BoonBoy's New Tank!

[boonboy]

Bad algae attack!

After 2 days of blackout, multiple water change and 7-8 Yamato shrimp, 2 otocinclus and 1 Siamese algae eater casualties, I still plague by this fuzzy, hairy, cotton wool like algae.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1442799044.898205.jpg

Any advise is appreciated.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Urban Aquaria]

Your 12 hour photoperiod with 144W of T5 lights is way too much for a 2ft planted tank, hence the algae is growing faster than your algae eaters can consume them.

Reduce the photoperiod to just 6-8 hours and reduce the light intensity (ie. remove 3-4 x T5 tubes so that your overall wattage drop from 144W to a more moderate 48-72W)... that will help slow down the algae growth so that the shrimps can keep up with eating the algae.

Add more yamato shrimps to boost their algae clearing efficiency, do not feed them until all the algae is consumed.

Consider dosing anti-algae treatment (ie. AlgExit) as a support measure to help inhibit and weaken the algae, so that the shrimps have an easier job clearing the algae.

Check that your tap water doesn't have excess ammonia or nitrates, otherwise the frequent water changes may be jacking up those levels instead of helping to lower them.

[boonboy]

Thank you for the kind advise.

I will reduce to 10 hours and 4 x 24w of T5.

Currently down to 2 Yamatos but their body is reddish (especially the dash markings). Is something amiss?

Striping the water change to 0 TDS with filter(crystal pro) and added toxivec(Sera).

Will get "AlgExit" from LFS.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Urban Aquaria]

Do consider reducing the photoperiod and light intensity further... just for reference, my 2ft planted tanks only run 8 hour photoperiods with a 20+ watt LED lightset, and the plants are still growing well and pearling, with no algae issues. So it's not necessary to blast so much light into a tank.

You'll definitely need to increase the number of yamato shrimps in the tank, try to maintain at least 15-20 of them to work on clearing the algae, otherwise if there are too few they will have limited effect. Yamato shrimps do change color from time to time, but it can sometimes be a sign of stress too, so you may need to check your water parameters to see if anything is off balance.

Also double-check your Co2 injection and make sure they are consistently at safe levels (drop checker should show green, not yellow), the shrimps can also be affected by excessive accumulation of Co2 levels too.

As for the distilled/processed 0 TDS water that you use, do remember to re-mineralize it before water changes to replenish essential minerals and trace elements, otherwise the repeated water changes could cause a shortage of nutrients for both the plants and livestock.

[boonboy]

Thanks again.

I have reduced to 2 x 24w and will gradually shorten to 8 hours (reduce 1 hour a day).

My drop checker is always yellow. Even at night when the CO2 is not on it is still yellow. Need to find 4dKH reference solution?

Which test kit should I get? (Eg. PH, KH or GH?) Which brand is recommended?

Maybe I should mix the filtered water with tap water to have some minerals.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Urban Aquaria]

Okay, i guess you mixed aquarium water with the indicator reagent, thats most likely why the drop checker color is always yellow... its due to the aquarium water pH and kH already being buffered by the active soil substrate so the Co2 measurement are incorrect.

You will definitely need to use 4dKH reference solution to mix instead... or just get those pre-mixed indicator solutions (ie. ISTA or Ocean Free brand), then the Co2 measurements will be correct and you will know if its okay or too high.

As for test kits, get the liquid reagent/test tube versions which measure basic parameters like ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH (ie. API Freshwater Master Test Kit).

Test strip kits are cheaper but they tend to be alot less accurate, so avoid using those.

GH and KH test kits are not as essential for planted tanks, but if you have the budget there is no harm getting those to test too, can find out more about those parameters.

[fireblade]

I have been fighting the hair algea for few months...
Tried few methods but don't see algea reduced..
Bought some snails first, then waited and waited... looks like not slowing down..

One fine day when I went to fish shop to walk walk again, I bought 3 yamatoe and 2 red nose shrimps, and throw 1 SAE from another tank and waited... started dosing 1 cap of excel once every 2 days.. think dosed 2 times, after that went for Batam for 3days 2 nights holiday, come back look at the tank... I was surprised that the algea are gone! before I left, i do noticed that some part of the hair algea turned white. and I thought is mould...

Something that I learnt here... must go for a short trip after you dose your tank and in algea eating crew,.. that is go for a holiday!
look at the picture below...


2015-08-28



2015-09-08

[boonboy]

Appreciate the advices.

I started dosing Algexit (as recommended) and used the 4dKH reference solution. So far it's been blue. Probably will change when the CO2 builds up. Looking forward.

The LFS ran out of stock for the API master test kit and the Yamatos.

Did not try Excel as I read that it was for CO2 (which I am already bubbling at 2bps).

Hope to see results soon.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[boonboy]

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1443060672.220649.jpg
The CO2 check turn green.
Siamese algae eater grazing the algae.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Urban Aquaria]

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1443060672.220649.jpg
The CO2 check turn green.
Siamese algae eater grazing the algae.

Yeah, based the density of hair/thread algae in that photo... you'll definitely need to manually remove as much of it as possible and add lots of shrimps to help clear it. Should be manageable with all those steps taken.

[boonboy]

Added 5 more Yamatos today. One seems carrying eggs. Hope they help eat the algae. The shop auntie say SEA will eat hair algae not Yamatos.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[boonboy]

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1443842601.624345.jpg
Do you see improvements?