of...

Hi all, Bearing in mind that I have no sense of aesthetics, and I am incredibly lazy, I'd say that a <"green patina"> is the natural look. All be honest, I like that as well. If I kept <"non-planted" tanks"> I would look at <"BBA as a real plus point">. The major problem would be it is...

Hi all, Possibly dependent on your water, but I had Ramshorn (Planorbella duryi), Tadpole (Physella acuta) and Malaysian Trumpet Snails (Melanoides tuberculata) in mind. These (above) are the snails often referred to as "pest snails", because they maintain self perpetuating populations. I...

Hi all, Sometimes you have to be <"a brave person"> to say that. Personally I don't recommend <"cycling with ammonia for planted tanks">, and I don't really believe in non-cycled / cycled <"as a binary switch"> between "not fish safe" and "fish safe". cheers Darrel

Hi all, That one. Have a look at <"Seasoned Tank Time">. I'm a snail fan, so I would be tempted to <"add some "tough" snails"> now. cheers Darrel

Hi all, The water quality page is here, you just type in your postcode: <"Public Water Supply Zone Information">. For "LN1 AB" (random first Lincoln post code I found) the NO3 level was ~25mg / L (ppm). cheers Darrel

Hi all, You will have quite a lot of nitrate (NO3-) in your tap water, particularly at this time of year the value could be near the drinking water limit of 50 ppm. It is the nutrients in your tap water that have allowed to your plants to keep growing. Probably will do the trick. Another...

Hi all, @alex_l that honestly looks fine, I'd actually look at the green algae as quite a good sign. Because it is quite a recently set up tank have a look at <"seasoned tank time">. <"It (green algae) is a "plant"> and it just shows that you have all the requirements for plant growth. I'd...

Hi all, I should have said that I don't think that the sensitivity to nitrogen levels of "Red Root Floater" (Phyllanthus fluitans) outweighs <"the problems with not being able to see iron (Fe) deficiency etc."> as clearly in a plant with red leaves. Potentially a mixture of Limnobium...

Hi all, That is useful to know, I might <"have another go with it">. Other people have actually suggested it as <"an alternative plant"> for an improved "Duckweed Index". You might be interested in my experience with <"Azolla">, where I had the brilliant idea of the students squashing the...

Hi all, I'm pretty sure it doesn't, but it may well be to <"do with tank stability">, but we can't easily measure that as a parameter, we can only estimate it <"from visual clues">. In terms of <"the cycle"> and <"cycling"> I just don't think they are particularly useful terms, mainly because...

Hi all, I've thought about it a lot, but the only two options I can think of are; luxury uptake of phosphate ions (PO4---) leading to cell death and shortage of available iron (Fe++(+)) leading to cell death. Cheers Darrel

Hi all, Because I try and avoid ever breaking down the tanks etc. they are all "old", so I don't have a time scale That really would be a long time ago, but I still get <"algae outbreaks">, usually <"Green algae"> (other than the <"BBA on the sponges">, which <"come and goes"> <"to its own...

Hi all, No, just <"add it all the time">. Once you are <"happy with plant growth">, so that you have a stable bottom line, you can start reducing (or increasing) nutrient levels if you feel you need to. We don't know why raising phosphate (PO4---) levels works to control Green Spot Algae...

Hi all, That is the only place I ever get it in the tanks, <"an occasional "smear" on"> the Nile Cabbage (Pistia stratiotes) leaves. I haven't <"seen very often since">, most recently in the "total lack of maintenance" lab. tanks in <"times of COVID">. I'd try that. I actually took the Pistia...

Hi all, The major problem I have is <"one of cost">, this is water, a plastic bottle and a dilute solution of some relatively cheap salts <"magically transformed"> by the power of the word <"Aquarium">. I'm sure they both work, but I'm going to suggest there are other options <"that work as...

Hi all, They will go away eventually, have a look at <"seasoned tank time">. Yes just wait, I know it doesn't sound very proactive, but it works. I have <"snails in my tanks"> and they definitely help with all algae. Same again just <"ignore the silicon level">. The <"unscrupulous...

Hi all, Yes. You'll need to be a little bit careful with it, because it <"contains some ammonia (NH3)">. cheers Darrel

Hi all, I'd probably dose at least a minimal amount of a complete nutrient solution. Nothing like EI, but a definite trickle. If you are adding CO2 the plants can't make use of it unless the mineral nutrients are available. Your plants won't be CO2 limited, but one of the mineral nutrients...

Hi all, Nile Cabbage (Pistia stratiotes), Azolla filiculoides or Salvinia ariculata group would all work as a floating plant, they are found on Lake Tanganyika as "invasive aliens". <"http://www.invasep.eu/Invasive plant from Tanganika Lake 2012-048.pdf">. Once you've introduced Pistia...