Aquarium Gardening Notes

New Plant - Some sort of Nymphoides

Had a good time at the Madison Aquarium Gardener's club last night. Many members brought interesting plants for exchange. I managed to grab a specimen later after most people left. This leftover species of  Nymphoides is quite pretty in my aquarium. However, the owner wasn't sure of its actual name. If you know what it is from these pictures, please let me know.

The plants, three of them, came in little black plastic planters like the ones found at any greenhouse or gardening section of a large shopping mall in the spring. The material was a dark muddy substance covered in broken sea shells.

The pad-shaped leaves stand about 8 to 10 inches at the moment. The previous owner assured me the plants would grow fully submerged under water.

Seen on left is one of the three specimens I brought home. I simply watered the mud away and stuck the roots firmly in the EcoComplete substrate.

Wikipedia had this paragraph regarding Nymphoides as aquarium plants: Species of Nymphoides are sold as aquarium plants, including the "banana plant", N. aquatica and the "water snowflake", N. indica. Species native to the United States are N. cordata in the northeast and N. aquatica in the southeast. Nymphoides peltata is native to Europe and Asia, but can be found in the United States as an invasive N. cristata and N. indica also reportedly occur in Florida (Jacono 2000). - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nymphoides

I have several Nymphoides aquatica (Banana plants) in my aquarium, so I know this isn't it. I'll search for pictures of Indica, Cordata, Peltata and Cristata.

I hope the next sprouts will grow all the way to the surface. It would be pleasing to actually see something proportionate in this aquarium. Now that the Aponongetons have all died back to their dormant state, the tall tank has low and mid level growth only. The top portion of the water is bare.

As far as algae is concerned, this aquarium looks very good today. I fertilized using PPS-Pro for the first time this morning. Algae did not cover the front glass. PH is around 6.4.

Angel Fish Attempting to Breed

Wanted to mention that my Angel fish regularly attempt to breed in the 35 gallon tank. This usually happens a couple of days after a water change.

First, I notice them tending a large sword plant leaf. Usually they eventually proceed to laying eggs on that plant. Up until the last occurrence, I had never witnessed this laying of eggs. It had always happened at night.

Both fish partake in this process. One lays eggs and the other hovers directly over them. I suppose it has to do with fertilization? I don't know. I should read up on it. They take turns in the ritual. This time, they kept at it all afternoon.

Once that dance is over, they "fan" the eggs and protect the area from wandering fish. The only other fish in the aquarium is a Betta and a handful of red Platies. Those other fish don't seem curious about the Angel nest anyway.

Usually, the eggs disappear withing a couple of days. I can't figure out what happens to them. Perhaps the parents gobble them up? On this particular occurrence, the eggs remained on foliage for two days and then the parents started picking at them.

Soon I observed the parents trying to position the eggs on the aquarium wall a few inches above the nest. They would take the eggs in their mouth and spray them onto the wall. They kept doing this over and over until the microscopic eggs would attach themselves. Those wall-attached eggs wiggled, as if they were some kind of larvae. The parents kept protecting them until they disappeared. Again, I have no idea why they just vanished. Perhaps they were eaten by the parents or perhaps they got loose and were sucked into the filter. I have no idea.

A community tank with a powerful filter is probably not the ideal place to raise Angels. It would probably be better to pair off Angels in an isolated aquarium with no filter. I am not in the business of breeding fish, so that's where my interest stops for now.

Algae is Here (Part 4)

The algae bloom was problematic enough yesterday to make the water very cloudy and dirty up the front glass. I brushed off the front glass and did a 50% water change in both aquariums. While removing the water, I also cleaned out the hang-on filters and stuffed them with Barley straw. This product is meant to inhibit the growth of certain forms of algae. I read online that the method can be reproduced in laboratories but is not always successful on all types of algae. Time will tell. The product is good for six months. It's effect on algae occurs as it decomposes in the filter.

After the water change yesterday, I added the following conditioners:

EasyBalance: 10 ml per 10 gallons of aquarium water.
Tetra's Blackwater Extract: 10 ml per 10 gallons of aquarium water.
AlgaeFix: 14 drops per 10 gallons of aquarium water.
PH Down: As needed to keep the PH between 6.5 and 7.0.

(PH is already easily softened because of the water change using only Reverse Osmosis water.)

Following the water change and conditioning, a yellowish cloudiness appeared probably because the ingredients killed off some of the floating algae. The blackwater extract does tint the water a bit as well.

