Starving Dictyota

[lancer99]

I have a lot of Dictyota growing on some live rock.

I know I could probably get a Naso tang, or a scribbled rabbitfish to get rid of it....problem is, I don't want either of them long term in any of my tanks.

I'm thinking I can *maybe* starve out the Dictyota with Chaeto or Caulerpa...any advice?

-R

[ClamIAm]

Well, you could add something like Caulerpa, but I'm not sure why that would be better than the Dictyota. If you're talking about adding this to a fuge, then it could work out. Lowering the levels of nutrients in your tank (which is what adding different algae will also do) will reduce the population.

[Plantbrain]

I'd try bottoming out the NO3 for a couple of weeks, macros seem not to like that.

It might affect the other tank inhabitants.
I think you'll have some issues trying to use another macro.

It's like starving a deer with elk, both will either do well or die, rarely both.

Cheato would be a better macro though if you had to chose.
You can also use black plastic to kill off certain patches on rock, then remove later.

I pick it off myself.

It is part of gardening, weed removal.
But if you do not keep up on things: it does get out of hand and takes a lot more labor. Many hobbyists do not...so they need/look for other alternatives.

Try the low NO3(unless you have other plants/macros etc) for a bit.


Regards,
Tom Barr

[lancer99]

Thanks all....

My nitrates are pretty low....can't see any color at all using my Salifert test kit. Given all the problems with Salifert test kits lately, that might not mean much

This is a "temporary" tank, holding things that will go into my 75G in about a month. I have Chaeto growing in the tank (behind some eggcrate to keep it under control), in two Bak-Paks & a HOB filter, and Caulerpa in the tank as well.

Plantbrain, I'd be happy for the Chaeto & Caulerpa to die, as long as they took the Dictyota with them!

I've tried manual removal of the Dictyota, but it just keeps spreading.

I *was* planning on using the LR in this tank in my 75G...I got it from a fellow reefer, it's beautiful and it has lots of Palys & Ricordea...but now I'm thinking it would be best to just keep keep it in the "temporary" tank and make it permanent....and not take a chance on introducing it to the 75G.

Thanks,
-R

[Plantbrain]

I'd try a better test kit than a cheapy.
Also, use known standard reference solutions to check if the test kit is accurate, this is what we and every researcher does at the lab..........we calibrate the system just like you do a pH probes etc...every time we do a large run or even a single test.

If you wanna a long time series, you can freeze 20-50ml water samples(easier than calibrating every time) and thaw and test many all at once. Goes much faster and you see longer trends and patterns, often seeing things most folks would miss if they test just once a week without calibrating things.

I'd try reducing the NO3 as best you can, eg lots of water changes.

The rest of the tank will love that, cost $ though.......

Tom

[lancer99]

Tom, any suggestions for a better test kit?

I've always considered LaMotte to be the "gold standard" when it comes to hobbyest test kits.

Hach has a good reputation as well, but I have no experience with their test kits.

Thx,
-R

[Plantbrain]

Lamotte is pretty good and a good trade off fer the $.
Still, use reference standards, here's how to make them for PO4 and NO3:

"How to Make NO3 and PO4 Reference Solutions

Here's a way to make 10, 20, 30 and 40 ppm NO3 reference solutions:

Add 1.631 g of KNO3 to 1 L DI/RO water. This makes a 1000 ppm NO3 solution. (It's really a 1000.29 ppm solution.)

Add 2 mL of the 1000 ppm solution to 18 mL of DI/RO water. This makes 20 mL of a 100 ppm NO3 solution.

Add 15 mL of the 100 ppm solution to 15 mL of DI/RO water. This makes 30 mL of a 50 ppm NO3 solution.

To make a 10 ppm NO3 solution:
Add 2 mL of the 50 ppm solution to 8 mL of DI/RO water. This makes 10 mL of a 10 ppm NO3 solution.

To make a 20 ppm NO3 solution:
Add 4 mL of the 50 ppm solution to 6 mL of DI/RO water. This makes 10 mL of a 20 ppm NO3 solution.

To make a 30 ppm NO3 solution:
Add 6 mL of the 50 ppm solution to 4 mL of DI/RO water. This makes 10 mL of a 30 ppm NO3 solution.

To make a 40 ppm NO3 solution:
Add 8 mL of the 50 ppm solution to 2 mL of DI/RO water. This makes 10 mL of a 40 ppm NO3 solution.




Here's a way to make 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0 ppm PO4 reference solutions:

Add 1.433 g of KH2PO4 to 1 L DI/RO water. This makes a 1000 ppm PO4 solution. (It's really a 1000.09 ppm solution.)

Add 1 mL of the 1000 ppm solution to 9 mL of DI/RO water. This makes 10 mL of a 100 ppm PO4 solution.

Add 2 mL of the 100 ppm solution to 18 mL of DI/RO water. This makes 20 mL of a 10 ppm PO4 solution.

To make a 1.0 ppm PO4 solution:
Add 1 mL of the 10 ppm solution to 9 mL of DI/RO water. This makes 10 mL of a 1.0 ppm PO4 solution.

To make a 2.0 ppm PO4 solution:
Add 2 mL of the 10 ppm solution to 8 mL of DI/RO water. This makes 10 mL of a 2.0 ppm PO4 solution.

To make a 3.0 ppm PO4 solution:
Add 3 mL of the 10 ppm solution to 7 mL of DI/RO water. This makes 10 mL of a 3.0 ppm PO4 solution.

To make a 4.0 ppm PO4 solution:
Add 4 mL of the 10 ppm solution to 6 mL of DI/RO water. This makes 10 mL of a 4.0 ppm PO4 solution.

To make a 5.0 ppm PO4 solution:
Add 5 mL of the 10 ppm solution to 5 mL of DI/RO water. This makes 10 mL of a 5.0 ppm PO4 solution.

Left C"

Note, you can dilute the reference solutions down into the ranges that you are most interested in. I keep a nice rich stock solution and then dilute that down to whatever I need using DI water.

You can get the salts from aquarium www. aquariumfertilizer.com

Regards,
Tom Barr