BGA and KNO3 dosing

[Anonymous]

Thanks CeeJay. I'm not all that concerned, but thanks. If things didnt go wrong from time to time I wouldn't enjoy the challenge so much and would probably lose interest. Actually Ive been running these high levels since I first started having issues about a year ago. Its only now I started to really push the dosing levels up. It does really throw my fert purity and the supplier into doubt though. I'm going to run outrageously high levels for a while then switch to lower dosing. Over time of course. I like to experiment. You have to fail a a bit to learn anything sometimes. Surely if it was all that easy we would all move on to something else?
My bga isnt that bad really, but would like to get to the bottom of the issue, Its not the only problem i'm getting my vallis is stunted and not very pretty, but never tried it before. In fact I had more luck with some of the supposedly difficult species. I think plant mass plays a factor as well, I'm running fairly low light, so growth is slow. Ive experimented with ridiculous light levels as well and found the maximum sustainable levels I could run in my little tank.
So always learning something. My biggest mistake was upping the light after a re-plant from 11W to 30W. That triggered my outbreak so was my own fault. Ive always upped the light much slower with a new setup and never had problems, so again I learn something.

Thankyou

 

[Anonymous]

Fairly interesting development. Have seen some new and exciting Algae in my tank last 3 nights. Yippee.
Here's a description.
Short strands about 2mm long of what appears to be filamentous algae flying around in the current, bright green. Doesnt appear to settle on any plants just in the water column. Its only visible towards the end of the lighting period and the tank becomes full of it. By morning its gone and have crystal clear water again. But I think its dying and leaving itself draped all over the folliage. Annoying but never seen anything like it before.
So question is Have I succeeded in creating this with the overdosing? Seeing, as its only present in the water column... So far.
Co2 is maxxed out, cant believe its that, light levels are really not high at all as it is a single bulb suspended way above the water line, and there's not been much in the way of ambient light either, cos its very cloudy.
I can only conclude that this is a result of the very high nutrient levels, at the moment. But not enough data yet. I might try taking the levels down again, then ramping them up to see if I can induce it again.

 

[Anonymous]

I think Excessive nutrients may inhibit uptake of co2. High levels of either nitrate or phosphate definitely having a negative effect on plant health. Bga, Gda and weird slime. Co2 levels appear to peak with fish gasping at much lower settings than im used to using. Lack of pearling, cloudy water.
Have done a couple of massive water changes and dosing just 5 ppm nitrate 1ppm phosphate per day also reduced trace by 1/5th. Water has cleared up already and bga gone again. Had to turn co2 up as drop checker has gone from yellow to dark green! Interesting. Will let you know what happens.

 

[Anonymous]

Bga has vanished below the substrate line now as well. So what is going on? Its too early to tell I know and this is hardly what you could call a controlled experiment. I take back what I said earlier about the high levels deffinitely having a detrimental effect. Im to fond of tinkering with settings and light to get any conclusive results.

 

[CeeJay]

Hi bcoldwine

Bga has vanished below the substrate line now as well. So what is going on?

Looks like you've finally found the level of KNO3 that does the job .
With regards to one of your previous observations.

I think Excessive nutrients may inhibit uptake of co2. High levels of either nitrate or phosphate definitely having a negative effect on plant health.

I have dosed high levels of both and have never seen this 'negative effect'.
I tend to think of it like this. The order of hierarchy in a planted tank goes something like this.
Light > CO2 > Ferts, in that order.
Light drives the CO2 demand and to sustain the additional growth your plants require more ferts.
So ferts are at the wrong end of the chain to affect the plants uptake of CO2.

 

[Anonymous]

Your right of course, anything could have caused the effects I was seeing. It was a bit premature to suspect the ferts. It was interesting that lowering the levels seemed to have cured most of the issues though.
Anyway, I shall cease the tinkering and conlude this problem solved...For now anyway.
Thankyou all

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

.... CO2 levels appear to peak with fish gasping at much lower settings than im used to using. ...

I think this may be caused by the increased COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand), so in this case it is decreased O2, rather than a direct CO2 effect.

Another possibility is that salty water can hold less oxygen, but this is a small effect until you get to quite high conductivities.

cheers Darrel