22 Gallon Community Tank: The Joural

[Riles]

glad all's going well dyj, i'm kinda bored of my kribs in my 10gal, ithink i'll do the same as u and breed unexotic fish haha.

I reckon it'd be great to create so much life in one tank. i was proud to create 1 guppy once haha

[Dyjital]

I'm going to check the nitrate level either tonight or tomorrow and I'll update. It's been a while now since I checked.

[Dyjital]

WOW, a little bit of nitrates now.

40> and <80

Seriously!!!! I guess that's what happens with all the fish and no fast growing plants.

That explains my algae blooms too... ha!

SO it looks like I'll be doing a W/C tonight.. but not OINKY style.

Also noticed a few leaves were starting to go yellow from the nitrates... EEKS!

[Tim]

Wow there you go, perfect example of why test kits are a necessity with fish keeping (and plants)

[Riles]

haha oh no i spoke too soon

[altaaffe]

The nitrates wouldn't have caused the algae and the plants won't die from high NO3 levels either.

As an example in my hi-tech I was constantly pumping NO3 & PO4 into the tank to keep levels up, NO3 was planned to keep at around 40ppm. I had more algae in a tank that had zero NO3 but was still maintained under hi-tech conditions ie - CO2, light and minimal fertilisers.

The dying plants are a sign that they are not happy with nutrition or CO2 levels in conjunction with the light. As they die, they too are giving off ammonia which triggers the algae and also gets picked up by the filters to further increase NO3 levels. Depending on what type of algae, depends on the trigger. For example BBA is primarily helped along by fluctuating CO2 levels, hence why most people doing a hi-tech will used pressurised CO2 - they can get a more stable output than using home made. Water changes also compound this fluctuation due to the introduction of air during this change.

[Dyjital]

the algae I had issues with was the green slime that was growing everywhere.

I still have the BBA but I know that's due to the fluctuating CO2 levels. I'd love to inject some CO2 but the airstone looks so much better.

Still running Seachem Flourish in the tank.

This friday I plan to pick up some Excel to help on the Carbon levels. I plan to get a big bottle so it lasts me a while.

I feel really bad that the tank got that bad with the nitrates. I've been working like a dog for somebody for the last 3 weeks and I have been gone from sun up till almost sun down and have been tired. Need to make it more of a point to take care of the tanks.

[altaaffe]

I assume what you mean by "green slime" is Blue Green Algae. It looks like a slime and coats the substrate, plants, etc, eventually killing everything.

If so, although referred to as an algae it is actually a bacteria which is caused by the build up of pockets of ammonia usually found in conjunction with a lack of maintenance on the tank causing a build up of detritus.

When you remove it does it give off an "earthy" smell ?

If BGA then the way ahead is:

1 - remove as much as you can
2 - carry out a vac & water change
3 - turn off CO2, lights, stop adding ferts and supplements
4 - add an airstone and pump to help aerate water
5 - Total blackout covering all of the tank to stop all light getting in for 72 Hours
6 - Post the blackout, carry out another vac and water change

You can then turn everything back the way it was.

if you're worried about how the fish are and can't transfer them elsewhere you can in most instances with a good blackout, kill it off in 48 hours but 72 is a good time period to ensure that you get it all.

[Dyjital]

I'll think about doing that. Not sure how I can blackout this tank but I'll keep in the back of my mind.

I'm kind of in a pickle because I don't want to completely kill all of the algae as it will leave nothing for my otocinclus to eat. They have gotten it under control now that I have 6 of them in there. I may have to give them a little more of a hand though.


Really appreciate the information. I really do.

most of the time this algae covers the glass and a few areas in the rocks. I use a magnet cleaner to do the inside of the glass and let the fish take care of the rocks. It is clearing up a little though. I will cut back on the ferts.

Do you think that Excel would be ok to put in with the algae?

There hasn't been an 'earthy' smell in the tank since I removed the egeria densa from the tank. There actually hasn't been any smell from the tank. I'm contemplating taking a taste of it here sometime.

[altaaffe]

If the ottos are eating it then it's not BGA.

Yes it'd be OK to put excel in with the algae, it can also be used as a spot algae killer and if the dose you need for the tank is applied through a pippette onto the algae, it will kill it off. BBA for example, is not eaten by many fish/shrimp but it turns red after putting excel on it and then more fish, etc find it palatable.

If it's just normal green algae you've got on the rocks, I always prefer to see some there but it is personal preference.

[Dyjital]

There is the BGA on the rocks and lightly on the glass. I still have BBA on the leaves of some of the plants.

Going to go down tonight and get some excel.. WOHOO!

[altaaffe]

Just to confirm though -

is it BGA or is it green spore algae, BGA (cyanobacteria) as said is a bacteria and only a blackout will kill it in the aquarium, adding extra ferts and chemicals can only help it along - not kill it.

[Dyjital]

Well I have had blue green algae (and it showed up in spots on the white thing in almost those colors) here and there but it's been gone for a while.

The black beard algae is still going strong.

Then there's the green slime algae (that's a dusting over the rocks)... It is visible in this photo:
on the bottom of the screen (foreground)
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_XSI5ZPixSlg/TF4bq ... NY1886.JPG


that's the green stuff I'm referring to. So that I'm not sure if it's bacterial or plant.

I think I answered your question..?

[altaaffe]

yep- as you said looking at the pic, BBA apears to be the main problem. I can't see evidence of BGA either

For the BBA, if you are adding excel - as said use a pippette and you can apply it direct to the algae and kill it whilst giving the tank it's dose at the same time.

[Dyjital]

M'kay so direct injection to the bba as the Excel kills it?

I have been just dumping it into the tank and letting it mix in it's own way. I was told this way takes longer but gets everything.

I have one spot of the BBA that I have been monitoring to see when it starts to die off.

Actually I had to edit my post because right now a LOT of the BBA has already started to disappear. The tuft I was watching is about 1/4th the size it used to be.



Oh, good news. The LFS yesterday actually asked me how my plants were doing and if I wouldn't mind selling some of them back to them when I have enough starts. I also asked about my Highfin/Twinbar crosses when they are old enough. Yup, totally willing to give me store credit.