# Too much light?



## Barnsten (Jul 3, 2009)

If you provide too much lighting to your NPT will you get better plant growth or just a lot more algae?
My tanks are new setups and I'm getting hair algae like crazy which I pick out manually every other day right now. My snails eat some of it (and I have cherry shrimp on the way to help, as well as more snails).
The tank currently runs the lighting 12 hours a day with 2 x 65 watts CFL bulbs
and then for 4 hours the other 2 x 65 watt CFL bulbs are on (mid day sun simulation), all are 6700 kelvin daylight bulbs, 2 are from sunpaq the other 2 came with the light fixture so not sure on the brand.

Is this too much light? Should I stock my tank heavier to compensate on the lighting?
This is a 55 gallon NPT, about a week old. The tank is cycled the filter was previously cycled before I swapped the tank to a NPT, no issues in my testing, pH is 7.6 depending on time of day but stays pretty stable, I raised the KH and GH for my snails by adding crushed coral to both the soil mix and some in my canister filter. I don't know how to read the API GH/KH instructions very well, but the GH was 15 drops and the KH was 7 drops. Nitrite, nitrate, and ammonia are all 0, the nitrates rose a little but they are barely over 0 at this point.

I currently have:
12 or so mystery snails
a few MTS that I randomly see
6 albino aeneus cory's
8 purple passion danio's
5 guppy's

I could easily add more guppy's from my 125 gallon NPT, or some of the baby platy's that are EVERYwhere in my 125 gallon, LOL. I swear nothing eats baby platy's especially orange ones... they must be poisonous  :snakeman:


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## cbwmn (Dec 18, 2007)

I don’t have NPT’s, but I do have planted tanks.
Some experts may correct me but here’s my 2 cents.
IMO, your light level is OK, it’s almost 2.4 WPG.
Your photo period is too long and the sunlight also
adds to the algae problem. 
If you’re using an API test kit, your KH is 125.3
And your GH is off of the charts.
Again IMO, I’d get rid of the coral.
Charles


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## Barnsten (Jul 3, 2009)

Sorry gave you the wrong numbers, KH was 7 drops not 15 drops and the GH was 11 drops, I had them backwards and one number wrong, LOL, again sorry for the confusion and yes it is an API test kit.


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## Barnsten (Jul 3, 2009)

if I get rid of the coral I have no KH in my tap water and my GH is 2 drops, so also almost not there... This is why I added the coral to keep my pH stable with my added plants, I may need to remove some though, perhaps it's a little too high? But remember I keep snails so it needs to be high enough for my snails too. And I have cherry shrimp on the way to add to the tank, they will be here tomorrow.


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## RoseyD (Jul 9, 2009)

I am new to the process. still waiting for the plants I ordered even. however from the reading Ive done here the answer more often than not is to increase your amount of plants to compete for the current excess nutrients hanging in your tank. get sonething in there thats fast growing... maybe some floaters so you dont have to dig into the substate again. 

the api test kit directions are hard to translate. do you take from the drop when the lightest tinge of color shows? or the next drop when the color is definite? both my kh and gh were in the 3 or 4 drop range ... and I too was thinking if I would need to suppliment my tank for this.


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## Barnsten (Jul 3, 2009)

I go by the 2nd color, the one that is the darkest, just to be safe. It's better to be over guessing than under IMO


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## cbwmn (Dec 18, 2007)

Barnsten said:


> Sorry gave you the wrong numbers, KH was 7 drops not 15 drops and the GH was 11 drops, I had them backwards and one number wrong, LOL, again sorry for the confusion and yes it is an API test kit.





Barnsten said:


> if I get rid of the coral I have no KH in my tap water and my GH is 2 drops, so also almost not there... This is why I added the coral to keep my pH stable with my added plants, I may need to remove some though, perhaps it's a little too high? But remember I keep snails so it needs to be high enough for my snails too. And I have cherry shrimp on the way to add to the tank, they will be here tomorrow.


KH = 125.3
GH = 196.9
IMO both are too high. Don't drop your snails in the tank, they may bounce.
I have common pond snails in 2 tanks and my KH & GH are both at 71.6 and are TOO healthy.
My pH is 6.5, I inject CO2.
I would at least take the coral out of your filter.
I wish some NPT experts would chime in here.

