# More Input Would Be Appreciated



## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

Folks:

*History*

Please refer to:
http://www.fishforums.com/forum/aquatic-plants/19459-algae-co2-lighting-planted-tanks.html
as, IMHO, this thread is an extension to that thread.

OK:

I ascertained the maximum lighting duration for the the main tank as well as for the fresh water refugium by increasing the lighting duration until algae appeared on the tank walls (this was the 2nd go round at this).

I then significantly dosed with Flourish for a week which decreased the algae density.

I then continued significant dosing with Excel but also began slowly decreasing the lighting duration.

When the algae went away I ceased the Flourish dosing and some algae reappeared.

I reduced the lighting duration by approximately 5% and the minimal quantity of algae substantially went away in approximately three days and none was visible after approximately five days.

Now we have a 110G tank in which plants are growing much more rapidly than the rate prior to the induction of the HQI-MH.


*Question*

The next logical experimentation is with dry ferts.

I have been dosing via EI in order to maintain
Nitrates 5-10ppm 
Phosphates 1.0-2.0 ppm 
Iron 0.1-1.0 ppm 
Potassium 10-20 ppm
as well as adding CSM+B for micronutrients.

The plants are the healthiest that I have ever seen them
BUT
green hair algae is starting to show up on several leaves of the plants
AND
a large clump of the very long, stringy brown algae has shown up on the wood centerpiece.

I am hoping that someone, either via experience or significant research, can tell me how to adjust the current fertilization in order to eliminate this algae (my only other option is to spend a ton of time in experimentation and research reinventing the wheel).

TR


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## Guest (Mar 20, 2008)

With you new dosing routine and high light, it might be time to invest in pressurized co2. Excel is not a good replacement for carbon IMO, not like injecting co2 is. You have adequate nutrients now and adequate lighting (or more than adequate), but you don't have the co2 part balanced with the others.


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

JOM:

The moment has come to get into a serious discussion here (based on your research as well as experience [and hopefully TOS as well as others will pitch in and contribute]).



JustOneMore20 said:


> Excel is not a good replacement for carbon IMO, not like injecting co2 is.


My post indicates Flourish which for some inexplicable reason, at least to me other than perhaps a significant concentration of micronutrients, assists with algae control.

I have not dosed Excel since I began experimenting with dry ferts.




JustOneMore20 said:


> With you new dosing routine and high light, it might be time to invest in pressurized co2. You have adequate nutrients now and adequate lighting (or more than adequate), but you don't have the co2 part balanced with the others.


JOM: this is where the rubber meets the road and I need to have a fairly decent understanding here as I have no space for CO2 container and very limited space for a DIY CO2 reactor.

I understand that the aquatic literature indicates that the induction of CO2 is similar to setting off a tactical nuclear weapon with respect to plant growth and health.

What I just flat do not understand is set forth below:

When illuminated plants are CO2 consumers and O2 generators.
In an open vessel CO2 saturation is attained via exchange at the water's surface.

When not illuminated plants are O2 consumers CO2 generators.
Hence surface turbulence in my tanks 24/7 in order to maintain O2 saturation.

What is the theory behind induction of CO2 as CO2 saturation is already present in the tank water?

TR


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

I'll get back to this later, but for now I'll mention that plants use O2 when illuminated as much as they do in the dark, ( production outpaces use ) and they use CO2 at night as well. Aquatic plants store these gases in their lacunae tissues when they are more abundant for use when they are scarcer. The whole consumer/producer thing is only a net gain/loss effect. 
Maybe that's significant to you. Maybe not.

As for injection when you already have saturation, the saturation refers to the normal balance between aquatic and atmospheric saturation. In an aquarium full of plants, that balance is completely ruined without a little help. The mass to volume ratio of plants to the atmosphere vs plants to the water of an aquarium is quite different. If the relative volume of plants on dry land to the atmosphere was the same as the plants to water ratio in an aquarium, Redwood trees would only be dwarf saggitarias.


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