Hi Dr Novak...been trying to keep a simple, algae free, 120litre goldfish tank for five years! Almost at my wits end! (...in-fact asked my local fish shop guy if he would sell my aquarium second-hand!). Was told I need to change from goldfish to tropical. Got a small tropical tank going...still same algae issue! Was told I needed more filtration...bought a huge oase canister filter to add to the filter that came with my Juwel. Have tried (1) no plants with loads of water changes and gravel cleaning; (2) removed all the lights and replaced with very low lighting; (3) clean, glass bottom with the low lights with loads of water changes; (4) then saw all the videos on planted tanks and added tons of epiphytic plants (goldfish don't eat them); (5) loads of emergent plants...got a forest outside the tank but still got algae; (6) told to try RO water...been carting tons of RO water into my house...but no surprise....still got hair algae and black/brown algae everywhere. Rejigged my canister with loads of biomedia....just took longer for the algae to come back. Finally bought a phosphate test.....my phosphates are beyond the scale and even though nitrates are fine. Have been using Phosbond etc but obviously to no effect. Local tap water 10ppm Phos and my tanks are running 5-10ppm. That's my problem and you have now publically shown it to be true!! Not sure what to do now but will install a plenum and BCB in my canister and will have to completely start again with rain or RO water. Thank you for making me feel I am not insane!
Does a plenum lower the phosphates in a tank? I was thinking the phosphate would get sucked into the substrate and be less of a problem in the water column.
We have been taught that In order to measure the redox potential the same needs to be measured at soil water interface (SWI) near sluice gate and away from the aerators by portable multi-parameter analyser with ORP probe. Is this correct
Looks like I have this issue. I been using Ocean Algae remover. I think I use too much. Going to use the fluval phosphate remover tomorrow. All the other reading (nitrates, nitrites and ammonia) is zero but my pH is acidic. Strange. I thank you for your information.
Dr Novak ,i have been involed with feshwater aquarium for 12 years but never have been explained in simple english the way you have done it , thanks for another excellant educational video .
Good info! Phosphate out of the tap caused algae in my tank after the water company switched our water supply.Got rid of the phosphate and the algae disappeared. 👍
I have the same problem with po4 when i use plenum in the wrong way (2 high syphons for 450l tank). I have to clean the glass every 3 or 4 days. Thank you Dr.Novak when help me to correct my plenum. Now it's worked perfectly. No more algaes and the po4 in my tank is 0.04ppm lower than my tap water (0.07ppm).
Love your channel, question: is it possible that with a deeper substrate that the waist that travels down through the under gravel filter gets trapped and starts affecting the nitrate levels of my tank?
@@HisValor any little stones or debris that does make its way down in the Plenum will not hinder or bother anything. You can stay there for 15to 25 years.
Sir, I had watched this video in the past but had completely forgotten about it until I had beard algae and was looking for its cause. Watched your video again, got rid of the algae by using hydrogen peroxide and now have controlled the feeding and now my aquarium is again algae free. Thanks Sir.
Thank goodness we finally have a real expert in the TH-cam fishkeeping channels. I have two tanks that I'm using Dr. Novak's anoxic filtration on now and it is working wonders. The undergravel filter method is the preferred way but I have 6 BCBs in my 240g African cichlid tank sump and it's working wonders reducing nitrates. Side Note - Dr. Novak, I'm not sure if you have any experience using Eco Complete plant substrate but it may be something worth checking out because it's a gravel substrate that is loaded with iron and you may not even need laterite. I used it in a 10g tank but added the laterite layer in between the eco complete which is over the undergravel filter. That tank is doing so great, I'm honestly shocked at how little maintenance it requires.
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums It is...I used it in the past strictly as a plant substrate and it did well...I'm currently using it in a 10g with your setup although I did add laterite to it...it's working great so far. Is there something in the volcanic lava rock that could cause issues?
Amazing info! This knowledge needs to get out! There are so many complaints about BBA but if you search for help combating it, all you will get back is how to treat it with Seachem Excel. And then BBA will come straight back the moment you stop dosing Excel daily. Why the aquarium industry is not doing anything about this issue is just weird, I think many give up their new aquarium hobby once they get BBA.