This morning, the aquariums are much clearer and the algae bloom has visibly subsided. It will be interesting to see if the algae on walls and plants regresses with time.

I want to mention that I added the blackwater extract because I have a hunch this might also have anti-algal properties. The Tetra product does not mention this, but one of the main ingredients is an extract of peat. I haven't found a direct link online but some limited information about tannic acid. I do recall that algae broke out rapidly in my aquariums after I stopped using peat. Can't place a direct cause and effect on this since that is not the only modification that might have cause algae.

I have not yet received all the ingredients for the PPS-Pro maintenance method. Therefore, I am holding off on fertilizers until I am able to begin the PPS-Pro routine. From now on though, I will do a 50% water change and continue with the above-mentioned conditioners if their combination show promise. This should not interfere with PPS-Pro.

PH Update (10 Gallon Tank)

It took 200 drops of PH Down to bring the PH from 7.00 to 6.71 this morning. The PH is now stable at 6.81. It could rise during the day as the plants photosynthesize and produce excess oxygen. I've been leaving the PH monitor on daily to see how it fluctuates. I haven't yet seen a rise in PH during the day. The PH was below 7 when I left it last night and was 7 just a hour before lights went on this morning.

Shown on left is healthy Micranthemum unbrosum. It remains nice despite the algae bloom. New foliage has a tint of pink on it. This developed in the intensely bright light. Also, the stem length between leaves is shortened in bright light. New growth on right is more bushy, curled on itself, than growth in more shaded left near aquarium wall.

I continue to inventory the plants I grow. I intend to start a plant list page to list all the aquarium plants I can find on the Internet and books. The purpose of this would be to profile those I add to my aquariums and find potential new plants to experiment with.

Algae is Here (Part 3)

In the last couple of days, I've tried a couple of things to reduce algae. None of these tricks seem to be working.

1) Organic Carbon: I placed a very large amount of the Flourish Excel organic carbon liquid in my 10 gallon aquarium. This did not visibly reduce algae so far. The algae progresses, slowly covering gravel, glass, hardware and some plants. Furthermore, after adding the large dose, the Betta quickly died. The water is a bit cloudy too, which has never been a problem in this tank.

Furthermore, the organic carbon may be one of the sources of turbidity in my larger 35 gallon tank. Starting with a cleared up tank, I added trace elements. No turbidity after several hours. Then, I added a large amount of organic carbon. The aquarium became slightly cloudy. Perhaps this is what causes the incessant cloudiness I see in this larger aquarium whenever I change the water and fertilize.

2) Willow branches: Even if the Willow branches root and manage to uptake large quantities of Nitrites and Nitrates, this is not a permanent solution because the branches need to be removed once rooted. Not only that, but it's quite ugly: Stems sticking down into the aquarium landscape and thin Willow leaves strewn about on top of the canopy.

Things I intend to try next

1) PPS-Pro: I purchased all the fertilizers needed to dose the aquariums according to this simple method. This would be a sustainable method for controlling algae and fertilizing the aquarium IF it works. Once problem is that I don't have a solid understanding as to how to measure if the plants are taking up the right amount of these ferts.

2) Scottish Barley Straw: PPS-Pro could be complemented with this additive. If the Barley Straw in the filter doesn't cause any other side-effects, then I will use both methods together.

Once I start using PPS-Pro, I will put all other fertilizers aside. Hope to see the 35 gallon clear up permanently.

Riccia fluitans

Crystalwort was a disappointment. I purchased a healthy specimen in a Madison pet store. It was already anchored to a rock using fish line. The Riccia was also intertwined in Java Moss. Within a few days of sinking it snuggly in the forefront of the aquarium, the plant simply turned a pale shade of beige and practically vanished from view. The few dead-like pieces that remain are camouflaged under a carpet of Java moss, which incidentally, is very healthy and growing fast.

I understand this plant is a light hungry undemanding floating rootless plant. It needs to be anchored to something otherwise it grows floating on the surface of the water. Other species: Riccia rhenana.

So what happened to mine? I have no idea. Perhaps the intense light is too much for it? Not likely. Everything I read on this plant says it loves bright light. Was it the PH fluctuations? My PH went from 7.8 to 6.1 in one day while  I was experimenting. Did that do it in? I assume the very acidic water had something to do with this. I'll try again when my parameters are stable.

