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Thread: Algae in new tank (pix intensive)

  1. #1
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    Algae in new tank (pix intensive)

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    Hi,

    Have set up my tank for about 7 weeks now and having algae problems.
    Besides green and brown algae, I also have spot algae and 2 types of hair algae.


    Hair algae on Cryptocoryne Parva


    Green hair algae on driftwood

    Tank size is 151 X 51 X 60 cm. Illuminated by 4 X 36 W FL lights. Temperature at 24 to 27 degrees. Other parameters:

    pH : 6.4 to 6.8
    kH : 4
    gH : 2
    NO2 : 0 mg/l
    NO3 : 5 mg/l
    Fe : 0.5 - 1.0 mg/l
    Cu : 0 mg/l
    NH3 : 0 mg/l
    NH4 : 0 mg/l
    CO2 : Regulated by pH Controller

    Algae crew includes:

    Malayan Shrimps (200 left?), Wood Shrimps (4) , Yamato shrimps (20)
    SAE (2), Oto (20), and going to get 3 line pencil fish.

    Other inhabitants: 11 Clown Killifish, 1 Orange Lyretail, 4 Marble Hatchetfish, 4 chocolate gourami, 4 pygmy gourami, 8 Corydoras Hastatus,
    20-25 Corydoras Pygmaeus, 10 Corydoras Hasbrosus.

    Plants: Cryptocoryne Parva, C. Lucern, C. Willisi, C. Wendti, C. Balansae,
    Hygrophilia Polysperma (Sunset), H. Difformis
    Java Ferns (2 types), Hornworth, Bobitis, Rotola "Florida", 2 types of Onion plants
    Java Moss, X-mass Moss

    Any suggestions?
    I have dwarf cichlids in my tanks! Do you?

  2. #2
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    1) Could you let us know what you are using as a substrate fertilizer, and what your fetilizer regime is?

    2) How many hours a day do you switch on your lights?

    3) Can you post of a pic of your tank overall... so we can see how densely planted it is?

    4) Have you been doing lots of planting/replanting?

    Off hand, I would say cutback on your fertilization and reduce lights (though in truth your lighting is a low approx 1.25W/Gallon), also get a few more fast growing plants... only your hygrophila is fast and mebbe your rotala
    Allen

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    i suspect Po4 on the high side
    Cheers!

    Benetay

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    Sorry could not add more info in the earlier post as there seems to be some limit on number of characters.

    ----------------
    On 11/18/2002 12:04:57 PM

    1) Could you let us know what you are using as a substrate fertilizer, and what your fetilizer regime is?

    Am using Duponit Mix and Duponix from Dennerle. Also using E15, V30, S7.


    2) How many hours a day do you switch on your lights?

    Average 8 to 14, depending on whether I am working on the tank or not. Usually 4 hrs in the morning and 4 hrs in the evening with 4 hr break. Now just switch 5, 3(break), 5 hrs.

    3) Can you post of a pic of your tank overall... so we can see how densely planted it is?

    See attached picture

    4) Have you been doing lots of planting/replanting?

    Here and there, keep adding plants to try to beat algae.

    Off hand, I would say cutback on your fertilization and reduce lights (though in truth your lighting is a low approx 1.25W/Gallon), also get a few more fast growing plants... only your hygrophila is fast and mebbe your rotala

    Also have frog bits and water lettuce
    ----------------
    I have dwarf cichlids in my tanks! Do you?

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    ----------------
    On 11/18/2002 12:11:24 PM

    i suspect Po4 on the high side
    ----------------
    That's the only test kit I didn't buy. Will get one and check level.
    I have dwarf cichlids in my tanks! Do you?

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    Check your Fe levels too.

    For this tank, half or less the normal liquid fert dosage... depend more on substrate fert. Low light tanks do not need so much fert. Most of your plants are rosette, so a rich substrate will help them more. 20ppm K per week could help too.
    Vincent - AQ is for everyone, but not for 'u' and 'mi'.
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  7. #7
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    ya I agree with benetay, what u feed yr corys with? cory tablets? I cld be wrong though.. but looking at yr crypto leave with the hair algae, i suspect that leave is abt to die or rot... have u tried using floating plants?

