Managing algae in a new aquarium

[trodi]

Hello,
First i want to thank everyone for their help so far and for this community and website it's been abundantly helpful. It has been fun and exciting to get into this hobby while having a place to return to for information and discussion.

I had started a planted tank 12 days ago.

I have a 55 g/ 250 L tank

160 W of Fl for 11 hours

external canister filter with bio media cylinders and filter wool (recently added)

about 3-5 bps of CO2 (it's hard to determine in my bubble counter) (cylinder) injected into a DIY Diffuser from the output of my filter

I also use a gentle power head to help circulate the water

Substrate is Seachem Flourite

Not adding any fertilizers yet

Temp: 78F

PH fluctuates between ~6.0 with CO2 injection to ~6.4/6.5 without CO2 (when I take a reading in the morning when the CO2 has been off all night)
Kh: 7
Nitrate: .5
Nitrite: 0
Ammonia: 0
no fish

I planted my tank with:
1 - Red rubin 2 - Ruffled Sword 10 - Subulata 2 - Hornwort 4 - Crypt petchii 2 - Anubias congensis 4 - Aquarium Lily 4 - Crypt spiralis 2 - Java Moss 2 - Wisteria 2 - Crispus 4 - RotalaI was concerned at first as I was unsure how some of the bigger leafed plants would do. After 2 days I saw there was already growth.Things are continueing to grow including I nice film of agae over pretty much everyting from plants to substrate. I idenitfied the algae to be brush algae or hair algae. Almost all the leaves have a transulescent green film and some have long strands of hair algae. thewater was murkey yesterday as well. I am glad everything is growing but the tank is becoming overwhelmed with algae.

I am unsure if I shold try and order some of those Siamese algae eaters I have been reading about.

According to the Kh and PH reading, my CO2 concentration seems to be high.

I am going to try 10hrs of light and yesterday added two bunches of anacharis.

I'm trying to prepare my tank to eventually add fish. I could use suggestions with the algae overload as well as my levels.
Thanks

[|squee|]

Have you been doing water changes?

You need to get fertilisers fast. Increase your CO2 too, as long as your fish aren't stressed it's fine how much CO2 you put in. Your CO2 concentration seems to be high, usually it's not high enough due to human error and the 1001 factors in a planted tank that affect readings.

Do remove as much of the algae as possible as well when you do water changes.

[gbbudd]

cut your light back big time like way down to 5 or 6 hours 11hrs on a new tank and your doomed to find major algae blooms. from your plant list i don't remember seeing anything that needed high light. and get your self some plants that grow very very fast even placing some duck weed in there will filter some of the light as well as eat up extra nutrients.milfoil or simulars work very well sucking up nutrients. m inimum of 50 percent water change every week if not twice a week . AND ADDING diatom filter can help keep your water clear of anything in the water. for the bearded algea try ADDING k to the water it hates high levels and quickly dies off. without harming plants. once you get the algea under control set up to your longer light hours on the weekends if you must. After looking at your plant list agin i'd even cut back a few watts if possible. only the rotala will do best in 3 watts per gallon from what i have experianced . oh one more question to you does any natural sunlight hit your tank? if so your algae will be very very very difficult to ever get rid of. becareful how much Co2 you add you can poison your fish with to much. best way to tell if your adding too much s visualy in the tank with 3 watts per gallon if you see bubles coming up from every where kinda like a buble machine your probably maxed or over watch your fish carefuly. if they're at the surface sucking air you running to much. it's a fine line between to much Co2 and optimum growth. make all your changes gradualy patiance is a virtue as they say

[StanChung]

I think cutting back on the photoperiod length to 6 hours as suggested would be a good start. 160W for a 250L tank is alright IMHO. I'm doing about the same with HQI's.

Potassium is needed from the start of setup, you should start dosing immediately from day one of setup. You can add N & P + trace minerals later when you start seeing some growth. Since you mentioned it is, I suggest doing an overhaul to trim all affected parts and large WC and redose 1/3-1/2 of fert manufacturer's recommended dosing slowly increasing it till your tank is mature.

Since the ammonia and nitrite readings are 0, you can add 'helpers' like Yamato shrimp, Otocinclus and SAE's[get small ones-3cm] to help you overcome this algae. HTH.

[exotic]

hi ...i on my 10000k light for more than 12 hr per day.... but i also on my powerful 36 watt uv sterilizer 24 hr per day.. never switch off since i fix it...co2. 2 bps.. no algae and the water very clear.. you can try it...

[trodi]

Thanks for the replies. I have since my posting cut way back on light as per suggestions and I've seen a dramtic decrese in algae. I've done a few tank cleanings and 50% water changes. The algae is much better so far. I've begun to increase my light now from 3 hrs - 5hrs and there is some more algae at five hrs. I'd like to have more light on the tank. I'll reduce the watts and try longer light periods.

I'm about to add some Oto's to my tank today. I'm going to try 2 bps of CO2 and watch them.

My plants seem to be growing well for the most part. I have Seachem flourish that I haven't added yet and waiting on some Macro nutirents to come in the mail. Have not dosed the tank yet. Suggetions?

[StanChung]

Hi Trodi, plants need ALL the nutrients to grow. NPK + traces. One missing and they start to cannibalize themselves, deplete their stores and overall growth starts to stunt.

Since you are at 1/2 speed. Try dosing 1/2 the dose at the moment for Flourish-NPK and elements.

[trodi]

I had just this morning dosed half using Seachem Flourish, unfortunately I don't have my other ferts NPK available hopefully they will be here tomorrow.

I attempted to add my oto's yesterday but my CO2 was too high as they were gasping immediatley. I was running at about 3bps. I lowered it to 1 Bps and will test tonight.