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Thread: Algae attack

  1. #1
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    Algae attack

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    Hi all,
    I running 8hrs of lighting. 4x T5 tubes.
    Tank is 2 feet by 1feet by 1.5feet.
    Pressurized CO2 turn on at the same time my lights are on.
    Using eheim 2215. I modified my rainbar to extend along the
    Whole length of my tank plus one side of the width.
    Substrate is ADA2 soil.

    I am growing hc. It's pearling a little. I also have one bogwood
    With erect moss and a "tree" tied behind. Those
    Selling for 8-10 bucks at LFS and seaview.

    Initially, I noticed my bogwood moss and it's tree having brown
    Light substance on it. I thought it was my soil as I rescale recently and the
    Clouding took 2 weeks to clear. Now it's clear, I use my finger rub the leaves of the tree it doesn't seem to come of. I rub my moss and the brown stuff doesn't feel like it is settled soil. I believe it's brown algae.

    Just yesterday, I notice green spots on my tank glass sprouting!
    Algae invasion has commenced.

    Seeking a your invaluable advices now. I'll wipe of the spots later and perhaps remove the bogwood of moss. Other then that, what should I do? Increase or decrease co2 and lighting? Douse with seachem excel flourish? My hc sure suffer.
    Is my 3bos co2 using an atomizer not working optimally because I place it below the outlet rainbar?

    Please help.

  2. #2
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    Re: Algae attack

    i don't have the full picture of your problem, maybe pictures will help greatly .....
    However, i will just share some of my experience. Green spots that you mentioned, i doubt they are brown algae that turn green algae. Waterchange 3-4 time a week will help alot. At least 2 times a week. Normally i will just change 80% of water. In one month u may see the difference. Otto and shrimp will be great help for brown algae

  3. #3
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    Re: Algae attack

    Brown and green spot algaes are what I would call, the "healthy" algaes to have. Yes, a full tankshot would help us see what suggestions we can make to improve the conditions in the tank

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    Re: Algae attack

    Yes , Otto will clear away your algea if have 2 in your 2 ft tank .

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    Hello there.

    Good to hear hc is pearling
    Can have a understand of your livestock having any shrimp or

    A picture would be good.
    Learning the hardway, not the highway.
    Photo Blog - impervious-endeavors.blogspot.com

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  6. #6
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    Re: Algae attack

    I got somewhat similiar setup as you, and the green spots was an eyesore. Just throw 2 otto in, overnight it will be gone miraculously.

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    Re: Algae attack

    Hi all,

    Thanks for the comments.
    Manage to upload some pics.

    Intervene with some steps to rectify the situation but got some disasterous outcome.
    First, i remove the bogwood and the plant. Don't really like it also. brown algae problem gone, well, if its brown algae in the first place
    Next, i wiped the GSA off the tank glass 3 days back. Some spots appear again today around the dead spot areas.
    Then, i decide to dose Excel fluorish. Big mistake.
    Too much dosed and i end up killing my livestock..... a few neon tetras.

    tank went cloudy for a few days...now cleared up.
    HC previously pearling but now look like melting....a bit brown... not vibrant green.

    Now my tank has no livestock.

    I can't put the otos yet. Eh, otos are those black sucker fish is it?
    They'll uproot my hc now.

    I've attached a pic of my rainbar. Does this aid in circulation or its not recommended?

    Planning to do a few things. Please provide your comments.
    1. My T5HO lights 4 tube for 2 feet may be too strong? Too much light will result in more nutrients required plus more CO2? I guess so. my water is heating up. 29-30 degrees everytime. considering whether to switch off 2 tubes.
    2. CO2 maintain at 3bps.
    3. Add more plants to compete with algae for nutrients. any plants to recommend?
    4. Add liquid fert to supplement my lighting if I run all 4 tubes of light. Add Seachem Potassium + Seachem Trace. I believe ADA aqua2 has the N and P already. Still experimenting. May get a bottle of Phosphate to supplement.
    5. Watch and observe.
    6. wish me luck.

