# New 10 gal Mountain-scape



## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

After my first attempt of a mountainscape http://www.plantedtank.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2993 got all covered up with Javamoss, I redid my 10gal tank today.

Rocks from mountains closeby, a bag of Flourite and a Javamoss background are the new ingredients. Filled up a bucket with tank water, moved the fish, shrimp, clams and plants. Removed the old substrate.

Added largest "mountain" on a styrofoam base, then the well washed flourite, then the rest of the rocks. Half an hour of Glosso planting. Then some Wisteria and Tenellus and Javaferns.

I put the Javamoss in between two plastic thingies that are used for something artsy, not sure exactly, cross-stitch? Anyway, I am hoping it will grow out of the holes, and give me a nice green carpet. If it starts rotting and stinking instead, pulling it out takes only 3 seconds.

The two otos, five pencils, and the Ram girl seem to like their new environment... after the bucket shock they started getting their color back and had already a light dinner :mrgreen:


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## jart (Jan 17, 2003)

aw man i though you were going to include some pics of how you laid out the sytrofoam, (and what type you used). could you provide any insight as to how you laid it out? did you color it at all in case it shows through the gravel? or i suppose you can just keep covering it up again when you do your maintenance.

i like the java fern on the terrace; i have never used terraces in such a small tank. but then again i just went out and bought a 10 gal today as a temporary home for my gf's goldfish... they were in the 45 which i tore down today instead of watching football. should be the last time i ever have to rip out an ugf that's been in place for years... yuck is the word :evil: . hopefully the 10 gal will be home to such a project in the future; your pics are an inspiration.

also i would be most interested in seeing a pic of your hood (i've never constructed one on a tank this small). i understand you use a hob filter on this tank.

regards


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## SCMurphy (Oct 21, 2003)

Nice rockwork, can't wait to watch everything fill in.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Forgot to take a pic of the styrofoam... it was just a part of a packaging something, not very big, it's all covered with flourite. I used it because that big rock is quite heavy and standing on its tip, and the thought of it smashing into the glass just wasn't too comfortable.

So I heated up that rock on the gas stove -- not too much, not too little -- and pushed it gently into the styrofoam. It needs to be just hot enough to melt it a little, but without totally liquifying it. I usually heat it up, test, heat further, until it has that sweet hot spot.

The melted styrofoam is a very good glue... nothing else necessary, it just sticks. So... there you go... no layout, just a base for that one rock.

The hood is just what came with that AGA tank, modified with selfmade reflectors, as described here: http://www.plantedtank.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2914 Very efficient mod... under the 20 watts Glosso is growing nicely  

I use an AquaClear Mini on this tank... CO2 bubbles into the inlet.


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## GulfCoastAquarian (Jul 30, 2002)

Wow, those are some gorgeous rocks! Can I go shopping in your backyard? haha.
The placement is beautiful. This tank is going to look great!


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## Scorpion (Oct 10, 2003)

Nice rocks!


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Hehe, California is full of interesting mountains, with interesting rocks... I live really close to Pinnacle National Monument, nice place for hiking, collecting rocks... of course, outside of the park boundary :mrgreen:

Right now they are a little too red, especially the one in front. But I think in a few weeks algae bio film/slime will tone them down a little, to make it look more natural.

BTW I think the flourite looks very unnatural too... hope it will be less red'n'black after a while.


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## ^iMp^ (Oct 12, 2003)

Love the arrangement. Normally, I'm not too keen on flourite...but it works well with the rocks of similar color.

^iMp^


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Otherwise, thanks for the idea! I might have to find something different for the Javamoss background. Black would look better anyway. Just testing right now, it's easy to pull out and redo.

I don't like the flourite look either... hopefully it will tone down a little, as algae and bacteria start to grow on it.


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## jart (Jan 17, 2003)

thanks wasser. btw, how did you afix that foam to your ac filter outlet? i presume just silicone.

also i am intrigued with the idea of using styrofoam to build terraces. has anyone else used this method?


