[shift]

I started dosing a small amount using the ppspro calculator about a week ago. The last few days I have been seeing little tufs of algae around the tank. Grrrr why?!

Light is finnex 24/7 and I'm running co2

 

[Solcielo lawrencia]

You've answered your own question.

 

[Hoppy]

How consistent is your CO2 concentration in the water? Is it the same an hour or so after the lights come on every day? Many of us have seen that allowing the concentration to vary widely, like running low for a day, will lead to BBA, as you have. I quit using DIY CO2 when the variations in concentration due to one of my bottles needing to be changed, was followed by a persistent BBA attack. As long as I was extremely careful to change a bottle before I say any bubble rate drop I had no BBA and was very happy. Once I was a bit late a couple of times, the BBA showed up. And, this was with low light.

A clue to why this happens is that plants manufacture their enzymes to match the conditions they are in. With significant CO2 they use one set of enzymes, but with very low CO2 they use a different set (different amounts). When the CO2 is inconsistent the plants have to readjust their production taking energy away from growing tissue, and, poorly growing plants invite BBA. This is not proven, as far as I know, but fits the data.

 

[Edward]

I started dosing a small amount using the pps-pro calculator about a week ago.

How did you do that? What calculator?

Edward PPS

 

[burr740]

Hard to tell from the pic but the plants look severely deficient to me. Also agree with Hoppy re CO2

 

[shift]

Hmm
I use pressurized co2 but in sure it's a swing between night and day. Any suggestion how how to remedy this?

 

[Solcielo lawrencia]

Stable CO2 isn't important and isn't directly causing any BBA issues.

 

[shift]

So what is? I only used root tabs for ages and started doing small dosses of DIY (dry frets mixed) to Pps pro mainly to help fulfill what ever deficiency was making my glosso red on the front right

 

[Nordic]

Stable CO2 isn't important and isn't directly causing any BBA issues.

To my knowledge, unstable CO2 is the only reliable way of getting BBA to start growing...

 

[shift]

If stable co2 is the answer... Running it 24/7 doesn't seem like a good plan either

 

[Solcielo lawrencia]

So what is? I only used root tabs for ages and started doing small dosses of DIY (dry frets mixed) to Pps pro mainly to help fulfill what ever deficiency was making my glosso red on the front right

There appears to be a symbiotic relationship between bacteria and BBA. The fertilizers aren't just used by plants and algae, it's also used by bacteria to grow. The bacteria provide nutrients for the algae which provides nutrients for the bacteria.

But it's an interesting question: Why would varying CO2 levels cause BBA? There's a correlation sometimes, but that doesn't make it causal.

 

[shift]

I have PH probe on my reef tank. If it wasn't such a pain to unhook it al I would be curious to leave it on for a day or two to find out

 

[DennisSingh]

Hmm
I use pressurized co2 but in sure it's a swing between night and day. Any suggestion how how to remedy this?

Nice shrimp! I would not mess around with your pressurized co2 with them in. Heck I wouldn't even worry about my plants. Seems like your shrimp are thriving in that one pic you gave.

 

[shift]

Thanks!
shrimp are doing awesome and I have had co2 going for months and have more of berried shrimp do what I'm doing is working minus the algae! I may go back to peroxide spot treating but it's. Pain! Must be a secret to healthy plants and shrimp!

 

[dzega]

To my knowledge, unstable CO2 is the only reliable way of getting BBA to start growing...

try to not clean filter and not change water for a few months then :wink2:

 

[Nordic]

I have never seen BBA growing under low light. I have had it a few times (because I can only afford DIY CO2).
That being said, I have never seen it in a low light aquarium.

 

[burr740]

I think dzega's point was that bba likes organic waste. Dirty conditions encourage it, clean conditions deter it.

 

[yakal]

i have never seen bba growing under low light. I have had it a few times (because i can only afford diy co2).
That being said, i have never seen it in a low light aquarium.

i have had bba in low tech tank... 8 gallon with single 13 watt cfl with anubias and ferns with little to no dosing

 

[houseofcards]

I think dzega's point was that bba likes organic waste. Dirty conditions encourage it, clean conditions deter it.

This has been my bedrock for a long time now. I really don't worry about the inorganic salts (NPK) going in, but I do worry about any organic breakdown that's going on.

I make sure water changes are done, filters are clean, feeding/stocking is low, dead plant leaves are removed. Obviously the more plants you have the less you have to worry about this, but in thinly planted tanks and new tanks you need to use organic removers, bigger water changes, to reduce any nh3 that might develop if the bio-filter and/or plant uptake isn't enough. I've always over-dosed ferts some and never have issues with algae as long as the organic content in the water is low.

 

[shift]

Well i guess I'll try a bunch of larger water changes and hope the shrimp
Don't mind at least it will reset the water a bit. Stock is "low" in respect to only 4 ottos. But tons of shrimp!