    Till the next update guys.
    Cheers.
    Attached Images Attached Images

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    Re: Algae attack

    You used the whole bottle excel? i just spot treatment 30ML... my neons still swimming happily in my 50g.

    GSA scrubbing/scraping, do it before water change.
    Are you using ceramic diffuser still? if your using inline you need to drop the rain-bars below water. To maximize water contact with co2 so they have more time to dissolve into the water.

    Oto full name is Otocinclus , you can google images of it. it is +/- the size of a adult neon.
    They will zip around the tank when you scare them, that is where they dislodge my HC

    1. No need to off 2 tubes, instead take out 1 tube.
    2. no comment, this is variable depend on plant
    3. Frogbits.
    4. ADA aqua2 you mean the substrate? you have Seachem flourish? use half cap if i not mistaken.. Seachem website have tool that will help you.
    Learning the hardway, not the highway.
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  9. #9
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    High chance you might wants to restart your tank. You dont have to discard your soil. Just sun dry them will do.

    You done things too fast, slowly retify the problem is better.

    Good luck

    Send from my GT-P1000 (Overcome 7 Series v4.0.0)
    CRS - CRazy about Shrimps
    - Alan Phang -

    You can't explain it simply, you don't understand it (well enough )..." - Albert Einstein

  10. #10
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    Re: Algae attack

    no lah. Not the whole bottle.
    Around 5 cupfuls perhaps?

    Yes. Still using ceramic diffuser.
    thanks for the inputs yet again bro.

  11. #11
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    Re: Algae attack

    Quote Originally Posted by prodrive View Post
    ...I modified my rainbar to extend along the
    Whole length of my tank plus one side of the width...
    On a side-note, can teach me how you manage to modify your rainbar; it looks cool.

  12. #12
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    Re: Algae attack

    Quote Originally Posted by prodrive View Post
    no lah. Not the whole bottle.
    Around 5 cupfuls perhaps?

    Yes. Still using ceramic diffuser.
    thanks for the inputs yet again bro.
    That's erm quite alot, Some things need to change or add incrementally. A large change or spike will happily cause algae boom.
    Kindly refrain from using sms lingo bro.

    Quote Originally Posted by ralliart12 View Post
    On a side-note, can teach me how you manage to modify your rainbar; it looks cool.
    Many LFS have those L & T joints/connectors. C328 or Seaview are the LFS i've been to that carry a decent range. my outflow is DIY from clear pipes from C328
    Learning the hardway, not the highway.
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  13. #13
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    Re: Algae attack

    Regardless of whether the CO2 is from diffuser or inline, the rainbar should be placed underwater to prevent creating so much surface splashes and hence CO2 loss.
    Otto cats can deal with brown algae very effectively, but not the greenspot algae. So far, only nerite snails had been able to eat up my greenspots but the snails themselves laid white eggs all over the tank so its like trading greenspots for white. Argh!

  14. #14
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    Re: Algae attack

    Quote Originally Posted by felix_fx2 View Post
    ...Many LFS have those L & T joints/connectors. C328 or Seaview are the LFS i've been to that carry a decent range. my outflow is DIY from clear pipes from C328
    I just remembered that I have actually purchased installation set 1 & set 2 last year; so I need to evaluate if set 2 allows this kind of customization (I think it should; but I should check any way, to avoid throwing good money after the bad).

    Another thing I'm concerned about is the significant reduction in flow (if any) when the outlet is so, for lack of a better word, "liberated".

  15. #15
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    Re: Algae attack

    Installation kit 2 only comes with 1 elbow joint I believe...additional elbow can be found, but I'm not sure if C328 or the usual places carries it.
    Qianhu should be able to order it in?

  16. #16
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    Re: Algae attack

    C328 still got two more or last installation kit because Saturday I when to get one. Y618 also have but more expensive

  17. #17
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    Re: Algae attack

    How many Kelvin is your lights?? 6.5k? 10k? or 12k?

    anything more than 8k invites algae. Most hobbyist uses 6.5k lights for optimum plant growth.

