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you're very right that the tank is new. It just finished cycling a few weeks ago. The brown stuff didnt start showing up until shortly thereafter, but im noticing even now that after i wipe it off the glass, it's growing back slower now that ive added plants. i planned on getting a few bottom feeders for my tank anyway, so im going to go with 3 yo-yo loaches and 3 otos. thanks for the advice everyone!

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goldie - by all means, dont take my word for it! ask around some more if u really want to know what it is. the little sign under my name says "hobbyist" but a short time ago i was still a fingerling. those were just some educated guesses.


jake - thanks for that, but i feel i should hold off on the ferts for now and see how the plants do. ya know, let the initial algae phase pass over and see how the horwort does as out-competing it

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Back in the saddle!

my guess is that the first two are asian ambulia (or cabomba?), and the third looks like red foxtail.

Thanks for that. That looks like it. Lets see how it goes... Thought it was hornwort

Chemicals such as potassium nitrate can also be found, in more pure forms, at http://www.gregwatson.com/products.asp.

As a side note, I've found csm+b plantex to be unparalleled as a trace fert.

my guess is that the first two are asian ambulia (or cabomba?), and the third looks like red foxtail.

like ive said before, im no expert... but from what ive seen from the research ive done thats what they seem to be.

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Hi,

Thought I would post this question here.

Is this Hornwort??
http://www21.brinkster.com/cambo/images/fish/IMG_0855.jpg
and
http://www21.brinkster.com/cambo/images/fish/IMG_0858.jpg


Also what sort of plant is this one? It is a red colour and has fine needles...
http://www21.brinkster.com/cambo/images/fish/IMG_0854.jpg


Thanks.

I haven't made my own but make my own yeast mix.. I use the Hagen bottle and diffuser.

Read the posts in Technical Tinkering and Planted Aquaria sections, there are several posts about DIY Co2..



The Amazon Nut...

my tank is 46 gallons with 11 tiger barbs in it... all are 1 inch or under right now. why do you ask?

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dafishman - ] how do u make a CO2 unit for under $10 ??

How many gallons is your tank and what fish are in it now ?

The Amazon Nut...

hi planted folks,

i planted my tank about a week or so ago and much of the back of my tank is lined with hornwort. it's grown in quite nicely, however much of it is also covered in a layer of brownish colored algae. is this normal, and is there a way to remove it non-chemically? would getting a few ottos do the job, or are hornwort needles too small for them? what about shrimp, would the work?

[span class="edited"][Edited by 2004-08-22 20:52][/span]

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Back in the saddle!

Brown algae is usually diatoms. Otos will eat that. Anyway, i get the impression that the tank is kinda new. Personally, I would hold off on fertilization and chemicals until the needs of your plants are more clearly developed. Established plants and algae in a consistent and balanced environment will actively combat disasters like cynobacteria. Your own hornwort will also produce Allelopathic chemicals that will defend itself against algae.

Diatoms aren't usually a big deal. They are slow growing, easily physically removed, and not to obvious. They also become less of a problem as tanks mature and other algaes displace them.

Hornwort is your best bet at outcompeting algae.
If you're adding another plant, try Brazilian Elodia in your tank since it's also a great oxygenator.

Basic causes of algae. (Babelfish knows alot more on this)

1. Excess Nutrients (Nitrates, ferts, or other)
2. Too much light.

Also, adding CO2 may help.. Can make it yourself for under $10.00

Good luck !

The Amazon Nut...

thanks babelfish. im going to try to pick off the really bad pieces and see if things improve first, but if not im willing to try anything!

just out of curiosity, how are asian ambulia and wisteria at out-competing algae? my vals aren't doing too well either and im thinking of replacing them soon, so im looking for a new background plant

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Look in Lowes (home depot doesnt' carry it) or your local garden center for a specific brand of tree stump remover...Greenlight. It contains nitrAte and Potassium (if I remember correctly :%)).



Make sure you get the one that is in the powder like I pictured. They also sell a liquid that is NOT what you want.
Mix in a seperate container 1 teaspoon with 1 gallon of water (use an old jug as this will last a long time). Run a nitrAte test on your solution (it should be amazingly high). Then add a few teaspoons of your KNO3 solution to the tank @a time till you reach the 10-20ppm range. I mix one teaspoon of my solution into a drinking cup full of tank water then slowly pour it in well away from the fish.
HTH a bit .

^_^



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how would I go about supplementing nitrates then? it's a shame to remove those pieces. i like the "forresty" look of hornwort in the back, its just that with the algae on it, it takes away from the look. are there any other background plants that this wouldnt happen to?

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nowherman6,
Just a comment on the low nitrates...since hornwort is such a consumer of nitrates. Since the tank, right now anyway, seems to be lightly stocked I'd suggest possibly supplimenting nitrAates to prevent cynobacteria from moving in.

Hornwort IME (or rather in my snails experience) is rather difficult to get algae off of. Your easiest answer is still likely to be remove the worst effected pieces.

^_^

dafishman - my tank is 46 gallons with 11 tiger barbs in it. they are all 1 inch or under right now. i havent tested for nitrates in a few days, but the last time i did they registered low on the scale. if i let them float for a while will i eventually be able to bring them down to the substrate again? im working on 1.3 watts per gallon and i dont want them shading my other plants.

debbiemc - im not too sure of the texture. it just seems to be covering the "needles" of the hornwort, so it's not really too thick, just "there." also, i already have a number of dwarf sags in there, but they seem to be also getting covered in algae. (just for the record, they're not doing too hot. theyve sent out some runners but 1.3 WPG might not be enough for them, ill give them a little more time but i think they may have to go). i'll also try dropping the temp. right now it's at about 79-80 but im pretty sure the tigers will be able to stand 77ish.

other than snails, though, is there no other fish/ crustacean that will do the job? i was planning on getting a few yo-yo loaches in a few weeks, so the snails wouldnt really last...

[span class="edited"][Edited by 2004-08-23 10:19][/span]

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Is it smeary or more rough looking?

If it's smeary and the tank is new, is just that the tank is not yet stable. If it's an older tank it could be from over-fertilisation or over-feeding of the fish and high nitrates.

If it's rougher looking, then it could be insufficient light, oxygen deficiency or again, excess nitrates.

In the first case, try planting some Sagitaria, Egeria or Aponogoton & Hygrophila which take up nitrogeneous waste quickly, or rams horn snails which will eat that form.

In the older case, intensify your lighting or lengthen the time the lights are on and see if that helps.

Also it may be worth not only testing your water for nitrates, but maybe also your supply water for phosphates.

Oh yeah, what temperature are you set at? If you can depending on your fish, maybe you could try dropping the temp to about 25*C (77*F) or less.

[span class="edited"][Edited by debbiemc 2004-08-23 06:29][/span]

In wildness, nature is not human-hearted!

Pull out the algae infested pieces and let the healthy pieces float and regrow..

Hornwort will grow even better if you let it float and less chance of algae that way.

Otos like green algae, don't know about brown. Maybe siamese algae eaters or bristlenose ?

What size is your tank and what fish are in it ? How many and what size ?

I almost forgot, test your nitrates and post the results

[span class="edited"][Edited by DaFishMan 2004-08-22 23:17][/span]

The Amazon Nut...