Don’t give up on the Hobby. A lot of this information I’m giving to you is something that the professionals should know and should be teaching people but they don’t know. In my next few videos some information may become a little more complicated but at least you’ll have a little understanding of water chemistry and your aquarium.
My town has phosphate in tap water due to the minerals in the local geology. It's so bad we have dark staining in dishwashers/washing machines. I started using a GFO reactor to control it and I'm already seeing a die-off of BBA and much-reduced hair algae after two months. We just got word that they are putting the final steps on a new water treatment plant to remove phosphate and Fe and Cu which are also somewhat high. Hopefully, it'll be online soon.
I would like so much to see your aquarium, and know the name of the plants you have over there, seems to be very nice :D Thanks for share knowledge, sir...
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums linking to old videos in your description could encourage more views. Like a recent tank video or to one of your all inclusive BCB basket videos. New viewers would likely watch them
⏸ clip at 5:17 to answer some things missing in the A,B or C questions 😕🤔 First of all we have many different types of algae growths for different factors okay And some contributing factors include bacteria blooms, fungi blooms combined with dissolved oxygen in the aquariums. The saturation ( maximum capacity of of dissolved oxygen in the body of water) is dependent on water temperature, salinity and atmospheric pressure which all play a vital role... there are 7 main species of algae with hundreds of different types some which can make us very ill or have skin reactions and some that will not.... the fact is with your A,B is they can both play a role in algea growths alongside other sources phosphates is more of a food source than nitrates however both are a food source
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums my point is this you can have zero phosphates in a body of water and still get algea this is factual and scientifically proven again phosphates are just one of the many foods sources combined with other factors
@@Joker-bx4rk please give me the data which you are receiving your information. It should be easy enough for you to tell me where all the scientifically proven information is coming from. We’re talking about aquariums here not freshwater systems. we’re not talking about lakes and ponds we are talking about an aquarium that has a buildup of nitrates and phosphate. Please show me the scientific data.
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums your just being silly now you yourself within the first five minutes quoting you did work for the government to identify the main reason for algea in rivers lakes ect then connected it in reference to the aquarium.... you then did it again 9 minuites Into the clip fact is your uv steriliser will contribute more to algea control then removing phosphates and nitrates from the aquarium also another example is this keep all the nitrates and phosphates in the aquarium and remove light source will the algea grow the answer is No.... I can make many References to scientific research but you got your pH.d right.. algea is a living organism and requires several different conditions to survive again phosphates is only a food source same as nitrates only a food source to truly keep algea at bay you need to remove more then just phosphates and nitrates... I did not achieve my masters by reading fantasy novels
This is very interesting, I have a tank, its a Father Fish style and so far its working, been about a year now. The API liquid test shows constantly 0 nitrate (now I know its not totally accurate and it could be as high as 4ppm without reading on the test) but either way very very low, yet until very recently I've had this terrible string algae problem I was pulling it out by the handfuls a day for awhile there...and I'm like WHAT IS THIS STUFF LIVING OFF OF?! Now I know its phosphorus. Recently something has changed in the tank I don't know what exactly but first it changed from the fine string algae that it had been growing to this really coarse kind that I've seen in other tanks and that has become far less vigourous as well and is almost gone right now meanwhile the corkscrew valisnaria which had been just about killed off by algae in the past is now growing and spreading like gangbusters as are the crypts spreading. The dwarf sag had always carpeted the thing from very early on and still is..I mean its a heavily planted tank. 20 gallons deep substrate 1 inch of soil covered by 2 inches of sand, so anaerobic not anoxic in the bottom. I am not sure if the plant mass got to such a level that its taking the phosphate now thats being created and the algae just no longer has access to it or what...still reading 0 ammonia 0 nitrate and 0 nitrate. Its baffling to me though I am sure there is a good reason. In the tank there are 2 angel fish 9 rummy nose tetras used to be 7 ottos though I havnt seen them all in some time...they could well be hiding among all the vegetation and ghost shrimp mystery snails *which have procreated so now there are many* and bladder snails that I assume snuck in on the plants. I have purchased a plenum to use for an anoxic tank and also several baskets to make BCBs for my pond. Thanks for your interesting and informative videos, I feel I've learned a lot in the last couple weeks watching your information.
