Thema: Problems with hair algae

Hi,

Excuse my English, but I am from Holland, not from Germany, so I won 't be able to write any German

Currently, I have a lot of algae, especially hair algae. It looks a lot like this:



In Holland, we use a lot of ########, so I went to my local fish store to get it. They did not sell any ########, but they did sell DRAK products. I said: "But I really would like to have ########!".
So they replyed: "Let us convince you with DRAK products, therefore we 'll supply you with the DRAK products you need. For free."

So here I am.

They gave me KramerDrak, Eudrakon N and Eudrakon P.

I have a Juwel Record 600. Juwel says it contains 63 litres, but this value is based on the outside measures of the tank.
If you base the contents on the inside measures, extract everything without water (substrate, wood, filter etc), there are 40 litres left.

Currently, I have one 24w T5 lamp burning with a reflector, 9 hours a day, with a pause of 4 hours (4 hours on, 4 hours off, 5 hours on).
I have computed the wattage per litre at 0.72W / l.

The tank contains a lot of plants, therefore I replaced the default Juwel 15W T8 light with the T5 lamp.
Also, because of the many plants, I got KramerDrak (instead of Ferrdrakon).

I am using bio CO2, and have installed substrate heating.

Last saturday my water values were as follows:

PH 7.2
KH 6
HG 6
NH4 0.1
NO2 0
NO3 0
PO4 0

First of all, I know I have a shortage of NO3 and PO4 (therefore the Eudrakon N and Eudrakon P).

I am currently supplying 5ml Kamerdrak per week, 1ml per day for 5 days a week.
I am also supplying 1ml Eudrakon N untill I measure 8mg / litre.

For 2 days I supplied 1ml Eudrakon P a day, but I still measure zero PO4.

My questions:

1) Do I have the right DRAK products?
2) Do I supply the correct products and quantities?
3) Should I increase Eudrakon P for 2ml / day?

Thanks in advance!

Peter from the Netherlands

Hi,

Zitat von ptie

Excuse my English, but I am from Holland, not from Germany, so I won 't be able to write any German

i am not so quick in English like in German, because this is not my native language. But i give my very best.
Please excuse the late answer, we had technical problems.

So they replyed: "Let us convince you with DRAK products, therefore we 'll supply you with the DRAK products you need. For free."

It seems they are really convicted itsself, what do delight me much.

I have computed the wattage per litre at 0.72W / l.

There ist really a big probability for an surpassing need of macro nutrients like NO3 und PO4.

Also, because of the many plants, I got KramerDrak (instead of Ferrdrakon).

That was also the right advice.

NH4 0.1
NO3 0
PO4 0

First of all, I know I have a shortage of NO3 and PO4 (therefore the Eudrakon N and Eudrakon P).

Correct. I guess the same.

I am currently supplying 5ml Kamerdrak per week, 1ml per day for 5 days a week.

I am also supplying 1ml Eudrakon N until I measure 8mg / litre.

Until NO2 remains at near zero, you may also enhance the daily dosis slightly.

For 2 days I supplied 1ml Eudrakon P a day, but I still measure zero PO4.

Eudrakon P may be dosed in one portion to get the calculated value.

My questions:

1) Do I have the right DRAK products?

Yes.

2) Do I supply the correct products and quantities?

Yes, but you may increase the dosis of Eudrakon N und P a little bit.

3) Should I increase Eudrakon P for 2ml / day?

This is one option.
The other option is fertilizing with a big dose of Eudrakon P to put the level of PO4 to 0,4 - 0,6 mg/l at once. And then giving the next dose not before the level decreases under 0,1 mg/l.

The PO4 need is in the majority of cases in the first days or maybe weeks much higher than later when the backlog demand of plants and tank is satisfied.

Hi Andreas,

Thanks for the answer.

I currently measure the following values:

NO3 8
PO4 0.7

I will stop supplying NO3. I will also stop supplying PO4, until I measure a PO4 below 0.1

Some observations:

At places, the hair algue turns brown / grey. But the brown parts do seem to get longer though. I cannot make out if it gets longer because it still grows, or if it stretches, because it is falling apart, or something alike.

Some algue at the window of the tank also turns brown. You can then easily "dust" it off.

I will keep you updated :-)

Thanks!

Hi,

Zitat von ptie

NO3 8
PO4 0.7

I will stop supplying NO3. I will also stop supplying PO4, until I measure a PO4 below 0.1

OK, this is the right reaction.

I will keep you updated :-)

Well, we will see, what's happening with this algae.