Making red plants red & keeping spot algae away

[overdrive]

Hi people, I've read through forums that low NO3 (<5mg/l) will being out the reds in red plants and that high PO4 (1-2mg/l) will keep spot algae away provided CO2 is high. I want to make my red plants really red, has anyone tried maintaining NO3 to below 5mg/l and keeping PO4 really high?

[David]

why dont just use a UV Sterilizer for the spot algae?

[overdrive]

Well, I want to stick to nutrient control first in tackling any algae, so far it has worked for all types of algae I've encountered, cept for this spot algae which is growing on my golden nana and on the glass. If I keep NO3 low for red plants (<5mg/l) and PO4 high for spot algae prevention (1.5-2mg/l), will it stunt some plants?

[barmby]

[quote:9d4fc50ef5="overdrive"]Well, I want to stick to nutrient control first in tackling any algae, so far it has worked for all types of algae I've encountered, cept for this spot algae which is growing on my golden nana and on the glass. If I keep NO3 low for red plants (<5mg/l) and PO4 high for spot algae prevention (1.5-2mg/l), will it stunt some plants?[/quote:9d4fc50ef5]

PO4 can help to prevent spot algae.

Low NO3 does not equate to red plants. It has to do with chlorophyll.

It is a bad thing to have High C02 and High lighting with low NO3. A CO2 fertilized tank is some time limited by N03 if you are doing huge water change weekly.

Hence, strong lighting, sufficient NPK, high CO2, & excess of TE, will help you in getting red plant

Don't believe? Drop your NO3 to zero, and you may have BGA outbreak. (I experienced it :P )

[PeterGwee]

GS: CO2/PO4

[quote:a2a90ab1="barmby"]Hence, strong lighting, sufficient NPK, high CO2, & excess of TE, will help you in getting red plant[/quote:a2a90ab1]

Low light along with with good levels of nutrients except NO3 would do it. At low light, uptake rate of nutrients is lower and you can run NO3 lean without the risk of it bottom out. At high light, you are simply asking for trouble.

Regards
Peter Gwee

[mervin]

[quote:a441198beb="David"]why dont just use a UV Sterilizer for the spot algae?[/quote:a441198beb]

believe the UV is only good for "green water"

[overdrive]

I have 136 watts of FL lights above my 220 litre 4 feet tank. Shouldn't be too high lighting. I've experienced before when my NO3 dropped to under 5mg/l, near zero actually for a few days before I dose KNO3 (did this as an experiment), my rotala rotundifolia turned very red. And after I dosed the KNO3 until my NO3 value became 5mg/l again(or at least thats what the SERA NO3 test kit tells me), the plant started losing the red colour and new growth tips were greenish again. Hence low NO3 do bring out the reds. But how low can I go & how long can I maintain it below 5mg/l? I'm maintaining PO4 levels at about 1.5mg/l at the moment with about 30mg/l of CO2 consistently. But the spot algae on my glass doesn't seem to go away yet. Guys, how long does it normally take to remove or at least lessen spot algae through PO4 fertilisation? Any experience to share? thanks in advance

[juggler]

I think the spot algae won't just go away. Why don't you scrape them off this round and see if new ones appear soon after.

[David]

Hi mervin

nope its good for spot algae control.......its been two weeks since I scrapped my tank for spot algae....

[overdrive]

Yeah, I've tried scraping them off before a water change, but they will slowly grow back again, nevertheless, I'll scrape them off again and see and will up the PO4 lvls to 2.0 mg/l and see what happens. Problem is I can't scrape those spot algae growing on some of my anubias nanas.

[David]

Fellowella may be able to help you......

[overdrive]

I'm actually looking for it, but can't seem to find it at all, will it damage sensitive plants like mini-riccia or my madagascar lace plant? I have 4 otos in my tank but I think they're barely doing anything to the spot algae.

[PeterGwee]

[quote:7620353473="Tom Barr"]Is the algae you have on the glass, is it a soft film? You can wipe it off with your hand almost?
And does it appear to grow back a few hours or less on the glass?

That's green dust.

If it's something other than that, nutrients alone will take care of it.
Scrub off the Green Dust(GD) with the filters and current off, and vacuum up the left overs as fast as you can.
Some drain the tank, remove and lift it out as they scrub and then refill, then scrub again later that day and do another large water change, or you can repeat a day later also.

The alga are zoospores and can reattach. Basically you wipe them off, they swim around for a few minuters and resettle back where you just wiped them off.

I have not been able to grow this alga for more than 2- 3 weeks.
After it went through it's zoospore stage, it went away and has not been seen since.

But if you clean the glass once a week etc, that will only keep them in this stage and they are stressed so they stay mobile and attach to the glass.

Regards,
Tom Barr[/quote:7620353473]

You might want to try this suggestion by Tom Barr.

Regards
Peter Gwee

[David]

Fellowella can only be found at Gan's place.......they are profolic feeders and in the absence of greenish smearing algae, they will turn on your plants, turning them into lace plants.........

Peter.......just use UV Sterilizer lah........

[looloo]

Farlowella can be found @ Choong Sua (Bukit Timah Plaza) too! : )

DesmonD

[David]

How much is it selling for?

[looloo]

If I'm permitted to announce, it's less than $10 : )
He has 2 left (since yesterday)

[David]

Oooooh the price is okay......

[Plantbrain]

I use Royal farowellas in a new tank I did, along with some very nice Rare plecos.
Not sure these do too much to Green dust, I had shrimp and I had a chubby nose pleco and rubber nose pleco they did not do much, snails did more damage I think.

Green spot only needs good CO2/PO4 to clear it up. I've done it and had folks try it and see for themselves.

For red plants, what I would call the best set up:
The same amount of light, 136w on a 220Liter is good.
Add a fair amount of fish load, feed daily well.
Crank the CO2 high during the light peroid.
You'll need to find a good balance between the KNO3 and fish feeding for supply of NO3.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[email protected] Get connected
www.BarrReport.com Get the information

[overdrive]

Thanks Tom, I just checked my NO3 level yesterday and I've got less than 5mg/l but more than 0, or at least thats what my SERA kits tells me. All my plants are bubbling well, no problems at the moment and PO4 around 1.5mg/l & CO2 level 30-35mg/l throughout the lighting period. The NO3 has been maintaining at this lvl for about 2 weeks already, guess my fish load and feeding should be alright. I also noticed that my rotala rotundifolia is turning red. I shall continue to skimp on the KNO3 dosing for awhile and see how it goes. hopefully I don't get an algae outbreak hehe!