I got your point, but I have a question, maybe my aquarium is a special case. I have a planted tank, I add phosphorus 2 times per week to reach about 2.8 ppm on a weekly bases, need to mention that the aquarium is high tech, co2 about 30 or a little bit more, light about 50 lumens per litter. After I increased the phosphorus, I noticed the Christmas moss got much better, actually in the past it had algae before the increase, but after I increased the phosphorus , it got better and algae vanished . The aquarium is shrimps only, meaning the food is not that much, the water I use is RO and I remineralize it, the tds about 250. So can you please explain why its getting better with me after I increased the dosage of phosphorus to that level?
Same here. My phosphates run high (>3 ppm) in my low tech heavily planted tanks (I have 6 tanks) and I have very little algae. Maybe its because I have Amano shrimp who keep the algae under control. My nitrates run between 20 to 40 ppm before water changes. I know it runs contrary to research but for some reason, its not an issue in my established deep substrate tanks.
Let's pause the video and think about the question - All three can lead to an algae outbreak especially if there is no organism in the tank that is using it as an energy source...and of course light for photosynthesis. All organisms in a healthy state would compete for those nutrients in order to expand and grow. But now in the aquarium world and for those of us that are putting Plenums and using BCB filtration, we have learned that establishing the correct bacterias in the system and not adding unnecessary additives to the water, regardless of the amount of light the aquarium receives, the only answer would answer B if the system became out of balance, but given if it is in balance, that leaves only the phosphorus/phosphate as the culprit especially if the plants are soaking up all the nitrates the that the plenum produces. Unpause now for the answer
So how do I get rid of excess phosphates that caused algae as I have done 80% daily water change and I have not added any nutrients since I started planting for more than 2 weeks already yet everyday algae still crowd over my tank.
This is a fascinating subject Dr Novak. Were we to implement an spirulina production system we could go and add a culture to the filtration system, isn't it? that could be another method using "bacteria" to control phosphates and maybe introduce some spirulina to the fish tank that could compete with true algae.
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums Yes, I think that's the main problem... I see aquariums as bioreactors and excellent systems to apply cybernetic principles. Too much science for someone that just wants a school of neon t or rummy-nose tetras. Yet again the subject of substrates and biofiltration for me is quite fascinating.
I usually think in terms of the type of substrates and wildlife you can find here, so it's also a hobby of mine to study these biotopes applied to an artificial setting.
Kevin I am somewhere close to your age. I remember some time years ago when I first heard about phosphates. It was around the time they stopped using it in a lot of products. I remember someone stating that it was causing major problems in our water ways. I found your channel about a month ago and have learned a lot. I checked on that Hanna meter. It's really not that bad at $49. So I take it the test kits they sell for $10 or so are not worth the money? Keep up the good work sir.
Dr Good info! I have been following your advise for quite a while because the science makes sense. BUT am now getting so confused. I have been using the plenum alone for almost 9 months and my aquarium was fine. I decided to add a bcb basket and the hair algae starts. According to you shouldn’t the basket take care of the phosphate too. Now you are saying that the food contains phosphate. How should I feed my fish.
The same thing happened to another hobbiest in New York. He found out he had to cut back on his food because he was feeding way too much for the fish. Once he did that things went back to normal.
Thank you Dr. You even take the time to reply and in such a quick time. You are for real. Your channel is most educational and hobbyists should be thankful. Appreciated.
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums Hi Dr. Just an update - my hair algae cleared 2 days after you replied. I reduced my white light from 70 to 50, red from 50 to 30 and blue from 30 to 10. My pleco ate them all and they never came back. The fish are still happy swimming around. Water like drinking water. Whatever science yourself and Syd Mitchell are advocating works and very well. My problem now is my PH. It has dropped from 7.5 to 6.4 ( stable at 6.4 water change or not). I don’t want to start adding any chemicals like baking soda to my tank. Is 6.4 acceptable.
