Khuligirl's planted 20 long

[Khuligirl93]

Thanks guys I have high hopes for it.
So I'm probably a couple weeks away from stocking but I'm starting to think about options. The other day at a LFS I saw blue eyed Gertrude/ spotted rainbows (it seems like the LFSs here in the Denver area have a great selection on rare/ nano fish!). Anyone have experience with those rainbows? I read that they only live about 18 months and can be jumpers, which is kinda a bummer. But I would love to hear any personal experiences. The 18 mo lifespan isn't necessarily a deal breaker since they're apparently prolific breeders, but I'd hate to spend 6$ a fish and find them dried up on my floor..
I've also considered threadfin rainbows, but I think they're a bit bigger than what I have in mind for the tank.
Other options were CPDs or chili rasboras of course. I think I'm leaning more towards the CPDs though because they seem to have more interesting behavior.

Also this LFS had dwarf anchor cats, Burmese rosy loaches, and scarlet badis! I think the anchor cats would be visually lost in my tank and I know the badis are a challenge to feed, so I probably won't get any. But I was very impressed with their selection! (This LFS was Aquatic Dog, btw. But I've also been very impressed with Neptune's tropical fish and Fish Den)

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[Khuligirl93]

Starting to see a tiny bit of hair algae... but only if I look really hard. And it's only on the plants that have been in the tank the longest (water sprite).
After some reading on TPT forum, looks like it could be due to too much light in comparison to CO2, ammonia, or low nitrates.
It'd be nice if it was ammonia, since i know that will be gone once the cycle is complete. My drop checker is almost yellow by the end of the night so I'd prefer not to increase CO2, but I will try upping my nitrates from 5-10 to 20. Although I'd like to keep some nice reds, which I know require low nitrates and high phosphates, so I'm hoping I don't have to keep doing it long term.
I might pick up some excel at the store.
It would be easy to just pull it out since I caught it so early, but I'd like to fix the problem at its source before it gets bad.


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[Khuligirl93]

Ok, calling all algae experts! The thread algae seems to be getting worse every day... not sure why. Ive got high flow, dosing pps pro daily, and have a lime green drop checker during the entire photoperiod. It looks almost like spider webs just strung between all the plant leaves. It comes off very easily, but I want to know whats causing it.

http://i349.photobucket.com/albums/q381/bnz0429/6F613114-C0F1-4F7F-9BC7-446E49B915E2_zpstibkjeb4.jpg

http://i349.photobucket.com/albums/q381/bnz0429/DA5225CC-3AE3-4C08-B5EB-A05419AF392C_zpsovlnp7hb.jpg

http://i349.photobucket.com/albums/q381/bnz0429/26E7D6A1-4AE8-440C-BD5B-DD926D7E7166_zpsbbsoy8pt.jpg

As a side note- anyone else super annoyed with the app update? I cant figure out how to post a reply, and when I try to access my subscribed threads, it says "no topic".

 

[Brookster123]

That is a carnivorous plant, remove all that by hand if you can. It's sneaky so be thorough

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[Khuligirl93]

That is a carnivorous plant, remove all that by hand if you can. It's sneaky so be thorough

What do you mean by its carnivorous? It feeds on dead stuff? I did have a ghost shrimp die that I left in there..

 

[Brookster123]

It looks like like bladderwort, I could be wrong. Is it spreading on a horizontal plane?

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[Khuligirl93]

Well, because of the direction of flow in the tank it seems to be pulled horizontally, like spider webs blown in the wind. Not sure what it would do if it weren't for the flow though.

 

[Brookster123]

Look up bladderwort

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[Khuligirl93]

Hmm. Doesn't look like the pics of bladderwort that I'm seeing. Bladderwort looks more branching like hornwort. This stuff is single long strands that are very thin- even thinner than hair. But they're very sticky because when the substrate gets disturbed and particles float everywhere, they collect on the threads, making it look even worse.

I just did about a 20% water change and siphoned all of it out that I could find. If it didn't come back that would be great. But I have a feeling that it will until I can figure out the cause..

My room does face south and has huge windows, so it gets a pretty good amount of light all day. My CO2 runs from 3-10, and lights run 4-11. I try my best to keep the shades closed, but its still pretty bright. Could that have something to do with it?

 

[Brookster123]

Stag horn?

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[Fresh2o]

I looked at those pics VERY closely and it looks more like string algae. What's missing are the characteristic pods or bladders (hence, the name) located every 1-2 cm.
A couple years back I received a plant order which had some stray bladderwort in it. Stuff spreads like wildfire and can easily hitch hike on plant shipments.

 

[Khuligirl93]

Definitely not staghorn, I've had that before.
It looks exactly like this, except I think I caught it earlier than this person. Brown hair algae? - Tropical Fish Keeping - Aquarium fish care and resources

And mine also seems to be originating from the most diatom-covered leaves.

 

[Khuligirl93]

I looked at those pics VERY closely and it looks more like string algae. What's missing are the characteristic pods or bladders (hence, the name) located every 1-2 cm.
A couple years back I received a plant order which had some stray bladderwort in it. Stuff spreads like wildfire and can easily hitch hike on plant shipments.

Oh, yay.

 

[Fresh2o]

Oh, yay.

Your welcome [emoji4]

 

[Brookster123]

I'm rusty on algae.. only bba these days

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[Khuligirl93]

So what do you guys recommend?
I've got an amano shrimp and a nerite snail in there who of course aren't helping at all.
Just keep doing what I'm doing and sucking it out as I see it?
Maybe up the CO2?

On a positive note, I'm getting some nice pearling from the Hydrocotle sp Japan and the AR mini

 

[Fresh2o]

I would siphon it out or use a toothbrush to "rake" it up. Not sure if increasing the CO2 will help.
Pearling is nice. Getting it from the AR mini is something I've not seen very often.

 

[Khuligirl93]

Alright well I turned the CO2 up just the slightest bit, and the amano shrimp is going crazy and the drop checker is yellow.. guess I'll turn it back down. Goodness this really is a balancing act! What is making this stupid algae grow??

 

[Bert2oo1]

Alright well I turned the CO2 up just the slightest bit, and the amano shrimp is going crazy and the drop checker is yellow.. guess I'll turn it back down. Goodness this really is a balancing act! What is making this stupid algae grow??

I had this stuff a few months ago along with a bad hit of green hair aswell. I just kept up on my 50% weekly water changes and pulled as much as I could out with a tooth brush and I haven't seen it for a while now. Do u dose EI?


30g planted, 90g Oscar tank

 

[Caliban07]

Alright well I turned the CO2 up just the slightest bit, and the amano shrimp is going crazy and the drop checker is yellow.. guess I'll turn it back down. Goodness this really is a balancing act! What is making this stupid algae grow??

Are you positive the shrimp was responding to the increased co2 levels. I know that my amanos will go absolutes nutty when wanting to breed. Looks like they are looking for something to kill. Whether you need the opposite sex in the tank to see this effect I'm not sure.

Earlier you said the drop checker turned yellow towards the end of the photoperiod but now you say it's for
The entire photoperiod. I'm just trying to figure out how you have the co2. Nearly all of us are certain that we have enough co2 but actually don't. Co2 also drives nutrient uptake. Are you sure PPS-pro is cutting the mustard?