My Tank Journal

[Rupert]

Hi Spinex I have been unable to rid myself of Staghorn, I have defeated BBA, hair algae and a few others but since I switched to T5 HO’s, then no CO2 for a while then lots of CO2, then it ran out just as I was walking out the door to the airport a few weeks ago, so bought another bottle to avoid that issue. At the same time I had been only dosing micros and PO4 in large amounts. In a short space of time as I am only in Singapore during the weekends at the moment

The Staghorn has become prolific, the family say “it looks good why not replace my hair-grass with it”…so just last week I have gone back to dosing Lushgro Macros with my last assumption something is missing that is inhibiting the plants, the next step will be to get a fast low light grower to add and possible change to a new fertilizer. Standoyo did mention in previous post that it could be the water as the B Japonica has almost become extinct in all my tanks when it use to be a weed.

Hi Axela11, guppy’s are generally quite sturdy, they like clean water but if your waterflow is too aggressive they suffer as they cannot rest. The only other thing that I can think of is that something in your tank is bullying/killing/eating them. Do you notice the tails deteriorating as something slowly nibbles on the tails while fish while they rest, until they are unable to swim? Do you have a real guppy killer in your tank like a crayfish?

[Rupert]

I have been stricken with staghorn algae and have been fighting it for ages, but it just keeps on coming back so fast! Now I have what the family calls “nuclear” staghorn which I think might be ricca. Both kinds look the same, but the “nuclear” kind is a vivid bright green, so I am not sure what I have.

Anyway was loosing the battle, pulled out a lot of hair grass trying to remove it all and decided, after six months, that my T5 HO’s [4 x 54 watts] just don’t have sufficient penetrating power to reach the 2.5 feet to the bottom of the tank. So out came the Dymax [2 x150watts MH’s] and now have those on for two hours [initially] a day as well as the T5’s to see if that helps.

The MH’s have an intensity that drives the light almost like sunlight, they force plants to “colour up”. So here what 516 Watts does to Cryptocoryne undulata:

Side-on

Top-Down

[|squee|]

Looks like you're lacking in some nutrient there

[ranmasatome]

i dont think so.. i think its high light so increased No3 uptake.. but same aomount dosed...so naturally..

[spinex]

Rupert,

So your staghorn is kept at bay now ?

Does it imply that to apply EI method effectively we have to have strong lighting and CO2.

Can i safely conclude that if we have high CO2, low light or low intensity of light, EI dosing we bound to get some algae ? Because it mean those extra nutrients won't be taken much as quickly or as fast by our plants hence chances for the algae ..

My assumption only ... i'm just as confused about dosing and algae after starting for 3 months.

[Rupert]

Hello Justin & Terrance,

Thanks for your replies, I feel that it is not just the nutrients it is the excessive lighting. This clump of C. Undulata is 12 inches maximum away from 516watts and the pure light intensity makes it hard to see the green colour. When the MH’s are off, more green can be seen. I did have B. Japonica in the same position and it turned a copper colour, unfortunately the B. Japonica didn’t tolerate my trip to low tech and I replaced them.

Today I went down Tung Choi Street in HK and had a look at one of my favorite tanks at a shop called “Hong Kong Aquarium” they have a tank almost the same dimensions as mine, possibly deeper than my 2.5 feet and they are running 8 x 150 MH’s. The reds in this tank are always bright and deep red. Naturally growth levels are phenomenal as well.

Hello Andrew [Spinex]

So your staghorn is kept at bay now ?

No I do not believe I have conquered the staghorn, it will be a few weeks before I know if the situation is improving or getting worse.

Does it imply that to apply EI method effectively we have to have strong lighting and CO2.

Can i safely conclude that if we have high CO2, low light or low intensity of light, EI dosing we bound to get some algae ? Because it mean those extra nutrients won't be taken much as quickly or as fast by our plants hence chances for the algae ..

I think to apply EI effectively one needs to have the discipline to maintain the regime over a period of time, adjusting or changing one variable at a time until you know cause-effect relationships for your aquascape. The water changes reset the environment and are important. I would leave home for a couple of days and find out I was away for weeks… then untold trips away result in no stability for the family or the tank this causes problems.

To have “EI dosing” high and correct C02 levels with low intensity light, in the absence of regular water changes would probably result in an tank environment that is not balanced towards plant growth and where plant growth is not balanced then algae arises. Light is plant food, to have low intensity light when all the other variables indicate that high light intensity is required will probably create favorable conditions for algae.

[mozesyap]

It is really great to read this thread as it chart the progress of your tank Rupert.

Anyway, just to talk about the question on EI, part of EI is indeed water changes to reset the concentration of nutrients in the water and high growth + high light + high CO2 + high dosing.

