blue green algae...what else

[gale]

I tested my phosphate tonight and it is .1. I also tested nitrates and it is zero. According to the blue-green algae webpage this is the reason I have blue green algae-not enough nitrates. So...is there anything I can do? Does a person really add nitrates to their tank?

btw I am going to plant this tank more heavily when the weather gets nicer and I can buy some plants thru the mail. But my betta tank has no real plants in it so that isn't an option for it. Also do extra plants do any good for blue green algae which isn't really algae at all?

 

[iggy01]

Believe it or not people do dose nitrates! Try doing a search for kno3 or Seachem nitrate. Sorry I can't be of any further help! Got to go to work now!

 

[gale]

oh I should probably mention that I have had nitrates as high as 5 in this tank, but I didn't have a phosphate kit then so I don't know what that was at the time. In my 20 gallon tank the nitrate is almost always holding at 10 so maybe that's what I should aim for in the small tank.

 

[iggy01]

According to the redfield ratio if you have phosphate of 0.1 mg/l ,then the ideal nitrate level would be around 2.5 mg/l. I'm not sure how accurate the redfield ratio is though. All I know is with my parameters it says I have a good chance of blue/green algae and thats what I've got.

I've finally given in now and will be dosing with maracyn at the weekend. I've tried blackouts and everything but it still keeps coming back.

 

[gale]

Good luck iggy. I'm afraid I might end up having to do that and all that re-cycling. ugh.