algified plants

[Meredith]

wonderful. Ok I won't give up quit yet then. I will brush for now until I can get some more test kits and if the Grant's or GreenLight stuff is ok to use I may try that. I just noticed today that diatoms are showing up as well.
*Edit* I just went and tested my Nitrates, there are 0. Just for giggles I tested my ammo as well and I don't know exactly what the reading was but there was enough to turn the tube green. I pulled out the driftwood the cave. It turns out one of my otos got between the heater and the thing that the heater clips into could that have anything to do with the sudden appearance of diatoms?

 

[Lonewolfblue]

How old is the tank. Diatoms usually only show up in a new tank and will go away on their own. Never had diatom problems on my mature tanks.

 

[fish_4_all]

I know this won't cure the problem but BN plecos will take care of the algae. They did in mine. I still have to learn how to take care of my nutrients and how to correctly dose but until then my BN should keep my plants free of algae. They never hurt the plants either.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

I know this won't cure the problem but BN plecos will take care of the algae. They did in mine. I still have to learn how to take care of my nutrients and how to correctly dose but until then my BN should keep my plants free of algae. They never hurt the plants either.

I have 4 BN's and they do an awsome job. But they don't seem to touch the hair algae. I think that's what it is, more like a brown color and looks like hair going out from the edges of the plants. If growing long enough, looks kind of like a web, lol. Sometimes grows straight out from the leaves. And when you pull on them, they are tough to remove, have a pretty good hold on the plant. That's the algae I'm having my problems with. All my other algae is gone with the help of the 4 BN's and the large sailfin.

 

[fish_4_all]

Hmmm, mine took hair algae but it wasn't brown. That is growing in my other tank. The tank has only side light as the fixture I have only covers 2 tanks and this one is off to the side a little. Is the only algae I have seen in the tank at all. I don't know what the parameters are as I have never tested the tank, it only has 3 skunk botia loaches in it. I change water at the same time as the others. I will test the water tomorrow if i get a chance and let you know. Maybe we can find a correlation. This stuff looks like red/brown blotches and is really tough.

 

[7Enigma]

Meredith,

When you say that the Oto got between the heater and clip you do mean he died and is rotting there correct? If so you most definately have a nitrAte deficiency as a rotting carcass can give off a LOT of ammonia (think of the raw shrimp to cycle a tank). A good amount of that ammonia should be immediately converted by the bacteria to nitrAte so if your seeing no nitrAte there is a problem.

Ammonia is very bad in a planted tank because it can be used so easily by algae/bacteria (as well as plants). If any nutrient levels are not perfectly in balance algae will take any excess ammonia and begin to grow rapidly, while your plants are stalled due to missing a key nutrient.

I'd do a couple more PWC's and start from scratch if I were you. This will not only decrease the stress of the fish in the tank (by lowering ammonia), but also make it more difficult for the algae to continue to grow. The diatoms will go away on their own, but replacing the Oto will help (don't do this until there is NO ammonia though).

 

[newfound77951]

My SAE's did eat the hair algae somewhat....it went away pretty fast so I can't imagine that it died off that quickly...something must have helped it along by eating it. I have SAE's, otos, BN plecos and corys....they pretty much take care of all my housekeeping issues except snails (need to get some loaches) and my current green water plague. Too bad there aren't any filter-feeding freshwater fish!

 

[7Enigma]

Nope, just FW clams, and I hear they don't live very long and can be $$$ over the long run replacing them, and the possible ammonia spike if a few die at the same time.

 

[jcarlilesiu]

I have always thought that hair algae is a representation of too much iron. When i over dose flourish i get hair algae.. possibly back off on flourish?

 

[Meredith]

Meredith,

When you say that the Oto got between the heater and clip you do mean he died and is rotting there correct?

yup, that is what happened. I did a large water change, 75% or so.

The tank has been up for almost 4 months. It seems like a lot longer than that.

My rams have not layed eggs in this tank at all. Which is kinda sad
I was keeping my BN out of there just incase (she thinks ram eggs are a tasty treat) I guess I could move her into that tank though.