[Michael Appleseed]

Hello everyone,

I've been running my tank for a little over a month now and started dosing PPS-Pro. I've run into GSA and BBA and I'm afraid it's spreading. The tank is very heavily planted and you can find the parameters following my journal link: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=578905&highlight=

I'm still sort of confused as to why I have algae as my plants should be using all the nutrients in the water column. I read that if my plants out compete the algae, it'll die and disappear. Well, I'm deciding to switch to EI dosing to make sure my plants aren't limited by nutrients.

I'm just wondering if I can dose dry (just throw the granules into the water column) or if I need to mix individual batches (and if so what compound/water ratio?)

Thanks a bunch!
Michael

 

[chocological]

I do.

 

[nilocg]

Hello everyone,

I've been running my tank for a little over a month now and started dosing PPS-Pro. I've run into GSA and BBA and I'm afraid it's spreading. The tank is very heavily planted and you can find the parameters following my journal link: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=578905&highlight=

I'm still sort of confused as to why I have algae as my plants should be using all the nutrients in the water column. I read that if my plants out compete the algae, it'll die and disappear. Well, I'm deciding to switch to EI dosing to make sure my plants aren't limited by nutrients.

I'm just wondering if I can dose dry (just throw the granules into the water column) or if I need to mix individual batches (and if so what compound/water ratio?)

Thanks a bunch!
Michael

Either is perfectly fine. Dumping the dry ferts directly into the tank will not harm anything.

 

[Darkblade48]

You can dose it dry or make pre-mixed liquid fertilizers; whatever is more convenient for you.

Some people must use a liquid mix, since they are using a liquid autodoser.

 

[Hoppy]

Hello everyone,

I've been running my tank for a little over a month now and started dosing PPS-Pro. I've run into GSA and BBA and I'm afraid it's spreading. The tank is very heavily planted and you can find the parameters following my journal link: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=578905&highlight=

I'm still sort of confused as to why I have algae as my plants should be using all the nutrients in the water column. I read that if my plants out compete the algae, it'll die and disappear.

Not true at all. Algae and plants don't compete for food, but for light. Algae are extremely tiny organisms, with even a heavy infestation being a very small mass. So, they require very little in the way of nutrients - far less than plants need. After the plants strip the nutrients from the water there are still plenty of "scraps" left for algae to thrive. The defense against algae is healthy plants growing as fast as the light allows them to. Unhealthy or stunted plants invite algae.

Well, I'm deciding to switch to EI dosing to make sure my plants aren't limited by nutrients.

I'm just wondering if I can dose dry (just throw the granules into the water column) or if I need to mix individual batches (and if so what compound/water ratio?)

Thanks a bunch!
Michael

In your journal you don't mention what light you are using. But, the bubble rate you have for your CO2 is way too low for a 55 gallon tank with anything but low light. Low CO2 compared to the light intensity can lead to algae problems, too.

 

[Michael Appleseed]

Oops, I forgot to mention that in the journal! I have a GLO HO t5 with two 52w 10,000K bulbs. I increased my bubble rate to 8bps about 5 days ago with no change in the algae yet. We'll see what happens when I start a new dosing regimen.

Good catch,
Michael