Re: Balance between nutrients, light & CO2

[NetMax]

"Peps" > wrote in message
...
> I have read lots that stresses the importance of balancing nutients,
> light and C02 in a planted aquarium, but little that tells me in simple
> terms how.
>
> My latest 55g aquarium is about a month old, is heavily planted and I
> inject DIY CO2 which measures about 20ppm. My substrate is just gravel,
> into which I push fertiliser tablets, and I add a rotation of different
> liquid fertilisers according to instructions (typically once a week).
My
> lighting is 2 x 4ft and 1 x 18" flouros (I think that is about 100W).
>
> The tank is well and truly cicled. Nitrates and phospates are very low.
>
> The plants are growing really well - no complaints there, but I have
> just begun to the first signs of green algae, and I think brush algae.
> Yes - I have a variety of algae-eating fish including 5 SAEs and a
> (still small) Bristlenose.
>
> I don't think I should be getting the algae at all!, but I suspect that
> given the rate of the plants growth, I am not fertilising enough. (That
> is that there are fish-produced nutrients left over for the algae.
>
> None of the fertiliser manufacturers state different doses depending on
> the density and growth rate of the plants. This seems wrong.
>
> So... what are the signs to look for that indicate under (or over)
> fertilisation? How much should I experiment?
>
> Am I on the right track here?

No manufacturer should indicate dosages as it's empirical. I suggest you
post in r.a.f.plants to draw on their greater depth of experience in
tweaking inputs to control algae.

My less-experienced suggestion would be to stop fertilizing. Everything
will stop growing (or significantly slow) when it has encountered a trace
mineral constraint, and hopefully the algae will be affected before the
plants. Having said that, I usually control brush algae with scissors
;~) cutting off affected leaves (or scrubbing Anubius leaves), but I'm no
expert.

NetMax

[RedForeman ©®]

"NetMax" > wrote in message
. ..
>
> "Peps" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I have read lots that stresses the importance of balancing nutients,
> > light and C02 in a planted aquarium, but little that tells me in simple
> > terms how.
> >
> > My latest 55g aquarium is about a month old, is heavily planted and I
> > inject DIY CO2 which measures about 20ppm. My substrate is just gravel,
> > into which I push fertiliser tablets, and I add a rotation of different
> > liquid fertilisers according to instructions (typically once a week).
> My
> > lighting is 2 x 4ft and 1 x 18" flouros (I think that is about 100W).
> >
> > The tank is well and truly cicled. Nitrates and phospates are very low.
> >
> > The plants are growing really well - no complaints there, but I have
> > just begun to the first signs of green algae, and I think brush algae.
> > Yes - I have a variety of algae-eating fish including 5 SAEs and a
> > (still small) Bristlenose.
> >
> > I don't think I should be getting the algae at all!, but I suspect that
> > given the rate of the plants growth, I am not fertilising enough. (That
> > is that there are fish-produced nutrients left over for the algae.
> >
> > None of the fertiliser manufacturers state different doses depending on
> > the density and growth rate of the plants. This seems wrong.
> >
> > So... what are the signs to look for that indicate under (or over)
> > fertilisation? How much should I experiment?
> >
> > Am I on the right track here?
>
> No manufacturer should indicate dosages as it's empirical. I suggest you
> post in r.a.f.plants to draw on their greater depth of experience in
> tweaking inputs to control algae.
>
> My less-experienced suggestion would be to stop fertilizing. Everything
> will stop growing (or significantly slow) when it has encountered a trace
> mineral constraint, and hopefully the algae will be affected before the
> plants. Having said that, I usually control brush algae with scissors
> ;~) cutting off affected leaves (or scrubbing Anubius leaves), but I'm no
> expert.
>
> NetMax

Ok, let the algae expert speak up.... hahaha....

i'm not really an expert, I just play one on the newsgroups... *(just
kidding about both)*

In my recent expericne, no CO2 meant I got algae, not enough ferts, I got
algae.... Somehow it has dawned on me, that maybe it's nitrAtes.... check
them... get a kit and see... Mine were/are/probably always will be off the
charts... and that s not really good..

[Amit]

I'd try to cut off some ferts for a week or two and even try to raise the
CO2 to 25-30PPM.
Many of those liquid ferts are great for plants but also - yes for algae...
What is the photo period ?
Than go back with the ferts....
How about Amano Shrimp ?

