Can tap water have enough iron to grow staghorn?

[DannyBWell]

I have been battling staghorn in my 29g for months and now it's in my newly set up 75g. I have a theory that it may be my tap water from my sink that I use to fill both tanks. I have used excel to kill the staghorn before but now it isn't working as well to kill it may have to pull plants out and spray with hydrogen peroxide this time. I'm also on the hunt for amano shrimp and some Florida flagfish to help keep it under control. What other steps should I take to help combat staghorn. Also my other 2 tanks both 10g don't have staghorn but I fill them with water that's on a water softener should I try using that water in the tanks that have staghorn? And lastly like the title says can tap water have enough iron in it to grow staghorn I only use ez green and foot tabs to fertilize.

[Phantom240]

If you're on a well, then yes absolutely it can. What are the parameters of the water coming from your tap?

[DannyBWell]

On 7/1/2021 at 8:02 AM, Phantom240 said:

If you're on a well, then yes absolutely it can. What are the parameters of the water coming from your tap?

I'm not on a well my current perimeters are pH 7.8 KH 120ppm GH 150ppm 0 nitrite 40 nitrate 0 ammonia. Tap water comes out at 8.0 pH 300-300+ GH at my kitchen sink which I use to fill these two tanks. All my other water sources in the house are on the water softener.

[Phantom240]

It’s entirely possible that iron is the issue. Your smaller tanks using water softener don’t seem to have this issue and water softeners can remove dissolved ferrous iron. However I believe that has to do with the specific type of resin being used. Also, it could be nutrient imbalances like a lack of potassium and your non-softened tank. Furthermore depending on where your softener is located in your system your pipes may also be leaching copper into the water of the smaller tanks which is toxic to both invertebrates as well as algae.

Edited July 1, 2021 by Phantom240

[Patrick_G]

If you’re already using excel I’d try doing a large water change and then the larger dose as indicated in the instructions. After that you might also turn down the light intensity decrease the amount of time your light is on. 

[DannyBWell]

On 7/1/2021 at 11:11 AM, Patrick_G said:

If you’re already using excel I’d try doing a large water change and then the larger dose as indicated in the instructions. After that you might also turn down the light intensity decrease the amount of time your light is on. 

I put the light timer on 8 hours and turned intensity down the 75g is already pretty low light since it just has jungle val anubias and java Fern I ordered more plants to hopefully help balance the tank

[Patrick_G]

On 7/1/2021 at 9:24 AM, DannyBWell said:

I put the light timer on 8 hours and turned intensity down the 75g is already pretty low light since it just has jungle val anubias and java Fern I ordered more plants to hopefully help balance the tank

I was going to suggest that also. It seems really important to have enough plants to outcompete the algae. My tanks seem to go in cycles where I’ll be pretty much algae free then a trimming or some plant removal triggers some algae growth then after a while it goes away. The Otocinclus and Amano Shrimp help a lot too! 
I once tried removing Java fern and Anubias and painting on straight Excel. Not a good idea! 😐 

Edited July 1, 2021 by Patrick_G

[Phantom240]

Dimming the light is a good start, definitely. I disagree with the idea of adding more plants to remedy the excess nutrients, though. If you have an imbalance of nutrients that is allowing the algae to grow out of control, that indicates a lack of some other nutrient in your water column. In order for plants to grow, they need all nutrients to be available, and a lack of one or another will cause poor growth, and thus poor uptake of your other nutrients. Essentially, if you're low or missing either N (unlikely without heavy plant load and CO2 with insane light), P, or K, your plants will be taking in little to none of all three. Adding more plants will only exacerbate the lack of whatever key nutrient is missing here. 

[DannyBWell]

On 7/1/2021 at 11:30 AM, Patrick_G said:

I was going to suggest that also. It seems really important to have enough plants to outcompete the algae. My tanks seem to go in cycles where I’ll be pretty much algae free then a trimming or some plant removal triggers some algae growth then after a while it goes away. The Otocinclus and Amano Shrimp help a lot too! 
I once tried removing Java fern and Anubias and painting on straight Excel. Not a good idea! 😐 

Oh wow I was gonna try doing that this weekend maybe I'll just try hydrogen peroxide. And yeah I've been waiting to pull the trigger on more plants I put more wisteria in both of those tanks from my 10g to try and help. And yes my otocinclus does a nice job in my 10g on the algae it's hard to find them or amano shrimp where I am and when you do they're expensive and the otocinclus are likely to have sunken bellies.

[Patrick_G]

I’m sure a weaker solution of Excel would be ok, but full strength isn’t so good. It didn’t kill the plants but I lost most of the leaves. 

[CalmedByFish]

On 7/1/2021 at 1:34 PM, DannyBWell said:

 otocinclus...  it's hard to find them or amano shrimp where I am and when you do they're expensive and the otocinclus are likely to have sunken bellies.

I think both these species can pretty easily be found for sale online. It does mean paying for shipping, and being careful to order when the weather will be good on the whole route, but it might be worth considering. 

[DannyBWell]

On 7/1/2021 at 5:53 PM, CalmedByFish said:

I think both these species can pretty easily be found for sale online. It does mean paying for shipping, and being careful to order when the weather will be good on the whole route, but it might be worth considering. 

I want to badly but I work second shift and I leave 2 hours before packages usually show up at my place trying to get a friend to recieve it for me but then its difficult to explain to a non fish person what to do with the fish.

[CalmedByFish]

On 7/1/2021 at 6:36 PM, DannyBWell said:

I want to badly but I work second shift and I leave 2 hours before packages usually show up at my place trying to get a friend to recieve it for me but then its difficult to explain to a non fish person what to do with the fish.

Bummer!