Desperatly seeking help

[maddog10]

I can vouch that higher levels of CO2 will knock the algae back. Be careful not to just crank it way up, bring it up slowly since you have fish in the tank. Do not want to shock them. My lights (and CO2) are only on for 6 hours a day.

[magsdez]

We are using a pressurized co2 system, but I wonder about the distribution method. Check out the Foster's and smith link and you'll see what we have.
Yeah I was using a Fe test kit and figured that it wasn't accurate, but didn't know what else to do.

So, I'll cut the lights back to 6hrs.
Need help on how to increase co2 with the system we have
If I go back to using KNO3, it would be at 3/4 tsp
KSO4 at 1/4 tsp
With the KH2PO4, the EI dosing says use 3/16 tsp. How on earth do I measure that? Should I even worry about it?
I use 7.5mls of Flourish Iron and 7.5mls of Flourish Comp.
Should I get more of the Flourish trace as well?

[Aaron]

Don't change too many things at once or you'll never know which one does or does not help. Start by increasing your CO2 to 20ppm-30ppm and restart your KNO3 dosing.

[Judi]

With the KH2PO4, the EI dosing says use 3/16 tsp. How on earth do I measure that?

I use spoons like these:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Measuring-Spoons-Da ... 7C294%3A50

[krisw]

I've never used the CO2 reactor that you have, but if it appears to be dissolving the bubbles, and then distributing the water throughout the tank it should be just fine. Also, I don't think anyone mentioned, but from your pictures, it looks like BBA (Black Brush Algae) is the type of algae your dealing with. Don't expect drastic changes overnight with this type of algae. If it were me, I would:

- Start Dosing KNO3

- Stop dosing K2SO4

- Slightly Decrease the Amount of KH2PO4 you're dosing (but measure to try and keep around 1-2ppm. Eventually, with added KNO3, you'll likely end up dosing close to what you are now if plants are growing well)

- Increase CO2 as much as your fish will allow. Multiple bubbles/sec.

- Use Excel or H2O2 (hydrogen perioxide) in a syringe (in small doses each day), and squirt directly on the worst bits of the algae to weaken it.

- Use a toothbrush to scrub any bit you can from hardscape items. Remove plant leaves that are hopelessly covered in it.

- Add as many Amano shrimp as you can afford to speed along the removal of the remainder of the algae.

- Continue weekly water changes, reevaluate in 2 weeks. Hopefully tank will be clean in 2 months.

[Cristy Keister]

It's mostly green brush algae with maybe some green spot algae in the mix.

*snip*

Posted before reading other responses.

[Ghazanfar Ghori]

With the KH2PO4, the EI dosing says use 3/16 tsp. How on earth do I measure that? Should I even worry about it?
I use 7.5mls of Flourish Iron and 7.5mls of Flourish Comp.
Should I get more of the Flourish trace as well?

Easy way to measure out small portions like that:

Dissolve it in 16 capfuls of water. Each capful is then 1/16th of a tsp worth.

Ok - 1 tsp of KH2PO4 may not dissolve in that little amount of water, so youmigth watn to double it but you get the idea.

[magsdez]

thanks everyone!

[magsdez]

Quick question. With the types of fish in our tank, how will the amano shrimp survive?

[maddog10]

I do not think any of those fish will bother the Amano's (maybe the Gourami's), but I am not an expert.