Hi all, this is my first post here!
On one of my scapes (photo below following a recent trim) I have been experimenting switching between the pictured spin pipe and a standard lily pipe. EVERY time I switch to the standard lily pipe I begin getting staghorn algae and some bba, particularly on areas in the flow - the cyperus helferi suffers the worst but it also appears on the trident fern, the mosses and the hygrophila pinnatifida.
However, when I use the spin pipe, the algae's largely clear up, whilst the scape is not entirely algae-free (I still get some staghorn in the moss-covered black lava rocks which I suspect are trapping detritus), it seems to almost disappear elsewhere - the cyperus is a well known algae magnet on older leaves, yet mine is now spotless and in great health.
But when I then change back to the lily pipe I start getting algae again? I've adjusted the position of the CO2 accordingly with the change of pipes and ensure the dropchecker reads appropriate levels. I maintain the same fertilisation and maintenance routine each time.
The tank is only 60cm x 30cm x 30cm (54 litres) for reference.
It really confuses me, my understanding is that sufficient flow is a key factor in algae prevention and yet it seems to be a direct trigger for me?
Any suggestions on why this is would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks!
On one of my scapes (photo below following a recent trim) I have been experimenting switching between the pictured spin pipe and a standard lily pipe. EVERY time I switch to the standard lily pipe I begin getting staghorn algae and some bba, particularly on areas in the flow - the cyperus helferi suffers the worst but it also appears on the trident fern, the mosses and the hygrophila pinnatifida.
However, when I use the spin pipe, the algae's largely clear up, whilst the scape is not entirely algae-free (I still get some staghorn in the moss-covered black lava rocks which I suspect are trapping detritus), it seems to almost disappear elsewhere - the cyperus is a well known algae magnet on older leaves, yet mine is now spotless and in great health.
But when I then change back to the lily pipe I start getting algae again? I've adjusted the position of the CO2 accordingly with the change of pipes and ensure the dropchecker reads appropriate levels. I maintain the same fertilisation and maintenance routine each time.
The tank is only 60cm x 30cm x 30cm (54 litres) for reference.
It really confuses me, my understanding is that sufficient flow is a key factor in algae prevention and yet it seems to be a direct trigger for me?
Any suggestions on why this is would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks!
