Brown spots on my tank.

[Decarn]

I recently changed to a 36W PL light for my 2ft to grow ricca. I'm also using a DIY Co2 at about 1bps. A few days later, brown spots start to appear on my tank walls. I suspect it is due to my DIY Co2 but I haven't figure out what the brown spots are. My fishes and shrimps seems fine but I'm worried something might happen.

Btw, I know that Ricca requires strong light and Co2 but what about base fertilizer? I'm thinking of only having ricca and no other plants so is it necessary to use base fertilizer? (I assume that since ricca has no roots, base fertilizer is unnecessary, at most use liquid fertilizer). Pls correct me if I'm wrong.

Thanks.

[vinz]

No you do not need base fertiliser. The brown spots are algae. What fert are you using? Are you able to measure your KH and pH levels (to derive CO2 levels). What and how many fishes do you have in there? Any other plants? Are your riccia pearling yet?

[Simon]

imo, yr lights may not be enuff for yr plants to outgrow the algae... what liquid fert do u dose yr tank with?

[Decarn]

I did not add in any fertilizer be it base or liquid.

I'll get a PH and KH test kit later and update you guys about the level.

I currently have 8 neons, 4 SAE and 15 Malayan shrimps. (Will any of them help to clear up that algae and what's the name of that algae?)

There are no other plants in my tank except for a small patch of ricca (4cm x 2.5cm). Wonder when will it be enough to cover my entire tank.

It's been 4 days and my ricca aren't pearling, very demoralize. Could it because of the strong current cause by my overhead filter or my shrimps that are grazing it.

With regards to my light,
my tanks is 2x1.5x1ft (length,height,width) which works out to approximate 67L.

Therefore 67L ~ 18 US Gallon, assuming 3watts per gallon, I require 54Watts.
Though I'm using only a 36W 10,000K PL, I'm placing it directly above my ricca. I'm intending to add in another 15W FL light once my ricca start to cover my entire tank.
So I'll have 36W PL + 15W FL = 51W. Is this feasible?

Haiz, the brown spots are getting worse.

[Simon]

will be good if u have a pic... r u sure abt the brown spots is algae and not dirt collected on the glass? u say u using a overhead filter, is the outlet flow above the water or below the water surface? if its above and water is splashing down on the surface then that will increase yr CO2 loss... btw, for a 2ft, more feasible will be a 2x36watts PL light fixture

[vinz]

Pearling occurs when the plants produce so much O2 that the water becomes saturated with O2 and additional O2 becomes bubbles instead of dissolving into the water.

In order for your water to be saturated with O2, you need:
A) Enough plants to produce that much O2.
B) Enough light, CO2 and nutrients so that the plants photosynthesises effectively and produce that much O2.

My suggestion:
1) Try to get more riccia from forumers (advertise in Buy & Sell) or buy from LFS.
2) Get other fast growing plants to temporarily populate the tank so you can start adding fert and lights. This is to fight algae as well.
3) Optimise photosynthesis by adding 20 to 35ppm of Potassium a week and try to up your CO2 levels to 20 to 30 ppm. You can try all these without additional lights first, as your tank is not tall and the 36W may actually be enough.

Riccia will not spread... you need to harvest the riccia as they grow and then tie them to more mesh, rocks, driftwood, etc.

[Allen_1971]

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On 11/26/2002 12:15:53 PM
There are no other plants in my tank except for a small patch of ricca (4cm x 2.5cm). Wonder when will it be enough to cover my entire tank.

It's been 4 days and my ricca aren't pearling, very demoralize. Could it because of the strong current cause by my overhead filter or my shrimps that are grazing it.
----------------

Just in case you didn't know, Riccia will not spread. It doesn't put down roots (at least in the conventional sense) and will eventually float up (if nothing is done). If you want your entire tank bottom to be covered with Riccia, you have to put it there.

Also, lights are very key to riccia... the brighter your lights, the denser your carpet of riccia. So if you want really thick clumps of riccia, you need to boost your lights by a lot... As for pearling, try upping you CO2... if that doesn't help, you need to up your lights.

On the whole though, I find riccia a messy plant to deal with and have removed them completely from my tanks now... you need to constrantly prune the plant to keep it from floating up, and also to keep the lower stalk from withering... If I were you I would switch to an easier lower maintenance plant. The only plus point of riccia is that it is really beautiful... especially when it is pearling.

[Decarn]

I'm not sure how to post a pic but I'm pretty sure the brown spots isn't dirt cause it only appears near to where my Co2 is emmitted and only when I change to PL lights and put in Co2. It has never occur previously.

I will make my water level above the outlet flow to reduce Co2 loss.

Care to explain what is meant by 20-35ppm of Potassium and Co2 to 20-35ppm? How do u measure it?

With regards to haversting ricca, do I use those that have floated to the top or cut them from my existing ricca and then bind them elsewhere?

What other plants are easy to maintain and suitable to be us as the foreground? I want to create a lawn effect.

Sorry but I'm still pretty new to this.
Thanks a lot for all your valuable advice.

[Allen_1971]

I believe Vinz doses potassium by using potassium sulphate commonly called K2SO4 which is its chemical composition... In order to determine the amount of it to dose, first determine your tank size... then roughly 0.5g/10L of water will increase your K level by 22.4ppm.

As for CO2 level, the most common way of determining your CO2 level is to take your PH and KH measurements and then check the corresponding CO2 levels from an online calculator. One commonly used calculator is on chuck gadds webby and can be found here.

http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_co2chart.htm

[vinz]

Yes, I use K2SO4. Try Seachem Flourish Potassium first to see if you get the effect you desire. It is conveniently available at most LFS that sell Seachem products for platned tanks. If you find that it does help, then use K2SO4. You can search the forum for potassium and K2SO4 for more posts regarding this.

[Decarn]

Thanks a lot guys, I will try to get the necessary equipment by this week. Wanted to buy the PH and KH tester just now but it seem that all my LFS are not selling or stock is out.