Phosphate-based detergents were banned in Japan because those were the ones producing the toxic algae blooms that were killing their rivers and estuaries, once they switched to sodium based soap the problem receded.
Thanks a lot Dr. Novak , I tested my tank ,found that phosphate levels is 0.03mg/L and nitrate levels is 30 mg/L, my tank had some black beard algae，what level should phosphate be to avoid BBA？
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums I came from china,I used test kit is a chinese brand maybe you don‘t know it, even had not english name,and thank you again! I set up plenum and 2 BCB baskets in my tank over 6 months, recently I added some liquid fertilizer into my tank then I foud some black beard algae.I wondered whether the plenum and BCB worked,or just because the wrong way to add fertilizer?
@@anoxicfiltrationplenumsDR. Novak,by the way, I made BCB with zeolite and some kind of red clay that should contains irons, I wondered does it will work or not?
you speak of saltwater, but something I've always wondered since watching ur videos. does Anoxic Filtration work with saltwater and if so, how? like would it mean i wouldnt need a sump for the protein skimmer and other items used in the sump
It works the same way for salt water as freshwater the only difference is a different kind of bacteria which I explained in my other videos pertains to salt water.
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums don't recall u making a saltwater video but I'll have to check it out this weekend. Is there an email to reach u at? I'd like to pitch u an idea if possible
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums thank you! I just binged watch all your videos. I apologize for the rude initial comment. how big should a bcb basket be for a 20gallon tank with 15-20 guppies in it? I might be thinking 5"x2"x3" is enough, isn't it?
Yes, but remember as I said in the video only in micro amounts which is very, very, small amounts, they basically use ammonia for their amino acids and proteins not nitrates and phosphate.
What is the difference between the Hanna Phosphate Checker and the Hanna Phosphorus Checker? In looking into buying a Hanna Checker, the information on both tests is confusing and I keep finding the info I have quoted below ~ thank you "The HI736 Ultra Low Range Checker is more accurate at low ranges than the HI713 Low Range meter. Many reefers argue that the checker is a better option for those reefers who are looking to maintain ultra-low nutrients right at the cusp of 0.00 ppm."
LEARNED!!! THanks Dr Novak!!
Hi Dr Novak...been trying to keep a simple, algae free, 120litre goldfish tank for five years! Almost at my wits end! (...in-fact asked my local fish shop guy if he would sell my aquarium second-hand!). Was told I need to change from goldfish to tropical. Got a small tropical tank going...still same algae issue! Was told I needed more filtration...bought a huge oase canister filter to add to the filter that came with my Juwel. Have tried (1) no plants with loads of water changes and gravel cleaning; (2) removed all the lights and replaced with very low lighting; (3) clean, glass bottom with the low lights with loads of water changes; (4) then saw all the videos on planted tanks and added tons of epiphytic plants (goldfish don't eat them); (5) loads of emergent plants...got a forest outside the tank but still got algae; (6) told to try RO water...been carting tons of RO water into my house...but no surprise....still got hair algae and black/brown algae everywhere. Rejigged my canister with loads of biomedia....just took longer for the algae to come back. Finally bought a phosphate test.....my phosphates are beyond the scale and even though nitrates are fine. Have been using Phosbond etc but obviously to no effect. Local tap water 10ppm Phos and my tanks are running 5-10ppm. That's my problem and you have now publically shown it to be true!! Not sure what to do now but will install a plenum and BCB in my canister and will have to completely start again with rain or RO water. Thank you for making me feel I am not insane!
Also, use some phosphate pads in your canister filter. They're green in color.
this channel make me want to be water scientist 😊
Me too and I'm 53 but want to go back to school because of this channel. 🙂
Does a plenum lower the phosphates in a tank? I was thinking the phosphate would get sucked into the substrate and be less of a problem in the water column.
We have been taught that In order to measure the redox potential the same needs to be measured at soil water interface (SWI) near sluice gate and away from the aerators by portable multi-parameter analyser with ORP probe. Is this correct
Thank you Dr. Novak!
Looks like I have this issue. I been using Ocean Algae remover. I think I use too much.
Going to use the fluval phosphate remover tomorrow.