QUOTE=RoseyD;483050]I am new to the process. still waiting for the plants I ordered even. however from the reading Ive done here the answer more often than not is to increase your amount of plants to compete for the current excess nutrients hanging in your tank. get sonething in there thats fast growing... maybe some floaters so you dont have to dig into the substate again. QUOTE]

I'm not a chemist, but I don't think adding plants will reduce KH & GH readings.
That said, adding more plants will suck up more nutrients and help control any algae issues.

Good luck
Charles


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

Barnsten said:


> If you provide too much lighting to your NPT will you get better plant growth or just a lot more algae?
> 
> The tank currently runs the lighting 12 hours a day with 2 x 65 watts CFL bulbs
> and then for 4 hours the other 2 x 65 watt CFL bulbs are on (mid day sun simulation), all are 6700 kelvin daylight bulbs, 2 are from sunpaq the other 2 came with the light fixture so not sure on the brand.
> ...


In a 55 gal NPT that's one week old and just getting started, your probably don't have enough plant growth to use this much light. Submerged plants can only use so much. The rest is wasted and only stimulates algae. As plant growth increases, the plants start to shade each other and they can use more light. Does this make sense?

So for your tank, I would temporarily forget about the 4 hr of sunlight simulation. Just go with 12 hr of 2 X 65 watts. That sounds like a nice amount of light for a 55 gal and the necessary 12 hr daylength. If after 2-3 months, the plants have taken off and you have dense growth, then add a few hours of sunlight simulation.

Your GH of 11 is at a nice level.

I recommend water changes the first couple months while the tank is getting established, so maybe after the first two weeks, do a 50% water change.

Adding floating plants is always a good idea.

I assume that this tank is a true NPT-- has a soil underlayer, relatively dense planting of several plant species, no driftwood/rocks covering the substrata, and no excessive current/filtration/ airstones degassing CO2.

If so, I think you're on the right track. The main thing is that the plants start to do well. You are helping them out right now by removing the matt algae. That is good!


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

Personally I think you would save yourself alot of grief if you reduced the duration of your lights during the startup process. I have started many tanks and ran my lights for 5 hrs for as many as three months before increasing duration and the plants grew great. It is a misconception that submersed plants need 8 hrs of light to grow well. The duration of lighting in most tanks especially during startup is the root of more algae issues than the strenght of the lights IMO.


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

If you use the units that go with the numbers there will be less confusion. 

API GH and KH tests report the results in German degrees of hardness. One drop of reagent = 1 degree of hardness. There is a vague sort of color change that I also have trouble figuring out: was it this drop that changed it? Or the prior drop?
The other common units used in aquariums is parts per million. Dip stick tests usually use ppm. 

17.9 ppm = 1 German degree of hardness. 

Under 3 degrees KH the carbonates are not enough to buffer the pH, so it can vary quite a lot, especially with the daily cycle of plants using then releasing CO2. 

When you are trying to figure out which fish are compatible look for GH (calcium and magnesium). Most commonly available soft water fish are usually OK with a GH under 9 dGH, but the more delicate ones (wild caught, especially) generally want it under 5 dGH (This does vary with the species). Hard water fish prefer a GH over 10 degrees. (Again, each species may be somewhat different, these are general sorts of values)

Calcium and magnesium are also plant nutrients. Plants use some, not much, so as long as the GH is not 0 (degrees or ppm) the plants can get some Ca and Mg. Also, the GH must not be a test result based on you adding Epsom salt to RO water. Epsom salt adds only Mg, not Ca, so your aquarium will be deficient in Ca. 

Some plants can use carbonates (KH) also, as a source of carbon. 

My snails (pond, MTS, Nerite, Ramshorn) have healthier shells in my hard water tanks, but are OK in my soft water tank, though I can see some shell erosion. Not deep enough or happening fast enough to kill them, though, or develop holes in the shell. GH in my soft water tanks is around 5 degrees. KH is about 4 degrees or less. (Some tanks are almost 0 degrees KH), pH varies quite a bit among the soft water tanks, from the low 6s to the low 7s. My snails are OK at all these pH levels. 

I would remove the coral sand from the filter and see if there is just enough in the substrate to keep the GH and KH between 3-5 degrees, if you will be keeping soft water fish. (roughly 60 to 100 ppm). The reaction will be slow, however. If you need to do a large water change it would be a good idea to add some minerals to the new water to make it equal to the tank water for GH and KH. I use Seachem Equilibrium for GH (also has other plant nutrients like potassium and iron), and baking soda for KH. 
Another way to prepare the water is to circulate it in a bucket or barrel with some coral sand in there. When the numbers are close enough, do the water change. 

