Where To Draw The Line?

[Themuleous]

In trying to deal with the plethora of algae types in my nano, I have tried many different solutions to try and get rid of it, and it got me to thinking, where do you draw the line between algaecides and the more accepted 'new' methods such as overdosing excel, H2O2, ADA python git, etc.

It strikes me that these the new method are a form of algaecide, granted perhaps more natural, but excel is a synthetic product. So why then do we look down on more conventional forms of algae control as 'not for the true planted enthusiast'? Seems to me to almost be hypocritical?

I make no secret of the fact that I've used JBL Algol in the past and boy did it work, cleaned my tank right up. But why do I feel guilt about using this but not excel?

Just a thought

Sam

PS - I will concede that all methods, no matter what type should be unnecessary in well maintained, balanced planted tanks and therefore if you need to use any from of algae control, it means your tank is outta sync, but if we are willing to use excel, etc why not other forms? After all anything that helps us keep and tank algae free is a good thing, no?

 

[Dave Spencer]

Personally, I would beat my tongue wafer thin with a meat tenderiser to keep algae out of my tank.

 

[Themuleous]

Haha I know the feeling!

 

[nry]

Is JBL Algol the one made from wheat derivatives?

I bought Flourish Excel as much to try and combat algae as I did to get a better carbon input to my tank given my useless Tetra Optimat CO2 system.

In the future I would probably add shrimps and otto's as my first livestock to see if that would also help reduce initial algae build up.

Like you I considered algaecides but many were dangerous to the filter and also some plants, but for now Excel seems to be working: I have also added some faster growing plants such as hornwort which in itself supposedly excretes algaecidal substances. Alongside these I also cut my lighting right down to 7 hours, and am gradually upping this by 30 minutes as algae subsides: given Amano also uses a similar method, I'm happy with the overall results so far. To me there are two choices:

1) Heavily heavily plant initially and run lighting at 'max' periods, replace these plants gradually as things start to grow

or

2) Plant as you actually want the tank, but start with a low lighting period, I think Amano suggests 6 hours initially? As the plants take hold, increase this level until a happy medium is found.

I'm as yet unsure how I will handle my 5-gallon nano, I may stick to 2 as it seems to work for me on my other tank (though as a trial I have just upped my main tank to 5on-2off-5on to see how it goes now plants are really settled).

 

[Themuleous]

Thanks for the thoughts nry, trouble is excel affects my riccia and HC and not in a good way, so using that is out of the question.

Might try reducing the light period, but its only at 10hrs, but have never tried reducing it so maybe with my stupidly high light I only need 8hrs, that would certainly explain why Ive had algae problems from the word go in this tank!

Have just increase water changes to every other day so will see how that goes for a few weeks, but cheers for the advice.

Sam

 

[nry]

I initially ran at 10 hours in a single period. Within 2 months all plants and rocks were covered in a range of algae, with the dreaded BBA showing its head on the decor and on some of the slower growing plant leaves.

Knocking this to 5/2/5 made no difference, moving to Excel, 7 hours, more plants seems to have helped. Can't say the shrimps make much difference, though they do seem to keep the tank a bit more free of debris. I've also got some nerite snails on order, may help reduce the need to clean the glass....or they may not

 

[Themuleous]

Right. Have found shrimp work wonders in the past, thats why Im a bit surprised these ones dont seem very interested. Who knows! This algae is very thin, not like my last lot, so that could be it.

Sam

 

[Graeme Edwards]

Algae is a natural part of any water column. The key is control of the limiting factors as far as plant growth is concerned and water quality.

First you water.

It could be the regularity of water changes, so do more!
It could be your filter is inadequate, needs cleaning, need more biological activity's! So get more biological media and make sure that the water that passes through the bio media has been filtered properly ie varying grades for sponge down to a fine wool and then finally your bio media before re-entering your tank.
It could be that the water out of the tap is of poor quality, so may be RO would be better?

Limiting factors.

This could be, too much of one thing not enough of the other!
So, tonnes of light, minimal plant bio mass and limited Co2.
Or good Co2, good plant bio mass and the right amount of light but the plants aren't receiving the correct trace or enough nitrogen thus giving poor plant growth and falling behind in the algae race.

Its totally natural to have algae, man ive seen Amano's tanks with algae in them, no biggie really!!
What we do is try to control it not eradicate it. We clean the glass brush down rocks and add algae eating critters to help with the control at the same time we need to make sure our water is tip top.

There are so many causes of algae so you will have your self a challenge there.
My advice would be sort you water quality out, and i think you will be more than half way there!



Regards,
Graeme.

 

[Themuleous]

Cheers for that Graeme.

I've upped to water changes every other day, will see how that works. Already use RO cut with 20% tap water, same as always. Will test my CO2 in the morning at lights on to see if its at the right level, which I'm pretty sure it is. Same for ferts, plants are in great health and pearling away. Have a classic 2211 so plenty big enough for a 4g tank!

It just doesn't seem to make any sense, I finally get rid of one type and bamb, another one takes hold!

But I see what you are saying about algae, we just stop it getting out of hand rather than totally ridding the tank of all traces of it.

Sam