Journal Soil is not your problem

[ryancamaratta]

My goal is *NOT* to imply that Aquasoils are bad in some way, or even that Landen aquasoil is "bad".

This for me as well, the OP was intentionally worded without any specific brand mentioned to avoid this and was still misunderstood. Could happen just as well with ADA, UNS, whatever, because they're soils.

Also that yeah, aquasoil itself isn't the problem. I don't know how anyone took that from the OP either, thousands and thousands of people use aquasoil, I myself run exclusively aquasoil tanks, I think there's a large enough body of evidence to conclude that aquasoil is perfectly fine in a pretty huge array of use cases.

And to clarify that the claim is *not* that it is unbeatable, but rather potentially a deceptively annoying one to get rid of that resembles much easier common hair algaes, and stands the chance to trip up less experienced hobbyists. I attempted to clarify this in my original post and it was still misunderstood by what looks to be well over a hundred people judging by the comments.

The only two claims presented in my post were that it was positively ID'd as Klebsormidium, and that I observed it being able to transfer via substrate from one tank to the next.

When I got pictures and info together to write the Klebsormidium post, I was viewing this as an interesting ID of an algae that works differently from what I normally encounter, and similarly what I would like to eventually come of this would be the same intrigue for other hobbyists and nothing more.

 

[ryancamaratta]

I assume it will finally exhaust from the soil. But I pity the folks who've set a new tank up using 100% contaminated soil (for lack of a better term). They are in for a long road.

My thoughts as well, I wanted to share that post because I think it could have the potential to give newer people big big problems...imagine pulling the trigger on your first tank and having this hand dealt, I'd probably leave the hobby before I even got in

Originating from the soil is what makes this different from other algae issues because you cant just clean it up, get the plants happy and overcome it. That is the formula for 99% of the algae we see in this hobby.

Same again. Thought it was cool (in a pull-my-hair-out kind of way) because it's so far my only experience of something that works this way

What Im sure Raj will prove here is that good husbandry and plant growing can overcome it.

That's the result I definitely expect here, Raj is a phenomenal hobbyist. The importance is considering how long it takes hobbyists with Raj's level of husbandry and expertise vs more relaxed hobbyists that lack those skills and very well be setting up an easy going tank with a mild maintenance schedule planned

 

[ryancamaratta]

Adding this in...

On the subject of swapping out substrates, I think it's a use case scenario: if you can spend a couple months beating it, then I'd beat it. If you can spend 8 months beating it, well...yeah, at that point I might toss the sub.

I don't think you *need* to toss the sub at all, and quite a few people have already proven that you don't. But....for certain use cases, I can't justify keeping a substrate that may proliferate algae for months to come, if it does. I never wanna battle algae for months lol, especially under the possibility that it may not be the hobbyist's fault (poor husbandry, no water changes, insufficient light/CO2 balancing etc)

 

[Freshflora]

@ryancamaratta You may want to edit your post again for posterity because you did write when you edited it that the only way to eradicate the algae was fully removing the existing substrate.

 

[ryancamaratta]

@ryancamaratta You may want to edit your post again for posterity because you did write when you edited it that the only way to eradicate the algae was fully removing the existing substrate.

Unfortunately lol. I didn't want to retro edit it due to the way the post blew up, figured it would look like I was backtracking or not being transparent

 

[raj]

It was waterchange day. I pushed it to 4 days.

There is definitely good and bad of current situation

The good, and more relevant is that algae are starting to cycle. Lot of browned algae which is usually the signal for it.
The Kleb, the algae we are most concerned about is Turing darker green and clumping up.

The bad, bacterial bloom , floating algae and surface scum.
I switched the circulator to a regular pump with air Venturi. That has helped with the surface buildup.

Based on the current state I think I am going to introduce BNPs. They will clean up dying algae quickly.

Pics of before and after plus the dying gda

 

[ryancamaratta]

It was waterchange day. I pushed it to 4 days.

There is definitely good and bad of current situation

The good, and more relevant is that algae are starting to cycle. Lot of browned algae which is usually the signal for it.
The Kleb, the algae we are most concerned about is Turing darker green and clumping up.

