# fluval aquasoil cause bluegreen algae?



## tapscrew (Jul 1, 2006)

I have a 25liter nano with fl
uval aquasoil as a substrate and a real problem with bluegreen algae, it covers the substrate and creeps up the tank from it. Is the substrate part of the problem? Would topdressing with a gravel or sand stop it from growing?


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## Yo-han (Oct 15, 2010)

I use fluval stratum myself without BGA, but I took some measures to prevent it. I had BGA with all previous aqua soils I used (ADA Amazonia, Colombo flora base, Aquatic Nature Shrimp soil) so this time I sprinkle potassium nitrate below the substrate to make it a little richer in nitrate. Most aqua soils are quite rich in phosphate in the beginning and with low nitrate in your water it is an environment favorable to BGA. The trick is to keep nitrate a tad high. Do you know you water parameters for PO4 and NO3? 

So it is part of the problem but topping it up with gravel won't make much difference and sand will end up at the bottom


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## tapscrew (Jul 1, 2006)

THanks for the advice I dont know the levels of po4 and no3 but i will check it out and try out the extra nitrate, i think i have some dry powder, would it be ok to add it to the water column or should i try to mix it into the substrate?


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## K Randall (Nov 23, 2004)

Yo-han said:


> I use fluval stratum myself without BGA, but I took some measures to prevent it. I had BGA with all previous aqua soils I used (ADA Amazonia, Colombo flora base, Aquatic Nature Shrimp soil) so this time I sprinkle potassium nitrate below the substrate to make it a little richer in nitrate. Most aqua soils are quite rich in phosphate in the beginning and with low nitrate in your water it is an environment favorable to BGA. The trick is to keep nitrate a tad high. Do you know you water parameters for PO4 and NO3?


Interesting. I had the exact opposite problem with ADA Aquasoil... HUGE amounts of nitrate. I was doing 90% water changes every other day for at least 6 weeks, plus using fleet enema regularly to try to balance it. It did eventually "cook" out, but I'd never use it alone again.

I DO use it still, but only under a 1" cap of 1-3mm gravel.

As far as the Fluval product is concerned, I've used it in a couple of tanks now with no algae problems and good growth. I like it.


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## Yo-han (Oct 15, 2010)

K Randall said:


> Interesting. I had the exact opposite problem with ADA Aquasoil... HUGE amounts of nitrate. I was doing 90% water changes every other day for at least 6 weeks, plus using fleet enema regularly to try to balance it. It did eventually "cook" out, but I'd never use it alone again.
> 
> I DO use it still, but only under a 1" cap of 1-3mm gravel.
> 
> As far as the Fluval product is concerned, I've used it in a couple of tanks now with no algae problems and good growth. I like it.


My water was high in nitrate as well the first few weeks, that is because the aqua soil releases huge amounts of ammonia and your filter converts it to nitrate (if you are lucky). This appeared after 3-4 weeks in my case.
But the amount of PO4 in the substrate seems to be higher than NO3 although the PO4 is not released in the water that much. Just my two cents, or perhaps another batch, in the end it is a natural product!


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