Ferts Dosing and BBA problem

[Nuno M.]

Hi everyone,

I'm from Portugal and I'm new here...

I discovered this forum in the UKAPS.org reading a thread about Spezial N from Tobi, and came here to learn a bit more with German Aquascapers :smile:
...

I've done a batch based on Special N recipe and used the calculator from Flowgrow to determine a dosing regime ...

My tank setup is:

Tank: 120x50x50 (300L)
Light: 4x54w T5HO with 2 Dennerle Special Pland and 2 Dennerle Amazon Day (6hours of light)
Substrate: ADA New Amazonia and Power Sand Special M
Filters: 2x JBL e1501GL Plugged together and with Èquo - Stilla filter media
Heating: Hydor ETH 300
Co2: Pressurized with Do! Aqua Music Glass 50D aiming to 30ppm

I made a 500ml bottle with Special N recipe and I'm dosing 6ml daily
The flowgrow calculator recommended using it along with Aqua Rebell - Makro Basic - Estimative Index 9ml daily

So I'm using my own All-in-One EI mixture that goes as follow:

KNO3 - 81g
K2SO4 - 37.17g
KH2PO4 - 22.83g
TNC Trace Mix - 14.17g
Ascorbic Acid - 0.5g
Potassium Sorbate - 0.2g
500ml R/O Water

I've been using a PMDD+PO4 formula in the past months and having a rampage of BBA that I'm trying to control and started dosing Spezial N along with my EI MIX the past Sunday with my weekly 50% water change.

When I used EI regime my Nitrates went to high which I didn't like so I think this approach Is much leaner than EI, and for this I'm trying to see how it goes from here on...

Do you think this EI Mixture is OK to use along with Spezial N ? Will 9ml daily be too much ?

I'm still struggling to get rid of BBA will use some Exel to kill it locally and already increased my Co2 , can you give me some advice on how to get rid of it... I tried turning of two of my bulbs but the plants stopped pearling and their grow rate decreased greatly so I turn them again when I changed to the new ferts regime ...

Best Regards, Nuno Matos

 

[nik]

Hi Nuno,

welcome in Flowgrow.

So I'm using my own All-in-One EI mixture that goes as follow:

KNO3 - 81g
K2SO4 - 37.17g
KH2PO4 - 22.83g
TNC Trace Mix - 14.17g
Ascorbic Acid - 0.5g
Potassium Sorbate - 0.2g
500ml R/O Water

IMHO to much potassium, it should accumulate depending to your water changes. BTW, only for my understanding, what means TNC?

I'm still struggling to get rid of BBA will use some Exel to kill it locally and already increased my Co2 , can you give me some advice on how to get rid of it... I tried turning of two of my bulbs but the plants stopped pearling and their grow rate decreased greatly so I turn them again when I changed to the new ferts regime ...

I think, the best way to eliminate BBA is to out compete them by other bacteria.
I didn't find the correct expression so I have to describe the stuff and then use the german word for. May be it's enough if I call this subject matter "water humus". Usually you find this brown fluffy stuff at the bottom of your filter. If it is possible to get water humus from an other good running tank as much as possible, give it in your tank, it should help.
And, there is one commercial product where I know it works against BBA. It's not the primary effect of these products, nevertheless it works. The question is, is it available in Portugal. Better I only name the products and you read up on them. It is Microbe Lift Special Blend and Microbe Lift Nite Out II. They are used together with normal dosage to out compete the BBA.

Best regards,
Nik

 

[Tobias Coring]

Hi Nuno,

welcome at Flowgrow.

Your approach with the Spezial N isn't bad at all. I would recommend this fert dosage

Dosing regime

As mentioned before you should not add K+ in big excess. There are tanks where it works, but many here in Germany struggle with to much K+.

Your BBA are maybe a sideeffect of the All-in-one EI fert. BBA could be related to a micronutrient mix which is not perfect for your water.
I would dose those trace elements separately to avoid getting to much BBA.

Best regards
Tobi

 

[kiko]

I think, the best way to eliminate BBA is to out compete them by other bacteria.

Well, obvisiosuly you mean BGA. :wink:

BBA are usually black brush algaes (Pinselalgen) and they can not be compete out by any bacteria.
So, remove as much infected plants as you can (trim down or throw away). Check also yours filtration, perhaps something is wrong there.
If you have a small tank, put lots (=really really much) ramshorn snails in it - if they don´t find any good food = they will start to eat young/new growing BBAs. Well certainly, older BBAs they will not eat and you need to spottreath such stuff before.
Turn filter off, spotreath with Excel and let the stuff sit for 5Minutes. Then spottreath again with 3% H202 solution (same ml dosing) and let it sit for 5-15Minutes (depending on plants) and turn filter after this time on. Doing so will kill BBA very surely. If you dont have any shrimps, snails, algae eating or sensitive fish, you may also consider to whip it out with CuSO4.

