Algae starting to grow.

[nostalgia]

Tank Dimensions (LxWxH, specify units): 90x45x45

Lighting Intensity(No of Watts) : 132
Number and type of Lighting (FL/PL/MH) : FL
Age of light bulbs :2 years
No. of hours your lights are on : 8 hours

CO2 Injection Rate (bps) : Nil
Type of CO2 (DIY/Cylinder) : Nil
Method of Injection (e.g. Diffusor/Reactor) : Nil

Liquid fertilisers Used (Product name. E.g. Seachem Flourish) : Nil
Fertilization regime (Frequency and amount per dose) : Nil

Other fertilisers (Product name. E.g. Root Monster) : Ocean Free Monster Root

Other additives (Product name. E.g. Seachem Prime) : Nil

Type of Filter (overhead/internal/canister, Product name/model if possible) :Canister
When was the filter last washed :2 months back
Filter media used : biohome, sponge, ceremic rings
When was the media last changed : 2 months back
What was changed : All the filter media.

Age of setup (i.e. since initial setup or last major re-do ) : 2 months

Water change frequency : weekly
Amount changed : 50%

Water surface movement (None/gentle/turbulent) : None~gentle
Circulation (None/gentle/turbulent) : Gentle

Tank Temperature : 27~29 deg

Chemical Properties (Fill what you can)
-------------------------------------
KH (dKH): Don't Know
GH (dGH): "
pH : "
NH4 (ppm): "
NO2 (ppm): "
NO3 (ppm): "
PO4 (ppm): "
Fe (ppm): "

Bioload (Number and type of fish and plants)
------------------------------------------
4 rummy nose, 1 pencilfish, 1 cigar fish, 1 whiptail catfish, 1 twigfish, 6 otos,
>100 malayan shrimps, 4 yamato, 1 woodshrimp
plants: Don't know the names, common, non exotic, non expensive plants.


Describe your problem :
----------------------
The tank is starting to have slight green spot algae on the tank walls.
some common green algae is starting to grow on my driftwood.
Very fine hair algae is appearing.

What should I do?

[nostalgia]

advice pls!

[taz_boy]

ur lighting is too high liao.132W for a non co2 tank...hmm..algae will come find u...

as for the spot algae on the tank walls, they can be removed using those magnetic glass cleaner..that's the manual way...

if not, the best is to up ur phosphate level in ur water...i managed to eliminate the problem after adding phospate to my tank..

[nostalgia]

I'm thinking of getting C02. Can't decide on getting a CO2 system or using Seachem Excel... What do you think?

[taz_boy]

i would say Co2 bah...excel would cost a lot if i'm not wrong if u use in long terms...

[nostalgia]

Thanks bro! Any idea abt the prices of Co2 systems at NA?

[valice]

One of the best pricing available...

[juggler]

nostalgia:

Since you decided to go the CO2 route, you should also start dosing your N,P,K and traces. Can get the compounds (K2SO4 and/or KNO3, KH2PO4) from Nature Aquarium (I think he has them) or Dr Mallick.

Are you also planting densely in the tank? You should.
You fish population is low too. So the more reason to be dosing N,P,K for the plants.

[nostalgia]

nostalgia:

Since you decided to go the CO2 route, you should also start dosing your N,P,K and traces. Can get the compounds (K2SO4 and/or KNO3, KH2PO4) from Nature Aquarium (I think he has them) or Dr Mallick.

Are you also planting densely in the tank? You should.
You fish population is low too. So the more reason to be dosing N,P,K for the plants.

Thanks! Sorry for stupid question but is Dr Mallick a LFS or a real person?

[nostalgia]

ur lighting is too high liao.132W for a non co2 tank...hmm..algae will come find u...

as for the spot algae on the tank walls, they can be removed using those magnetic glass cleaner..that's the manual way...

if not, the best is to up ur phosphate level in ur water...i managed to eliminate the problem after adding phospate to my tank..

Just to confirm, phospate is KH2PO4 right?

[valice]

Dr Mallick is a person, who is the CEO of Singapore Hydroponics. And they have a shop front I think...

http://www.singaporehydroponics.com/pages/1/index.htm

And phosphate is the PO4 found in Potassium dihydrogen phosphate aka KH2PO4...

[bclee]

If you would like to continue without CO2, stop changing the water. You probably only need to change the water about once every 1-2 months or more.

Trim/scrape away the algae. You can feed the fishes generously. If needed, just add a bit of KNO3 every now and then. Continue doing that, the algae will slowly go away.

You lights is ok. You just have to pack your tank with plants.

Non-CO2 tanks are quite easy to upkeep.

BC

[nostalgia]

Thanks! For the feedbacks!