Khuligirl's planted 20 long

[Khuligirl93]

Just updated with a picture.
Here's another
http://i349.photobucket.com/albums/q381/bnz0429/97CFFEAA-B5C8-4042-958C-DDE6CBA2439F_zps6uz8jmnm.jpg
I would describe the color as golden brown/ mustard yellow

 

[Bert2oo1]

Just updated with a picture.
Here's another
http://i349.photobucket.com/albums/q381/bnz0429/97CFFEAA-B5C8-4042-958C-DDE6CBA2439F_zps6uz8jmnm.jpg
I would describe the color as golden brown/ mustard yellow

Oh that stuff is a nightmare to get rid of. It took me ages to fully get rid of it in my tank. Told you the lilae is an algae magnet looks like it's spreading nicely though!

 

[Caliban07]

Oh that stuff is a nightmare to get rid of. It took me ages to fully get rid of it in my tank. Told you the lilae is an algae magnet looks like it's spreading nicely though!

I've not had that. I have a black type of staghorn in places though. Had all types in my other tank. I can't really say what the best way to get rid of it is except chipping away at it,

 

[Bert2oo1]

I've not had that. I have a black type of staghorn in places though. Had all types in my other tank. I can't really say what the best way to get rid of it is except chipping away at it,

It ended up invading a lot of the plants in my tank and I had to remove a fair few plants to get rid of it.

Best way I found was dragging it out with a toothbrush before every water change and I actually did a 3 day blackout to kill all the spores once majority of it had been removed. Worked a treat.

However I'd only ever use a black out as a very last resort. Can be pretty harsh on the plants and I don't think the fish were too keen on it either.

If u zoom in on the photo u can see all the light fuzz I had. It invaded the whole carpet.

 

[flchamp89]

This is what im battling. Manual seems the only approach.

 

[Barliman]

Just updated with a picture.
Here's another
http://i349.photobucket.com/albums/q381/bnz0429/97CFFEAA-B5C8-4042-958C-DDE6CBA2439F_zps6uz8jmnm.jpg
I would describe the color as golden brown/ mustard yellow

That looks like a relative of something I had problems with: a greenish beard algae. I found squirting 2ml of hydrogen peroxide into a clump and leaving the filters off for fifteen minutes sorted it in just a few days. The peroxide breaks down quickly into water and oxygen molecules, so it's harmless at this dosage to the fish. And my fish like to chase the bubbles it produces.

 

[Khuligirl93]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone.

This is what im battling. Manual seems the only approach.

Flchamp, this is what I have noticed as well. Nothing kills it, it only grows slower or faster depending on conditions. Even a single tiny hair will break off and grow a new clump on whatever it sticks to.
I'm not sure if mine is slowing down because of my increase in excel dosing, the better distribution of CO2 with the canister, the water parameters evening out as the tank becomes more established, or maybe all 3.

 

[flchamp89]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone.





Flchamp, this is what I have noticed as well. Nothing kills it, it only grows slower or faster depending on conditions. Even a single tiny hair will break off and grow a new clump on whatever it sticks to.
I'm not sure if mine is slowing down because of my increase in excel dosing, the better distribution of CO2 with the canister, the water parameters evening out as the tank becomes more established, or maybe all 3.

I agree. If I slack on removing it gets ahead of me. I have trouble holding a bubble count. I need to fix my co2. Shrimp and guppies pick at it too.

Its supposed to be some of the worst to get rid of yet also supposed to be part of a healthy tank. I dont mind a little

 

[Khuligirl93]

So I'm going out of town for about a week starting on Christmas Eve. What steps should I take to ensure minimum algae growth and maximum plant growth while I'm gone? I'm thinking:
-lights on a 3 hrs on, 2 off, 3 on split photoperiod. (How to I set the CO2 for this?)
-definitely refill CO2 before leaving
- water change and over fertilize day before leaving
-plastic wrap the tank to prevent evaporation.
-cover tank with towels to eliminate light from windows.

Unfortunately there's nothing I can do about daily excel dosing while I'm gone :/

 

[Bert2oo1]

So I'm going out of town for about a week starting on Christmas Eve. What steps should I take to ensure minimum algae growth and maximum plant growth while I'm gone? I'm thinking:
-lights on a 3 hrs on, 2 off, 3 on split photoperiod. (How to I set the CO2 for this?)
-definitely refill CO2 before leaving
- water change and over fertilize day before leaving
-plastic wrap the tank to prevent evaporation.
-cover tank with towels to eliminate light from windows.

