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Plants that are worst algae magnets…


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Wondering what other peoples experiences are.

some of my worst offenders have been

Vallisneria. Typically leaves bent over directly under lights

Everybody's favorite nemesis plant Scarlet Temple.

oh my goodness, the struggles I have had working to get this species to thrive. It has been the single biggest driver of my education and skill development..  still a work in progress.. it lets me know when I oops.  Shh. Dont talk too much about it doing decently right now…

Tiger lotus. Once a leaf starts growing it on the edges, I now know to just clip it off as that leaf has been abandoned by the plant and will start seeing holes develop…

java moss.  At least when I was dosing easy green and easy iron simply by dosing as much as the label said and was not keeping nitrates below 20 ppm..

 

Anubias,   Worse before I started injected CO2 and arranged for them to be shaded by other plants, but green spot algae is still regularly present on some leaves.

I have no experience with Bucephylandra but have heard that one is a bear.

Pink Flamingo cryptocoryne.  Some older leaves has dusky green haze on them.  Newer leaves seem to be staying algae free with current protocol…

most youtube presenters seem to address it simply as a lighting nutrient balance.  My experience so far leads me to believe flow, filtration, pruning practices significantly impact it as well.

 

what have your problem plants been?

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Any poorly growing plant is an algae magnet regardless. A wise man ( @Mmiller2001) once told me "keep what likes the soup you are offering". Very sound advice!

Edit: Also green spot/green dust algae is usually a phosphate deficiency. However flow can also be a culprit. Example : not all plants have access to the nutrients being dosed

Edited by JoeQ
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Great answer by JoeQ - I'd like to also add that plant mass with help out compete algae, and any plant that tends to collect food or other junk on its leaves might grow algae too. Every once in a while, and every time I'm cleaning, I give plants a good shake and/or tap with the siphon to dislodge that stuff, and then the siphon and filter can get it. 

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I've really come to believe that flow is a key factor in having success and now question if flow was an issue when I was trying more temperamental plants. Can't wait to try them again. But first I need to stay on course until I can take pictures for the AGA.

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Posted (edited)
On 6/20/2023 at 12:40 PM, Mmiller2001 said:

I've really come to believe that flow is a key factor in having success and now question if flow was an issue when I was trying more temperamental plants

Ihave definitely noticed a reduction in algae sinceinstalling the canister filter and spray bar.

I am wondering if it  has to do with flushing away waste organics leaking from leaves in addition to circulating nutrition to all parts of all plants…

Edited by Pepere
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  • 3 weeks later...

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