# algae/ADA Aquasoil



## uttoshii (Sep 13, 2006)

hi

i started recently a new tank using ADA Aquasoil +power sand+bacter100+clear super+tourmalineBC
its been 3 weeks now and i have some algae problems ,i was wondering if there is any relation between the use of ADA products and the apparition of algae (cyano+green long algae -sorry ,i dont know the english name...)

is there anyway to get rid of them?


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## erijnal (Apr 5, 2006)

What would you consider your plant density? Light, moderate, or heavy? Also, are you using CO2 or some form of carbon supplementation? How much light are you using?

If this is your first planted tank, this is an excellent thread to read. Even if this isn't your first tank, it's good to read over as a reminder.

Anyway, cyanobacteria, and the algae that you said was long and probably sways along with the water flow, should be taken care of with a 3 day blackout. I suggest you add to your plant density after the 3 day blackout, add CO2 if you haven't already, and if your tank is about 2.5-3 watts per gallon, cut your photoperiod down to 8-10 hours if it's more than that.


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## uttoshii (Sep 13, 2006)

actually i realised that i forgot to write my question and talked directly about my specific problem ,sorry 

so as the title says the question is :"is there any relation berween the use of ADA's products and the apparition of algae?" as i can see that most of the people (around me ) who use ADA have algae problems when they start a new tank,problem that most of the people using a usual soil dont have

as for my tank green algae nearly disapeared ,cyanobacterias remains in 2 spots of a centimeter square,not really an invasion but i dont want it to be,i manually take it,if it persists i will use CYANOCELL or a black-out if it really get worse,not decided yet...

and yes it is my first tank 

about my tank(as u ask for more specific informations...)

240L (120*45*45)->190L
soil:ADA Aquasoil +power sand+bacter100+clear super+tourmalineBC
lights:144W -ADA-NA lamp->start at 9h/day ,raised gradually to 11h/day
co2:2drops/sec ADA system
fertilization:ADA step1(started 2 days ago),ECA (just a bit...[smilie=l: ),soon BrightyK
extra: penacA
filtration:eheim 2028 (not used at full power,maybe 70%)

water changes: phyton-git,green bacter

ph:6.7
gh:3
kh:3
no2:0mg
no3:7mg
phosphate:0mg
--->>>the unbalance between no3 and phosphates must be the reason why i have the cyanobacterias,i will raise my phospates to 0,7mg (keep a 10% rate) and see what happens

started 3weeks ago

plantation:not too heavy due to the large foreground of HC (where all the algae used to be concentrated ,certainly due to its slow growth,no algae at all in the middle and background)

-foreground:
HC cuba 
lilaeopsis NZ

-middle ground:
crypto wendtii brown
hydrocotyle verticala

-back ground
rotala sp green
rotala rotundifolia
Heteranthera Zosterifolia
alternanthera reineckii 'Rosablattrig
Pogostemon stellatus 'Broad Leaf'
rotala wallichii
Rotala macrandra
hemianthus micromanthemoides
eleocharis

and 20 kilos of sei-ryu-seki (stone) as the aquascaping is a seki-tei style ....with a planted background ,original style.....

hope i didnt waste your time this time....


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## erijnal (Apr 5, 2006)

lol, that bit in my signature wasn't directed specifically at you. It just becomes a little tiring trawling through thread after thread because of ambiguity in the thread title. Hopefully everyone will be specific with their thread titles, who knows? The Blue-green part was purely coincidence. I know a lot of people have trouble with it, myself included, so I used that as an example in the signature. If I've offended you, I hope you accept my sincere apology.

Alright, well I read your bit on the cyanobacteria, and ignoring everything else that you wrote, here's a question: Do you consider the spot over the patch of Blue-green algae as a place with poor water circulation? You said your nitrates were at 7 mg, which I take to mean mg/L, and areas of poor circulation will get less than that 7 mg/L of nitrate. For example, I had a BGA problem that went away overnight after I added a water pump to create more water movement. 

Also, I havent used Aquasoil myself, but I'm pretty sure most people experienced with the substrate leave their tanks alone in terms of fertilization for a couple weeks. The reason they don't fertilize is that the substrate leaches all the nutrients the plants need into the water column. That said, a lot of people believe that an overabundance of nutrients will NOT cause an algae bloom, but my experiences say otherwise. *Shrug*

So try adding the extra circulation and see what happens. If that doesn't work, a 3 day black-out won't harm your plants but will subject the BGA to a very painful death (we can only hope). Afterwards, adding nitrate is supposed to be a good way to combat/prevent BGA, but I'm not sure if that would be effective in a newly established tank with Aquasoil.

