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1 month in - struggling with hair algae and die back.

J

J@ffa1975

Seedling
Joined
15 Dec 2020
Messages
4
Location
England
Hi all, fist post so be gentle please 🙂

I added this scape about 4 weeks ago, PRODIBIO AQUAGROWTH SOIL - with a Tropica soil powder cap, KH is 5, I use RO, PH is about 7 - the plants on the wood are showing what looks like Mg deficiency. I also have some small spots of BBA and some tiny GHA forming on the plants that aren't doing so well.

Lights run at 60% for about 4 hours but have an hour ramp up and down each side, I inject Co2 at about 3 bps in to a 200L tank, but I am guessing about 20 to 30L of hardscape and substrate, I run a dosing pump on TNC complete currently at 10ml per day.

Any advise to improve the growth on the Epiphytes, and reducing the brown areas on the algae?

I change about 90L a week with RO using Aquadur to 5 KH.




IMG_6385.jpg
 
Have you drop checker or something else to measure the co2 level, because probably 3 bps is low on 200 litre. I'm injecting a lot more with lower kh on same size aquarium.
 
Ivan Stoyanov said:
Have you drop checker or something else to measure the co2 level, because probably 3 bps is low on 200 litre. I'm injecting a lot more with lower kh on same size aquarium.
Click to expand...

Hi, I do I have been confused by the fact that PH liquid and 2 PH probes both show a PH below 6.8 but my fluid remains blue.
 
My guess is that your Co2 may be insufficient and your light period too short.

Use your Ph probe to do a Ph profile - taking a reading before your co2 comes on, then every 15 mins (if poss) through to lights on, and then continue through the light period. Rule of thumb is you are looking to achieve a 1Ph drop from gas on to lights on, then for the Ph to stay consistently at that point through the light period (or at least not go up). You may have to do this over several days, doing small adjustments to your Co2 each day to get to the point you want (or possibly increasing the time the co2 is on for before lights on). I wouldnt worry if you stop being able to count bubbles. Just keep a close eye on your fish behaviour, and ease back if it gets odd.

It may be counter intuitive, but a 4 hour light period could also be unhelpful in that the plants simply arent getting enough light to thrive.

Maybe try adjusting the co2 first, then once you have that nailed think about the light.
 
Thanks, I'll do that today with the PH and try and get that dialed in, my PH on start up was 6,9, I dont really want to drop to 5.9ph though, what would you advise?

Co2 came on an hour before lights.
 
I suggest to add enough surface agitation and after this start upping co2 till the fish are little stressed. When you reach this, just back the co2 a little back and this must be ok. Aim to reach the max drop before lights on, it can take a week to reach optimal levels, but it's ok.
 
Hi all,
J@ffa1975 said:
I do I have been confused by the fact that PH liquid and 2 PH probes both show a PH below 6.8 but my fluid remains blue.
Click to expand...
The drop checker solely measures the amount of dissolved CO2, other acids or bases in the water don't have any effect on it. Because it has the air gap only gases can diffuse across that gap. Have a look at <"CO2 relationship to KH">.
J@ffa1975 said:
my PH on start up was 6,9, I dont really want to drop to 5.9ph though, what would you advise?
Click to expand...
I'm <"not a CO2 user">, but there is an explanation in <"Why advise a 1pH.....">, which links to @Jose comments in <"Question about pressurised...."> (towards the bottom of the page).

cheers Darrel
 
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