I agree with the other comments: too much light for a beginning tank. Probably the easiest it to cut out the mid-day burst until the plants are ready for it.


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## Barnsten (Jul 3, 2009)

Will cut out the mid day lighting for now, the plants are doing quite well mostly, it's just the narrow leaf swords and dwarf sag. that haven't taken off yet. My Aponogeton bulbs all are doing very well, even the madagascar lace. The ulvaceus (sp?) is huge. 
I have a piece of floating drift wood but other than that nothing sitting on the substrate except plants. I have the driftwood floating for now because I have pleco's in the tank and of course it hasn't sank, LOL. It has been pre-soaked for about a month or more to remove tanin's, and been cleaned in the dishwasher on sani mode with out soap. I thought about sinking it with the rocks I have but left it floating for now. Is driftwood a bad thing for NPT tanks?
Yes I do have about an inch or so of soil under the inch or so of gravel, so it's a true NPT except for the floating driftwood  LOL
I just added the pleco's today, they are BN pleco's young ones, 3 that are about an inch, some 2 day old fry (accident in the bag, don't ask, LOL), and a male albino BN pleco about 2 1/2 inches long. The female went into the 125 gal NPT, as did most of the mystery snails... I wish I had read this sooner I just dropped them in, hope I didn't do any damage :frusty:
I also added the cherry shrimp to the 55 gallon NPT community tank (where I also put the young pleco's). So far the shrimp are hard to find, hope they don't get eaten, I don't think anything is big enough to eat them.


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

Sounds good to me! I'm impressed that your Madagascar lace plant is doing well.

Driftwood sometimes causes problems (rotting and anaerobic pockets where its buried), but yours sounds fine. (Since it is floating, all the decomposition will be aerobic.)

Also, I had a second thought about too much lighting. Sometimes (not enough plants and just starting out), you might have too much light. For this scenario, I would suggest that people keep the recommended 12 hr plus daylength, but instigate a midday Siesta.

I run my lights from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM but with a 3-4 Siesta (lights off). The plants get a nice 13-14 hr daylength, but lights are only on 10 hrs.

The Siesta regimen also fits in with natural CO2 fluctuations (See Table VI-2 on p. 95 in my book). In natural tanks, CO2 is often depleted late morning, so photosynthesis slows accordingly. Plants have light but not enough CO2, so light is wasted on them and probably does stimulate algae. [Since algae is often better at getting CO2 than plants, this gives algae a "window of opportunity".] By having lights off for a few hours midday, it allows the CO2 to regenerate (via decomposition, fish respiration, etc). Then, when you turn lights on in midafternoon, the plants have ample CO2 to make use of the light.

You get more "bang from your buck" with the Siesta Regimen.

Your question was good one. Thanks for posting!


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## Barnsten (Jul 3, 2009)

Thanks I will try this siesta method and see if it helps.
Oh and madagascar lace plants prefer shade and cooler water preferably 68-73. I keep my tank around 75. In ,y big tank the madagascar lace is not as happy the temp is usually close to 80.


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## Barnsten (Jul 3, 2009)

Will post new pics of the tank as soon as I upload them, the new siesta seems to be helping the plants grow faster than the hair algae which is great. The snails upkeep what little manages to grow. I love my busy little Briggs :hungry:
Left Side of Tank:








Middle of Tank:








Right Side of Tank:








Close up of Madagascar Lace:


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## wkndracer (Mar 23, 2008)

The midday 'gas nap' is a cool idea. Sorry algae is being such a pain maybe adding some floaters would help,,, I feel they saved me that PITA so far.


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## Barnsten (Jul 3, 2009)

I have duckweed everywhere, it's been taking over the tank for 2 months now (since before I switched to a NPT). I also allow the aponogeton ulvaceus to grow over the surface to shade the lower plants, I also have a chunk of driftwood floating that helps shade things. Now that I have instigated the siesta in the afternoon (turn the lights off for 3 hours) the plants seem to be growing better and the hair algae grows less.
The duckweed is go overwhelming I have to throw it away  I've considered what would happen if I added it to one of our man made lakes up here in Alaska  LOL (just a joke not really going to do it).


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## clearleaf (Oct 4, 2008)

Well it aint called duckweed for nothin. I used to watch mallards munch the stuff in the little pond (actually, just a shallow corner of a lake) in my backyard in Minnesota. I assume if they happen to catch a tadpole amongst the roots, all the better. Their flat beaks are perfect for just skimming along the surface, munchin as they go.

