Would Ro Water Help My Tank.

[snowflake311]

I get that brown algae on my plants. My tank is only 6 months up and running.

I'm thinking of getting an RO filter for my fish if it will help with my algae then I'm going to get it. I have been reading it is good to use for fighting algae. Anyone have experience with it?

What do you think? RO water good for planted tanks or does not matter?

I think too much silicates is my problem. I have playground sand in the tank.

 

[aaronnorth]

well i presume it is because it contains no N or P, which will only kill your plants and make the algae worse!

If you think it is silica in the sand then why bother with RO water?
Even still it is ammonia that causes diatoms, not silica. I had playsand with no problems, and no matter what substrate you buy they all contain silica molecules. Make sure you arent overstocked, no rotting plants or other organic waste, clean filter(s), regular water changes,
You could also try running a form of ammonia remover in the filter.

 

[snowflake311]

Well when I do the ammonia Test it is 0 . The tank is only 4 months old now. I do my regular water changes every week sometimes 2 twice a week. I change around 40- 50% of the water every time. I clean the Sand trim the plants rub off the algae. I have it under control but I want it gone. I'm thinking of adding more fast growing plants maybe that will help.

I was thinking of adding the RO for the Fish mainly. If it would help with the algae then I was going to do it.

 

[aaronnorth]

It is undetectable ammonia that causes algae
Fast growing plants would help, such as egeria densa & hygrophillia.

Unless you require certain conditions for the fish, for breeding purposes or a biotope then there isnt much point to it really. You still need to remineralise it. Just more expense

 

[snowflake311]

I'm going to add more fast growing plants see how that goes.

 

[RadaR]

Another issue.......how long is the light on for?

 

[snowflake311]

Another issue.......how long is the light on for?

Yes I have been leaving the light on longer then I should. I have cut it down to 6 hours.

 

[RadaR]

Another issue.......how long is the light on for?

Yes I have been leaving the light on longer then I should. I have cut it down to 6 hours.

Cool

 

[snowflake311]

My plan of attach is this.

Lights on only 6 hours.
more water changes 2 times a week not just once a week.
Clean as much off stuff as I can.
Add more plants.
get an true SAE fish
cut out all liquid ferts. only use tabs in substrate.

I think if I stick to that it will clear up.

Any other stuff that will help?

 

[Geoff1991]

Dont cut out the ferts, thats not the cause of your problem and it wont help your plants. I had brown algae, BGA and GDA and all i did was a 3 day blackout and it went.

 

[aaronnorth]

SAE wont eat diatoms either, only hair algae.

Cutting ferts & adding plants will mean there will be no nutrients for plants. No nutrients = rotting plants = ammonia = algae even worse

 

[snowflake311]

But too much fert means you are feeding algae. if I use less then the plants will use it up before the algae does. I have read and heard from people that the SAE is the ultimate algae eater eating the black stuff the hair the green the brown it is not picky and this is why it is the best. They are often confused with the fulse SAE they look almost the same but for the stripe. the false SAE is not as good at cleaning algae. My BN pleco has been snacking on the Diatoms that grows on the glass.

The tank is pretty much fully stocked ( there is some plant fert right there from the fish waste). It's a low tech low light tank 1.5 wpg I think adding ferts is what might have helped the algae grow. extra phosphate will help the Diatoms to grow. one of the liquid ferts i use has phosphates in it. Ok i will still use the Excel for the plants but that's it.

 

[Geoff1991]

Stopping the ferts will only damage your plants. Yes the algae will feed off them but it would be there even if the ferts werent as its not the cause, ive read that overdosing flourish excel will sometimes cure it.

 

[RadaR]

But too much fert means you are feeding algae. if I use less then the plants will use it up before the algae does.

That's rubbish. The principle with EI dosing is that we slightly overdose nutrients in our tanks so that the plants definitely don't have any deficiencies. Do you see any algae in good EI tanks?

Here is a 1600gallon tank dosed via EI for an example. Where is the algae? Nothing but healthy plants and healthy fish.

 

[aaronnorth]

But too much fert means you are feeding algae. if I use less then the plants will use it up before the algae does. I have read and heard from people that the SAE is the ultimate algae eater eating the black stuff the hair the green the brown it is not picky and this is why it is the best. They are often confused with the fulse SAE they look almost the same but for the stripe. the false SAE is not as good at cleaning algae. My BN pleco has been snacking on the Diatoms that grows on the glass.

I didnt realise you had hair algae, as you never mentioned this in the original post, but i shall repost what i posted above....


No/ limiting nutrients = rotting plants = ammonia = algae even worse

The tank is pretty much fully stocked ( there is some plant fert right there from the fish waste). It's a low tech low light tank 1.5 wpg I think adding ferts is what might have helped the algae grow. extra phosphate will help the Diatoms to grow. one of the liquid ferts i use has phosphates in it. Ok i will still use the Excel for the plants but that's it.

undectable ammonia spikes cause diatoms, if phosphates & nitrates do cause algae then i would very much like to hear your explanation as to why so many people can dose these nutrients and run an algae free tank!
Radar has pointed out above a good tank, for more just take a look in the aquarium journals section.

And what should pointed out is that algae is never nutrient or CO2 limited,

Thanks, Aaron


EDIT: have a read of this, to see if it helps http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=298133