 

[Nuno M.]

Re:

Hi Nik and Tobi

and thank you for your replies

IMHO to much potassium, it should accumulate depending to your water changes. BTW, only for my understanding, what means TNC?

TNC means The Nutrient Company

I think, the best way to eliminate BBA is to out compete them by other bacteria.
I didn't find the correct expression so I have to describe the stuff and then use the german word for. May be it's enough if I call this subject matter "water humus". Usually you find this brown fluffy stuff at the bottom of your filter. If it is possible to get water humus from an other good running tank as much as possible, give it in your tank, it should help.
And, there is one commercial product where I know it works against BBA. It's not the primary effect of these products, nevertheless it works. The question is, is it available in Portugal. Better I only name the products and you read up on them. It is Microbe Lift Special Blend and Microbe Lift Nite Out II. They are used together with normal dosage to out compete the BBA.

I will try to find some more info about these products, that are really unknown to me, but the ''water humus'' as you described I can give it a go when I clean my canisters, so what should I do with it ?

I have access to this product here in portugal wich seams to be someting like you described ...

Èquo - Bio Alganex
and
Èquo - Algae Stop

I was thinking on the Algae Stop to apply locally as it is a kind of concentrated Exel type of product

Do you think it will help with BBA problem ??

Hi Nuno,

welcome at Flowgrow.

Your approach with the Spezial N isn't bad at all. I would recommend this fert dosage

Dosing regime

As mentioned before you should not add K+ in big excess. There are tanks where it works, but many here in Germany struggle with to much K+.

Your BBA are maybe a sideeffect of the All-in-one EI fert. BBA could be related to a micronutrient mix which is not perfect for your water.
I would dose those trace elements separately to avoid getting to much BBA.

This was the first time i mixed it all together I was using this PMDD+PO4 recipe from James Planted tank:

Macros
25g Potassium Nitrate
5.8g Potassium Phosphate (monobasic)
11g Potassium Sulphate
20g Magnesium Sulphate Heptahydrate (Epsom Salts)
500 ml distilled water

Micros
10g Chelated Trace Element Mix (TNC Trace, CSM+B)
500ml Water
0.5ml Normal Hydrochloric Acid

And dosing 15ml of both everyday

I made an all-in-one because I only had two 500ml dosing bottles and used one for EI Mix and the other for your Spezial N .

As I said before I only started using this mix and your Spezial N this past Sunday so it's to early to tell if there are any differences but from George Farmer experience with them I'm expecting a lot of growth in the coming weeks :shock: ...

Do you think I should take out the K2SO4 from the mix on my next batch regarding K+ problems ?

To a 500ml bottle what amount of salts should I use to make the Aqua Rebell Macro Basic - Estimative Index ?

Regarding the Traces I will make them separately in the next time I have to make liquid ferts ...

Here in Portugal we have a Portuguese forum named Aquaforum.pt with your permission I would like to share with my community your Spezial N recipe so Portuguese aquascapers can try it for them self's and report back it's effectiveness on their tanks ...

Thank you both for your quick reply ....

Best Regards, Nuno Matos

 

[nik]

Hi,

Well, obvisiosuly you mean BGA. :wink:

oops, you're right! Sorry, my fault. Than my last post makes less sense. In case of BBA, I would come back to my first thought. Nor it is common to use filter media like " Èquo - Stilla filter media" (I think it's a high efficiency filter media) nor to use two filters for 300l. There is no need for such excessive filtration in a planted tank and IMO it is the prime reason for BBA.

I'm aware, you are familiar with strong filtration and it sounds strange for you, but here filtration of planted tanks is often handled different. One filter, only partially filled with simple 30ppi foam, the rest should stay empty, is enough and may solve your problem without additional activities. - But in fertilizing, I'm with Tobi and recommend it too.

With kind regards,
Nik

 

[nik]

one more time ...

looking for Bio-Alganex, the description sounds good. In my opinion biological balance of a tank ist the most important part. Nevertheless my first attempt would be to reduce the filtration.

Kind regards,
Nik

 

[Nuno M.]

Nick,

I use strong filtration because of some wild fish and the tank is not heavily planted I will take some pictures of the actual state and post them here ...

But I will consider your advice and take some of the bio filter media from the canisters ...

Kiko,

I will try to up even more the Co2 and I've get hold of the Èquo - Algae Stop (Glutaraldehyde) that I will apply locally on the hardscape ...

To do a 3% H2O2 solution is 1 part H2O2 with 30% concentration to 10 parts water right ? What's the maximum amount I can give to 300L tank ?

Thank you both for the advises

Best Regards, Nuno Matos