# outcompeting my algae



## Ownager2004 (Apr 4, 2005)

Ok the algae problem in my tank has been getting better, but its still there and i want to get rid of it as much as possible as its making my tank look like crap.
Sometime this week im going to go buy some flourish excel, maybe a fertilizer, and some plants. What im wanting to do here is make phosphate my limiting nutrient. I read on the internet this is one of the best ways to reduce algae in aquaria... Correct me if this is wrong or if im doing something wrong please.

What I need help with is the plant selection. Right now the only live plant in my tank is an amazon sword which is doing well, IMO, considering my lack of CO2 injection, but its growing to slow and is still to small to outcompete algae. What im looking for is a fast growing nutrient sponge to add to my tank to outcompete the algae... and the sword too, if need be.

The LFS I go to only carries basic aquarium plants, nothing fancy. Im thinking they may have cabomba in stock.. is that a good choice? any reccomendations on what to look for?

thanks


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## MyraVan (Jan 19, 2005)

I'd stay away from cabomba. It grows really fast in the right circumstances, but usually it needs very high light and CO2 to do well. (Although some people manage to grow it without all that stuff, they just get lucky!)

If you have hard water, anacharis (Egeria densa) & vallis grow pretty well. Some others that are supposed to grow quite fast are Mexican Oak leaf (Shinnersia rivularis) and Hygrophila polysperma (I haven't tried these yet). 

The best thing, though, for fighting algae are emergent & floating plants. They take the nutrients out of the water column, depriving the algae, and they get more light then submersed plants (it's undimmed by water), and they can access atmospheric CO2. For floating plants I have water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes), salvinia, and duckweed (Lemna minor) growing in my tanks and I think it is helping to keep algae down. Other plants can be floated too, like anacharis, water sprite (Ceratopteris) , and hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum or submersum). I haven't tried emergent plants since I want to keep my tanks as full as possible, and the emergent plants need space to grow out of the water.


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

Limiting PO4 will not prevent algae but in fact encourage it. When plants win, algae loses. Limiting PO4 will also limit your plants uptake of other key nutrients leaving them for algae to use. No3 will spike. Adding PO4 will allow plants to use excess No3. I use Fleet Enema in my tanks and no algae. Not even a little green spot algae in the walls anymore.


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## Ownager2004 (Apr 4, 2005)

Im not necessarily trying to eliminate introduction of Phosphate into my tank... Im simply going to try and add enough plants and other nutrients to make it so that the phosphate becomes the limiting nutrient. I read a scientific study where this method all but eliminated algae. The experiment suggests that something else in my tank is the limiting nutrient at this point... or that nothing is the limiting nutrient and that my tank isn't using all of any of them.
And Simpte, if i remember correctly, they noticed some increased nitrate levels using this technique but it didn't sound like anything that will bust my tank if i keep an eye on it. Hopefully 
And Myra thanks for the plant information. I dont think they carry any floating plants but Ill try to get the ones you suggested. Im hoping what i saw before was anacharis or water sprite instead of cabomba.

Ive decided to go ahead and give this a shot. Ill let you guys know some time in the future wether i had any luck doing this or not.


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

I wish I could post the link from Tom Barr and show you his studies (along with various other people) but the thread is for paying subscribers. I will post an excerpt from it.

"In providing further in depth aquatic plant research reviews, this month's topic is still on mineral assimilation but with a special focus on ratios of NPK and CNP from many submersed plants to show the wide ranges as well as the averages. While ratios in and of themselves are insignificant till they become limiting(Liebig's law of minimums), my focus in a more general broader sense has been the upper ranges(Shleford' law of tolerances) that cause poor plant growth. Finding the minimum amounts needed for plant growth is relatively easy.

But the ratios will help support the main focus.......... that high PO4 is present in natural aquatic plants and required for good plant growth. Past aquatic horticulture advice from books has been very poor in the back ground in relations to the plant's needs, content and the presence of algae with respect to Fe, PO4, NO3 and NH4.

PO4 in particular is still referenced as "bad" in terms of excess. This myth needs to stop as it is simply untrue. I am providing more evidence here to show this even further than merely testing alone or consensus.

Redfield ratios are often quoted in the Neathlands as cure for this or that algae. Tomorrow someone else will come along with some other incorrect theory and bred another batch of myths relating to ratios. As if it is some magical nirvana that will magically cure all your woes......... Testing these things is rather straight forward, but also having some tables of the ratios can lend a great deal of support combat such myths and tangents that detracts from growing the plants"

-Tom Barr


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## Ownager2004 (Apr 4, 2005)

Hmm.. sounds interesting..

Well, regardless, i think you'll agree that I took a step in the right direction. Even though my reasons for doing so may have been wrong 
I added 7 big stems of anacharis and flourish excel to my tank today. With a small-medium sized amazon sword already in there. I have a 10 gallon tank with 2+ watts per gallon.

Both additions should help outcompete the algae correct?


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## Ownager2004 (Apr 4, 2005)

OK since the last post ive added an amazon sword... I dont know what the first plant I had in my tank was because it looks nothing like the new amazon sword i got.. Anyways Ive been adding flourish excel to my tank and so far it looks like the algae is dieing off slowly but surely. The plants are doing great.
The only problem is the dead algae is floats around in the tank lands on my plants and decor and then gets stirred up by something and settles down on something else again. Ive tried to do some little vaccums of it with an air hose but it looks like its there to stay for awhile


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

Try using a smaller micron filter pad in your filter. Magnum makes a very small micron for there diatom powder. You can cut it to fit easily. Keep doing the small waterchanges. It will eventually go away.


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## sharkbait1213 (Jul 17, 2005)

how much of the fleet enema should be used in a 10g with stubborn algae growing on the glass ??


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

Depends on your nitrate levels. A good ratio is 15ppm NO3 to 1-2ppm Po4. Add 2-3 ml of PO4 3times a week to start with and see how it goes.


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