Marsilea Quadrifolia

This plant is also known as Four Leaf Clover or Water Shamrock. I received three very healthy potted specimens from Drs. Foster and Smith's LiveAquaria.com web site. These were in such stunning beautiful shape, that didn't bother pruning all of them. Instead, I simply removed two of the plants from their plastic pot and weighted them down in the corner of my larger aquarium as shown on picture. These measured almost a foot high on arrival. Both plants are still pearling oxygen and making new foliage. I presume they were grown immersed and will die back a bit now that they are fully submerged. Once this happens, I will prune them and stick them in the gravel firmly. They should quickly form runners, shorter stems and carpet the bottom of the aquarium.

Speaking of shorter stems, I read that this plant will grow tall in low and medium light while it may grow much shorter in intense light. This is what is happening currently in the 10 gallon aquarium where I cut, pruned and firmly planted the third specimen. I removed a large portion of the roots and cut the stems down to 1.5 inches. Within two days of planting, the Quadrifolia had already made runners, roots and grown tiny new leaves. The new leaves measure about 1.5 inches tall.

The 10 gallon aquarium has the following parameters:

Most recent measurements: August 24th
PH: 6.94 (Rising from 6.8 yesterday morning)
GH: 8 dkh (Stable)
KH: 7 dkh (Last time tested was 6 dkh)
Chelated Iron: 0.5 + mg/l
Nitrate: 10 mg/l
Phosphate: 0.7 mg/l (Falling from very high 4.0 mg/l two days ago)
Redifield Ratio: 10
Copper: 0 mg/l
Calcium: 40 mg/l (Rising from 20 mg/l)
Temperature: 76F

The 35 gallon aquarium has the following parameters:

Most recent measurements: August 25th
PH: 6.9
GH: 6 dkh
KH: 5 dkh
Chelated iron: 0.5 mg/l
Phosphate: 1.5 mg/l
Nitrate: 10 mg/l
Redfield ratio: 5 (Chance of blue-green algae)
Calcium: 20 mg/l
Copper: 0 mg/l
Carbon Dioxide: Between 17 and 24 mg/l according to this chart.

The Marsilea Quadrifolia is growing well in the 10 gallon water conditions under very bright light. I hope its growth will help combat algae by competing for nutrients. I'm hoping it will grow shorter submerged and form a nice carpet of greenery around taller plants. Photo left shows a small pruned tuft in the foreground already sprouting small new leaves and runners.

Minuscule white pellets seen on plants is a bit of Purigen that escaped from my filter pad upon inserting it. These will fall to the substrate and disappear eventually. Most of the Purigen stays in the filter, but a few pellets sometimes escape when first inserting it.

In the larger aquarium, due to less lighting, clover might not grow so short. Time will tell.

Algae is Here (Part 2)

I'm now collecting ideas on how to control algae. Will begin applying some of these as soon as I collected the necessary items.

1) Reduced Lighting: I am not going to reduce the intensity of the light, although that would probably help. The bright light is intended for those plants who do best in bright light conditions. The goal is to make sure it benefits the plants, not the algae. However, I do cover the sides of the aquarium with backdrop so that sun light may only enter the aquarium through the front glass.

2) Organic Carbon: I read somewhere that adding an organic source of carbon fertilizer helps clear out algae. I added a large amount of Flourish Excel yesterday evening. We'll see how this affects the aquarium. Incidentally, it seems to cloud up the water in my 35 gallon tank.

3) Polishing the Water: I inserted a product called Purigen in the filter media. This cleanses the water very well, but will it affect algae? Don't know. The combination of this and organic carbon was too much for my Betta. It died.

4) Willow Tree Branches: Someone suggests that Willow branches inserted in the aquarium water will absorb enormous quantities of Nitrate. The branches will form roots withing about 8 days and the algae will go away. Branches may be removed at that time otherwise they will compete with plants for nutrients. There are Willow trees in my neighborhood. I will try to get 2 feet clippings this morning.

5) Blackout: This is complete light deprivation, as opposed to reduced lighting. The lights are kept off for several days. The hope is that it kills off the algae before it kills off the plants. This is one option I'm not interested in. If I can't control algae during normal aquarium maintenance and operation, what's the point? I want to figure out optimum conditions for the aquarium so that plants flourish, water looks clear and algae is kept at a minimum.