All the other reading (nitrates, nitrites and ammonia) is zero but my pH is acidic.
Strange.
I thank you for your information.
Dr Novak ,i have been involed with feshwater aquarium for 12 years but never have been explained in simple english the way you have done it , thanks for another excellant educational video .
Happy to help
Thank you, Dr. Novak. Always enjoy your videos and style of fishkeeping. Much appreciated. 👍
Dr. Novak you are a wealth of information. Thank you.
What an eye opener. Started to read your blog. Outstanding information. Thanks again Dr Kevin
Good info! Phosphate out of the tap caused algae in my tank after the water company switched our water supply.Got rid of the phosphate and the algae disappeared. 👍
I have the same problem with po4 when i use plenum in the wrong way (2 high syphons for 450l tank). I have to clean the glass every 3 or 4 days. Thank you Dr.Novak when help me to correct my plenum. Now it's worked perfectly. No more algaes and the po4 in my tank is 0.04ppm lower than my tap water (0.07ppm).
Great news.
Love your channel, question: is it possible that with a deeper substrate that the waist that travels down through the under gravel filter gets trapped and starts affecting the nitrate levels of my tank?
@@HisValor any little stones or debris that does make its way down in the Plenum will not hinder or bother anything. You can stay there for 15to 25 years.
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums thank you!
Sir, I had watched this video in the past but had completely forgotten about it until I had beard algae and was looking for its cause. Watched your video again, got rid of the algae by using hydrogen peroxide and now have controlled the feeding and now my aquarium is again algae free. Thanks Sir.
You are most welcome
Thank goodness we finally have a real expert in the TH-cam fishkeeping channels. I have two tanks that I'm using Dr. Novak's anoxic filtration on now and it is working wonders. The undergravel filter method is the preferred way but I have 6 BCBs in my 240g African cichlid tank sump and it's working wonders reducing nitrates.
Side Note - Dr. Novak, I'm not sure if you have any experience using Eco Complete plant substrate but it may be something worth checking out because it's a gravel substrate that is loaded with iron and you may not even need laterite. I used it in a 10g tank but added the laterite layer in between the eco complete which is over the undergravel filter. That tank is doing so great, I'm honestly shocked at how little maintenance it requires.
Yes I heard about Eco complete but the thing about it is I think it’s made out of volcanic cinder material.
I hope the Hobby doesn’t become too boring for you. LOL! 😂😂😂
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums It is...I used it in the past strictly as a plant substrate and it did well...I'm currently using it in a 10g with your setup although I did add laterite to it...it's working great so far. Is there something in the volcanic lava rock that could cause issues?
Love your antiques! Another GREAT video ~ thank you so much!!
Golden rule in the hobby. Less is more when it comes to feeding.
Amazing info! This knowledge needs to get out! There are so many complaints about BBA but if you search for help combating it, all you will get back is how to treat it with Seachem Excel. And then BBA will come straight back the moment you stop dosing Excel daily. Why the aquarium industry is not doing anything about this issue is just weird, I think many give up their new aquarium hobby once they get BBA.
Don’t give up on the Hobby. A lot of this information I’m giving to you is something that the professionals should know and should be teaching people but they don’t know. In my next few videos some information may become a little more complicated but at least you’ll have a little understanding of water chemistry and your aquarium.
Great information 👍 also liked the intro.
Glad you liked it
agree
Wow great info, this is golden. Thank you Dr. Novak. Such good info I've never heard before.
My town has phosphate in tap water due to the minerals in the local geology. It's so bad we have dark staining in dishwashers/washing machines. I started using a GFO reactor to control it and I'm already seeing a die-off of BBA and much-reduced hair algae after two months. We just got word that they are putting the final steps on a new water treatment plant to remove phosphate and Fe and Cu which are also somewhat high. Hopefully, it'll be online soon.
Thanks for the information
Learned something new 😎🐠
You bet
What should be the alternative for fertilization other than common all-in-one fertz ..?, cause they contain phosphorus as well...
I love your content :)
I would like so much to see your aquarium, and know the name of the plants you have over there, seems to be very nice :D Thanks for share knowledge, sir...
