Low Tech vs CO2 Injected... Pros and Cons.

Once again, my one and only tank with pressurized CO2 has become overrun with BBA. The first failure I can blame on inexperience and instability regarding CO2 and EI dosing regime. This time around, I'm fairly sure that I did everything right. No such luck pal... Bba growing rampantly, even with my 4 algaenators(Siamese algae eaters) hard at work 24/7. Thankfully I'm a victim of multi tank syndrome, so not overly despondent about shutting the tank down and trying something new.

So, long story short, all of my other tanks are low light, no CO2 addition whatsoever and all are running beautifully, the oldest for 12 months already. Not one of them has an algae problem. Plant growth is obviously slower, and there are some plants that don't grow in low light. This however hasn't proven to be a limiting factor in creating a pleasing aquascape IMO.

It would be great to hear from all of you whether you've had similar experiences, you were lucky from the get go with CO2 or if things started out badly, then got better with pressurized CO2 injection. Think I'll add a poll just get some idea of proportion wrt this. Please only make your mark in the poll if, to the best of your knowledge, everything was set up correctly in your tank. For example, if a cat drowned in your tank and you forgot to remove it, don't blame CO2 for the algae outbreak.

 

I also found it is easier in low tech tanks to control algae (and previous tanks where I had no plants, I never had algae issues). In most cases my cleanup crew keeps the algae away, or to a minimum. I do not dose any fertilizers in my shrimp tank (with PFS, anubia, moss, ferns...), and never had any algae. My other shrimp tank with ADA Aquasoil had algae issues, but I reduced the lighting and problem solved (Except for green spot algae on some rocks)...

My high tech tank, had green spot algea - I increased the phosphates to try and counter this, only to get BBA and Hair algae. Reduced the phosphates again, and now the algae is under control (But not algae free though - have to remove some hair algae every other week from the background plants)

That said, I really like my high tech tank and can't wait to try my hand on another scape...

 

Thanks @Caz. It actually sounds as if you're on top of the problem, as you can see the result of changes.

 

Just lucky I guess @Broder...

I use the SCAPE range of fertilizers and dose 4 Squirts a day of each type. +-4 bps of CO2 and lighting/CO2 is on for 6 hours a day (4 x T5's ~ 2 x 6500k and 2 x 8000k), also have a 750l per hour canister and a 3000lph wave maker in the tank)...
Do a 30-50% water change every week....

 

I run DSD on both low tech and co2 prez , low tech I never clean algae , did have some bba when tank started up . co2 tank I have minimal algae on the glass I remove about twice a month . With DSD low tech only add ferts with water change and that's what I enjoy about DSD , high tech the same but have to add 10ml twice a week . In regards to low and co2 , I think im starting to enjoy low tech more, some plants just looks better in the low tech

 

DSD @Marius Swart? Hope I'm not gonna feel stupid for asking

 

Think it is Dirks Secret Drops?

 

does a wave maker help to reduce the algae or is more to just circulate the water and waste so that it can be sucked up by the filter ?

 

That's a bit of a double edged sword the way I understand it @tanked72. The advantages are good oxygen exchange, moving detritus to the filter and spreading nutrients evenly throughout the tank. On the downside, good gaseous exchange also means that CO2 is escaping from the water column. That's the theory anyway... Personally, I'd guess that there may be a slight loss , but you're gonna adjust your CO2 intake until the indicator says enough sir! So the advantages probably outweigh the downside.

 

So yes, a wave maker may help to keep the system stable, which would help prevent algae.

 

You need to have a +10x water circulation in a high tech tank - Either from your filter or using powerheads, having a dead spot in the tank is asking for algea...

 

@Broder like @Caz mentioned yes its Dirks secret drops . I only use lily pipes and on the opposite side of the canister intake a small powerhead blows towards the intake

 

Are DSDs a trace supplement?

 

My opinion doesn't really count for much as I'm still new to low tech and am far away from trying a high tech, but I have to agree with your sentiments:

I think more high tech guys will have to weigh in to convince us

I would think that high tech also costs more to run (in terms of ferts, CO2 refills and electricity for lighting) than low tech, as well as costing more to set up initially.

 

That makes a lot of sense @Broder

 

Just bumping this poll to get as many votes as possible. I would have expected a higher ratio of DIY or other CO2 injected tanks to have an algae problem. They're the lowest at 1 in 5 though? Could it be because the labour intensive routine of dosing lets them monitor and adjust dosing as required?

 

@Broder with low tech I use DSD plant feeding mix and DSD plant hardening mix , that's once a week when doing my weekly 50% wc . Then with my high tech I use DSD plant feeding mix , plant hardening , DSD KH-up and DSD NPK . Only NPK gets dosed 3 times a week .
I shutted down my high tech , busy with a re scape , just finished shutting down my low tech .
I will continue the high tech but low tech was great , no algae , think I only cleaned the glass once in over a year ,hard to believe
I had staghorn in my high tech once trying to dose more than required and then very little GDA some parts of the glass