I have read one of Tom's article on Low maintenance tank

Essentially I think the EI is no longer true EI, because of the slower growth and no water changes, dosing has to be very much reduced

Here's the article, hope Tom doesn't mind me posting the link
http://www.barrreport.com/forums/sho...=2&pp=&conly=1

[Rupert]

Here's the article, hope Tom doesn't mind me posting the link
http://www.barrreport.com/forums/sho...=2&pp=&conly=1

Thanks mozesyap … Tom Barr probably wouldn’t mind about the link. I found the logic of the EI approach quite influential… just a pity that I am not been home [Singapore] much over the last six months to follow the regime.

[Rupert]

Freshwater Limpets

For something different to do, bought nine Freshwater “Septaria porcellana [Linnaeus, 1758]” in Hong Kong… two perished on transportation, the rest seemed to be acclimating, but not sure if they will totally adjust to soft water or not?

Size about 2.5cm in diameter

Really would like to find a Singapore source for these as I find the more odd critters seen in Hong Kong do not adapt well to my Singapore tank conditions.

[Justikanz]

Eh... These can be found in Singapore... Seen in C328...

[Rupert]

Eh... These can be found in Singapore... Seen in C328...

Thanks Justikanz… typical of my current travel commitments is that it is easier to go to Tung Choi Street than C328. However that will change in 4 weeks and will have time to search C328 for these limpets as I find critters like this captivating, even if the move slowly.

[Rupert]

It has been a quiet month, with many trips away from family and the tank. Every attempt has been made to conquer “staghorn algae”, it wasn’t until I saw this

http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...64&postcount=7

That the algae seeds of doubt were sown and with the slow [and still possibly incorrect] realization I that it wasn’t staghorn I was fighting, I now think I have the sinking form of Riccia. I knew I had some Riccia as the family call it “nuclear staghorn” this stuff is so hard to remove, but the sinking form was pervasive within my hair grass that I could remove handfuls every week.

Naturally when one thinks is algae I up’ed the CO2, the up’ed dosing so no limiting factors, then up’ed the lighting to 576 watts until it got insane… I went through a bottle of CO2 in a few weeks and this stuff grew and grew… as if it was mocking me.

Anyway Monday night in a different country, bored in a hotel and not home predictably for another month here are some interim pictures. At present there are some gaps that need to maturation time to fill and as I hope you can see I am going through a Red phase

Plants
Dwarf Hair Grass [Eleocharis acicularis]
Aponogeton Longiplumulosus.
Cryptocoryne undulate
Java Moss
Hygrophila difformis
Limnophila aromatica
Ludwigia sp. Guinea – from Justin [ranmasatome]
Anubias barteri var. nana 'Petite'– from CKM
Riccia fluitans

[|squee|]

So it isn't staghorn then? Riccia can be classified as an algae from now on.

[Rupert]

Well I am certainly amazed at how quickly Ricca grows, in just over 3 weeks I had a carpet of Ricca over the entire bottom of my tank. My only concern was that I thought it was starving my hair grass of light, so removed it gently, but still some Hair Grass was pulled up at the same time.

I guess that this will be a monthly activity now.

[grey_fox]

It actually looks quite nice, the submerged riccia.

[ranmasatome]

Rupert..
I'm enjoying the red phase alot..
and in that post.. under the plant list..
You forgot riccia...lol
Its funny that all the time you thought it was algae and did everything to only make its growth more rampant..haha.. should have taken a photo of the bugger dewd.. Now you understand why this is the most hated plant. i almost hate it as much as algae.
With such a deep tank and it growing at the bottom.. i fear for it.
Keep at it.. who know what would happen..

[Rupert]

It actually looks quite nice, the submerged riccia.

I looks very good when pearling… I can see why people like ricca for this reason alone. In a few weeks that carpet look will be back.

Its funny that all the time you thought it was algae and did everything to only make its growth more rampant..haha.. should have taken a photo of the bugger dewd.. Now you understand why this is the most hated plant. i almost hate it as much as algae.

In hindsight I laugh at myself, for months and months I battled this stuff and every act to defeat it was actually promoting its growth, the more extreme the act the more extreme the growth, it was mocking my attempts.

I have been defeated by Ricca. and now understand why it is hated and can imagine that once introduced it is virtually impossible eradicate without harming every other plant. I better get use to having it!

[Rupert]

Bought 3 male Cameroon [Atyopsis gabonensis] shrimp during the September 06 AQ Farm Excursion. They are passive filter feeders, gentle shy giants that seem to be settling in. I cannot wait until all three can be seen at once.

My three are quite large and make woodshrimp look small. Here is a picture of one fanning with a 2 inch woodshrimp on its tail.

[Justikanz]

Oh, my! The wood shrimp looked like a baby... or a desperate teenage male... How I wish I have the courage to try these gentle giants... I am so afraid I will end up killing them...

[jacquetlc]

Glad to know that Benny's cooler box trick works! Learnt another thing from the trip... always keep a cooler box for purchases... Hmm...

By the way, the plants that you are pulling out... are they Ricca or Riccia? ... Are their demands high and can they be purchased in LFS easily?

Am starting a cube tank for shrimps... they do really look nice as 'carpet' ... very thick!