FoundMoney
Fish Crazy
Hello fish friends! It's been a long while since I've posted here, which is mostly a good thing. I've had a planted tank established for almost 3 years now. I've had my share of fish deaths and algae problems. For the most part however, the last year has been pretty uneventful. I've had the same fish for a good many months without much changing. The tank just keeps chugging along and I have been extremely busy, which is one of the reasons for the lack of posts.
Over the past few months though I started a new job and have had less time to care for my fish. As such, I've been doing less frequent water changes. My biological filtration is good and I monitor water quality regularly, but instead of weekly water changes they are turning into monthly water changes. I'm looking to reinvigorate myself with this hobby so that should be changing.
However, during this period of relative neglect, my plants have suffered. I've had attacks of hair algae, green fuzzy algae (whatever it's called) and that sinister blue green algae. Because the blue green algae can be toxic to fish this is more of a concern for me. I've stepped up efforts to control it but have resisted using Maracyn or doing a blackout. I have noticed that these things tend to cycle. I no longer have any hair algae although there are traces of the fuzzy stuff still around. I am hoping that stepping up my maintenance to pre-lazy status will also help control the BGA without having to resort to meds or issueing marshall law on my tanked friends.
Now that I'm getting back into the hobby with my original zeal, I've been researching and re-learning with the hopes of becoming an even more skilled fish and plant keeper. I'm noticing though, that there are a lot of articles and posts on keeping a high tech planted tank and a low tech planted tank but what about a "mid tech" planted tank. I have flourecent lighting that gives off 2.5 wpg but I am not prepared to invest in a CO2 system at the moment. The fermenation based systems seem to be clumsy and difficult to maintain and the true regulated CO2 tanks are expense and will take up more room than I have available. I bought some Excel as the salesman at my LFS told me it was a good product, but what I read on the forums is that people use it by over dosing to eliminate algae. I don't mind continuing to use it on a regular basis if over time it is going to stimulate plant growth, but if it isn't necessary I don't need the added expense.
So there you have it. I'm a moderately experienced fishkeeper, not an expert, not a newbie, looking for advice on maintaining a moderately planted tank without having to worry too much about algae. Where do I turn?
Over the past few months though I started a new job and have had less time to care for my fish. As such, I've been doing less frequent water changes. My biological filtration is good and I monitor water quality regularly, but instead of weekly water changes they are turning into monthly water changes. I'm looking to reinvigorate myself with this hobby so that should be changing.
However, during this period of relative neglect, my plants have suffered. I've had attacks of hair algae, green fuzzy algae (whatever it's called) and that sinister blue green algae. Because the blue green algae can be toxic to fish this is more of a concern for me. I've stepped up efforts to control it but have resisted using Maracyn or doing a blackout. I have noticed that these things tend to cycle. I no longer have any hair algae although there are traces of the fuzzy stuff still around. I am hoping that stepping up my maintenance to pre-lazy status will also help control the BGA without having to resort to meds or issueing marshall law on my tanked friends.
Now that I'm getting back into the hobby with my original zeal, I've been researching and re-learning with the hopes of becoming an even more skilled fish and plant keeper. I'm noticing though, that there are a lot of articles and posts on keeping a high tech planted tank and a low tech planted tank but what about a "mid tech" planted tank. I have flourecent lighting that gives off 2.5 wpg but I am not prepared to invest in a CO2 system at the moment. The fermenation based systems seem to be clumsy and difficult to maintain and the true regulated CO2 tanks are expense and will take up more room than I have available. I bought some Excel as the salesman at my LFS told me it was a good product, but what I read on the forums is that people use it by over dosing to eliminate algae. I don't mind continuing to use it on a regular basis if over time it is going to stimulate plant growth, but if it isn't necessary I don't need the added expense.
So there you have it. I'm a moderately experienced fishkeeper, not an expert, not a newbie, looking for advice on maintaining a moderately planted tank without having to worry too much about algae. Where do I turn?
/www.rexgrigg.com/
