jazzlvr123

very interesting read. I currently have a 9 watt UV sterilizer running on a 75 gallon tank that has been setup for like 4 days. and the water still isn't clear. maybe ill try this willow technique. I like the idea of adding diatom powder to a hot magnum turning it into a diatom filter. I may just do that. Vaughn, you still have that HOT magnum? hehe

questor

Jazzlvr123, I am curious if it helps you out.

From my past experience, the willow has a natural hormone that forces/encourages root development.
I believe what is happening in clearing GW is that if there is a large plant mass already in the tank that
the hormone forces more roots to develop, perhaps absorbing the excess ammonia.

Once the spring hits here in NY, I am going to test this theory out, using willow water.
I believe what delays the reaction is that used as suggested, putting twigs/branches in the tank, we are making the willow water in the tank. It may be quicker to use one of the willow water recipies one finds on the web and dose the tank with that.

I would guess one would have to weigh the root mass of a control tank along with the treated tank to see if root development is happening, and then also see if GW is cleared too.

A start.

hoppycalif

Yes, I still have the HOT magnum filter. I'm thinking about changing my 10 gallon tank from a non-CO2, non-Excel tank to something with an emersed lawn of glosso. Maybe there is a trade that would work well for both of us? I barely ever use the filter, so it doesn't have much value for me anymore.

jazzlvr123

pm sent hoppy

OperJeff

Hello everyone,

I read this thread today and couldnt help but join in the conversation.

In my fish room I have goldfish grow out tanks and betta breeding tanks and also tanks that I grow a few different aquatic plants, but no show tanks... yet. I have also began a project buidling aquarium lighting, so I have been doing some reading on light wavelength and photosynthesis.

In my goldfish tanks I purposely grow green water because it helps the goldfish with their growth and for this I use a general purpose CFL bulb which has a wavelength more in the red range ~600+nm. so all I do is drop some goldfish pellets in the water and 4-5 days later I have pea soup.

I have since moved my planted tank next to the goldfish tank to share the light so I didnt have to buy a new one. assuming that if it grew green algae so well, than my riccia and glosso would do well also. Well in a few days that tank has turned to pea soup also. but over at my betta tank, I use CFL bulbs that are branded "soft daylight" (blueish light prob 450 - 550nm) because bettas dont like the intense lighting. the lumens output is roughly the same since i use multiple bulbs on that one, but the water is crystal clear. and has never had any algae.

I have since started to use the "soft daylight" bulbs for my planted tank and the plants are doing fine and the greenwater has not come back ( I did a 90% water change, when I swapped lights).

so from my experience, green water has more to do with using a red light spectrum like HID lighting, incandescent, or sulfur bulbs that promote flowering.

This thread has prompted me to do some googling and if you look at the chart in the middle of this page that shows the wavelength response for phycocyanin you can see that it responds to the red range of light.

http://www.emc.maricopa.edu/faculty/...BioBookPS.html

this research article sums it up better

http://plankt.oxfordjournals.org/cgi...tract/11/2/353

Im not going to make and direct recommendations as what you guys should do about your lighting because we all have different plants and fish in our tanks, and im sure that they will suffer some if not given the full spectrum of lighting in nature or close to it.

edit: also just wanted to add that this is a good active forum and I am learning alot from everyone that has posted. as for the willow solution, the salicylic acid excreted by the plant may have an effect on the cell wall of the algae causing to burst. not sure... prob need a chemist or biologist to look into it.

hoppycalif

The idea that light spectrum is a major contributer to algae growth is testable. To do that you would first need to set up 2 or more identical tanks, prove to yourself that you can keep them all algae free and stable. Then switch one or two tanks to the light spectrum you want to test. If you get significant algae in those tanks, but not in the "control" tank, that suggests that the spectrum is a problem. But, if you don't get significant algae in either of those tanks, it is virtually certain that the spectrum is not a problem. Of course, repeating this test a few times is best, also. But, above all else, you first have to determine that you can keep multiple identical tanks algae free.

I would be delighted if you decide to try this! We all have things to learn about algae.

jazzlvr123

yup, good idea tom barr is a big fan of creating a "control" tank to figure out algae issues for good reason, pretty much if you know how to induce the algae you subsequently know how to reduce it and or eliminate it all together. I highly doubt color temperature plays a role in algae growth

OperJeff

I can probably do this test on a smaller scale with 5gallon buckets. Ill stop by the hardware store tonight for some lights and the pet store for some guppies and set it up.

hoppycalif

Make sure the only significant difference in the lights is the spectrum, not the wattage or lumens, or the reflectors. This should be interesting.

OperJeff

I have both 5gal buckets setup. Both tanks have one feeder goldfish, equal aeration and the fish are fed exactly 4 pellets of goldfish food twice a day.

There is a slight difference in the output of the bulbs, the hot bulb is 27watts and the cool bulb is 23 watts. Its not possible to match the wattage without building custom electrics for each. so these are the closest I could find. the lumens output is a difference of 300+ for the cooler bulb. Other than that the reflectors are the same and the time of exposure is the exactly the same ~16 hours a day.

Ill post pictures soon and wait for results in a few weeks.