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    the spot algae is going to be a killer to remove off the parva.

    if you want to experiment take one parva out, put it in a pot with H2O2 (try 1 drop mixed in water leave for an hour or so, put it back in your tank, see if the spot algae dies.

    search google using "h2o2 algae control"

    you can also try changing your light cycle to full 8 hours on instead of on/off/on

    iirc, on/off/on doesn't help normal plants, since plants actually have a startup->peak photosythesis period, so an on/off/on means you have less of a peak period when your plants are at max efficiency at consuming nutrients.

    ---------

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    oh yeah. if its widespread, you might want to consider an algacide, none of your plants are particularly delicate (eg: najas, hornwort), you can try the azoo one, which worked for me.

    ideally you should clean plants with H2O2 before putting it in your tank to minimise algae outbreaks.

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    ----------------
    On 11/18/2002 12:20:29 PM

    Check your Fe levels too.

    Checked. 0.5 to 1.0 mg/l. Suppose to be ideal.

    For this tank, half or less the normal liquid fert dosage... depend more on substrate fert. Low light tanks do not need so much fert. Most of your plants are rosette, so a rich substrate will help them more. 20ppm K per week could help too.

    I've started to cut the fert dosage to about 1/2. But what I need to do now is to get rid of the algae and prevent new growth. Just installed a UV light too. At the moment it's on for 24 hrs. Also trimming any leaf with suspected algae growth. But then there are those on the driftwood that I have difficulty clearing.

    --------


    ya I agree with benetay, what u feed yr corys with? cory tablets? I cld be wrong though.. but looking at yr crypto leave with the hair algae, i suspect that leave is abt to die or rot... have u tried using floating plants?

    Actually, I've stopped feeding corys with tablets cos the shrimps eat them instead. I feed all the fishes with about half a cube of frozen blood worms everyday or every alternate day. Sometime, the corys can get the bloodworm. Floating plants include water lettuce and frog bits.

    ----------------
    Filtration was on 1 X 2028, now on 2 X 2028, but slightly regulated.
    I have dwarf cichlids in my tanks! Do you?

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    Benny,

    Your water parameters seems okay, good CO2 level, low temp. Your light is on the low side, of course, most of your plants are low-light. In such setup, I expect very slow growth, thus uptake of nutrients would be slow too. It would be good if you could increase the lights to 2W per gallon. You may cut down your Fe level, your plants dun really need them.

    As for algae on the driftwood, you can use H2O2 treatment. Using a syringe, inject the H2O2 directly on the algae. Do not use more than 30ml per 20gallon of water.

    Get more yamato if you can affort.
    My Apisto Keeping Diary
    Apistogramma agassizii, Apistogramma bitaeniata "Careiro", Apistogramma brevis, Apistogramma elizabethae, Apistogramma eremnopyge, Apistogramma sp. "Miua", Dicrossus filamentosus

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    At this low light, I think you can even stop adding fert to your water column. Just add root tabs (those without N-P-K, e.g. Flourish tabs)deep into the substrate.

    Most of your plants are Crypts so that should not be a problem. H. deformis should be fine too. I am not sure about Sunset hygro growing in such low light.

    BC

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    Instead of using liquid iron, stuff laterite pellets into the substrate around the plants.
    Vincent - AQ is for everyone, but not for 'u' and 'mi'.
    Why use punctuation? See what a difference it makes:
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  14. #14
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    Hi,

    Have just started putting Dennerle PF7 into the substrate. Plants are bubbling, even the C. Parva. I think I will cut the S7, but E15 and V30? I have lots of Java ferns and some bolbitis that are tied on driftwood as well as Java and Xmass moss. How do I ensure these plants are getting enough fert if I cut the liquid dosage.