The bad, bacterial bloom , floating algae and surface scum.
I switched the circulator to a regular pump with air Venturi. That has helped with the surface buildup.

Based on the current state I think I am going to introduce BNPs. They will clean up dying algae quickly.

Pics of before and after plus the dying gda

dying gda is my favorite gda

 

[GreggZ 17]

It was waterchange day. I pushed it to 4 days.

There is definitely good and bad of current situation

The good, and more relevant is that algae are starting to cycle. Lot of browned algae which is usually the signal for it.
The Kleb, the algae we are most concerned about is Turing darker green and clumping up.

The bad, bacterial bloom , floating algae and surface scum.
I switched the circulator to a regular pump with air Venturi. That has helped with the surface buildup.

Based on the current state I think I am going to introduce BNPs. They will clean up dying algae quickly.

Pics of before and after plus the dying gda

Geez Raj you should post a warning when you post pics like that. I had just had lunch and almost lost it!

But seriously I admire your determination with this project. That tank looks like a hot mess right now. Looking forward to seeing if you can tame it.

 

[Freshflora]

Do you scrape GSA off your tank glass? Also for the GDA, are you going to scrape it now that it seems to be dying or what is the approach?

 

[raj]

Do you scrape GSA off your tank glass? Also for the GDA, are you going to scrape it now that it seems to be dying or what is the approach?

I do not scrape GDA off. If you do the spores just move around in water and reattach somewhere else and grow back.
I will let it brown out as much of it as possible, usually BNP and oto clean up dying algae quickly. I will scrap once I see most of it is flaking.

 

[FrankZ]

I do not scrape GDA off. If you do the spores just move around in water and reattach somewhere else and grow back.
I will let it brown out as much of it as possible, usually BNP and oto clean up dying algae quickly. I will scrap once I see most of it is flaking.

Im going to give this method a shot with my GDA issue. Not sure my wife will be able to stomach the green slime though but it’s worth the experience to see the faces she makes.

 

[raj]

Im going to give this method a shot with my GDA issue. Not sure my wife will be able to stomach the green slime though but it’s worth the experience to see the faces she makes.

Try it.. it’s unsightly but IME once it’s done, it’s gone for good. In a stable tank you should never have to clean your glass.

 

[Art 173]

Just for those that don't know, I'm assuming BNP = bristle-nose plecos.

 

[raj]

Just for those that don't know, I'm assuming BNP = bristle-nose plecos.

Yes, that’s is correct

 

[FrankZ]

Try it.. it’s unsightly but IME once it’s done, it’s gone for good. In a stable tank you should never have to clean your glass.

How do you know when it’s ready to scrape off?

 

[raj]

How do you know when it’s ready to scrape off?

It will become largely brown. If it’s not starting to turn brown in 3 weeks or so then it means something is still encouraging growth.. filter maturity plays a role in that. spraying it with H2O2 while you have drained out water is ok. Just don’t scrape it.

 

[FrankZ]

It will become largely brown. If it’s not starting to turn brown in 3 weeks or so then it means something is still encouraging growth.. filter maturity plays a role in that. spraying it with H2O2 while you have drained out water is ok. Just don’t scrape it.

The snails are eating it and it’s not growing back in some of the newer snail trails so I guess I’m approaching the end. Or hoping I am.

 

[raj]

Got busy so didn’t get to change water on schedule. But finally found some time yesterday to do waterchange.
Green water has been bad so had to put the UV on.
GDA is on its very last leg. I added BNPs and Otto’s plus hitchhiking snails seems to be multiplying. Tho it’s ready to be be scraped I will let the fauna clean it up.

Greenwater remediation is first priority and it may take a week or more to get it clear.

 

[Burr740 67]

One thing about green water there will be literally zero bba because it kills it.

It doesnt kill the Kleb tho

The Kleb...sounds like an STD. Oh snap you got the kleb! lol

 

[raj]

One interesting thing that I have never seen before, some organism, not sure what is growing and also seem to be eating the GDA. It doesn’t move or atleast not fast enough for me to notice but I have them on my glass and also in my Lilly pipe.