Starting Co2 and continuing liquid Co2 and AntiAlgae?

Could someone give me advise on my situation please.

I have green and brown hair algae in my tank. The plant in the tank is a dwarf grass.

I started using (so called) liquid Co2 about one month ago, and I started using AntiAlgae a ween ago (both - Easy Life [Easy Carbon and AlgaeExit]). After that plants got more green colour, but algae didn't go away, and continue to grow.

I would love to try Co2 system, hoping that it will help with this situation.

Should I necessarily discontinue "liquid Co2" (Easy Carbon)? Or should I continue using both?

Should I continue using AlgeExit together with the Co2 system?

I should probably start with the small amount of Co2, as there are shrimps in the tank?

So... what do you advise? Thanks a lot!

 

Easy Carbo is an algaecide. All "liquid carbon" products have still got to prove they are working. There are no independent studies that say they work and the few unscientific practical tests that have been documented say they don't work or were inconclusive. But the aldehyde compounds are known to kill off some kinds of algae. Though not the ones you have in your tank. You should neither use easy carbo nor Algexit longer than a few weeks.

But your problem is something completely different:
You have plant substrate which contains nutrients AND you use fertilizers. Also bright lighting. But you barely have plants in your tank. Those few dwarf grass plants are no competition for the algae under such conditions.
The algaecides are surely not helping here at all.

Cut down on all the fertilizers, add quick growing plants like Hydrocotyle, Egeria, Elodea or floaters and do some generous waterchanges.

CO2 is the least of your problems right now. Very likely you won't need it.

 

Not so fast mr. MacZ. I think Ben is trying some sort of Iwagumi scape, in which case I would strongly recommend a CO2 system and a fertiliser such as APT 1 (all in one but without NO3 and PO4, because your soil provides this already). Follow ADA dosing regime for your scape and stop using "liquid carbo" and Algexit.

Alternatively, Iwagumi with hair grass can be done without CO2 system, but then you would need to lower light intensity accordingly and start with plenty of hair grass to begin with. But it remains a bit tricky without CO2, due to the algae threat, especially in relatively tall tanks. Shallow tank Iwagumi without CO2 system is a lot easier.

In any case, I would start with new hairgrass and take out the ones you have and let it recover in a vase with active soil and place it next to a window, without direct sunlight.

 

stop using "liquid carbo" and Algexit.

As long as we are agreeing on that.

Isn't Iwagumi with an emersed part? But alas, scaping is not my world.

 

As long as we are agreeing on that.

Isn't Iwagumi with an emersed part? But alas, scaping is not my world.

Nah, but with shallow tanks, at least the main stone emerses for max. zen experience

Ive seen your tanks, you love to scape as well, just fancy habitat scapes from parts of the Amazon basin.

 

Scape? My tanks? I just put in wood, leaves and plants and hope it looks halfway decent while being good for the fish.

Nah, but with shallow tanks, at least the main stone goes emersed for max. zen experience

Thanks! Wasn't aware of that.

 

Thanks a lot, MacZ and ruud!

Exactly! I am trying something like Iwagumi scape! I attach pics of the initial view!

But I am newbie, and I was changing things quite a bit (the lamp, the duration of lighting, etc.).

Ok, So I should stop using EasyCarbon and Algexit and add Co2 (start with a bit the lower levels, because of shrimps, is this right?).

Let old plants go and get the new ones.

It is hard to get API 1 in Europe. But maybe I'll look into some other options (I used JBL Ferropol until now).

Then, maybe, with Co2 the quite bright lamp isn't a too big of a problem? On the other hand, I keep the lamp on 50% of it's original brightness already (it is still bright enough though).


Thanks again!

 

It is hard to get API 1 in Europe. But maybe I'll look into some other options (I used JBL Ferropol until now).

Alternatively take Tropica premium nutrition. Almost the same: All-in-one sans N and P.

 

Or Aqua Rebell. The no1. aquascaping shop in The Netherlands, has em all (Tropica, ADA, Aqua Rebel, APT, Masterline and Seachem) and they ship abroad: Plant fertilizer and additves

Iwagumi really is not as easy as it looks at first sight. If plant mass is low, which is typical with Iwagumi, and you miss just one key ingredient for plant growth, then given intense light, algae will take over.

I would not worry about the shrimp. I had a high tech Iwagumi years ago with orange rili shrimp; absolutely loved it, but got really tired of trimming after a while.