    Thanks!
    I have dwarf cichlids in my tanks! Do you?

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    ----------------
    On 11/18/2002 3:10:35 PM
    Have just started putting Dennerle PF7 into the substrate. Plants are bubbling, even the C. Parva. I think I will cut the S7, but E15 and V30? I have lots of Java ferns and some bolbitis that are tied on driftwood as well as Java and Xmass moss. How do I ensure these plants are getting enough fert if I cut the liquid dosage.

    ----------------
    Benny,

    Actually you could stay with the S7 as it is the less problematic of the 3. I would definitely cutback on the V30. As for the E15, it depends on whether you are putting it into the substrate, or breaking it up and pouring into the tank.

    One more thing, I was told buy the guys at pet safari (some 2 years back) that PF7 should not be buried in the substrate but rather should be just thrown into the water... This is something that I never got clarified... for those of you who use PF7 mebbe you could share how you use it?
    Allen

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    Apparently, PF Gold 7 is suppose to go into the water as I interpret it. Because, on the instructions, it says "Acts faster if the capsules are open and the content and capsule shells are put in".

    BC

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    woah! benny the tank looks huge! And that is one mega bogwood or something!

    BTW, I think more lights is definetly the way to go. Gives you more options in terms of plants.


    eggz

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    Hi Benny,

    As I understand, Dennerle E15 iron tablet is in a chelated form that most iron tester cannot properly detect. Your 0.5-1.0 pmm tester's reading may suggest that the water contain more than 1.0 pmm, may be 2.0. Never use iron tester if you use Dennerle, follow the dosage stated, instead.

    What is your phosphate level? It could be the culprit.

    Your light is grossly insufficient, you need at least 400W of lamp power. You see it is about balance. When you have all the nutrients required for healthy growth, you also need a strong heart to drive the consumption. If the plant that you intended to grow do not receive the light energy to take up the nutrients, others (the algae) will. Plant, especially high light plant need certain light trusthold to live/grow. Below it, it will merely half-awake. Look at any show tank, the most common thing you see is high intensity light. The other reason for that is to drive th plant low and dense, and red (for red plants).

    Only after you solve your light problem, then add fast growers to keep the nutrients in balance (not merely take up the nutrient).

    As of now, change the water up to 50% a week. Add half strenght (half the manual's guide line) water column traces/fertilizers. Remove those badly hitted plants. Add the much needed light soon.

    How thick is your substrate? For your tank size, I think about 4 thick (at least 3.5 inch) work be good. The clean substrate should lay over the base fert by at least 3 inch to prevent base fert leaks. Plant roots do not consume the base fert directly, it take them up through desolved form.

    I hope this help. Do not take my view exclusively, read more.

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    i have a problem in my 2ft cube tank too, i have 144 watts of light Co2 injection 2b/s both are on timer mode set to 10hrs per day.

    Base fert 6cm
    gravel 4cm
    pH:6.8
    kH:4
    gH:6
    NO2:0mg
    NO3:10mg
    Fe: unknown.
    Cu:unknown.
    NH3:0
    NH4:0
    PO4: very high.

    Change water every 3 days, wash filter . Still i can't combat hair algae.
    tankmates: 6pencil fish, 100+cherry shrimps.

    plants : java moss,glosso,najas indica,fine leaf tonina, ludwigia acurata,riccia.

    What may be the main cause of the high PO4 value, i haven been feeding the tank for 2wks and still PO4 raises sky high at time.

    Fert: Seachem nitrogen,Seachem iron,Seachem potassium,Seachem trace element, dennerle E15,dennerle gold7 , dennerle A1.

    care to varify the problem?
    Cheers!

    Benetay

  20. #20
    bene: I am just guessing but maybe your 4 cm of substrate isn't enuff? maybe your fert leaking into water column? if you do water change, maybe can try measuring PO4 immediately, then monitor everyday see how it shoots? and I rem someone mentioning rosy barbs to control hair algae, maybe can try?

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