Reply With Quote
Is this method necessarily any better than the traditional way? Or are the results just the same, only you might have 30ppm in the traditional way but more ppm in this way?
Well, you can do it without measuring but you would probably want to start at a low rate say 1 bubble every 5 second for your tank and work you way up slowly per week till you achieve good plant growth and no BBA. Watch the fish and back off on the surface agitation but still strive for some good movement..just not a lot though. Oh, don't go crazy and add a lot of CO2 suddenly..do it slowly.
Regards
Peter Gwee
Is this method necessarily any better than the traditional way? Or are the results just the same, only you might have 30ppm in the traditional way but more ppm in this way?
The traditional way? Using the pH/KH method? Yes, its recommended you do the pH/KH method first though which will give you an idea where you are and can go. Target 30ppm for the photoperiod and add progressively more CO2 slowly per week till you get good plant health/retard algae. Have slight surface movement (good movement will do..not a lot though) 24/7 which will add a margin of safety if you overdo the CO2 or plant production is poor (adds O2 for the critters).
Example...
pH - 6.4-6.5 (for the entire photoperiod)
KH - 3
BBA grows in the tank...
Bubble rate to keep the above pH is 1 bubble every 2 seconds
Now, add 0.6bps...monitor the critter behaviour for a day and then plants and BBA for the week.
Add more the next week if BBA is still growing so fore and on. Back off if your critter acts funny though.
Regards
Peter Gwee
This must be getting boring
7th September 2005
Increased my dose to 2 squirts of Balance-K and Aquatilizer now. Cyperus helferi is really spreading quickly, have to prune them back. HC is showing slight spreading, but fairly unnoticeable. Nana's are starting to put out new leaves. Taiwan moss surprisingly already showing growth even though they've only been planted two days.
I'm wondering if Aquatilizer contains nitrate, because I saw a very small layer of green stuff that looks like BGA to me.Maybe I gotta start adding small amounts of KNO3 with every water change
BBA is not growing, hopefully this will stay the same once I stop dosing Excel. Staghorn has revived somewhat, going to do a cleanup again tommorrow morning. No other algae bothering me
8th September 2005
2 squirts as usual, 2 doses of Excel as usual. Cyperus showing more runaway leaves now, removed the offending runners. Taiwan moss continues to grow. HC is still slow-growing, I wonder what can be done to increase it's growth dramatically?
No new BBA observed, staghorn is still on HC.
The FERKA liquid is free of N and P, only exists in Stemma, Rosetta and Aquabase. If you are not adding these, try to add your KNO3 and etc.
人的一生﹐ 全靠奮斗﹐ 唯有奮斗﹐ 才能成功
Thanks Lorba! I suspected as much a few minutes ago when I saw bubbling in my tank again (KNO3 added last night to test)
9th September 2005
Same old dose, no Excel added since BBA seems to have stopped. (well... I sure hope so)
I noticed traces of BGA appearing on a few substrate grains already. Must be the lack of NO3. I wonder if Thai waters are nitrate and phosphate heavy?
*Cough, Cough*
Someone owes me something.
*Cough Cough*
Yes Jerome?
BGA has appeared recently... the stuff smells like crap with a capital C. Dosed KNO3 big time with a water change.
BBA has stopped, but BGA and staghorn are still around.
Terrence, those tanks that were using FERKA uses full range in terms of AQUABASE, ROSETTA and STEMMA. These are rich in N and P. They are inside the capsules for root feeding to prevent adding these into the water.Originally Posted by |squee|
There are many out there who believe that roots uptaking is still the best.
人的一生﹐ 全靠奮斗﹐ 唯有奮斗﹐ 才能成功
You sure your C02 levels are right?
Do you have any yamatos or SAEs? After Excel does its job, these guys will help finish the job off.
Usually in my experience if you stop excel and it (BBA) comes back, your c02 levels are off. So watch for that.
BGA should be the result of bottoming N03.. do you notice your red plants going berserk?
P.s. No one ask you to smell it.. You remind me of the fable of a man and a lump of Shit on the road... must smell, see and taste before confirm its BGA isit?
Lol
Lorba, perhaps that's why I'm not getting the results I want. Either that, or there's just no affinity with Ferka for me
BBA is not coming back for the moment... and Jerome, the smell was impossible not to miss. It was... urgh. I had it on my fingers and when took some out from the gravel, the smell hit me hard. Too hard.
So which type of fertilizers did you used previously that gave you the desired result? Most likely the PMDDs?
May be it will be more justified and accurate if you try it out on a totally new tank and not a BBA infested one?
Last edited by lorba; 15th Sep 2005 at 10:30.
人的一生﹐ 全靠奮斗﹐ 唯有奮斗﹐ 才能成功
Posting Permissions
Bookmarks