I forgot if you had mentioned that you had that driftwood tied to anything above? I'd be afraid that one day all the air pockets in that thing will become saturated and it will just sink on top of the plants?


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

Nice-looking tank!


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## Barnsten (Jul 3, 2009)

No it's meant to sink, eventually... It still has half of it above the surface dry, so I'm not sure if it'll ever soak up enough water to full sink... Also it was soaking in a plastic tub for a few months and never sank either, I think it's unsinkable driftwood, LOL 
I have pleco's that munch on it, so I need to have driftwood in there somewhere, but it will probably be leaned up against the side/back out of the way of the plants when it eventually does sink.
I could tie it off if I should worry about it suddenly sinking some day.


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## Barnsten (Jul 3, 2009)

dwalstad said:


> Nice-looking tank!


Thanks, it looks horribly messy to me, LOL.
I think it just needs to grow in a bit and I'll be satisfied


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## Barnsten (Jul 3, 2009)

I think my tank is going through an algae bloom, or just starting one. The water is just starting to get cloudy after I did a PWC of about 25% earlier today. Why would fresh water cause the water to get cloudy? It's a slight yellowish/green tint to the water, definitely off color than normal I think... The fish all seem normal, testing the water parameters really quick.
pH 7.2
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5 ppm
KH 7 drops, so that's 126 ppm right?
GH 12 drops, 216 ppm?
Calcium, 80 ppm
Phosphate over 0, but under .1
All tests except for the phosphate test were done on my API master test kit (and add ons), all API. The Phosphate kit is by Red Sea (test lab). If anyone wants that info too 
The temp is set to 74 on the heater, the tank is usually close to that 74-75 range.
I guess it could be an algae bloom coming on, but it doesn't look like the last one did. This one is slower.
I am going to try to find time to pull the bag of crushed coral out of the filter and see where my KH and GH settle too and how fast it gets used up. I put some in the soil so it may not lower right away.
Will post if it gets noticeably worse.


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

Barnsten said:


> Why would fresh water cause the water to get cloudy?


Not sure, but I've found that water changes never helped with green water problems.


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## Johnriggs (Jun 26, 2009)

I used to get cloudy water after a major water change, I used to wonder if it was air bubbles that had to "gas out." Then I read somewhere it was bacterial and would settle down once the nitrification took care of it. Mine was more milky than yellowish though. Hmm.


J


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## Barnsten (Jul 3, 2009)

I did a good filter cleaning last night to make sure it wasn't somehow DOC's in the water causing discoloration. The lights haven't come back on after their siesta just yet, so I can't tell if it's still cloudy today. It looks better though. Perhaps it was just the oxygen bubbles and such out gassing from the fresh water.


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## Barnsten (Jul 3, 2009)

Okay fish are now acting oddly, and so are the snails, everything is hanging out up top, as close to the surface as possible. My tank is not testing badly on any of my tests (as shown above), should I do another PWC or could that be what caused my problem?
I removed the crushed coral from the filter this afternoon when I did the filter cleaning, and the tank still appears slightly cloudy, but it doesn't look like an algae bloom to me (I've had one recently).


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## wkndracer (Mar 23, 2008)

If you have an air stone or air powered filter sponge I'd get it in the tank asap


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## wkndracer (Mar 23, 2008)

Bacteria can cloud the water and use O2 this sounds like one of those issues. Do you have a UV unit?
I lost a 1/2 page post to this string earlier when my finger slipped LOL (not! wanted to kick the machine)
Your Ca level is double what I target (highest I've tested here was 60ppm) but that said I know of no information regarding this being an issue. Low PO4 can help cause BBA also according to T. Barr.


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## Barnsten (Jul 3, 2009)

I do but it's currently running on my 125 gallon NPT. Should I do another PWC?


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## dmastin (Jun 27, 2009)

Although probably not the best quality, PetSmart carries a couple of relatively inexpensive UV units if you want want fast and cheap. It's an in-tank unit so you just drop it in the tank and plug it in. It has an internal pump.



wkndracer said:


> Bacteria can cloud the water and use O2 this sounds like one of those issues. Do you have a UV unit?


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## wkndracer (Mar 23, 2008)

Cleaning the filter and the WC were the last changes correct? If so no on another one but add air.


