My 12L: An Iwagumi style Nature Aquarium

[aqua_chem]

We should start a "Hair algae took over my tank during vacation" club.

 

[mfdrookie516]

I should be President... since I didn't have to go on vacation for it to take over in my tank!

Knowing fort, he'll get it gone

 

[Jason7894561230]

Looking excellent Fort! You should put some Australian plants in there......

 

[fort384]

Thanks Jason. I think a lot of the eriocaulon species are native to Australia (I could be wrong on that)... so there might already be a little OZ in the tank

 

[fort384]

Well, the good news is the plants are thriving. The bad news is, the algae is really starting to frustrate me. I just can't seem to shake it. I am starting to wonder if it is cladaphora instead of regular hair algae, though it seems to have strands that are much longer than what I think cladaphora grows. I have been doing daily spot treating with excel, which has been effective at killing the areas I spot treat, but it just comes back within a day or two. Nitrates are 20ppm, ammonia/nitrites are 0. PO4 is testing out at 0.5ppm. PPS Dosing N, K, P, and Plantex CSM+B daily. I have not been dosing Fe. I wonder if that would help?

I am at my wits end. I have never had an issue clearing up an algae outbreak in a planted tank. It is almost to the point where I want to rip out all the plants, completely black out the tank for a week, and start over with the plants.

 

[meegosh]

I don't think dosing Fe will help to be honest. The way I've gotten rid of it in the past is a 3 day blackout, followed by a full spot treatment, and tons of 50% water changes. I did 2x 50% daily water changes after and cranked the CO2 up for about a week. It came back in spots but I spot treated again and it finally stayed away for good.

I think inconsistent CO2 levels rather than dosing seems to be the cause more often than not.

 

[fort384]

Thanks Steve. For your 3 day black out, did you actually cover the tank with garbage bags, or just kill the light for 3 days?

 

[fort384]

Here is an updated FTS. Plants are doing great but I trashed half the HC due to the algae. This is what's left. The blyxa has done wonderfully.

 

[meegosh]

I threw a dark blanket over the tank and put a couple scrap pieces of wood across the tank to keep the blanket from sagging into the water. If you don't have much natural light where your tank is I think you'll be fine without covering it up.

Good luck! I was about ready to throw in the towel when I had it really bad.

 

[fort384]

Well, I cranked the CO2 up on Thursday afternoon. I think that has significantly slowed the growth of algae. SM and HN1 are also sending me some amanos to help munch some algae and keep it to a minimum. I might be able to avoid the blackout. We shall see.

 

[aqua_chem]

How many amanos?

Also, shrimp can be touchy about co2 sometimes.

 

[fort384]

I raised it up slowly over a couple of days... I took it from about 25ppm to 35ppm. I will keep an eye on the drop checker today and if the shade of yellow green lightens any more towards yellow, I will back it off a bit. I don't want to nuke my CRS .

3 amanos.

 

[meegosh]

Glad the CO2 is working out for you. That's what the problem was in my tank. I cranked it up for a few days 35-40ppm and then backed it back down to 30ppm after almost all was gone. Are you using a pH monitor or just a timer on your solenoid?

 

[fort384]

Just a timer... But I have a pH monitor I could hook up...

 

[aqua_chem]

Well, what's the progress? I'm particularly interested to know how your UG is growing?

 

[fort384]

Everything was growing wonderfully. Unfortunately so was the algae. I am starting over with the plants. I ripped everything out and I have the tank blacked out right now. I am doing daily PWCs, and the amano I have in there seems to be taking care of the dead algae (It does seem like the algae in the tank has died during the black out).

I tried to do a strong excel dip and put the plants in a dark bucket of water for awhile, but the algae was still alive after 3 days, and the plants were starting to turn to mush - so garbage disposal it was.

I am going to leave the tank in the dark for another week, and start again on plants after that. I might forgo the HC and just go straight UG for the foreground. It is a very cool plant.

 

[aqua_chem]

Can you give me some pictures of your UG and your thoughts and experiences with it so far? I recently picked up this for cheap on CL and am strongly considering decking on a 10g with Mineralized Top Soil with either UG or Staurogyne repens.

 

[fort384]

I gladly would have but it all went down the disposal...

Very neat looking and compact plant. Medium grower speed wise.

 

[aqua_chem]

Seriously, all of it? What kind of algae plague did you have?

 

[fort384]

Hair algae of some kind. Nothing would get rid of it. Tried excel dips, h2o2 dips, blackouts, co2 overdose... Kept coming back.