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Excess nutrient doesn’t cause algae growth?
- Thread starter Nont
- Start date
between 7.6 and 8.0 with BBA. I cant reliably make out the differences in the high pH color. but it its def registered at or above 7.6 on the PH test and light brown tan on the high ph range test.
Hi @swyftfeet
Many thanks for the feedback.
Your pH measurement and the fact that your tank has BBA growth correlates with the scientific research. That's not to imply that pH is the only factor that contributes to BBA.
Which pH test kit did you use? And, it would also be useful to know the tank water alkalinity/KH. Is this something you would be able to do?
Thanks for your cooperation.
JPC
I used the api freshwater master drop kit.... I also have some API test strips to measure:
GH >= 180 (180 was the highest mark and it was that dark or darker, dont have drop kit for this)
120 < KH <=180 (meaning fell somewhere closer to 180 than 120 but couldnt discern, dont have drop kit for this)
pH ~= 7.5 (Drop kit indicates equal or higher than 7.6)
N02 = 0 (drop kit agrees with stick)
0 < NO3 < 20 (Couldnt discern on stick, drop kit said 5ppm).
The actual city tested values for my tap are available in my journal
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Hi @swyftfeet
Thank you so much!
That's useful data.
Is the BBA growing on hardscape or other plant(s)? I am less interested in your tank lighting as BBA can grow in near-darkness. They can also adapt to the light spectrum unlike plants. And, chances are that all the nutrients they need are available to them in your tank water.
I am hoping to obtain more data from other UKAPS members. But, I need to think about the best way to do this instead of hijacking someone else's thread. Once again, apologies @Natthanon!
JPC
Thank you so much!
That's useful data.
Is the BBA growing on hardscape or other plant(s)? I am less interested in your tank lighting as BBA can grow in near-darkness. They can also adapt to the light spectrum unlike plants. And, chances are that all the nutrients they need are available to them in your tank water.
I am hoping to obtain more data from other UKAPS members. But, I need to think about the best way to do this instead of hijacking someone else's thread. Once again, apologies @Natthanon!
JPC
Hi @erwin123
May I ask what your water KH and pH measurements are? Any time day or night should be OK but during daylight hours would probably be best. As you refer to your tank as 'low tech', I assume you are NOT injecting CO2. Would that be correct?
JPC
Hi @MichaelJ
I want to 'home in' on what is meant by 'stable CO2'. As I mentioned elsewhere, CO2 is normally switched OFF at night and switched ON the following morning. During this time, CO2 concentration will vary/drop. Added to this, lighting level goes from bright light to darkness and back to light again. I don't have access to a data-logging pH meter but that would reveal what happens to pH overnight. But, I think I know of one UKAPS member who does have such a pH meter so I'll PM that member.
JPC
John q
Member
Just to play the devils advocate on this one its fair to say the scientific "evidence" is at best at odds with itself.
Why do we assume plants can't adapt to different light spectrums? Is this the concensus of scientific research?
Again being contentious here to tease out debate.
Hi @John q
* John Cleese in Monty Python's Flying Circus
JPC
Sorry, John. My bwain hurts*. Would you please elaborate on the above? Most of my grey matter is on a 'go-slow'!
* John Cleese in Monty Python's Flying Circus
JPC
Hi again, @John q
Yes, treat yourself to a copy of Diana Walstad's Ecology of the Planted Aquarium. Then all will be made clear. Fundamentally, it's because aquatic plants don't have the accessory pigments phycoerythrin, phycocyanin and siphonoxanthin.
JPC
growing only on the wood pictured in my journal which is a root section cut from driftwood I found in a local freshwater stream, unknown species.
Its mostly concentrated at the upper part of the tank I just scrubbed it all off today with a toothbrush so its not visible but its near but not directly in the path of the bubbles coming out of the sponge filter. I highlighted where it first appeared.
Hi @swyftfeet
I read recently that BBA tends to grow where there is water flow. I'll see if I can locate the source of that information. The explanation given was that the flow carries nutrients into the BBA (Red Algae). The article/paper mentioned the flow of phosphate. The location that you have highlighted is obviously a region of high flow. So that probably explains why the BBA has taken hold in that region of your tank.
Your feedback is proving very useful.
Once again, thank you.
JPC
I read recently that BBA tends to grow where there is water flow. I'll see if I can locate the source of that information. The explanation given was that the flow carries nutrients into the BBA (Red Algae). The article/paper mentioned the flow of phosphate. The location that you have highlighted is obviously a region of high flow. So that probably explains why the BBA has taken hold in that region of your tank.
Your feedback is proving very useful.
Once again, thank you.
JPC
hypnogogia
Member
I have a little. pH is 6.5
Hi @hypnogogia
Ah, interesting. Thanks for that. May I ask a couple of additional questions? How was pH measured? Calibrated pH meter/narrow-range liquid test kit? Would you mind also checking KH?
JPC
Hi all,
cheers Darrel
........... but all <"photosynthetic organisms"> have <"Chlorophyll A">, inherited from the <"Cyanobacterial symbiont"> that became the organelle "the chloroplast".
cheers Darrel
hypnogogia
Member
Calibrated pH probe. KH is 2.
Thanks yet again, @hypnogogia.
I can't remember if you are injecting CO2. With a measured pH of 6.5, KH of 2dKH and a little algae, you are, perhaps on the border of BBA and no BBA. Let's pursue this tomorrow if that's OK - by which time, I will have given my aging brain a rest!
JPC
brhau
Member
I had BBA for many weeks in a tank whose pH varied from 6.5 - 7.2, depending on when in the week it was. Immediately after weekly water changes with peat-filtered water, it was 6.5, climbing steadily toward 7ish by the end of the week. In that span, dKH ranged from 2 - 3. I measured with the API test kits.
The BBA specifically liked the anubias, driftwood, and sponge filter. Very low flow in the tank. Worth noting that the anubias were very healthy and happy, and one of them even bloomed a few times. If we need to point the finger at unhealthy plants, there were some surface floaters that were not terribly pleased with my setup.
At some point, I got tired of the BBA, removed the affected items and treated them with hydrogen peroxide. That killed the bulk of it, and I started dosing and spot treating with Excel after that. Between Excel and reducing the light, the BBA was basically under control after that. Hope this helps, somehow.
The BBA specifically liked the anubias, driftwood, and sponge filter. Very low flow in the tank. Worth noting that the anubias were very healthy and happy, and one of them even bloomed a few times. If we need to point the finger at unhealthy plants, there were some surface floaters that were not terribly pleased with my setup.
At some point, I got tired of the BBA, removed the affected items and treated them with hydrogen peroxide. That killed the bulk of it, and I started dosing and spot treating with Excel after that. Between Excel and reducing the light, the BBA was basically under control after that. Hope this helps, somehow.
