I've started dosing half of micro for a few weeks and the BBA, I think, is less aggressive these days. I've always wondered about why BBA is so aggressive in hi-tech tanks. It could be all the unnecessary micros that's dosed.
Algae and Iron
I have been reading and re-reading Diana Walstad's book, "Ecology of the Planted Aquarium", because I've reached the age when low maintenance is my prime requirement for continuing to have an aquarium. While reading the book I became very interested in the sections about algae, primarily one concept: algae require minute quantities of nutrients, including iron, but iron is pretty hard to find in the water. This now has me obsessing about whether we can make a big stride towards avoiding the most obnoxious algae attacks if we make the effort to keep iron out of the water.
I have for many years been using the EI fertilizing method or modified versions of it. Those require that we dose trace element mixes, which contain iron as an important ingredient. From the book, it appears that this is like giving algae a spare key to our "house".
Algae, unlike plants, cannot get to the iron in the substrate, whether it is soil or gravel with substrate fertilizing. So, it seems like if we did all that we can to limit the iron to the substrate, our algae problems would be much easier to manage. Included in that idea is the fact that light can make what iron is in the water more available to algae, if the light is intense in the 500nm or shorter wave lengths. That means light in the blue-green to UV range.
I'm still digesting this concept, and doing more reading, but I'm wondering if many people have tried to use this as an algae control method.
I have for many years been using the EI fertilizing method or modified versions of it. Those require that we dose trace element mixes, which contain iron as an important ingredient. From the book, it appears that this is like giving algae a spare key to our "house".
Algae, unlike plants, cannot get to the iron in the substrate, whether it is soil or gravel with substrate fertilizing. So, it seems like if we did all that we can to limit the iron to the substrate, our algae problems would be much easier to manage. Included in that idea is the fact that light can make what iron is in the water more available to algae, if the light is intense in the 500nm or shorter wave lengths. That means light in the blue-green to UV range.
I'm still digesting this concept, and doing more reading, but I'm wondering if many people have tried to use this as an algae control method.
21 - 35 of 35 Posts
I have my 10 gallon tank, with a divider, making it 2-5 gallon tanks, almost ready to start experimenting with. But I also expect to move before October, so I will wait until then to start this project. First will be setting up both tanks with everything the same, and demonstrating to myself that they can be expected to grow plants, etc. the same in each one. They will be Walstad style aquariums. Next, I think I will get a bottle of Seachem Flourish Iron, and dose both of them with a tiny amount, dosed at the same time each day, probably after the light is off. A few weeks should be enough to see that both tanks are still acting the same way. Followed by dosing one when the lights are on, and the other when the lights are not on. If Ms Walstad is right about the light making more iron available, I would expect to see differences between the two tanks. In an ideal world, one tank would start growing BBA, but not the other.
Make sure you test your water pH. If low enough, the iron will be available all the time. Maybe you can artificially bump up the pH so it's not available all the time.
Good point, and I don't know anything about the water in the area I plan to move to.
I do get less less aggressive hair algae when i cut back on iron dosing.
The absence of evidence isn’t an evidence of absence. I believe in allelopathy. When my plants are doing well and healthy, bba are off limit to plants and all hard surfaces. I had to struggle with bba on hard surfaces before I had plants. How do you explain.
I gave up trying to explain the behavior of BBA several years ago. The one thing I have found to be true every time is that a level of CO2 that changes from day to day, during the photoperiod, will result in a BBA attack. Of course I have not had even close to all of the possible set-ups, so I have no idea if even that "truth" holds for every one. One of Tom Barr's standard statements is that only if you can always grow an algae species can you do good science in trying to stop it. And, I have not even wanted to try to grow BBA.The absence of evidence isn't an evidence of absence. I believe in allelopathy. When my plants are doing well and healthy, bba are off limit to plants and all hard surfaces. I had to struggle with bba on hard surfaces before I had plants. How do you explain.
Try reducing micros to see less BBA on hard surfaces too.The absence of evidence isn't an evidence of absence. I believe in allelopathy. When my plants are doing well and healthy, bba are off limit to plants and all hard surfaces. I had to struggle with bba on hard surfaces before I had plants. How do you explain.
I have no bba on hard surfaces once the plants are thriving. I had the worst bba on hard surfaces in plantless tank. Focus on growing healthy plants, not on how to limit algae growth.Try reducing micros to see less BBA on hard surfaces too.
It is possible that our focus on growing plants inadvertently helps algae to grow. Ignorance is a very valid excuse for having algae!I have no bba on hard surfaces once the plants are thriving. I had the worst bba on hard surfaces in plantless tank. Focus on growing healthy plants, not on how to limit algae growth.
I have a full planted tank with BBA mostly growing on rocks, pipes, and even on snails.I have no bba on hard surfaces once the plants are thriving. I had the worst bba on hard surfaces in plantless tank. Focus on growing healthy plants, not on how to limit algae growth.
Re: Algae and Iro
Spray with h2o2 on exposed surfaces during water change, and dose initial 5x excel dosage after each WC.
I used to have bba ever,ywhere, even on gravel. Now with healthy plants and high plant mass, they disappeared.I have a full planted tank with BBA mostly growing on rocks, pipes, and even on snails.
Spray with h2o2 on exposed surfaces during water change, and dose initial 5x excel dosage after each WC.
Re: Algae and Iro
I do maintain BBA with H2O2. I've given up eradicating it and just live with a little of it. Reducing micro seem to reduce the aggressiveness, so instead of treating every week, I treat every 2 weeks or so.
I've tried it all.I used to have bba ever,ywhere, even on gravel. Now with healthy plants and high plant mass, they disappeared.
Spray with h2o2 on exposed surfaces during water change, and dose initial 5x excel dosage after each WC.
I do maintain BBA with H2O2. I've given up eradicating it and just live with a little of it. Reducing micro seem to reduce the aggressiveness, so instead of treating every week, I treat every 2 weeks or so.
There is evidence that certain plants can release chemicals to harm other plants. Read this.The absence of evidence isn't an evidence of absence. I believe in allelopathy. When my plants are doing well and healthy, bba are off limit to plants and all hard surfaces. I had to struggle with bba on hard surfaces before I had plants. How do you explain.
https://aquaticarts.com/collections...cts/tiger-lotus-aquarium-lily-plant-with-bulb
I have never owned dwarf red tiger lily to verify it, but if it is true, it's no surprise to deduce that healthy plants can release chemicals to inhibit algae.
I keep wondering why, if some plants release chemicals that inhibit algae, we have never seen a post from someone who has discovered such a plant. It wouldn't be very hard to verify that, by keeping two identical tanks, one with that plant, and one without, and observing the status of algae in both. This possibility has been discussed for years, so where are the results of that kind of testing?There is evidence that certain plants can release chemicals to harm other plants. Read this.
https://aquaticarts.com/collections...cts/tiger-lotus-aquarium-lily-plant-with-bulb
I have never owned dwarf red tiger lily to verify it, but if it is true, it's no surprise to deduce that healthy plants can release chemicals to inhibit algae.
21 - 35 of 35 Posts
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