Hope that helps and good luck with the BGA.


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## Laith (Sep 4, 2004)

And your CO2 is probably too low. Try increasing it a bit.

And welcome to APC!


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## Ajax (Apr 3, 2006)

Welcome to APC. My first thought after reading your tank specs was let me see some pics! That sounds like an awesome set up. I recently set up my ADA tank with Aquasoil, and I did see some algae at the start which quickly dissapated after about a month. I can't tell whether it was purely the Aquasoil or not, but I can say that you can grow some awesome plants with it! 

I would suggest that you start adding K now, or you will probably start seeing pin holes in some of your plants pretty quick. I would also agree that you might try increasing your CO2 to 3 drops. It's good that you are keeping an eye on your nitrates & phosphates early on as well. Do not be afraid to start adding N & P after about the 1 month point. That was a mistake I made. I certainly don't understand how Mr. Amano is able to create the aquascapes that he does with such a high plant load, low fish load & not dose any N or P in most of his tanks. I couldn't do it  Start on the low side & work up from there.


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## teacherthomas (Jul 14, 2006)

A few of my local fishshops have stoped using ADA products for the same reason. They feel that in the past year or so the quality has dropped, and their are better products out there. When ever they setup tanks with ADA there are always the algae issues you mentioned but not when setting up with other products.


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## uttoshii (Sep 13, 2006)

erijnal->
thank you for your answer ,non offense taken,i should apologize if you found that my answer was rude as i thougth that your signature was a comment addressed to me 

i thought too about a problem due to poor water circulation ,i already ordered a new aspiration system that i will set up tomorow in a different pattern than the actual one ,now both aspiration and reject (sorry,i dont know the english word ) are on the same side ,i will put one on every side of the tank and see what happens (doesn't it allow a better water circulation?),if that doesnt work i will install a pump as i dont want to use my filter at a full strength what would only make my algae problem worse i think ,i was already thinking about that option  

even though aquasoil looks like (and certainly is) an excellent substrat it is obvious to me that the overabundance of nutrients causes the apparition of algae (but not the cyanobacterias...) ,even with massive water changes for the 2 first weeks (50% water change everyday,100L as preconised by amano and ADA users) .
i just wanted to have the point of view of other people as where i live everybody uses it...i am sure too that the results will be there in a few months as i saw a few fish tanks using 100% ADA's products
with simply beautifull ,healthy plants ,but there again the use of these products is still something "mysterious" to me ,or should i say "unclear"...:doubt: 

Laith->
thank you for your welcoming 
3drops/second sounds good to you?
using a pollen glass beetle ,should i put it near the water reject or in a part where the water flow is lower?

Ajax->
the tank is not nice enough to show some pictures ,the stones are beautifull and i found a display that pleases me ,but the plants are not presentable yet:mullet: the growing speed is incredible though ,give me a few more weeks to to model it the way i want it and then i will send some pics 
it is my first tank so i find it difficult to arrange the plantation in an interresting way ...learning everyday ,i just love it!
i was not sure when to start with brighty-K ,i'll get some tomorow 
what do u suggest me for the doses of fertiliser:how much step1 ,brighty-K ,ECA(or should i wait for this one?) ,and when? everyday?at every water changes?.....well simply how to use the ADA fertilisation i would really appreciate 
as for co2 ,then 3 drops it is ....
another thing that annoyes me is that i cant find any other product than ADA (only suspicious unknown miracle products are sold where i live) ,i cant either buy the "chemicals" (phosphates.....) ,is there any solution in ADA's products to add nitrates and phosphates? or any solution at all 

teacherthomas->

you are lucky to be able to chose the product that you are going to use ,as i saied to Ajax ,for me its ADA or ADA or geneticaly modified Goldfish with rotala sp plastica ......... 

well ,to finish ,thank you all for your help ,i really appreciate .
ps:excuse my poor english ,i dont use it much these times.... 

Nicolas (french living in Japan)


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## Kookaburra (May 11, 2006)

It's nice to meet you here Utoshii !!!

I can't help you "in english" (to difficult for me !!!), but you know where you can find me .

See you soon in PB


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