[galettojm]

Hello everyone!!!

This is my first post

I have gw in my 180 liters (47G) planted aquarium.

After reading this post I put two weeping willows branches, 2cm (1 inch) in diameter 70 cm (27 inch) long, inside the aquarium.

I have two doubts:

Do I have to take the leaves of the branches?
Some part of the willow has to be out of the water?

Thanks!!

This is the photo of my aquarium with the willows branches inside;

Juan

 

[galettojm]

oleg,

thanks you for your prompt response !!!

i will do as you say tonight.

do you think that the weeping g willow is going to work ?? or is it better the salix alba ??

thanks again,

Juan

 

[galettojm]

if I find the other one I will try both !!

Thanks

Juan

 

[galettojm]

Oleg,

I followed yours instructions and this is how the aquarium like now:

Do you think I should put more branches inside?

Bye,

Juan

 

[galettojm]

OLEG,

The water is definitely getting clear as the days pass bye.

Thanks you for sharing this wonderful way of fighting the GW.

I will try share the experience with my spanish forum www.croa.com.ar

thanks again,

Juan

 

[galettojm]

Oleg,

After six days of treatment the water is almost clear:

Do you think I should take out the willow branches now ? The GW is gone, but there are few other types of alge remaing.

I am also using activated carbon in the filter. Do you think I should take it out ?

Just for testing your method I increased the lighting period to 10 hours and stopped water changes when I introduced the willows branches. Do you think I should reduce the light duration and restart the water changes as soon as the branches are gone ?

Thanks,

Juan

 

[galettojm]

3/10: I put the willows inside the aquarium

4/10: you told me to trim the branches

5/10: the willow started to root

7/10: the water is more clear

8/10: the water is more clear

9/10: the water is more clear and the willow's roots grow very fast

10/10: the water is crystal clear

 

[galettojm]

It is obvious that the willow didn’t work in your case. And I really don’t know why.

Maybe it is just a coincidence that my tank got rid of the algae just when the willows branches started to rout.

But a friend of my fought with GW for a month without success. He put the willows branches and a week later the water was crystal clear. He took photo of the process just like you.

Now I am really confused. jejeje

Anyway, Merry Christmas !!!

Juan

 

[galettojm]

I am just guessing, but I can only think in two answers:
A) the willow branch has no effect and the cases when the GW disappear is just a coincidence.
b) the willow branch help to stabilize the tank, but it can not do it completly by itself.

Bye !

Juan

 

[galettojm]

I have had 4 times GW since I started my 180 liter tank.

I have already left the photo of the first time I had GW.

The second and third time it disappeared after 2 or 3 days without doing anything.

The four time it appeared the 28 of November.

Since that day to the 29 of December I did the followings things:

1. 4 50% water changes
2. I reduced the light period to 8 hours
3. I put activated coal to the filter
4. co2 continuously
5. I stopped trimming and the tank became a jungle !

The GW didn't change. I think it even got worst !

The 29 of December I introduced 3 willow branches. After more than a month with GW, today the water is more clear !!!! And again it coincided with the first routs coming out of the branches.

It is just a great mystery !!! jejeje

Bye !!!

Juan

Juan

 

[galettojm]

Update:

Ayer 7 days with the willow branches the water is almost crystal clear.

Bye !

Juan

 

[galettojm]

Before introducing the willow branches:

8 days after inntroducing the willow branches:

Bye !

Juan

 

[galettojm]

I just grabbed some willow branches (weeping I think) Its cold up here so their dormant, should I pull the buds off? Thanks

Iceterran,

I never tried the method with dormant branches. Please let´s us know how it develops. I guess it is not advisable to pull the buds off.

Bye !

Juan

 

[galettojm]

Hello,

As I've already posted, the willow method worked twice for me.

With my argentinean aquarium club (CROA) we are planning to do an experiment trying different types of substrates in 6 exactly identical tanks (using only inert sand, sand mixed with lateritic soil, sand mixed with black organic soil, etc.). One of the most important things we want to know is how the substrate affects the generation of GW.

After this experiment, that should last at least a couple of months, we want to use these tanks to try different types of lightning.

I am trying to convince the others to test also the willow method.

Bye,

Juan

 

[galettojm]

very interesting read.

one thing to note that i have not read in this entire thread is the effect on PH for those that are using this method with a tank that has fish as well.

introducing acid (from the willow) will likely change the PH. i dont know if it is a significant amount, but it is still a change regardless and maybe something to think about for those of us who have fish that are sensitive to PH shifts.

Hi !

I tried the method several times and I did´t appreciate a dramatic change of PH. But my tank has very acid water (between 5 and 6).

Bye !

Juan

 

[galettojm]

Also, i can't get willow wood here since i stay in the tropics(3 deg north of equator). The only way is to import from temperate regions, which i forsee, will cost a bomb. But i do have lots of mangrove here. But i would like to use that as last resort.

I will update as the days goes by. And hopefully, can get some advise and tips from here.

If willow is not accessible you could tried with a DIY UV filter. This is my experience:

http://www.croa.com.ar/ipb2/index.php?showtopic=9987

Bye !

Juan