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## Rolo (Dec 10, 2003)

Is that all fluorite? I didn't think It was so two toned. I'm glad you posted this b/c I'm now going to get eco-complete instead. 

The rock work is great! In particular the 3 rear rocks that gradually build in height makes the tank look definately larger than a 10 gallon. The tallest rock looks just like Mount Matterhorn of Switzerland!


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## GulfCoastAquarian (Jul 30, 2002)

Regular Flourite is definitely two-toned. I actually like the new Green Flourite better.


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## aquaverde (Apr 15, 2003)

OOPs, I see the word, "NEW". Never mind!

/insipid grin
"All my Flourite turns green after it stays in my tank a while...."

C'mon Sam, help me out. What is green Flourite?


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## GulfCoastAquarian (Jul 30, 2002)

I'm not sure what's available in your area, but at my PetsMart, they don't have the "clown puke" colored Flourite like what I have in my 55g. There is a red one and a green one. The green one is sort of an olive green/grey color. I kinda like it. It's not actually called Flourite Green, though. I just checked. It's still called regular Flourite, but it looks very different to me.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

jart,

I just squeezed the sponge into the outlet, no silicone, not a very permanent solution. If you click on the link in the first post, you can see a pic of what it looks like. I am still looking for a better solution, some kind of plastic/mesh that directs the water downwards. The sponge is almost too effective, not even a tiny little bit of surface movement.

I used styrofoam to build a little terrace in my 100 gal tank, same method with heating up rocks and pushing them into the styrofoam. Works great.

I think eco-complete would look better than flourite, but since the color of the "Swiss Alps" is similar it isn't too bad. Otherwise I would probably have chosen puke-colored flourite or eco-complete if it was available locally. Good thing about a 10 gal tank is that you can completely redo it in one day or less.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Well here I am, giving advice how to battle algae, and stumped myself what is going on in my little mountainscape.

It was going very well, with Kitty litter and dirt cheap Black beauty sinter substrate, all plants thriving, even the Glosso under 2W/gal.

So I got brave... replaced the cheap substrate with High Tech Flourite. Aside from the rocks, no other changes.

Plants stopped growing instantly, and algae grew everywhere. Now since I am preaching patience and consistency, I followed my own advice. Initially I had too few plants in it, and added some fast growers (Wisteria, Sunset Hygro) which finally overcame most of the different algae problems. Some of the plants grow a little, the Javamoss back is actually looking alright.

But... a thick layer of brown fuzzy stuff is smothering everything on the Flourite. Actually, the Flourite has completely disappeared. The poor Glosso is slowly dying underneath. And of course, it looks like sh#t.

About a month ago, I vaccuumed that stuff out (including a layer of flourite that it stuck onto, including my little Glossos), and replanted the Glosso. Looked clean. For 3 or 4 days. Then it was back full blast.

During the redo of the tank around new year, I lost the ghost shrimp that was keeping things neat. A week ago I added three of them back in. Although there stomachs are black from that stuff, they hardly make a dent in it.

I can't help but think that it has something to do with the new fancy substrate. There were no other changes... and before everything was awesome clean.

I am not even sure what it is exactly. Some kind of brown/green algae. It is not typical BGA, which I had also for a short period.

Keeping NO3 at 5-10, PO4 around 0.5, adding some iron and traces too... CO2 from a DIY, pH 7.3, kH 8, but no changes to what I did before. Tank not overstocked, regular water changes, all the good stuff.

Has anyone seen something like that before? I am really stumped.


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## wellbiz (Aug 6, 2003)

I dont feel right replying to your thread after all you taught me much if not all of what I know in fighting algae.... :wink: 

My opinion is that the change in substrate set back the plants and with a rich water column the algae took over. The only time I saw it that bad was in a 29gallon tank I had a few years back(first step into planted tanks). But that was a classic problem like I had in my 120gallon of sky high phosphates and low nitrates..... Is it possible one of your test kits is lying????