6) Redfield Ratio: This seems like the best solution, if it works. Redfield suggests that by keeping Nitrate and Phosphate in balance, that blue-green and other types of algae can be avoided. The positive side of this method is that it can be applied and maintained continually as part of the normal operation of the aquarium. The downside is that it's often difficult to have precise measurements on Phosphate and Nitrate, especially at low levels.

7) Scottish Barley Straw: Arizona Aquatic Gardens recommends inserting authentic Scottish Barley straw to the aquarium filter. I'm very curious about this method and have ordered some of this product.

8) Chemicals: I have several bottles of algae control substances that I used in plantless tanks. Now that all my tanks have freshwater plants, I am not willing to control algae using these chemicals. Some of these claim to be plant-safe, but Baby Tears for example is known to have difficulty with algae control chemicals.

9) Raising Phosphate: My local aquarium club insists on lowering Phosphate while others in forums insist on raising it the keep algae at bay. Should I raise it back to 3 mg/l? I could always try this if everything else fails.

10) Allelopathy: This is not a method to combat algae in itself. It's a term that refers to a plant's ability to defend itself (very loose definition). Why is it for example, that the healthy leaves of a Water Wysteria have no algae on them while the tank is infested around it?

11) Fish: Some fish readily eat algae. I see Red Platies graze on it on the sides of my 35 gallon aquarium all the time. Even the Angel fish take part once in a while.

12) Water Temperature: Another curiosity. I reduced water temperature several degrees this week. Could that have contributed to the recent surge in algae?

13) PPS-Pro: (Perpetual Preservation Systems) Found this method here. Will give it a try.

Algae is Here (Part 1)

My little 10 gallon aquarium is definitely infested with green algae. What could be the cause if this? Up until recently, this aquarium never had algae.

Well first, I started raising the light, replacing the common household soft white compact fluorescents with full spectrum hobby bulbs. These were 13 watt 800 lumen with 5000K of light temperature. Then I moved up to two 30 watt 6500K 2000 lumen full spectrum bulbs which really lit up the tank.

Secondly, I started fiddling with water hardness. I dropped the hard water down to a somewhat soft GH and KH. In this process, I also reduced PH to slightly acidic. These changes also affected Nitrate and Phosphate levels.

A probable cause for the algae is an imbalance in Phosphate and Nitrate. I've been trying to follow the Redfield ratio but as I change water conditions, the ratio goes up and down. Mix that with the intense light, extra fertilizers and voilà, a nice environment for plants and algae. It seems the plants are not taking up nutrients fast enough to compete.

Need to find a solution to this problem because the algae has been progressing rapidly. It has covered part of the back wall and part of the front glass and is now starting to appear all over the substrate. My greatest fear is that it will cover some plants and starve them of light.

Water Tests - 35 Gallon Aquarium

A 50% Reverse Osmosis water change and fertilizer dosing was done two days ago. This tank has been given a few ounces of Seachem Purigen to clear up cloudiness. This worked marvelously. CO2 was also enriched yesterday: I changed the yeast mix in one of the DIY bottles.

PH: 6.9
GH: 6 dkh
KH: 5 dkh
Chelated iron: 0.5 mg/l
Phosphate: 1.5 mg/l
Nitrate: 10 mg/l
Redfield ratio: 5 (Chance of blue-green algae)
Calcium: 20 mg/l
Copper: 0 mg/l
Carbon Dioxide: Between 17 and 24 mg/l according to this chart.

Remarks: Seems like this aquarium is doing quite well except that the Redfield indicates a chance of blue-green algae. It might be a good idea to add PhosGuard to the filter pad to reduce Phosphate but I am not going to go that route today.

I'd like to see if adding trace elements will cloud up the water or not. If not, I can eliminate that as the cause of my incessant water cloudiness. I've managed to clear up the water by using a few ounces of Purigen in the filter pad. See previous post.

Once I know the trace fertilizer is not causing cloudiness, I'll add Flourish Excel, an organic carbon solution and watch for cloudiness.

I recently added Four Leaf Clover and Narrow Leaf Temple. The Temple looks great and so does the Clover. The clover was grown emergent and is about a foot tall. See picture on left. I assume it will die back somewhat now that it's fully underwater. When it looses it's beauty, I'll prune it back and stick it firmly into the gravel.

I hope the clover will form a nice carpet, but it may also grow taller than expected. It has been said that this plant may grow tall in lower light conditions and grow short in bright light. It reproduces by runners. I also planted it in my 10 gallon - pruned and reduced to an inch high - and hope to see if form a nice carpet in that bright light environment.