Algae

[MHunt]

I've noticed something interesting recently which has happened with both of my planted tropical tanks. Both are pretty low tech planted tanks, basic internal filtration and normal heating average lighting supplied by standard flourescent tubes. My 60cm has a pea gravel substrate, and my 10 gal nano has a soil gravel mix, both tanks are dosed with king british ferts every couple of weeks or so.

When the tanks were first set up I didn't have a problem with algae, then as the weeks went by I eventually succumbed to large amounts of green hair algae growing in the tank. It needed regular removal as it became unsightly and took up much of the spare room in the tank. But eventually it all disappeared, in the 60cm I put it down to a phosphate bag that I put in to remove nitrates. But in the nano I haven't got round to any of that and have only used the plant ferts.

has anyone else noticed this or has an explanation why this happens? My only thought is as the tank matures (something quite different to filter maturation I know) the tank eventually gets it's own balance that means the algae no longer has the conditions or what it needs to grow. Perhaps a ray of light for the other low tech planted fishkeepers struggling with algae.

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Yes your algae is very common when tanks are first set up and then it goes away by itself over time. The reason for this is because the plants are not yet fully established and this gives a foot hold to the algae. Once the plants gets going though they then outcompete the algae so it dies off. Hair algae is normally the one that comes about at this stage.

One thing though. If you have a planted tank you do not really want to be removing phosphate and nitrate as the plants need this as well.

 

[MHunt]

One thing though. If you have a planted tank you do not really want to be removing phosphate and nitrate as the plants need this as well.

TBH the phosphate bag has been in that long it's probably stopped working. I just don't want to take it out and loose the surface area it's probably providing to the bio filter. The fluval 2's not really good for using loose media in the middle such as ceramic bio rings etc.

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Thats true. One thing I have done with the fluval internal filters in the past is to cut the midle platic peice up so you only have the bottom piece (that clicks into the outter shell). Then you can put in bags of bioballs/bio-rings or whatever else you want). You do lose the mechnical side of the filtration though from the pads.