green mist afthermath, ammonia?

[fastfly48]

hello hello.
Well for anyone that knows of my green mist problem I'd like to say.....
I beat it! national rejoyce!
I covered my skylight, cut lighting to 8 hours a day at 2 watts per gallon (medium lighting then right?) and used some Aqauchem Algamed. I've only dosed once...18 ml. And plan on dosing once a fortnight till the water's perfect.
But the water is looking sooooooo much better. Still a little green but I'm hoping that will go away too.
I also added some more plants because my tank was under-planted, which doesn't help in the prevention of algae right?. Oh, and I also added some more wood....and some finer gravel (washed of coarse!) in patches for the cory catfish. The fish seem heaps happier with their new decore and clearer water.
Anyways, I checked for ammonia yesterday (hoping to add more fish) but found there was a spike of the stuff. .2! I was wondering if this is a result of the algae dying off? I mean it has to go somewhere right? I did a water change and the ammonia went down a little...

Oh and also...I bought some AZOO chelated ferrite liquid. Just thought I'd say that. I've only dosed once but plan on dosing once a fortnight. With only 9 fish in my 20 gallon tank...with my plants I thought it would be a good idea...

Anyways...hope I haven't made this post so boring as to not elict a reply or two!
cheers.
Ry...who can now actually see the individual gravel particles at the back of his tank!

ps. i know this is the wrong place to say this but...one of my neon tetras seemed to have a problem swimming today. Head down, he was always trying to swim to the bottom of the tank. He seemed to be being sucked up to the surface. But when I checked on him later he was fine. What was it? To much air in his belly? Bloating?

 

[dskidmore]

A) Ammonia spike could be from dead algae or from rotting wood. Are you sure the wood is suficciently cured?

B) Be aware that iron suppliments are useful to both plants and algae. CO2 and some very carefully balanced fertilizers help plants outcompete algae.

C) You seem to be on the right track about the neon. He could also have been stressed over the ammonia spike. Keep an eye on him.

 

[travis simonson]

dskidmore is right on. Dead algae has to go somewhere and rotting wood can also be a problem. And you are correct in doing a water change to bring ammonia levels down. Ammonia is the fastest way to experience another algae outbreak - sort of a vicious cycle if you don't break it. Hope things are going well for your neon tetra

 

[dskidmore]

Is that algaecide plant-safe? I've never used algaecides for fear of harming my other plants.

 

[travis simonson]

Is that algaecide plant-safe? I've never used algaecides for fear of harming my other plants.

I haven't either, for the same reason. fastfly, if it worked for you without harming your plants I would say you were lucky. Algaecide will cure the symptoms but not the cause. If you don't treat the cause, the algae will be back. Balancing macronutrient levels will go a long way toward preventing another outbreak. NO3: 10-15 ppm, PO4: .5-1.5 ppm, and K: 5-20 ppm.

 

[dskidmore]

I really didn't have the money for lots of test kits and specialized fertilizers. My solution to nutrient balance was to use RO water for my water changes until the hair algae went away. I didn't see spectacular growth of my plants while doing that, but over the course of several months I had a gradual reduction in algae, and my plants maintained thier existing state.

I'm back to declorinated tap again, but as soon as I see the hair algae come back it's off to the wal-mart water machine.

 

[fastfly48]

Hi guys...
Well, I'm SOOOOO happy! My water is crystal clear! YAY!
I'm starting to think that blocking my skylight did the trick...
I seriously need to get some water test kits. It will cost $100 to get a combo pack with Ammonia, nitrate and nitrite but it's something I really need to keep tabs on my tanks health.
Thanks for the nutrient level safe gaurds! Are they the only one's that will affect algae?
I have 2 watts per gallon, that mean it's medium lighting hey? and have the light on for about 8-10 hours a day. From all I've heard that's alright right?
Yes, my plants seem fine. I can see what you mean about curing the symptoms and not the cause. So I shall look closly into that.

There is heaps of debris on the gravel that gets stired up by my pleco and bristle nose. I guess that certainly doesn't help ammonia! I'll do a gravel vac on the weekend.

Anyways, thanks for your support!
cheers.
Ry.

 

[gfink]

...It will cost $100 to get a combo pack with Ammonia, nitrate and nitrite but it's something I really need to keep tabs on my tanks health.

$100 8O 8O 8O 8O

(unless you are refering to another currency)

This kit is only $15
http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=19383;category_id=3111;pcid1=3233;pcid2=

 

[DeFeKt]

fastfly48, your in perth to?
You a member of the Perth Cichlid Society?
I've never heard of anyone paying that much for a test kit
Mark @ atlantis in O'conner has them for no more then $75 for the public.
pm me for more details

Matt

 

[dskidmore]

There are a large number of nutrients used by algae, but if you can eliminate one that it needs, the others won't matter so much.

 

[fastfly48]

Hi DeFekt!
...no I'm not a member....I don't have any chiclids....

I lashed out a few days ago and bought my first test kit ($87!). But that's better than some I've seen, and it has ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, ph and high ph.

Oh here is some disturbing news!...
Before I got this water test kit I just got all my water sampled at the Perth Aquarium and display centre....and my results ALWAYS had super high ammonia levels even though my tank was well established.
Because of this I didn't bye any fish, instead I was laoded with all these expensive filter inserts and water chemicals....
Anyways...I got my water tested there again on saturday and it showed super high ammonia,...i finally bought my own test kit. So later on I test the same water I gave them for ammonia only to find it had 0 ppm of ammonia! 8O
!
So I went back to the shop the same day and bought some neon tetras....put them in my tank and guess what!? They ALL survived.
If my water did have ammonia as high as they thought my new tetras would definetly died! So I'm not very impressed at that! not cool...
anyways....
I'm now looking forward to opening a new chapter in my aquarium hobby! Finally I'm free to stock my tank more with fish and plants!

Ry.

 

[DeFeKt]

good stuff :thumbsup:

Sign up to:
www.perthcichlid.com
and www.perth-cichlid-forums.ipbhost.com
Theres some great articles on them and usefuls post in the forums for all-round fishkeeping, not just much cichlids.
The forums sponsers, "Vebas" "Atlantis" "Aquotix", just to mention a couple always have good deals and specials on for society and forum members.
I'm building a stand for my 6x18x18 at the moment,
I have built in air driven side drops in the corners of the tank, I've bought all the hardware and now i'm building the stand and All up it's cost me $400 for absolutly everything, start to finish, just from the great deals we get.
hth.

Matt.

 

[fastfly48]

Cheers Matt.
I'll get on to signing up!
Ry.