Unfortunately there's nothing I can do about daily excel dosing while I'm gone :/

I'd just dim the lights abit if u can and leave the co2 how it is. Should all be fine for a week. Wouldn't worry too much about ferts

 

[Khuligirl93]

I can't dim the lights :/ it's a Finnex planted plus, so it's either on or off.
After the disaster last time I went out of town I just want to make sure I do everything I possibly can.

 

[Fresh2o]

1 or 2 layers of window screen can be used to reduce the light output. I read about this with owners of the Finnex Ray2 (a very strong LED).
Else, reduce the light duration.
Be careful with the proximity of the plastic film and towels with the light fixture. Maybe just paranoid on my part. You can tape newspaper/paper/opaque plastic against the side walls of the tank.
If you adjust the CO2, give yourself plenty of time to monitor it before you leave.

 

[Bert2oo1]

1 or 2 layers of window screen can be used to reduce the light output. I read about this with owners of the Finnex Ray2 (a very strong LED).
Else, reduce the light duration.
Be careful with the proximity of the plastic film and towels with the light fixture. Maybe just paranoid on my part. You can tape newspaper/paper/opaque plastic against the side walls of the tank.
If you adjust the CO2, give yourself plenty of time to monitor it before you leave.

I agree with fresh I would be paranoid about a fire with towels etc. go with black garbage bags but make your it's well clear of your light. I wouldn't adjust the co2 as u might get a BBA break out. I recon just a double dose of ferts should be fine if u reduce the light duration.

 

[Khuligirl93]

Ok, I will block the sides of the tank somehow without touching the light.
I wasn't planning on adjusting the CO2 at all, just getting a refill on my paintball canister. The way it's adjusted on the regulator will stay the same.

 

[Khuligirl93]

I think adding this inline atomizer is going to be easier said than done... I have the filter turned off and that knob pulled up that stops siphoning, now what? Do I detach the hosing from the spray bar or from the canister? There is still water inside the tubing that will need to drain out before I start cutting. Or should I just pull the spray bar out of the water, cut it, and drain it that way?
Tried to find a video on YouTube but no success.

 

[Fresh2o]

I would remove the spray bar. If you remove the tubing from the canister side (where the knob is) and have the spray bar in the tank, it will most likely siphon water from the tank.
I have a sun sun arriving this week. I might order extra tubing before I attempt something like this (in case I screw up). Or find an equivalent size at the hardware store.

 

[Khuligirl93]

Ok. Here goes... I'll cut close to the spray bar just in case something goes wrong so I'll still have enough tubing if I need to reattach it.

Edit: Well I'm very disappointed. Lesson learned I guess. Don't buy products no one has heard of. It has a ceramic disc that should diffuse tiny bubbles, but it only produces large bubbles. Not sure if there's a hole in the ceramic or what.

Edit #2: after reading the product details on amazon, supposedly the large bubbles are normal on initial setup, and they will get smaller over the next 3 days(?). Hopefully this is true.

 

[Caliban07]

Ok. Here goes... I'll cut close to the spray bar just in case something goes wrong so I'll still have enough tubing if I need to reattach it.

Edit: Well I'm very disappointed. Lesson learned I guess. Don't buy products no one has heard of. It has a ceramic disc that should diffuse tiny bubbles, but it only produces large bubbles. Not sure if there's a hole in the ceramic or what.

Edit #2: after reading the product details on amazon, supposedly the large bubbles are normal on initial setup, and they will get smaller over the next 3 days(?). Hopefully this is true.

I noticed that with mine. They were large at first now they are teeny. I never thought anything of it until this post [emoji106]

 

[flchamp89]

Mine did the same. Didnt even come out at all right. Im thinking most of the ceramic ones do this initially

 

[Caliban07]

Mine did the same. Didnt even come out at all right. Im thinking most of the ceramic ones do this initially

Yeah I think you have to build up enough pressure behind the disc before the bubbles start to come out. Once there is enough pressure and a consistent flow of co2 the bubbles become smaller