Just watch his previous videos bud.
I have other videos that show the tank setup and how it is doing to this day.
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums linking to old videos in your description could encourage more views. Like a recent tank video or to one of your all inclusive BCB basket videos. New viewers would likely watch them
Another interesting video thanks Dr. Novak!
Great info there Doc along with great impressions hahaha. Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed!
⏸ clip at 5:17 to answer some things missing in the A,B or C questions 😕🤔
First of all we have many different types of algae growths for different factors okay
And some contributing factors include bacteria blooms, fungi blooms combined with dissolved oxygen in the aquariums. The saturation ( maximum capacity of of dissolved oxygen in the body of water) is dependent on water temperature, salinity and atmospheric pressure which all play a vital role... there are 7 main species of algae with hundreds of different types some which can make us very ill or have skin reactions and some that will not.... the fact is with your A,B is they can both play a role in algea growths alongside other sources phosphates is more of a food source than nitrates however both are a food source
And your point is what?
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums my point is this you can have zero phosphates in a body of water and still get algea this is factual and scientifically proven again phosphates are just one of the many foods sources combined with other factors
@@Joker-bx4rk please give me the data which you are receiving your information. It should be easy enough for you to tell me where all the scientifically proven information is coming from. We’re talking about aquariums here not freshwater systems. we’re not talking about lakes and ponds we are talking about an aquarium that has a buildup of nitrates and phosphate. Please show me the scientific data.
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums your just being silly now you yourself within the first five minutes quoting you did work for the government to identify the main reason for algea in rivers lakes ect then connected it in reference to the aquarium.... you then did it again 9 minuites Into the clip fact is your uv steriliser will contribute more to algea control then removing phosphates and nitrates from the aquarium also another example is this keep all the nitrates and phosphates in the aquarium and remove light source will the algea grow the answer is No.... I can make many References to scientific research but you got your pH.d right.. algea is a living organism and requires several different conditions to survive again phosphates is only a food source same as nitrates only a food source to truly keep algea at bay you need to remove more then just phosphates and nitrates... I did not achieve my masters by reading fantasy novels
This is very interesting, I have a tank, its a Father Fish style and so far its working, been about a year now. The API liquid test shows constantly 0 nitrate (now I know its not totally accurate and it could be as high as 4ppm without reading on the test) but either way very very low, yet until very recently I've had this terrible string algae problem I was pulling it out by the handfuls a day for awhile there...and I'm like WHAT IS THIS STUFF LIVING OFF OF?! Now I know its phosphorus. Recently something has changed in the tank I don't know what exactly but first it changed from the fine string algae that it had been growing to this really coarse kind that I've seen in other tanks and that has become far less vigourous as well and is almost gone right now meanwhile the corkscrew valisnaria which had been just about killed off by algae in the past is now growing and spreading like gangbusters as are the crypts spreading. The dwarf sag had always carpeted the thing from very early on and still is..I mean its a heavily planted tank. 20 gallons deep substrate 1 inch of soil covered by 2 inches of sand, so anaerobic not anoxic in the bottom. I am not sure if the plant mass got to such a level that its taking the phosphate now thats being created and the algae just no longer has access to it or what...still reading 0 ammonia 0 nitrate and 0 nitrate. Its baffling to me though I am sure there is a good reason. In the tank there are 2 angel fish 9 rummy nose tetras used to be 7 ottos though I havnt seen them all in some time...they could well be hiding among all the vegetation and ghost shrimp mystery snails *which have procreated so now there are many* and bladder snails that I assume snuck in on the plants. I have purchased a plenum to use for an anoxic tank and also several baskets to make BCBs for my pond. Thanks for your interesting and informative videos, I feel I've learned a lot in the last couple weeks watching your information.
How to recover from loss of tail rotor effectivenes..., a plenum. How to resolve marital issues... anoxic filtration.
I got your point, but I have a question, maybe my aquarium is a special case. I have a planted tank, I add phosphorus 2 times per week to reach about 2.8 ppm on a weekly bases, need to mention that the aquarium is high tech, co2 about 30 or a little bit more, light about 50 lumens per litter.
