davemonkey

Roy,

I DID go 24/7. All is well, but I had to turn it down just a hair to keep the fish from gasping late into the night.

-Dave

rjfurbank

Thanks Dave--I think I will try this as well--but wanted to see how your transition went first.

I run a split photoperiod to maximize my viewing time of my tanks and I think having the CO2 kick on an off is causing some fluctuations.

Bunbuku

And what was the fate of your algae? (if there was an algae problem).

davemonkey

That's a different story. I don't have BBA, string algae, hair algae, or fuzz algae. What I DO have is green water, GSA and GDA, all appearing at different times. When I do a fix for one, I get the other. I also have a perpetual bio-film on the water surface that I never had before.

I've narrowed this down to my substrate releasing an unknown amount of micros and ammonia, and possibly some undesirable components. When I put in the topsoil underlayer, it sat "dormant" for 3 months or so and then suddenly let loose with nutrients and 'other' stuff. I've had to completely stop dosing micros (which has hurt my epiphytes that don't have roots in the substrate) and every different combo/concentration of macros yields one of the 3 alga I mentioned. At least my plants are growing well.

This week it all comes out, the substrate gets washed of the soil, and I do it all over. But all the while, the CO2 will be running 24/7.

-Dave

Newt

Dave, check out this link. It has a few pictures of surface scum and what they are caused by:
http://www.aquariumalgae.blogspot.com/

davemonkey

Thanks, Newt. Mine is what he describes as being casued by the iron-bacteria. I did improved my surface agitation a coulpe weeks ago, but it still has not been successful. I think that soil I have is the culprit, releasing more iron/micros than my tank can use unless I increase my light level (and then would have to increase my CO2 and macros as well).

I guess my main assumption there is that the rooted plants are getting all the micros through their roots (as my epiphytes look defficient in micros) and whatever my tap water has in it is either being used by alga or by these "Eisenbacteria". There is probably at least SOME leaching of micros into the water column, but obviously it's not enough to feed the Java Fern and Anubias.

-Dave

Newt

I bury my anubias (coffefolia) in the substrate and get huge root structure and they flower all the time.

rich815

I had off and on surface scum. It was frustrating because I wanted to figure out the root cause but it alluded me. One week I'd have it, next no. For months no issues. Then all of a sudden for 3 weeks I get it. All this time little changing in my feeding, fert regime or filtering maintanence.

I tried it all: more surface agitation, black mollies, backing off on food, etc. Nothing worked consistenly.

In the end I jerry-rigged one of these up as a replacement of the standard intake of my Eheim 2028:

http://www.bigalsonline.com/StoreCat...its=12&offset=

It worked immediately and within 3 minutes my surface was a crystal clear and has been since. Yes, is can get some light leaf debris in the top intake that needs a quick cleaning, and the rod needs adjustment every few days or so if the lower intake gets leave litter but I'm one who enjoys and views my tank at least twice a day and the moment or two to do such once or twice a week is a small effort vs. the digusting milky, scummy surface, let alone the crustly and slimy ring such scum would leave alone the sides of my rimless and topless tank. All that is in the past now....I do not think I've even spend a better $15-20 bucks in this hobby...

Cavan Allen

Does it take some water from a little lower down too, or just from the surface? Any detritus buildup in the tank if that isn't the case? I may have to get one of these. If I drag a ruler across the surface, it looks like pudding skin.

davemonkey

Thanks, rich815. I just put it on my "to get" list. I have an Eheim 2217, so I guess I'll have rig it up as well.

-Dave