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Alternanthera problems.

Doughnutshadow

New Member
Joined
9 Mar 2021
Messages
7
Location
United Kingdom
Hi all
My Alternanthera which has been planted for about 4 weeks has lost most of its red colouring on the underside of the leaves and has become a magnet for BBA.
What should I do?
55 litre aquarium, Fluval 106 external and 200l/hr internal that I bubble my co2 through. All plants spear to wave around so content my circulation is ok.
I was dosing full EI but have throttled this back to a 1/3 as my co2 is only DIY but my drop checker stays light rather than line green.
Lighting is not full blast as I understand like with the EI that my drop checker is not showing a full 30ppm.
No BBA elsewhere in the tank and all other plants appear to be doing well.
Should I leave it alone and see if it bounces back?
 

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Hi all
My Alternanthera which has been planted for about 4 weeks has lost most of its red colouring on the underside of the leaves and has become a magnet for BBA.
What should I do?
55 litre aquarium, Fluval 106 external and 200l/hr internal that I bubble my co2 through. All plants spear to wave around so content my circulation is ok.
I was dosing full EI but have throttled this back to a 1/3 as my co2 is only DIY but my drop checker stays light rather than line green.
Lighting is not full blast as I understand like with the EI that my drop checker is not showing a full 30ppm.
No BBA elsewhere in the tank and all other plants appear to be doing well.
Should I leave it alone and see if it bounces back?
Hello,
BBA is a CO2 related algae. I no longer know what the term "DIY CO2" means. Originally, it meant the use of a yeast fermentation device, which is notorious for causing BBA due to it's poor delivery of CO2. If this is the case then I suggest you abandon these methods and consider the use of gas cylinders such as CO2 fire extinguisher bottles or other industrial cylinders. In any case, you can browse the algae section of the forum and there you will find no end to BBA related threads.

Cheers,
 
Hello, thanks for the feedback. My co2 is yeast based production from 2x2ltr bottles alternated refils each week through a needle valve which reliably gives me 1bubble every 2 seconds all week. This is fed into the internal filter which is packed with filter wool which holds up the bubble rise and appears to give near total dissolution as I see next to know misting from the outlet. This setup though, I appreciate does not get me to the 30ppm "standard" but does does give me a tested (kh/pH) value of circa 20ppm and a light green drop checker on the opposite side of the tank.
My cube is filtered externally and the return is via spraybar with the internal situated in a cross flow underneath in order for any stray rising co2 bubbles to then be picked up by the spraybar.
Although DIY, my co2 is consistent, if weaker than a pressurised system.
I also dose excel daily as I have never seen or read of an issue with this 2 pronged approach and have no interest in keeping plants such as Valli's.
So, with consistent, if weaker co2 and no noticeable BBA elsewhere in the tank could it be that my lighting was/is too strong as the co2 would be the limiting factor?
I have reduced lighting to 40% of maximum.
Assuming my flow around the tank is good, my co2 is consistent, should I return EI dosing back to recommend levels, mechanically remove what algae I can from the plants and wait it out? Or should I continue with a reduced fert level and reduced lighting and wait it out? Or give up on this plant.
As a side note, I realised I was a little lite on fast growing stems so added a bunch of cabomba thinking this will support helping out compete the algae.
 
I have reduced lighting to 40% of maximum.
That's a good start.
Assuming my flow around the tank is good, my co2 is consistent, should I return EI dosing back to recommend levels, mechanically remove what algae I can from the plants and wait it out? Or should I continue with a reduced fert level and reduced lighting and wait it out?
Well assumption is the mother of all fu@k ups... but I would definitely return to full ei dosing (with reduced lighting) and remove what algae you can, the plant may or may not be salvageable, I can't answer that question.

I can say you seem like you have a plan, which is good, folks who fail to plan, generally, plan to fail.
 
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That's a good start.

Well assumption is the mother of all fu@k ups... but I would definitely return to full ei dosing (with reduced lighting) and remove what algae you can, the plant may or may not be salvageable, I can't answer that question.

I can say you seem like you have a plan, which is good, folks who fail to plan, generally, plan to fail.
Will follow through with my plan and see how it goes.
 
This setup though, I appreciate does not get me to the 30ppm "standard" but does does give me a tested (kh/pH) value of circa 20ppm and a light green drop checker on the opposite side of the tank.
As mentioned by John q, assumptions can be detrimental. if you determined the CO2 level by using the pH/KH/CO2 chart then the value is in error. Reliance on the chart will always get you in trouble because it will always overestimate the CO2 level in the tank for the reasons discussed in the post=> PH/KH/GH/Co2 problems

Cheers,
 
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