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## Barnsten (Jul 3, 2009)

I would have to order one and have it shipped in, my LFS is very limited on their supplies and their UV units are NOT cheap at all. I have one already  LOL.
If the one was easily moved I would, but it's hooked up to a filter so I would have to unplug it from the filter hoses and move it to the other filter on the 55 gallon tank.
I have some meds handy but not much, Maracyn-Two and Melafix/Pimafix. I should order more, my LFS sucks for meds.


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## Barnsten (Jul 3, 2009)

wkndracer said:


> Cleaning the filter and the WC were the last changes correct? If so no on another one but add air.


I currently have a filter going (canister filter Rena Filstar XP 4, and a small HOB that I keep on there that "waterfalls" onto the driftwood piece. I could move the driftwood over so it hits the water instead.
Shouldn't the plants still be putting out oxygen too? the lights are still on...


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## Barnsten (Jul 3, 2009)

Only other change was I added flourish Iron a couple days ago because my swords were not looking well.


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## wkndracer (Mar 23, 2008)

Barnsten said:


> I currently have a filter going (canister filter Rena Filstar XP 4, and a small HOB that I keep on there that "waterfalls" onto the driftwood piece. I could move the driftwood over so it hits the water instead.
> Shouldn't the plants still be putting out oxygen too? the lights are still on...


Yes but what you posted looks like everybody that can move is heading up that is almost always low O2 levels and adding meds will make it worse. Your good bacteria is in trouble for some reason. Me,,, I'd get air in the tank now and within an hour you'll see if it works by everything moving back down in the tank.


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## wkndracer (Mar 23, 2008)

Barnsten said:


> Only other change was I added flourish Iron a couple days ago because my swords were not looking well.


How much Fe?


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## Barnsten (Jul 3, 2009)

The recommended dosage on the bottle (a cap full)... I'm not sure what that is in ML or anything, I'd have to look and I'm leaving for work right now.
Seems like I'd have plenty of water circulation, maybe I cleaned my filter too well somehow... I cleaned it with tank water like normal.


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## wkndracer (Mar 23, 2008)

Diana will tell you adding Fe makes algae worse.
Idea for you on the UV Not quick but long term better.
Use a larger than needed unit like the Aqua UV classic w/wiper 15watt unit and plumb it off hose from a power head 800 - 1140gph size spray bar and PH in tank UV outside and portable between your different tanks. Ugly when used for a day or two when an issue arises but one does all as you can move it.

Good luck with this. I'd add all the air I could for now.


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## Barnsten (Jul 3, 2009)

I upped the flow on the filter (the valve was turned to half way point) and cleaned the sponge so it sucks water through the intake faster too, there's a better current going through the tank now and the fish have stopped hanging out at the surface (for now), will see how they are doing in the morning I guess. I'd take the sponges off the filters but I have cherry shrimp and I don't want any fry sucked up either. As it is I clean off the sponges nearly every day now because it builds up with gunk so fast.


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## Barnsten (Jul 3, 2009)

Okay things are definitely getting worse but my test kits all read normal like the above tests I did before, so the tank is not cycling and it's not an algae bloom because the water is white not green. Now that the lights are off and there's some sunlight showing into the water I can tell that the water is noticeably more white than it was yesterday, so whatever is going on is getting worse, but the fish look happier with the increased water flow. Only the snails are going to the surface, which is normal for them, the rest of the fish are acting normal (looking for food, schooling, etc). 
Is there something I should do right away or should I just wait this out and see what happens? It started with a water change, and of course I used a water clarify-er when I added the new tap water to the tank.
If I just over cleaned the filter and killed off my bacteria some how then they should build back up and the water will clear up, so I'm thinking I should wait it out, but I wanted to ask advice first.


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

Barnsten said:


> and of course I used a water clarifier when I added the new tap water to the tank.
> QUOTE]
> 
> Hard to know what's going on with all the chemical additives. A water clarifier? Some aquarium water clarifiers can be hard on fish gills (my book, p. 158 ). They could have caused your fish to gasp at the surface.
> ...


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## Barnsten (Jul 3, 2009)

I have heavy metals in my tap water so I have to use a dechlorinator that also removes heavy metals when I do my water changes, that's why I had to use the water clarifier, but it's the same one I've always used in all my other water changes, so I don't see that as being the problem.
I'm mostly wondering if it's caused from all the snail's waste products in the tank... Can they make a tank turn cloudy?


