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Aquarium sand and diatoms...
- Thread starter dcurzon
- Start date
A 0.6 pH drop isn't a problem in and of itself, though 0.8-1.0 would be better. The issue is that you really want to be hitting your minimum pH point before the lights come on, and keeping it there until they go off. I would keep your CO2 running until much later in the photo period, and look to start your CO2 three hours before your lights come on.
There has definitely been progress!
The solo Otto, having survived and getting along well with the tiger barbs, has been joined by another 4 and a couple of nerites, and the ottos have done a good job of cleaning up the plants.
This week, the diatoms haven't seemed to have returned. Usually, within a few days of cleaning them off, they are reappearing, but not this time so far.
I seem to have gained a promotion and progressed from ugly diatoms, to green dust algae. This must be a good thing to move on a step 🙂
The solo Otto, having survived and getting along well with the tiger barbs, has been joined by another 4 and a couple of nerites, and the ottos have done a good job of cleaning up the plants.
This week, the diatoms haven't seemed to have returned. Usually, within a few days of cleaning them off, they are reappearing, but not this time so far.
I seem to have gained a promotion and progressed from ugly diatoms, to green dust algae. This must be a good thing to move on a step 🙂
Just a follow up on this..
There are now 5 Otto's and 2 nerites, and they've done a sterling job on cleaning up the plants. They can't seem to quite keep up with the GDA, however I can say I don't seem to have diatoms now.
So over the course of this particular thread, from long term diatoms to GDA instead (but slower developing than the diatoms were) there's been: change of light, change of flow, review of co2, clean up crew (couldn't previously add snails due to a loach), some more plants.
Seeing good growth of plants now.
Hate that white sand still. Tempted to change it...
Thanks everyone
There are now 5 Otto's and 2 nerites, and they've done a sterling job on cleaning up the plants. They can't seem to quite keep up with the GDA, however I can say I don't seem to have diatoms now.
So over the course of this particular thread, from long term diatoms to GDA instead (but slower developing than the diatoms were) there's been: change of light, change of flow, review of co2, clean up crew (couldn't previously add snails due to a loach), some more plants.
Seeing good growth of plants now.
Hate that white sand still. Tempted to change it...
Thanks everyone
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Hello dcurzon,
You can easily add a dark sediment to the top of the sand, or you can gradually take out and replace small sections at a time once a week or so.
GDA is also CO2 related and is also considered to be one of those "life cycle" types that after a while will go away and become dormant. Very unpredictable. The conventional wisdom is to leave it alone for 3-4 weeks and then remove it all when doing a massive water change. Sometimes it requires a second 3-4 week growth/removal.
The pH drop should be 1 unit, so as mentioned, try to turn the gas on earlier.
Cheers,
You can easily add a dark sediment to the top of the sand, or you can gradually take out and replace small sections at a time once a week or so.
GDA is also CO2 related and is also considered to be one of those "life cycle" types that after a while will go away and become dormant. Very unpredictable. The conventional wisdom is to leave it alone for 3-4 weeks and then remove it all when doing a massive water change. Sometimes it requires a second 3-4 week growth/removal.
The pH drop should be 1 unit, so as mentioned, try to turn the gas on earlier.
Cheers,
So a month on from previous post... Excuse the sideways photo! I've not manually cleaned any algae and it's very much under control. Enough to keep the snail (one died so only one remaining) and 5 Otto's happy, but not enough for me to be able to see it without looking very closely.
And as things now seem to be growing, I'm going to leave the sand, at least for now.
Thanks all
And as things now seem to be growing, I'm going to leave the sand, at least for now.
Thanks all
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Just another update, and I still haven't had to clean the tank of any algae 🙂. Although I did run out of co2 a short while ago, it still seems to be going ok.
I have no idea what critters are in there, I occasionally see an armano, and not seen any ottos for a while.
Actually, I need to give it a pretty heavy trim as I can't see anything for the plants now
I have no idea what critters are in there, I occasionally see an armano, and not seen any ottos for a while.
Actually, I need to give it a pretty heavy trim as I can't see anything for the plants now
