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newbie has a few questions

3K views 7 replies 3 participants last post by  wayne17 
#1 ·
Hi this is the first time I have ever posted on a forum so take it easy on me, I got into the hobby only seven months ago. I have a 305 litre corner aquarium in which I have about 60 inches (when fully grown) of fish a few shrimp and about 30 plants, it has 105 watts of t8 light and a fluval 406 external filter.I use excel for co2 and flourish comp for certs. All the plants seem to be growing well but I have been battling with bba for the last three months, which I seem to have under control by direct dosing with the recommended 6ml dose of excel, but I now seem to have staghorn algae growing mainly on the leaves of java fern and hygrophilla corombosa that have small holes in them. Which I guess is down to a shortage of potassium?
Tank readings are
ammonia. 0
Nitrite. 0
Nitrate. Under 5 but not zero
Lights are on 8 hours

Now for the questions
I take it my tank is low light should I increase duration to 10 or 12 hours or leave it at eight until algae has gone?
Is ok to use pps pro as I dose excel and not co2?
I have a big bottle of flourish comp left can I use this for the trace mix till it has run out and if it is ok should I reduce the amount of potassium and nitrogen in the nutrient mix as flourish comp has some in?
Many thanks for any help
Wayne
 
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#2 ·
Don't know if this is how I'm meant to do it but here is a update on my post. Have searched the forum and it seems that it is ok to use excel instead of co2 so that is that question answered!
Still not sure about light duration, my tank is a aquaone UFO 880 corner aquarium, about 71 us gallons after taking off 10% for gravel and bogwood. Gives me 1.47 Wpg of t8 light I take it this is low light so should I increase my light duration to 10 or 12 hours or leave it at eight?
If I use flourish comp for the trace mix at 6ml twice a week recommended dose, do I have to lower the amount of potassium sulphate or potassium nitrate that is in mix 1
Once again thanks for any advice you can offer
 
#3 ·
Lots of people with holes in Hygophilas, potassium does not do much in most cases. Phosphate does help and the staghorn algae is also an indication of low phosphate. Try to look into phosphate and nitrate dosing...

Do not increase your light before algae is under control, it will only make it worse!
 
#4 ·
Why don't you load your tank with an excess of all the nutrients that the plants need and start changing water every other day. Then when everything is great (plants growing, algae gone) reduce the fertilization and the water changes to what is practical (to a level that the plants need an a tiny bit over that).

The two lines above are the essence of the so called Estimative Index. I have no doubt that following what EI suggests will lead to algae growing in such amounts that you will either abandon this hobby or tear the entire tank down and start over again. But that is my opinion.

See how EI works for you. Other than that questionable advice you are not going to get a magic help from anyone because we do not know how to handle issues in any other way. Yo-han here is a heavyweight aquarist and his advice is better than most people. It'd be foolish to ignore his advice. But Google to find info on how to fight one of your algae and you will see a bunch of different opinions. That tells you one thing - what I already said above.

To properly understand your tank we need information about many things - filtration media, flow rate, how the water moves in your tank, how old are your light bulbs, what are some parameters of your tap water, and all the parameters of your tank water. Bear in mind that some of these numbers are not what the test will tell you. So you see - it is very hard to give advice anyway. Maybe that is why many people resort to the Estimative Index. It is supposed to fix everything through the fertilizers + water changes. Hope you are more clear now how things are.
 
#5 · (Edited)
Many thanks to yo-Han and nika for there replies, I will try dosing phosphate and nitrate as soon as my dry ferts arrive should be this week. Would I be better off just dosing the pps pro mix 1 of nutrients or just phosphate and nitrate? How much would you dose if just dosing phosphate and nitrate ?
Do not fancy the ei method of dosing as I do not want to start changing 50% of the tank water, currently change 15% per week. I have a fluval 406 on full flow it has the bio sponges in bottom tray, biomax in trays 2 & 3 and filter floss in last tray. Also have a airstone in tank.
Only have api master kit for testing but will try and ask water company what is in my water, use prime for conditioner.
Ph of tank is 8.0, lights are 5 months old three 6500k bulbs and one juwel colour at front
Many thanks wayne
 
#6 ·
I forgot that this is the best approach you can find if you look for clarity but it has been going into oblivion I'm afraid:
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/algae/69737-method-controlled-imbalances-summary.html

Note that the basics of that approach are to make sure you have minimal concentrations of everything in the water but never run out of NO3. Basically everything is in amounts that the plants need and not more (except NO3 which should never drop to zero). That approach is similar to what ADA does but it seems to not really catch on. Beats me why.
 
#8 ·
I have read the link to mic niko, this system seems to be aimed at tanks that are a lot more hi tec than mine 4 Wpg of light and co2 which I don't have. Or are you suggesting that I dose my tank with potassium nitrate till I get a GSA bloom and this will wipe out my other algae issues? If all else fails I will try this but would like to just get rid of the algae that I have.
Johan suggested earlier to try dosing phosphate and nitrate to clear the staghorn algae, how much should I dose and for how long?
Would I be better to just start the pps pro dose, or do I need to clear these algae problems first before starting.
Any help much appreciated
Wayne
 
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