  18. #18
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    Re: Algae attack

    Just an update.
    The cloudy waters have cleared. Did a few water changes and scrap of the GSA but it just comes
    Back.
    Added some Plants in as well. Haven't started dosing on ferts but I've
    Added some neon tetras. They are surviving while for the past few
    Days. No casulties. Going to start dosing K and trace today. Trial and error and see how it goes.

    Ralliart. For my rainbar, I just buy some T And L joints from c328.
    Buy additional rainbars. Just saw to your required length. Oh, buy extra
    Suckers too to hold on to your rainbars.

    Numbskull, my light is 6.5k pure white.

  19. #19
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    Re: Algae attack

    Hi prodive

    Your problems are the same as mine many months back, your cloudy water was likely due to a bacteria bloom. May I know your filter media and water change regime?

    Also just to share:

    1. Correct me if I'm wrong but your using a 4x 24watt lighting system, your tank is 81 liters and that makes your watts per gallon ratio 4.486. This is rather high for a new start up.
    Try to keep within the 3 to 3.5 range of watts per gallon. You could do what felix suggested by taking 1 tube out that would yield you about 3.348 watts per gallon.

    2. My experience with rain bars were terrible as far as aquatic plants are concerned. As the other bros have mentioned that it dissipates co2, I'd also add that whether your rain bar is placed above or below water level, the jetting effect of the rain bar
    will oxidize plant nutrients. You would want to return filtered water back as slow as possible.

    3. I usually aerate my tank at night as well. During the day photosynthesis of plants occurs and the stored energy is utilized during the night for oxidation and increased oxygen via aeration is essential to aid the process of oxidation. On top of aquatic plants, fish
    and microorganisms would also require oxygen at night for respiration. Also, if you grow plants that pearl like HC, aerating your tank at night would help as the more dissolved oxygen you have in your water, in the day time when photosynthesis occurs, the oxygen produced that cannot dissolve entirely into the water column would eventually lead to the pearling effect. It is a common misconception that increasing the lighting, nutrients and co2 would result in aquatic plants pearling.

    High lighting also does not directly affect the level of co2 and nutrients required by plants. Temperature affects the rate of photosynthesis of your plants which in turn then affects the levels of co2 and nutrients required, I'd keep my temperature below 28 degrees
    but preferably 25 degrees is ideal unless you are keeping plants that prefer warmer waters. As you can't really determine the rate of consumption of nutrients and what exactly is lacking it is best to stick to 3 to 3.5 watts per gallon(this is already quite high for a new start up). In the case where there is insufficient nutrients in the water, the high lighting would eventually lead to algae blooms as well.

    4. I use Amazonia Soil too and it's awesome stuff but I wouldn't put fish in my tank for the first few weeks, as during the initial start up phase, the progress of contamination is higher. Your nitrogen cycle is also unestablished during this period and phosphate from left over fish food and fish waste would also lead to algae. The waste and left over food would also cause heterotrophic bacteria to multiply rapidly and would in turn lead to a bacteria bloom (cloudy water which would settle after a while once your autotrophic bacteria in your filter reproduces to sufficient levels to break down the ammonia). During this phase, performing a daily water change (I'd do about 50% water change) would keep algae at bay and also replenish the nutrients much needed by plants.

    You can also fight algae without dosing chemicals, the biological way of removing algae is to use fish and invertebrates suggested by bros in earlier posts. Otocinclus affinis is good for algae on glass surfaces as well as on leaves (though nerite snails do better to some extent), cardina japonica aka yamato/amano shrimp is good for all algae except for those on glass surfaces or blue/green algae. Also a point to note if you use Amazonia soil, refrain from adding yamato shrimps during the first week or two as they would most probably pass away.

    I hope you find this information useful, all the best with your tank bro. Cheers!

  20. #20
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    Re: Algae attack

    Quote Originally Posted by Numbskull View Post

    anything more than 8k invites algae. Most hobbyist uses 6.5k lights for optimum plant growth.
    is this true? i always thought that the red/yellow spectrum are the ones that invites algae not the blue ones? any gurus to clarify?

    Low tech tank FTW!

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