Identify my algae

[@ombomb]

Thanks.

Am stuck on DIY CO2 till xmas really, but will change the mixtures more frequesntly and try and keep the CO2 as high as possible. Will see if I can find some Flourish Excell, have bought some fast growing plants and phosphate test kit.

Will let you know how I get on.

 

[@ombomb]

So far today:

20% water change
2 types of hygro added
1 type of elodea added
1 other plant that gorws like there's no tomorrow (according to the fish shop guy who knows his stuff)
Nitro+ added
Turbo charged DIY CO2 mix added

So far no noticable algae growth and the plants aren't so much pearling...

...it's more like is raining, but upside down and with bubbles!

 

[George Farmer]

Sounds goods. You should see good results regarding algae busting with the rapid growth of the stem plants.

Just ensure that your CO2 level remains stable - change your mixture every few days if necessary.

You mention it is not easy to get a level of 30ppm CO2 with your water. The type of water you have has no bearing on how "easy" it is to reach a given level of CO2.

 

[@ombomb]

The KH of my water from the tap is very high, I was under the impression that this made it harder...

Mistaken?

 

[George Farmer]

high KH = harder water but 30ppm CO2 is 30ppm CO2 no matter how hard the water is.

Say your KH is 15 and mine is 3 but we had identical tanks in every other way - we would both physically need to inject to same amount of CO2 to reach 30ppm - obviously our pH would measure differently. Make sense?

 

[@ombomb]

I see what you mean. )

Thanks for the info.

 

[@ombomb]

Well I have two updates on the situation.

1) I'm and idiot

2) That might not be a bad thing

I woke up this moring to see a strange light coming from the lounge. I went in a found that after I had done the big water change yesterday afternoon, I had forgotton to turn the timer back on and the lights had been on all night (an extra six hours). As soon as I saw this my heart sank thinking "Great... too much light and now the algea will be all over the place" (It had already started to grow back after the water change before I went to bed). I went in and checked the tank and saw the algea had all but gone...

Could the fact that the lights have been on too long have given the plants extra time to out compete the algea and sped the process up?

There was a hour and a half break as I was doing the water change (I take the whole hood off, so the lights aren't directly on the tank but give me a decent amount of light to work to).

It'll be interesting to see what things look like when I get back from work this evening.

 

[George Farmer]

Very interesting. I have heard that plants are more adaptable than algae at changing photoperiods - your experience backs up this theory.

It is a similar theory to the siesta that a lot of us run - but opposite in terms of light duration.

Thanks for sharing.