Jason


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## Wö£fëñxXx (Dec 2, 2003)

Yikes!! what exactly do you have mixed with the flourite?


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## Buck (Oct 13, 2002)

Does it cling hard to the flourite like its rooted ?


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Wellbiz, lol, I am always ready to learn something new. I don't think it's that though... plants are usually not THAT sensitive if you take them out and put them in somewhere else... don't think that it would set them back that much. And, since I don't have any of that stuff in the other tanks, and use the same water, I wouldn't blame the testkits either...

Wolfenxxx, there is nothing else but washed flourite. In a small area I put some Jobes, but that stuff is all over...

Buck, yep it is attached firmly to the flourite. It doesn't look like it, but when I try to vacuum it out there is always a layer of flourite that goes with it. You think it might be BGA? I might try some EM treatment, see if it does something, although, as I always say... better to treat the root of the problem


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## GulfCoastAquarian (Jul 30, 2002)

Man, that looks like Black Brush Algae to me. Especially with how it mostly grows from the edges of leaves and sharp gravel. If it is tough and grows in small tufts that are hard to pull off, then it has got to be BBA. 
Do you have SAE's in there?
Have you tested Fe levels, for the heck of it? That Black Beauty slag is full of iron and it might have OD'd your tank.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Sam, it is very soft, fuzzy stuff in areas of high water movement, and piles up to soft masses on the Flourite. It looks similar to very bad BGA, only it is brown, not blue-green. 

No SAE in there, and I don't think they would gulp that stuff down, if I were a SAE, I wouldn't :aah: There is a pair of Rams, they sometimes pull it off, but it is just too much...

Since I redid the tank, Black Beauty is all gone. None of it in there anymore. I don't have an iron test kit, but I don't think that is the problem, just from looking at the plants. I dose very little, like 0.5 ml Flourish Iron per week.


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## Roy Deki (Jan 13, 2004)

Wasser, very cool. Looks very natural!


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## SCMurphy (Oct 21, 2003)

I run with the idea that it is a red algae and start the anti algae process like you were getting rid of BBA to see if that had any effect. Any chance we can convince you to switch to a pressure CO2 and leave the DIY stuff to the new people?


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## GulfCoastAquarian (Jul 30, 2002)

If it is indeed a red algae, an SAE should go to town on it. If you have any, you ought to try putting one in there to try and see. There are other ways to battle BBA, but none of them as attractive as SAE's.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

For a 10 gal? Pressurized? Nah... DIY is still working too well for me to make it sound like a bad idea. I could increase it though, I am using a puny flat bottle that fits well behind the tank, maybe go to a 2l bottle?

Don't have a true SAE, and I thought that an SAE gets too big for a 10 gal tank... I don't want to stress out the peaceful dwarf pencils... and moving it later to the 100 gal tank might be a death sentence, the big fat fast false SAE will probably not tolerate a similar looking fish.


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## SCMurphy (Oct 21, 2003)

You get one CO2 tank and run it to all three of your aquariums. Stability is the key word bro....once it's there and adjusted you rarely have to give it a second thought. Perfect for the obsesively lazy guy like me so how could it be bad for you? I have 2 tens running off of my CO2 tanks now, its not a recommendation that I make without having it in action. 

Oh, do you have any riccia? Float some riccia and dose at 'balance' but a little high, the riccia will take up the excess of what ever the brown stuff is living on, along with the rest of the excess. I did this to a pal's tank and his green water was gone in a week. Couldn't hurt to try. Keeps the big mean SAE out of your tank too. 

Have you tried an Otocinculus in there?


