Dusko's Algae Guide

[SandstoneSturgeon]

This article and the subsequent thread has been THE single most helpful source of info I've found. I'm a low tech/Walstad fan and want to know if the same principles of water changes and dosing apply for my three tanks. I change monthly but have noticed brown algea and hair algea creeping into the: picture. Plant growth has all but stopped. Can I resume weekly 50% WC and dose with sea hem flourish? I know Walstad tanks are not supposed to need this, but I just don't have success without water changes.

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*seachem*

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[dw1305]

Hi all,

I'm a low tech/Walstad fan and want to know if the same principles of water changes and dosing apply for my three tanks. I change monthly but have noticed brown algea and hair algea creeping into the: picture. Plant growth has all but stopped.

Yes, change more water. I'm <"a great Diana Walstad fan">, but I like some water flow (mainly for improved gas exchange) and <"regular water changes">.

and dose with sea hem flourish? I know Walstad tanks are not supposed to need this, but I just don't have success without water changes.

I would go with a complete fertiliser, rather than "Seachem Flourish". Plants need about x10 more nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) than they do phosphorus (P), and more P than any of the other nutrients.

You can either dose 1/10 EI, or you can use the <"Duckweed Index">.

cheers Darrel

 

[sciencefiction]

I went to a local fish shop the weekend. Like Darrel sometimes says, it was growing gorilla fur from the substrate..very little lighting if any, high bioload, many sick fish...BBA everywhere.

What I also find interesting about BBA is that you can move a completely infested plant to a non-BBA tank and in a week no BBA is left on the plant. It magically falls off like it was never there.

I think that whatever increases the bioload, unhealthy plants or too many fish, or dirty substrate, etc.. is the trigger and whatever balances that bioload out is the solution, which can be getting the plants healthy, adding more plants, feeding less, remove fish, clean up more, etc..

 

[Tom Michael]

Yes - however only on anubias, any other softer leaf plants you run the risk of damaging the leaf, which if so I would suggest immediate removal as if it rots in the water this will only contribute to the problem

 

[Hughesy124]

Hi there im new to this! Are inline uvs worthing purchasing to help or not ?

Thanks