Vallis – Pink And Variagated?

[unissuh]

Guess I was wrong about low NO3 – not sure exactly what is causing the red then!

Reading this I’d probably agree with your guess that the BBA is due to unstable CO2 levels. Rest looks OK to me. Just spend some time fiddling with the CO2 until it’s stable during the lighting hours. Make sure air pump turns off an hour or so before lights on so CO2 levels have time to rise.

May also want to take out some of that decor and dip it to kill off the BBA, reduce the algae load a bit. At least it’s not growing on the plants.

Another option might just be to ditch the CO2 – easier to keep things “in balance” this way. Lighting is low enough that you don’t *need* it. Would still dose the root tabs either way, lots of heavy root feeders in your tank. Sounds like you want things to grow faster though, in which case tweaking the CO2 might be more up your alley.

[Bluedave]

you don’t have your CO2 running when the lights are off do you?

how long is your lighting on for? I thought you posted it above but can’t find it! One of the common misconceptions with algae problems is reducing lighting times. Plants need a good photoperiod to grow well – 8 hours+ (I always have mine on for 12 hours). less than this and they don’t grow so well. Algae doesn’t particulalry care about photo period. So reducing photo period stunts plant growth and encourages algae growth, the algae uses the nutrients you are adding before the plants can and the whole thing is a vicious circle (in essence the ferts you are dosing are used by the algae before the plants can use them)!

[Michelle]

CO2 goes off early evening, about 3 hours before the lights, and back on with the lights in the morning. Lights are on for about 12 hours though I don’t pay it much attention, I switch on before work and off at about 21:00. (I do it manually cos then I remember to turn off the CO2 turn on the pump … haven’t bought enough timers!)

I’ve made a few changes incl reducing the plant food. I’ll see how it goes for a couple of months and adj as necessary.

Thanks for all the advice.

[Bluedave]

cool, let us know how it goes.

#346799

[Michelle]

What do you know, no more pink! The vallis started to turn green after just a few days and now they’re coming in lovely and green. My Ech.s are also darkening up though one is still a lovely rich red I’m sure its E. Barthii. Root tabs really do work a treat.

And I’ve moved a few stones and some bogwood around to make room for a few more plants to help soak up the spare nutrients, which I’ve also cut back on, so the algae is diminishing too.

Thanks for the help with this.

[Bluedave]

Excellent news Michelle – need to see pics though!

#347799

[Michelle]

Hiya

Tank is looking green but somewhat messy. I didn’t think too hard about what plants were going where and still new to plants didn’t anticipate growth patterns but it looks better than it ever has. BBA is still present but a lot more under control.

Michelle

Attached files

[ender2811]

How did you get the BBS under control M?

[Michelle]

Literally as in this blog. I was at a loss for anything else to do.

In summary: less liquid ferts (less than half the RDA and only a couple of times a week – Ferrapol24), root tabs instead, more plants, even more plants and manually pulled out what I could of the BBA. My Ancistrus sp cleared up the remainder.

I’ve started to get a few blotchy bits on some leaves since I reduced the liquid feed but I’ve just brought that level up a wee bit again and I’ll see what happens …

A bit trial and error on exact quantities of what feed and when but getting there.

[Bluedave]

Looking good Michelle, and it’s as simple as that – always needs a bit of tinkering now and again to just get the balance right. As you get more plants and growth you might need to add a bit more ferts, as you remove some you might need to add less etc.

Good thing is – you can always move the plants about if you want, remove some, add some others etc

[Michelle]

It is amazingly simple but without that bit of direct advice no matter the amount of reading I did it wasn’t getting any better. I was still thinking of them as house plants in water: “there’s a problem add ferts”, but its a bit more subtle than that but no less simple.

[Author]

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