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

I am going to have a closer eye on the Nitrates. It is possible that they go down to zero too quickly. I usually dose once or twice a week, but that might not be enough for that small tank. The Java Moss background has grown nicely, and it is quite some plant mass... Is Java Moss a Nitrate hog?
What else works against BBA? I read that high PO4 levels in connection with low NO3 are favoring those algae, but the PO4 levels are between 0.1 and 0.5 ppm, nothing out of the ordinary.
The thing that makes me wonder is that I don't do anything differently from before. Maybe it is the Java mess :wink: will do some daily NO3 dosing. I did notice that the levels were always lower than the ones in the 100 gal tank.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Sean, I will start looking around locally for a cheap CO2 tank. For the 100 gal it is probably worth it. Plus, my wife wants me to get another 100 or 125 gal tank, that would be too much sugar even for me :mrgreen:

I have Riccia, not in that tank. There is a lot of Salvinia that I have to throw out all the time, same concept as Riccia...

There are two Otos in it, they look very well fed, but don't munch the floppy stuff. The ghost shrimps are doing a good job on it, maybe I should get 30 instead of 3? :?


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## SCMurphy (Oct 21, 2003)

Wasserpest said:


> Plus, my wife wants me to get another 100 or 125 gal tank, that would be too much sugar even for me :mrgreen:


Lucky Man, women like that are hard to find from what I hear. My wife is currently tring to 'terrascape' the living room so I can have all of my tanks set up. Otherwise I have to take down 2 of my 30's to put up the 75. 

As to the rest of it, when I switched the crypt farm to a 96 watt bulb instead of one end of a shop light I had a burst of black beard algae everytime I'd do a major harvest and disturb something in the substrate. I found that if I just kept the CO2 going and kept on the same (haphazard) dosing schedule it would all melt away. Stability returned and the algae lost out to the field of crypts. I'm going to have to try an experiment and actually get on a regular dosing schedule and see what happens. I think I'm just afraid of dealing with the over growth as I don't know what to so with half of the plants I grow out now.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Well I will keep ya'll updated... For now some pics of those little guys trying to clean up the mess...


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## George Willms (Jul 25, 2003)

GulfCoastAquarian said:


> Man, that looks like Black Brush Algae to me. Especially with how it mostly grows from the edges of leaves and sharp gravel. If it is tough and grows in small tufts that are hard to pull off, then it has got to be BBA.
> Do you have SAE's in there?
> Have you tested Fe levels, for the heck of it? That Black Beauty slag is full of iron and it might have OD'd your tank.


I'm with Sam on the BBA part. That was my initial thought too. I was under the impression though that the right co2 levels inhibited BBA from growing.


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## SCMurphy (Oct 21, 2003)

George

Good work, I almost have him buying the CO2 line...if we keep this up we'll have him playing with the big kids before April.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

I am still not sure if it is BBA. Almost all of it is laying on top of the Flourite, and some is growing on the rocks. There is nothing attached to leaves, except for the poor Glosso.
Also, it doesn't look like the pix I have seen of the typical brush algae. Of course it can be a slightly different species of the same type, or even mixed up varieties that make it look a little different.

So here is what I can do:

- Increase CO2
- Add SAE's
- Add more Ghost Shrimps
- Keep the NO3 levels more constant
- Discontinue any iron dosings
- Add more iron
- Add plants as nutrient sponges (Riccia)
- Remove plants so nutrients are depleted slower

I will start with more CO2 and closer monitoring of NO3, and see where that gets me...


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## ^iMp^ (Oct 12, 2003)

I have that exact same algae in a "high current" portion of my tank. I don't think its BBA...not from what I've read/seen, anyway.

Let me know if you ever get rid of the stuff. It only seems to like the substrate...I've never seen it elsewhere in the tank.

Tank: shallow water, high lighting, 65 F temp, eco-complete, also using some jobes sticks but not in that area. No CO2 except flourish excel--algae persisted during a "fertilizer-free" period. My BGA died off...but this black stuff hasn't died back at all.

Its not harming my plants, so I haven't been concerned...I'll let you know if it dies off. 

^iMp^


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

There is some of it growing on the rock just underneath the filter outflow, so it seems to like high current.
I will let you know if and how I get rid of it.