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

Barnsten said:


> I have heavy metals in my tap water so I have to use a dechlorinator that also removes heavy metals when I do my water changes, that's why I had to use the water clarifier, but it's the same one I've always used in all my other water changes, so I don't see that as being the problem.
> I'm mostly wondering if it's caused from all the snail's waste products in the tank... Can they make a tank turn cloudy?


I don't think so, as I have tanks with snail feces all over the place. I'm not sure what the problem is. But if your fish are doing okay, I would just wait it out. If its a bacterial or algae bloom, the UV sterilizer will kill it.

Even without the UV sterilizer, I've found that bacterial and algae blooms tend to "self-destruct". It could be that protozoa or viruses kick in when an ecosystem presents them with all that tempting food.


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## wkndracer (Mar 23, 2008)

*Re: cloudy water*

Glad to read that when you got the O2 level back up everybody was OK.


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## Barnsten (Jul 3, 2009)

And it also appears that the white bloom whatever it was has fixed itself and gone away. So let's just hope it stays that way now


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## wkndracer (Mar 23, 2008)

Barnsten said:


> And it also appears that the white bloom whatever it was has fixed itself and gone away. So let's just hope it stays that way now


Flourish and Flourish Iron both can cause clouding so watch for it the next time if you dose these, might have been a part of it.


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## will5 (Oct 26, 2005)

Just so you know your Mystery snails DO NOT AND WILL NOT eat algae. So they are no help for your algae problem at all. Do a little research here- http://applesnail.net/ .


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## Perianth (Mar 17, 2009)

I'm curious if the hair algae went away or if you are still having problems with it. Rosy Barbs definitely eat hair algae, but they may also munch on finer leaved plants. I just set up a new NPT without bleaching the new plant additions, and I'm waiting to see if hair algae emerges.


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## Barnsten (Jul 3, 2009)

I've done my research at applesnail.net so I know they don't eat algae, I have 4 BN pleco's in the tank for that I'm not worried about the algae build up on the glass, but I HAVE seen the mystery snails eat hair algae in person, so either it was a mistake and they didn't mean to, or they do eat it 
I have platy's and guppy's in the tank and I've also seen them nibble at the hair algae a bit, I don't have hardly any problems with it anymore, I don't know if the plants are finally outgrowing the hair algae or if the guppy's and platy's are actually helping by eating it too.
I got the snails for eating left over food and dead plants on the substrate not for algae clean up, in case anyone is curious. Oh and the fact that they are purple, my favorite color may have helped with my decision on buying them too  LOL
















Certainly looks like it's eating hair algae to me, whether a fluke or not, I have pics to prove it


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## Barnsten (Jul 3, 2009)

Perianth said:


> I'm curious if the hair algae went away or if you are still having problems with it. Rosy Barbs definitely eat hair algae, but they may also munch on finer leaved plants. I just set up a new NPT without bleaching the new plant additions, and I'm waiting to see if hair algae emerges.


I thought about getting some rosy barbs but didn't want my plants to get munched on  I already have someone in there nibbling on a few plants (don't buy Downoi, LOL), I think it's my older BN pleco (2 inches), my 3 other BN pleco's are barely an inch long so I don't think that they are munching on much other than the food I leave and some algae build up. Could be "SnailZilla" stomping through munching on plants too, even though mystery snails (briggs) rarely eat live plants.
Whatever happened though, I barely have any hair algae left in the tank, the cover of duckweed and the floating drift wood may have helped though, I have removed a lot of duck weed to see if the plants grow faster. I also have some floating naja grass (guppy grass) in the tank as well (the shrimp love it, hehe).


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## Johnriggs (Jun 26, 2009)

Barnsten said:


> And it also appears that the white bloom whatever it was has fixed itself and gone away. So let's just hope it stays that way now


Sounds to me like it was bacterial, and the nitrifying bacteria or some other friendly sort chomped it away.

John R


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## Barnsten (Jul 3, 2009)

Johnriggs said:


> Sounds to me like it was bacterial, and the nitrifying bacteria or some other friendly sort chomped it away.
> 
> John R


I was thinking the same thing, I'm just glad it took care of itself  Will post some new pics after work of the new growth, tank is really starting to come along now.


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## Barnsten (Jul 3, 2009)

Some new pictures of the growth in the tank, things are going well, starting to see a lot more bubbles coming up from the soil the last week or so too, so the plants must really be moving. 
























And for fun, a close up of one of my young Cherry shrimp, look right above the snail.


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