SeaChem Flourish Overdose Blues

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_Nemo_

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Jan 13, 2004
Messages
43
Location
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
I think I should get paid for the tank I keep, or at least have it declared a "national resource of significant scientific interest" :). Why? Because I grow every kind of algae known to aquarists in this tank of mine in some quantity.

All is good, however. We are only talking a few strands/clumps/spots here and there. Last Saturday, however, I blew it.

I'm not very good at this hobby. I only started a few months ago. Luckily, however, I'm eager and willing to learn. And, by-and-large, there is a lot of good information on the net that is helpful to newbies like me. But it gets quite confusing at times.

One of the most talked about strategies of controlling algae is that which promotes the PMDD routine. It made sense to me, and I decided to start mimicking the experts. Over a period of a week, I eliminated excess phosphates (dosed with Alum), and raised NO3 and K levels to 5-10 ppm and 10-20 ppm respectively. Then I read that, at these macro nutrient levels, dosing 2-3 times the recommended Flourish amount should be safe (and desired). So last Saturday, after a 25% water change, I dosed the NO3, K, and one drop of Sodium Phosphate (Fleet Enema) in the change water, together with a whopping 5 mL of Flourish (the entire weekly recommended dose). Within hours, I had green beard algae spreading like fire in a dry forest. I had other kinds of algae growing too, but green beard algae was dominant. It has been slowly overtaking my tank ever since. The cleanup crew of 5 Otos and 3 SAE cannot keep up (also also have 1 glass shrimp and 3 platys, all of which are algae eaters).

So was it the iron, or was it the phosphate?

I have read several reports on the internet of people experiencing similar blooms of green beard algae due to an overdose of iron (as in Flourish)! Any similar experiences?
 
I would say it was the "entire weekly recommended dose" of Flourish...I made that mistake once (won't do it again!)...

I'm getting in the habit of following more towards Rex's process...the 1st thing I do after the water change is dose my nitrates and potassium, then I do my 'full-spectrum' dosing every other day...this has helped cut back on 90% of my algae problems...HTH...
 
You can dose the potassium dry (and epsom salts for GH) with water changes. Then check phosphates and very carefully dose those. Better too little on dosing KH2PO4 than over on mono potassium phosphate. But if it's too low it can help precipitate an algae bloom. Check nitrates and if your fish aren't putting in 5 to 10ppm add enough to get to around 7 ppm. Use the Plantex CSM + Boron for the trace elements every other day at .5ml per 20 gallons. Balance is the key!! Also, don't use activated charcoal as that depletes trace elements. Much of what I am writing you may already know, but in case you don't I will include... All of this is assuming you have a very heavily planted tank so the plants can out compete the algae. If not heavily planted you will get plenty of algae for sure. And new tanks take a while to settle in and algae will be a problem for a while, so I have heard and experienced myself, being a relative "newbie" myself.

I wouldn't use too much flourish as the Plantex has most of the trace elements you need. Also use Seachem Iron to boost iron, especially if you don't have flourite substrate (or eco complete etc.) The source I use for the chems is: http://www.gregwatson.com/products.asp

As I mentioned on your other post, all this is from Rex Grigg's FAQ. It works if you follow it carefully. Good luck.
 
My tank specs:
-----------------

Size: 25 gallons (30 x 12 x 16)
Light: 4x23-CF-6500 k ~ 3.7 WPG
Filter: Eheim 2213 / spray bar
substrate : 2.5" 100% Fluorite

Temp: 79-81 F
gH : 3-4 dH (achieved by adding CaCO3 to tap water)
kH : 3-4 dkH (achieved by adding NaHCO3 to tap water)
pH : 6.8-6.6 (through CO2 injection)
CO2: DIY injected into filter intake

NO3 : 5 -10 ppm by adding KNO3
K+ : 10+ ppm by adding KNO3 & KCl
PO4 : minimal dosing of Na3PO4 (one drop sodium phosphate/fleet enema)
SC Flourish : ~ 0.75 - 1.0 mL daily

Plants:

- Limnophila sessiliflora (Asian Ambulia)
- Ludwigia repens
- Echinodorus osiris (a sword)
- Nymphaea lotus zenkeri (tiger lotus)
- Nymphoides aquatica (banana plant)
- Bacopa monnieri (moneywort)
- Vallisneria spiralis (italian val)
- Vallisneria sp. 'Contortionist' (corckscrew val)
- Microsorum pteropus (java fern)
- Anubias barteri
- Lobelia cardinalis (cardinal plant)
- Eleocharis acicularis (dwarf hairgrass)
- Rotala indica (bean stalk - reddish)
- Rotala spec. 'Green' (bean stalk - green)

fish, etc :

6 x otocinclus
3 x SAE
4 x neon tetra
2 x American-flag fish
1 x glass shrimp
some tiny unwanted snails

pictures:

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Nice tank Nemo! And a nice group of plants for sure... Are you testing for phophates so you know the actual level? If not, don't get the Hagen Nutrafin test, as it dispenses strangely on the third reagent. Seachem is better. And thats alot of flourish and again, I would find some Plantex CSM. I think its made in Canada, eh?
 
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