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## Buck (Oct 13, 2002)

Its red algae, not BBA... I have never been successful at killing it , but you can easily control it. It usually takes hold only on substrate, stone, wood and even equiptment but rarely will it get on any plants unless its an extreme case.
I have it on my driftwood at all times but it stays controlled and I actually kinda like it, it gives a nice natural look to the wood. However, if I dont keep the water in the tank "fresh" it will grow quickly. I have tried upping the ferts, lowering the ferts, fe (+/-) yada yada yada but it seems that just by more frequent , smaller water changes it will stay put and even disappear at times. :wink: Dont ask me why, it just works. And it hasn't anything to do with lower fert levels because I keep my plants pretty heavily sedated...
I have just learned to live with the dreaded red. :lol: 

In the 75 gallon I have a patch that started like yours in the substrate that started after replanting the whole tank but its starting to disappear now. Yours will too with time wasser, (But never totally Im afraid)


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Thanks Buck, I will try that. I have done weekly 50% water changes, but actually I often use water from the 100 gal tank, after doing water changes and fertilizing there. So it wasn't that fresh... although it worked great in the pre-Flourite time.

Thank God it's only a 10 gal, so water changes are really easy...

Red Algae... here I come!


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## ^iMp^ (Oct 12, 2003)

I do a 25% water change every day but the stuff persists. It hasn't spread from its little "zone" in over a month, so I'm not too worried about it.

I hope it works for you, wasser 

^iMp^


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## Buck (Oct 13, 2002)

Hey one other thing I was thinkin about...it also seems to like warm water, during the cooler times of the year my tanks never go over 78 degrees but in the summer my tanks will hit 81-82 at times and the red worstens a tad.
You guys keep your tanks warm ?


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

I kept mine around 76 pretty much during the last half year. Now it will get a little warmer... so it will become worse? :?


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## ^iMp^ (Oct 12, 2003)

My tank is at 65 F...and the stuff seems to be thriving. Some of the pieces of gravel get some much of it on them that they become little floaty algae-balls.

Buck--I was wondering...what are your tap/tank nutrient/pH/hardness levels? Maybe your water changes are adding just the right something...

^iMp^


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## George Willms (Jul 25, 2003)

Hey Buck! BBA is red algae.


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## 2la (Aug 18, 2002)

I agree, that's BBA (a red alga, as George beat me to the punch).


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## Buck (Oct 13, 2002)

What I refer to as BBA is the common brush algae that are a bit more easily cured. I have heard red algae referred to as bba but I consider them different animals... :lol:
I have seen 4 different brush type algaes in my tanks through the years , but there is only one that I call Red Algae. What I call BBA is different then this critter I call "Red" and since going planted I have only seen *my* version of "bba" once in my first planted tank efforts. 

Well, I guess you got BBA Wasser, whatever it is , lets kill it ! I vote for water changes and upping your iron a bit :wink:


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## 2la (Aug 18, 2002)

I think this is just a case of agreeing in principle but communicating in different languages. 

In general, when biologists talk of red algae or green algae, they are referring to phyla (or clades or kingdoms, depending on who's giving the talk  ) of organisms rather than organisms at the genus or species level. BBA (genus _Audouinella_) and staghorn (genus _Compsopogon_) are red algae in the phylum Rhodophyta while hair (genus _Spirogyra_) and green-spot (class Coleochaete) are green algae in the phylum Chlorophyta. Somewhere along the way, algae identification within the hobby got a little bit sloppy, and the term "red algae" was taken to mean _only_ BBA in some circles, or perhaps another alga that similarly produces short, dark tufts. Certainly I can relate to Buck in that not all BBA are created equal.  The kind that tends to accumulate on the edges of my anubias leaves look distinctly different than the ones that tend to accumulate around the output holes of my filter spraybar (the latter appearing uniformly shorter--almost like a terrestrial moss). But no matter whether they're the same or different, I want them gone all the same!


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

So if I understand 2la right... BBA is one kind of Red Algae, and what I have could be BBA or another type of red algae, since it doesn't look like beards, and it doesn't grow on plants.

