# Vallisneria help



## marvelous (Jul 29, 2006)

I have a large stand of Vallisneria and within the lsst couple of days I have noticed it appears to be "melting off". I read in another thread the using Flourish Excel could cause this to happen. I use pressurized CO2 through a controller, but added the Excel because I read it can help with getting rid of algae. I really don't want to lose the Vallisneria. Can I trim it and will it ever come back - it was doing very well before the Excel!?


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

Excel is a source of carbon for the plants, and it may help get rid of algae, but not everyone sees that effect. I didn't, for example. What kind of algae do you have? What fertilizers do you dose and how much, how often? What size tank with how much light?


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## marvelous (Jul 29, 2006)

Hoppycalif

The algae I have is very minimal, but it is thread like algae, red in color that is growing from the edges of some of my Crypts and Anubias. I have a 75 gallon heavily planted tank with 260 watts of light (CF) dual daylight bulbs (4). I have the lights on for 9 hours a day. My ferts include Flourish, Flourish Iron, and Flourish NPK. I dose every 3 days, but I offset days with the Flourish and NPK. I have pressurized CO2 with an American Marine pH controller. My pH is 6.6 / KH is 8. I use the Iron sparingly.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

You really have a lot of light! Enough that the plants should be using up the fertilizers, especially the nitrates very fast. And, you only dose the NPK every 6 days? Even every 3 days is not often enough. I suggest going to an every other day dosing, altenating days with Flourish. Then if the algae problem doesn't get better, try increasing the CO2 bubble rate a bit. First, of course you need to remove as much of the algae from the tank as you can.


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