Amit Brucker
www.plantica.com

"NetMax" > wrote in message
. ..
>
> "Peps" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I have read lots that stresses the importance of balancing nutients,
> > light and C02 in a planted aquarium, but little that tells me in simple
> > terms how.
> >
> > My latest 55g aquarium is about a month old, is heavily planted and I
> > inject DIY CO2 which measures about 20ppm. My substrate is just gravel,
> > into which I push fertiliser tablets, and I add a rotation of different
> > liquid fertilisers according to instructions (typically once a week).
> My
> > lighting is 2 x 4ft and 1 x 18" flouros (I think that is about 100W).
> >
> > The tank is well and truly cicled. Nitrates and phospates are very low.
> >
> > The plants are growing really well - no complaints there, but I have
> > just begun to the first signs of green algae, and I think brush algae.
> > Yes - I have a variety of algae-eating fish including 5 SAEs and a
> > (still small) Bristlenose.
> >
> > I don't think I should be getting the algae at all!, but I suspect that
> > given the rate of the plants growth, I am not fertilising enough. (That
> > is that there are fish-produced nutrients left over for the algae.
> >
> > None of the fertiliser manufacturers state different doses depending on
> > the density and growth rate of the plants. This seems wrong.
> >
> > So... what are the signs to look for that indicate under (or over)
> > fertilisation? How much should I experiment?
> >
> > Am I on the right track here?
>
> No manufacturer should indicate dosages as it's empirical. I suggest you
> post in r.a.f.plants to draw on their greater depth of experience in
> tweaking inputs to control algae.
>
> My less-experienced suggestion would be to stop fertilizing. Everything
> will stop growing (or significantly slow) when it has encountered a trace
> mineral constraint, and hopefully the algae will be affected before the
> plants. Having said that, I usually control brush algae with scissors
> ;~) cutting off affected leaves (or scrubbing Anubius leaves), but I'm no
> expert.
>
> NetMax
>
>

[Dunter Powries]

Caridina japonica aren't likely to help with brush algae, if that's the
problem. Neocaridina denticulata might be a better pick.

Whenever I've had black brush algae it's because I've overfertilized iron.
That's the first thing I'd check, anyway.

Here's a link to Arizona Aquatic's shrimp page...
http://www.azgardens.com/shrimpfactory.php


Amit > wrote in message
...
> I'd try to cut off some ferts for a week or two and even try to raise the
> CO2 to 25-30PPM.
> Many of those liquid ferts are great for plants but also - yes for
algae...
> What is the photo period ?
> Than go back with the ferts....
> How about Amano Shrimp ?
>
> Amit Brucker
> www.plantica.com
>
> "NetMax" > wrote in message
> . ..
> >
> > "Peps" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > I have read lots that stresses the importance of balancing nutients,
> > > light and C02 in a planted aquarium, but little that tells me in
simple
> > > terms how.
> > >
> > > My latest 55g aquarium is about a month old, is heavily planted and I
> > > inject DIY CO2 which measures about 20ppm. My substrate is just
gravel,
> > > into which I push fertiliser tablets, and I add a rotation of
different
> > > liquid fertilisers according to instructions (typically once a week).
> > My
> > > lighting is 2 x 4ft and 1 x 18" flouros (I think that is about 100W).
> > >
> > > The tank is well and truly cicled. Nitrates and phospates are very
low.
> > >
> > > The plants are growing really well - no complaints there, but I have
> > > just begun to the first signs of green algae, and I think brush algae.
> > > Yes - I have a variety of algae-eating fish including 5 SAEs and a
> > > (still small) Bristlenose.
> > >
> > > I don't think I should be getting the algae at all!, but I suspect
that
> > > given the rate of the plants growth, I am not fertilising enough.
(That
> > > is that there are fish-produced nutrients left over for the algae.
> > >
> > > None of the fertiliser manufacturers state different doses depending
on
> > > the density and growth rate of the plants. This seems wrong.
> > >
> > > So... what are the signs to look for that indicate under (or over)
> > > fertilisation? How much should I experiment?
> > >
> > > Am I on the right track here?
> >
> > No manufacturer should indicate dosages as it's empirical. I suggest
you
> > post in r.a.f.plants to draw on their greater depth of experience in
> > tweaking inputs to control algae.
> >
> > My less-experienced suggestion would be to stop fertilizing. Everything
> > will stop growing (or significantly slow) when it has encountered a
trace
> > mineral constraint, and hopefully the algae will be affected before the
> > plants. Having said that, I usually control brush algae with scissors
> > ;~) cutting off affected leaves (or scrubbing Anubius leaves), but I'm
no
> > expert.
> >
> > NetMax
> >
> >
>
>