Well here is what I have done so far...

Daily small water changes of 25%.
Daily NO3 tests and according adjustments.
Adjusted the AC mini so it dissolves more CO2.

And drumroll... started an EM treatment, since there was some BGA too.

So is the consent that BBA likes lots of iron, or hates it, or is content either way?

The good thing about going through all of that is that it makes it more justified for me to give algae advice... I mean if I never experienced any algae outbreaks, who am I to suggest what to do. :roll:


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

The plot thickens... Just reading in another thread http://www.plantedtank.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6258 about brown gunk, and Malkores picture seems like a very light version of what I have in my tank. He mentioned that he had to switch to from flourite to EC to get rid of it... Hmmm...


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## aquaverde (Apr 15, 2003)

I answered that thread today, as I had exactly the same thing as him. It is not the same as what you have, IMO.

I heard red algae has more fun as a blonde. Why not try some peroxide on a patch of it, just don't go over 1ml per gallon, apply it locally aka use a syringe, do a 50% wc an hour later, have the filter off during treatment. That's what Giancarlo Podio says he does with BBA and it works.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Haha, yeah, I just saw that, so the cross-posting continues... Thanks for the idea with the peroxide. I am sure that with all of these ideas I will start to see the flourite again soon


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## 2la (Aug 18, 2002)

FWIW, I've not found iron levels (or CO2 levels, for that matter) to have any correlation with BBA whatsoever, despite common web literature.


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## aquaverde (Apr 15, 2003)

I have BBA in my 10, on the filter and the slow growers. Spent 3 hours breaking it down and did the peroxide. Will post back results.


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## Buck (Oct 13, 2002)

:shock: Peroxide in the tank ? You guys are more bold then me... I am a naturalist with my tank.
**NOTE** my definition of Naturalist is ---> _"One who is scared to death to add anything to his tank other then fresh water and ferts"_
My mention of iron levels is from an experience I had with my tanks only and it could be coincidence but it has helped me. I supplement with Flourish Iron and some time back I ran out of the stuff and well being that I am "thrifty" and know that my LFS is stealing from me at their prices I opted to only buy it online... for 5 weeks my tanks went without iron doses but everything else was dosed as per usual. At the end of that time the one major difference was the health of my algae which was worstening by the day. Well actually getting "better" with each day depending on how ya look at it... it had the most beautiful green it has ever had with nice flowing "tufts" :shock: 
With all else the same in my routine the only difference was Fe content...once I got off my lazy butt, ordered it and started dosing again the algae stayed, but retreated in its growth and stopped spreading.
Now the question, do the elevated Iron levels prevent the dreaded red from uptaking any nutrients _OR_ does the iron level help the plants eat up the excess nutrients thus starving the algae ? 

Is the glass half full or half empty ? :lol: 
The iron levels definately affected my algae though. The newer spots that had spread on my driftwood during that time seem to have almost completely disappeared, you can still see it is there if you look very closely. I think it is just lurking there waiting for me to screw up again... LOL 
I guess the only way to test this would be to starve a tank again of Iron and see what happens... any volunteers ? :lol:


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## Ace (Dec 10, 2003)

Not me Buck!

Wasser at least that thing is trapping bubbles creating PEARLING subtrate.hehehe


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## SCMurphy (Oct 21, 2003)

Just thought I'd add another twist to this thread by cross posting (referencing) to this by Splash.  He speculates that the green wavelength in our lights promotes red algae growth. Wasser, what kind of bulbs are you using?


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

I use two 10W CF bulbs as sold in Walmart:










With great homemade reflectors:










The amazing thing is that this tank went really well until I changed it from kitty litter and black beauty to FLOURITE, this is when everything went downhill :? No changes in light, fertilizer, CO2, filtering... Just the substrate, different rocks, and a Java Moss wall in the back...


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## SCMurphy (Oct 21, 2003)

How old are the bulbs?


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Time for an update.