After I increased the phosphorus, I noticed the Christmas moss got much better, actually in the past it had algae before the increase, but after I increased the phosphorus , it got better and algae vanished .
The aquarium is shrimps only, meaning the food is not that much, the water I use is RO and I remineralize it, the tds about 250.
So can you please explain why its getting better with me after I increased the dosage of phosphorus to that level?
Same here. My phosphates run high (>3 ppm) in my low tech heavily planted tanks (I have 6 tanks) and I have very little algae. Maybe its because I have Amano shrimp who keep the algae under control. My nitrates run between 20 to 40 ppm before water changes. I know it runs contrary to research but for some reason, its not an issue in my established deep substrate tanks.
Let's pause the video and think about the question - All three can lead to an algae outbreak especially if there is no organism in the tank that is using it as an energy source...and of course light for photosynthesis. All organisms in a healthy state would compete for those nutrients in order to expand and grow. But now in the aquarium world and for those of us that are putting Plenums and using BCB filtration, we have learned that establishing the correct bacterias in the system and not adding unnecessary additives to the water, regardless of the amount of light the aquarium receives, the only answer would answer B if the system became out of balance, but given if it is in balance, that leaves only the phosphorus/phosphate as the culprit especially if the plants are soaking up all the nitrates the that the plenum produces.
Unpause now for the answer
What plants, if not all, are good for removal of PO4?
So how do I get rid of excess phosphates that caused algae as I have done 80% daily water change and I have not added any nutrients since I started planting for more than 2 weeks already yet everyday algae still crowd over my tank.
Thank you so much sir we have learnt much from you 🙏
This is a fascinating subject Dr Novak. Were we to implement an spirulina production system we could go and add a culture to the filtration system, isn't it? that could be another method using "bacteria" to control phosphates and maybe introduce some spirulina to the fish tank that could compete with true algae.
That's true but you have to remember with all the ideas that you're coming up with : how accessible are these ideas to the hobbyists?
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums Yes, I think that's the main problem... I see aquariums as bioreactors and excellent systems to apply cybernetic principles. Too much science for someone that just wants a school of neon t or rummy-nose tetras. Yet again the subject of substrates and biofiltration for me is quite fascinating.
I usually think in terms of the type of substrates and wildlife you can find here, so it's also a hobby of mine to study these biotopes applied to an artificial setting.
Dr. Novak is one of the BEST TH-camrs. Full stop.
I add myself to the rejoising crowd.In EU we have flakefood with claimed 0 or werry low phosphate but expensive,I prefer BCBs.
Thanks for the video. Full Go.
Thanks for watching!
Kevin I am somewhere close to your age. I remember some time years ago when I first heard about phosphates. It was around the time they stopped using it in a lot of products. I remember someone stating that it was causing major problems in our water ways. I found your channel about a month ago and have learned a lot. I checked on that Hanna meter. It's really not that bad at $49. So I take it the test kits they sell for $10 or so are not worth the money?
Keep up the good work sir.
The cheaper test kits are not worth the money and are too hard to read for very low phosphates, just get the Hanna one and you're done.
Thank god for the mashnet 😉👍thx
Is the Hanna h1774 the phosphate checker your talking about
HI 713 with HI713-0 LR regent
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums thank you I'm setting up a 220 gal plenum an also bcb basket in fx4 thanks for your videos very helpful
Thanks for letting us know that phosphates are the real culprit of beard algae. Can iron oxide bind phosphates chemically?
Dr Good info!
I have been following your advise for quite a while because the science makes sense. BUT am now getting so confused.
I have been using the plenum alone for almost 9 months and my aquarium was fine. I decided to add a bcb basket and the hair algae starts. According to you shouldn’t the basket take care of the phosphate too.
Now you are saying that the food contains phosphate. How should I feed my fish.
The same thing happened to another hobbiest in New York. He found out he had to cut back on his food because he was feeding way too much for the fish. Once he did that things went back to normal.
Thank you Dr. You even take the time to reply and in such a quick time. You are for real. Your channel is most educational and hobbyists should be thankful. Appreciated.
