Hi all,
Stagshorn algae is a strange one, because (like BBA) it is a Red Algae and has different photosynthetic pigments etc to Green plants (or Green algae).
You can see from the leaf in Phoenix44's post that the leaf with the stagshorn on it is very yellow, (and the 2 in the back-ground even more so) and deficient in at least one nutrient (definitely nitrogen (N), but probably one of potassium (K) and magnesium (Mg) or iron (Fe) as well).
Increased nutrient levels (including CO2) will increase plant growth and reduce visible algae, but this is dependent upon getting a balance between light, CO2 and nutrients, and the more of each you have the more difficult that balance becomes to achieve. I think of it as juggling, you are now throwing the balls a lot higher in the air.
I've pinched this from a Polish member of UKAPS, but it shows what I mean.
It is only at (3.) you have lush plant growth etc.
The problem is that it is very easy to keep adding things to the the 3 sides of the "light - CO2 - nutrients" equation, but much more difficult to get a balance.
Have a look at these posts.
http://www.plecoplanet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6307&highlight=darrel & http://www.plecoplanet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6307&highlight=darrel
for a more complete explanation of what I mean.
cheers Darrel
Stagshorn algae is a strange one, because (like BBA) it is a Red Algae and has different photosynthetic pigments etc to Green plants (or Green algae).
You can see from the leaf in Phoenix44's post that the leaf with the stagshorn on it is very yellow, (and the 2 in the back-ground even more so) and deficient in at least one nutrient (definitely nitrogen (N), but probably one of potassium (K) and magnesium (Mg) or iron (Fe) as well).
Increased nutrient levels (including CO2) will increase plant growth and reduce visible algae, but this is dependent upon getting a balance between light, CO2 and nutrients, and the more of each you have the more difficult that balance becomes to achieve. I think of it as juggling, you are now throwing the balls a lot higher in the air.
I've pinched this from a Polish member of UKAPS, but it shows what I mean.
It is only at (3.) you have lush plant growth etc.
The problem is that it is very easy to keep adding things to the the 3 sides of the "light - CO2 - nutrients" equation, but much more difficult to get a balance.
Have a look at these posts.
http://www.plecoplanet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6307&highlight=darrel & http://www.plecoplanet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6307&highlight=darrel
for a more complete explanation of what I mean.
cheers Darrel
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