mommyeireanne

These MTS are up during the day, so I was concerned. I was thinking O2 due to bacterial bloom, but there is a small ammonia spike. (I was Murphied because I said I'd never had a start up problem planting with dirt...) Both happen with newly submerged dirt. This was the first time it happened to me, but it's a common issue for NPTs. The (Sea Chem) ammonia alarm shows the first level (alert). Plus not all of the snails are up, maybe 6 at most. I figured all of them would be up if there was a true emergency, but who knows. I watched them pretty closely and I have another posibility: they may just be eating the tiny bits of peat that floated to the surface, at the waterline. I worry too much over this stuff. This hobby was supposed to help me relax and be less AR. Ha.

I did two more profiles, but I have to play with my pics again.

mommyeireanne

Thanks Dave!

megasycophant

Heh. Matt is our Glute source. seriously, though, he's picked it up from a local medical supplier in the past. he may have some extra.

regarding that, though, not sure you want to do it if you're trying to do NPT. it's that age old equation -- light, C, N, P, K, etc. if you add C, then you'll need to add the others in proportion or you'll just get more algae.

mommyeireanne

well crap. I remember reading that it was supposed to release bio-avail carbon into the water column, but since I've heard what it is, I've been thinking about algaecide. Thanks for bringing me back to the original goal. That is of course to have a beautiful tank garden without algae.

MatPat

The gluteraldehyde is a carbon source for planted tanks and is also a great algecide as well. However, as Brian stated, if you plan on using it continuously, you will more than likely need to supplement with N,P, & K. For occasional use as an algaecide, you can squirt it directly on the algae in very small amounts using either a syringe or pipette and not need to supplement your tank with fertilizers.

Depending on your fish load and feeding routine (I don't remember your stocking level on this tank from your posts on the website) you may be able to get by adding glut for a week or two (as an algeacide) without supplementing N, P, or K. I'm not up on NPT strategy but it seems that once the soil starts decomposing, it will release small amounts of CO2. Until then, glut may be a good source for starting up this type of tank and may help to eliminate the start up algae in your tank.

I think I am mistaken here but are you thinking about adding an algecide? I would caution against it, since most, if not all, algaecides work against plants as well as algae.

mommyeireanne

I just did major work on the 10 gallon tonight. It got algae when I removed Hydrocotyl cephalata? and Hornwort. I also took my rocks out, (they were on top of the soil) and trimmed as many algae infested leaves as I could find, changed bulbs and did a major water change. I have shrimp in this tank so don't think I could use Glut. But I am considering using it in the 20 if my ornery dirt goes to algae next. Good to know I can spot treat. No fish in this tank so far, just small snails. I plan to add fish as soon as the dirt settles down and quites putting off ammonia.

mommyeireanne

No, I haven't used anything except dechlorinater. I won't use an chemical sold as algaecide. Glut is still under consideration, and only for that purpose. I could really get into high tech plant keeping, but I'm trying to relax with this hobby....