Plant deficiencies and the Fe Experiment

[Happi]

In fact, studies have shown that Fe can be dosed up to approximately 13ppm before becoming toxic to plants.

where can I find this study for Under Water plant?

So there's plenty of empirical evidence that there is no connection.

BBA is more closely related to poor/unstable CO2 uptake.

Evidence should be taken from both sides, one with BBA and one without BBA while using the same method (in this case EI method) and so far the Evidence does suggest that there are Many/More EI users with BBA issues. I don't think we should ignore those 50 people with BBA when only 5 of them didn't have BBA. if those 50 people were to use different method and gets rid of BBA, then that would be a strong evidence to support.

BBA is more closely related to poor/unstable CO2 uptake.

if this was the case, then tank using high lights and no CO2 will be subject to BBA. if anything, I find more evidence that such system were free from BBA.

BTW, many people also get BBA when their aquarium become soda stream and lack O2. such system have a negative affect on different kind of bacteria and such system are prone to more kinds of algae.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Excess Iron, Lots of CO2 and Acidic substrate are some good conditions to grow BBA.

We just don't know what <"causes BBA"> (Audouinella spp.) outbreaks, or why the algae <"sometimes detaches"> for no apparent reason, although it may be linked to <"alternation of generations">. There are some microscope images here: <"What exactly causes BBA?">

Anecdotally the <"best BBA"> I've ever seen was the <"Gorilla Fake fur"> in a local pet shop. Our water is hard, and the tanks had a pea gravel substrate, but they may never have changed any water.

I watch this one quite often (originally posted by @zozo), I'm not interested in the fish, but the algae is just mesmerising.



cheers Darrel

 

[Happi]

Hi all,

We just don't know what <"causes BBA"> (Audouinella spp.) outbreaks, or why the algae <"sometimes detaches"> for no apparent reason, although it may be linked to <"alternation of generations">. There are some microscope images here: <"What exactly causes BBA?">

Anecdotally the <"best BBA"> I've ever seen was the <"Gorilla Fake fur"> in a local pet shop. Our water is hard, and the tanks had a pea gravel substrate, but they may never have changed any water.

I watch this one quite often (originally posted by @zozo), I'm not interested in the fish, but the algae is just mesmerising.



cheers Darrel

Darrel, I believe you misunderstood my post.

"Excess Iron, Lots of CO2 and Acidic substrate are some good conditions to grow BBA."

This is a most common condition for EI dosed aquarium. Even under hard water setups, the BBA was mostly commonly found when Iron was present in excessive amounts, BBA was fairly common in such setups where Iron gluconate was used, such as seachem Iron.

Ammonium/Urea has very little to do with BBA, atleast in my experience. I haven't seen any BBA outbreaks in my aquariums for very long time now. The primary thing I changed was Iron and Micros.

 

[Wookii]

Darrel, I believe you misunderstood my post.

"Excess Iron, Lots of CO2 and Acidic substrate are some good conditions to grow BBA."

This is a most common condition for EI dosed aquarium. Even under hard water setups, the BBA was mostly commonly found when Iron was present in excessive amounts, BBA was fairly common in such setups where Iron gluconate was used, such as seachem Iron.

Ammonium/Urea has very little to do with BBA, atleast in my experience. I haven't seen any BBA outbreaks in my aquariums for very long time now. The primary thing I changed was Iron and Micros.

Personally I suspect the iron, or indeed fert dosing at all, is a red herring in direct relation to BBA, as is the acidic substrate (I've seen it in plenty of tanks with sand/gravel). I would agree is seems to like higher CO2 areas though.

For me BBA predominently appears with excessive organic waste material in the water column. Darrel's favourite video above is a prefect example - I would assume there is 'zero' fert dosing or iron in that tank, but a huge organic loading with all those large predators in the tank.

Commonly in the tanks with BBA that you see on this forum, that organic loading comes from some deterioration in plant health (rotting leaves etc) or insufficient maintenance/water changes, whatever those reasons may be.

I've had BBA appear in my own tanks when I have inadvertently let the micro's run out in the auto-doser - there's been a notable deterioration in plant leaf health at the same time - but iron levels would have been (and were) at zero measurable levels (down from their 0.2ppm weekly dosing). It took about two weeks for the BBA to appear, and then about 2 months to disappear on its own once the dosing was back up to speed.