First of all, you guys were right, especially Sean! The problem was... not enough CO2. Simple as that.

The trigger was probably that during my renovation around new year, the last ghost shrimp went into shrimp heaven, and those guys are great with that kind of fluffy stuff.

Four hungry ghosts have taken care of most of the brown stuff, the fluorite is visible again, and my LLG (low light glosso) has started to spread again. As a matter of fact, after daily waterchanges to keep the water fresh, I have left the tank alone for 3 weeks (due to vacations) and it has never looked that clean. There aren't even green algae on the glass anymore.

The EM treatment helped a little (there was some blue green bacteria mixed in too), the frequent water changes too, and having an extra close eye on NO3 and PO4 didn't hurt either. In the end, I learned that it's as simple as keeping light and nutrients in balance. Going from a 1/2l to a 3l bottle of CO2 made all the difference.

There is no aquascaping in here... Wisteria and Sunset Hygro have covered all the "Mountains", but that will change soon...


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## cich (Aug 5, 2003)

Looking really nice, Wasserpest! Definately one of my favorites.

--cich


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## Buck (Oct 13, 2002)

Nice growth Wass... its hard to tell from the photo but it looks like the moss wall is doing well in the background and I also love the duckweed touch, it adds a nice flair to the tank. 
Also its great to see you know longer have that "other" plant in there any more... you know , the one that was growing all over the rest of your plants... :lol: 

Lookin good man !


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Thanks guys, finally I can go back to aquascaping... The mosswall is completely covered except for the top one to two inches. BUT I want to rip it out and replace the Javamoss with Christmas Moss, that grows more compact. For now, I am going to try my haircutting talents to get back some tank space.
I like the Salvinia too, it just grows too fast. After 10 days of absence it had covered the surface 100% and started to grow up on the sides... Can't be good for the glosso :mrgreen:


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Just a quick photo update... I removed some of the fast growers, added some Wendtii, but I am still in the process of making the rockwork more visible. All of the nasty fluffy algae stuff is history...


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## secretagent (Mar 13, 2004)

It looks awsome! I like that plant on the top What is it? Is it floating? Also I think you have just a tad too much leaf styles that look alike!


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

You are right... there is a mess of similar leafstyles still in there. I am going to remove all of the wisteria, and plant the pearl WEED all in one spot, that should soothen the eye a little bit. I am just so happy that I got rid of the awful algae that was covering everything.

The floating plant is Salvinia, Water Fern. Overexposed, because it's so close to the lights.


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## wellbiz (Aug 6, 2003)

I disagree I like the look.... The random growth of the pearl week looks very natural... Reminds me of some of amanos tanks..... 


My 2cents
Jason


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Am.... what?? Nah, I don't think so :lol: :lol: :lol: 

Thanks though :mrgreen:


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## wellbiz (Aug 6, 2003)

Wasserpest said:


> Am.... what?? Nah, I don't think so :lol: :lol: :lol:
> 
> Thanks though :mrgreen:


I am serious in his first book he has pics from tanks he did in the late 80's early 90's and he used a lot of pearl weed... It was very natural the radom way it was placed and your tank reminded me of it.... Thats what I mean  


Yes there is probably room for improvement, and I am not a fan of all the moss, but like the pearl weed  

jason


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

I never had an Amano book in my hands, perhaps I should...  

That pearlweed isn't real pearlweed... it is a two-leafed variety I got from another friendly boardmember. Can't remember the correct name (of the plant) right now.


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## wellbiz (Aug 6, 2003)

Wasserpest said:


> I never had an Amano book in my hands, perhaps I should...
> 
> That pearlweed isn't real pearlweed... it is a two-leafed variety I got from another friendly boardmember. Can't remember the correct name (of the plant) right now.


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## GDominy (Jul 30, 2002)

Wasserpest said:


> I never had an Amano book in my hands, perhaps I should...  .


*FOR SHAME!*

How did we make you a moderator again? ;-)


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

*** running to the library ***


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