I had issues with Cladophora algae in my last scape and, being a bit silly, I rescued a number of plants from the scape and placed them into my grow-out tub (No.1). Admittedly, they were probably beyond saving and was somewhat fool hardy, but I tried anyways.
The grow out tub(s) have been a bit of an experiment, they are circa 54litre Ikea tubs. I used glass jars (in tub No.1) with Aquasoil to plant groups of plants - rotala's, dwarf hair grass, etc... They all have an air driven sponge filter and, due to a green algea outbreak, a small internal filter with a UV bulb in it (UV was used for c.4 weeks).
Roll on 6-9 months, the first grow out tub is completely algae free. I mean not a dot. Anywhere. If I add plants into it they are clear of algea in a matter of days.
I have 2 other tubs. One that I am using to try and breed CRS (No.2), without much luck, and another which was intended to breed CRS but I've now used it to house plants (No3).
Both the CRS tub and plant holding tub have / had significant amounts of cladophora algae, so what's the difference (other than the time they were set up)?
Snails, I have come to believe is the answer.
Ignoring the CRS tub (No.2), which is for a different use, the third tub was growing worryingly amounts of cladophora algae. I was concerned that it would overwhelm the plants, but in the last 2 weeks its started to recede, significantly. The only thing I've done is to add around 100-200 ramshorn snails.
These clearly hungry buggers have obviously turned to eating it. Tub No.1 housed all my Anubias, Buce, etc and were plastered in Ramshorn snail eggs, which when moved all hatched en-mass. I estimated that at one point it had around 500 snails in it.
I'll get some pics when I do a bit of a clear out tomorrow, but wanted to start a thread to cover the topic.
The grow out tub(s) have been a bit of an experiment, they are circa 54litre Ikea tubs. I used glass jars (in tub No.1) with Aquasoil to plant groups of plants - rotala's, dwarf hair grass, etc... They all have an air driven sponge filter and, due to a green algea outbreak, a small internal filter with a UV bulb in it (UV was used for c.4 weeks).
Roll on 6-9 months, the first grow out tub is completely algae free. I mean not a dot. Anywhere. If I add plants into it they are clear of algea in a matter of days.
I have 2 other tubs. One that I am using to try and breed CRS (No.2), without much luck, and another which was intended to breed CRS but I've now used it to house plants (No3).
Both the CRS tub and plant holding tub have / had significant amounts of cladophora algae, so what's the difference (other than the time they were set up)?
Snails, I have come to believe is the answer.
Ignoring the CRS tub (No.2), which is for a different use, the third tub was growing worryingly amounts of cladophora algae. I was concerned that it would overwhelm the plants, but in the last 2 weeks its started to recede, significantly. The only thing I've done is to add around 100-200 ramshorn snails.
These clearly hungry buggers have obviously turned to eating it. Tub No.1 housed all my Anubias, Buce, etc and were plastered in Ramshorn snail eggs, which when moved all hatched en-mass. I estimated that at one point it had around 500 snails in it.
I'll get some pics when I do a bit of a clear out tomorrow, but wanted to start a thread to cover the topic.