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums
Hi Dr. Just an update - my hair algae cleared 2 days after you replied. I reduced my white light from 70 to 50, red from 50 to 30 and blue from 30 to 10. My pleco ate them all and they never came back. The fish are still happy swimming around. Water like drinking water. Whatever science yourself and Syd Mitchell are advocating works and very well.
My problem now is my PH. It has dropped from 7.5 to 6.4 ( stable at 6.4 water change or not).
I don’t want to start adding any chemicals like baking soda to my tank. Is 6.4 acceptable.
@@regreid4354 yes it is, remember stability is the key element with pH not whether it’s 6.4 or 7.4.
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums
Thank you once again. Appreciated.
🎉
How to remove phosphate?
I have shown that and talked about how to remove phosphates in earlier videos.
Doctor, do you like the product seachem phosguard?
yes, that product id okay.
Phosphate-based detergents were banned in Japan because those were the ones producing the toxic algae blooms that were killing their rivers and estuaries, once they switched to sodium based soap the problem receded.
Phosphates have also been taken out of dishwashing detergent here in the USA because of the same reason, algae blooms in our lakes and ponds.
Thanks a lot Dr. Novak , I tested my tank ,found that phosphate levels is 0.03mg/L and nitrate levels is 30 mg/L, my tank had some black beard algae，what level should phosphate be to avoid BBA？
What test kit did you use to get a reading of 0.03 ppm?
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums I came from china,I used test kit is a chinese brand maybe you don‘t know it, even had not english name,and thank you again! I set up plenum and 2 BCB baskets in my tank over 6 months, recently I added some liquid fertilizer into my tank then I foud some black beard algae.I wondered whether the plenum and BCB worked,or just because the wrong way to add fertilizer?
@@anoxicfiltrationplenumsDR. Novak,by the way, I made BCB with zeolite and some kind of red clay that should contains irons, I wondered does it will work or not?
Genius
you speak of saltwater, but something I've always wondered since watching ur videos. does Anoxic Filtration work with saltwater and if so, how? like would it mean i wouldnt need a sump for the protein skimmer and other items used in the sump
It works the same way for salt water as freshwater the only difference is a different kind of bacteria which I explained in my other videos pertains to salt water.
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums don't recall u making a saltwater video but I'll have to check it out this weekend. Is there an email to reach u at? I'd like to pitch u an idea if possible
What happens to phosphates into slow plenum and bcb?
The phosphate ion PO4 has four atoms of oxygen which are used up readily by the facultative bacteria. Jus like they use the oxygen atoms from Nitrate.
around 14:40 is he saying aquavocation or what i couldnt tell
"Aquatic environment"
so how do we lower phosphates then?
There’s three ways to lower phosphates one is with a phosphate pad and two is with a BCB basket and/or a Plenum.
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums thank you! I just binged watch all your videos. I apologize for the rude initial comment. how big should a bcb basket be for a 20gallon tank with 15-20 guppies in it? I might be thinking 5"x2"x3" is enough, isn't it?
Don’t plants like phosphates? Or is this a myth?
Yes, but remember as I said in the video only in micro amounts which is very, very, small amounts, they basically use ammonia for their amino acids and proteins not nitrates and phosphate.
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums right thanks! One other thing, does wood in the tank also contribute to phosphates? Or just food?
@@anthonyromano5420 Wood is organic and therefore it breaks down and causes more ammonia but no it does not leach out any phosphates.
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums thank you!
I was all told that if you have to much light in your Aquarium is that true
Yes and No. hard quest to answer because what do you defined as too much light?
Thanks for this Doc. Novak. This really helped! I finally have control over algae!
Glad it helped!
Less light more plants
Why? Are you now the aquarium police?
Worked for me
What is the difference between the Hanna Phosphate Checker and the Hanna Phosphorus Checker?
In looking into buying a Hanna Checker, the information on both tests is confusing and I keep finding the info I have quoted below ~ thank you
"The HI736 Ultra Low Range Checker is more accurate at low ranges than the HI713 Low Range meter. Many reefers argue that the checker is a better option for those reefers who are looking to maintain ultra-low nutrients right at the cusp of 0.00 ppm."