Persistent BBA growth on FloraBase granules

[nry]

Still going

The BBA is now confined to a 3"x3" patch of florabase which is the last bit to cover with HC. It is in a darker corner at the front of the tank. Everywhere else I have 100% plant cover now, this is the last area that the HC is taking to most likely as it is a bit darker.

In general the tank is doing superbly, however I have some long hair algae which is also gradually going as I keep on top of thinning the plants etc. - I'll try to get some pics up soon, it is AGES since I had any on here and I'm surprisingly happy with the layout now, exclusively vallis mini twister along the back, a big mound of crypt. wendtii brown across the middle (higher in the centre) and HC along the front.

 

[ojustaboo]

There is another unknown variable in the BBA equation, the one that makes the BBA stick on the areas hit by the CO2 bubbles (wood, glass, stones etc.). Anyway I constantly dropped the lights and increased the water changes to keep the TDS, DOC, whatever, levels low. Tank seems to be fine now and I hope I can reach an equilibrium between ferts/co2/light soon 'cause I'm tired of moving buckets around the house

Back to your question, CO2 gets dissolved in the water and the flow is transporting it to the plants, I hardly think it matters where it's dissolved, see the diagram below regarding water circulation, if the flow isn't blocked by hardware, wood, stones or the filter/pump isn't too weak the CO2 always reaches the bottom.

There's a nice thread here:
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/foru ... tanks.html

Cheers,
Mike

Many thanks Interesting link

Part of me is thinking about getting rid of my corner tank in the hope that getting a rectangle one will help me. But then I read of many people with rectangle tanks having exactly the same problems.

Another part of me thinks about the 15 odd years I had of algae free years with plastic plants, with monthly water changes and bi/tri monthly filter cleans where the water was crystal clear all the time, is it worth the hassle to have real plants.

I have spent a small fortune on having real plants, CO2 system, up atomizer etc. Each time it looks great for the first few weeks then gradually algae starts to come back. Then 3 months later the tank looks 100 times worse than my tank with plastic plants did. I'm dosing EI, I've tried to get flow all around the tank, I've tried almost every suggestion in this and other forums and still I seem to be fighting a loosing battle.

Have tried 50 - 75% water changes every 4 days etc, still it returns. Drop checker shows a nice lime green. Yet it seems it's simply on a 3 month timer from zero algae to having to replace my plants and start over again. Getting very frustrating.

Just this week I have spent another £40 on new plants to give it yet another go to get all this right.

Beginning to get demoralised to be honest

Best

Joe

 

[clonitza]

Hardware & hardscape placement not the tank design messes the flow, you might have decent flow in some areas and dead spots or too much in others.

Try and reduce the light intensity first by removing bulbs or adding floating plants, then slowly adjust the others (ferts, CO2, flow). It might take you a while, I had trial and errors for almost two years and every time I've found that too much light messes everything if the other parameters are not in check. If you ask me, how much is too much light, well I've got a case in one of my low techs when I had to completely turn the lights off and only use the room light.

Cheers,
Mike