In The Shallows

[fr499y]

They seem to be scared of the shrimp

[Martinspuddle]

They seem to be scared of the shrimp

Add a fresh water Crayfish, then they will jump out!

[Pleco Fan]

Striking pics fraggy, please tell me did you use a DLSR camera?

[fr499y]

Nah just my iPhone 13 mini haven’t had a DSLR for about 10 years now

[fr499y]

The rocks have suddenly started to go white and no more algae is left on them the water is stupidly clear though now!

[fr499y]

[fr499y]

Turns out I’m dealing with biogenic decalcification which is a pain. Plants are turning white and the rocks. I did wonder if it was to do with a water issue last week as I completely forgot about it and done a water change the next day.

[Martinspuddle]

Turns out I’m dealing with biogenic decalcification which is a pain. Plants are turning white and the rocks. I did wonder if it was to do with a water issue last week as I completely forgot about it and done a water change the next day.

Diana Walstad mentions biogenic decalcification in her book Ecology of the Planted Aquarium.

Bicarbonates are higher in hard alkaline water. Plants can obtain carbon from CO2 (carbon dioxide) or bicarbonates, though they often have a preference. Most of those in aquaria are soft water plants that prefer CO2 because it is less work for the plant to extract the carbon. Plants such as Vallisneria, Egeria, Elodea and Myriophyllum (to name only a few) which naturally occur in hard water are better at using bicarbonates. Some, such as the mosses, the pygmy chain sword, Ceratopteris, Ludwigia, and several others cannot use bicarbonates at all.

Interestingly, many of the amphibious plants [the bog or marsh plants like Echinodorus, Cryptocoryne, etc] cannot use bicarbonates well, and it is hypothesized that they use the aerial strategy (emersed leaves) to supplement their carbon uptake.

Plants use bicarbonates much less effectively than algae. This is probably part of the reason that algae tends to be worse in hard water compared to soft, all else being equal.

Some bicarbonate users polarize their leaves during bicarbonate uptake. Polarized bicarbonate uptake has been described for Potamogeton lucens. The plant excretes H= (acid) on the leaf's underside to generate a pH of about 6. The acidity converts bicarbonate to CO2, which diffuses into the leaf to be used for photosynthesis. In order for the plant to maintain its internal charge balance, H= is taken up by the plant on the leaf surface resulting in a high, localized pH (about 10) and a high hydroxide (OH-) concentration.

I'd check your water supply.

[fr499y]

The tank is all over the place.

Kh - 4
Gh - 25
Ph - 8.4
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - <5

It’s water change day, so I’ll get that done later and test again to see what’s going on.

[Martinspuddle]

The tank is all over the place.

No @fr499y, that was all those drinks you had last night.

Have you tested your supply?