apple snails eat plants or algae only and black algae stuff?

[breakaway]

Phospate removing media, not overfeeding.

But plants need phospates to grow. I'm pretty sure removal of phospates will have other effects - more exprienced amongst us feel free to correct these statement(s).

[alanmin4304]

Redung phosphate or increasing nitrate will often do it as it is an imbalance usually.

[breakaway]

According to 'the fertilator' (a fert caluclator) from Aquatic Plant Central, the ideal amount of phospates is 0.5-2.0 PPM, and nitrates is 10-20 PPM

[phoenix44]

I have 0 phosphate and 0 Nitrate and still get a little stagorn. :evil:

[Jennifer]

I have 0 phosphate and 0 Nitrate and still get a little stagorn. :evil:

That's 'cuz your plants will be starving and unable to use the available nutrients so the algae takes over. Feed them some nitrates and they will take off and starve the staghorn. Zero phosphates will starve the plants too, but they should be getting some from the fish you are feeding.

[phoenix44]

my plants starving?

they have root tabs, jbl balls and comprehensive. how can they starve with that?

[Jennifer]

my plants starving?

they have root tabs, jbl balls and comprehensive. how can they starve with that?

How can you have zero nitrates and zero phosphates then??

[phoenix44]

just is. 50% water change weekly and a LOT of filtration. I'm not talking about a few JBL balls either, more like 40-50 spread throughout the substrate.

10mL of comprehensive in a 200L tank every week after a WC.

No carbon in the filter.

must be a magic tank

[Jennifer]

Add more nitrates, your plants are using up what you have and it is limiting growth and making the tank susceptible to algae. Keep those nutrients high so they don't run out and do the water change to reset everything.

[breakaway]

Also, Flourish Comprehensive doesn't exactly contain a lot of phosphorous - look at the ingredients list. I dose

30 mL Flourish Nitrogen

22 mL Flourish Phosphorous

30 mL Flourish Potassium

10 mL Flourish Comprehensive

every week after my 50% water change. It's getting expensive, hence my recent thread about switching to dry ferts.

[Jennifer]

Also, Flourish Comprehensive doesn't exactly contain a lot of phosphorous - look at the ingredients list. I dose

30 mL Flourish Nitrogen

22 mL Flourish Phosphorous

30 mL Flourish Potassium

10 mL Flourish Comprehensive

every week after my 50% water change. It's getting expensive, hence my recent thread about switching to dry ferts.

I just reduce the lighting :oops: also saves me time in pruning as well. :-?

[phoenix44]

hmph.

still not that convinced

:lol:

I guess I can get some dry ferts now. Can't believe someone is telling me to ADD nitrate and phosphate to a tank :lol:

All this time I was so proud of having none.

I know staghorn does not like CO2, and H2O2

[Jennifer]

Don't take my word for it. Look up the Estimative Index. There is a lot of evidence to support putting in excess nutrients so they don't limit growth.

I shall be very interested to see what results you get from adding more ferts.*

*PS. Obviously there is a safety limit to adding any thing. Dose within guidelines = no dead fish.

[henward]

i have my lights on 8am to 10pm daily.

is that too long and contribute to algae?

[alanmin4304]

Most algae problems are caused bi an imbalance---too much phosphate to nitrate. Many overseas sites suggest adding nitrate. JBL balls are micronutrients not macros.