Need Advice on Stopping Algae

[Metallic Sardine]

Guys, need some help. I have a 2-ft tank with some Anubias barteri var. barteri tied to some drift wood. The tank is lit with a 36w PL (from retired planted tank project months ago) and the tank is constantly being attacked by algae.

prob is, i like the bright lights from the 36w and sometimes i even blast it with 72w as my light comes with twin tubes.

how do i stop the algae without changing the lights? any chems i can add? harmful to my precious fishies? what should i do to get rid of the extra nutrients? more plants(dun really want to)?

will sae's help? the algae is really quite outta control as any rock, leaf or wood that is exposed to light (not in shade is covered with algae). will sae's be sufficient to control the growth?

need help.....

thanks in advance,

MetaSard

[vinz]

Hmmm...

More info will be good... e.g.
Using CO2? Ferts of any kind? What kind of gravel? What else do you think can help us help you?

How about using a dimmer light on it normally. Turn on the brighter lights only when you are at home or better yet, only when you want to see the tank.

Another alternative is to go for some lights with lower kelvins. My 3ft tanganyikan cichlid tank used to get a lot of algae with 72 Watts even for just a few short hours at night. After I changed to a 2ft pinkish FL (18 watts?) the algae is under better control. It still quite bright to me.

Other options:
- Change water more frequently... 50% a week.
- Get stuff that soaks up NO3 and PO4 from the water (might not be good for the nanas).
- Floating plants... soaks up nutrients, but easy to remove (scoop and throw)
- Make it really great for you nanas to grow. I.e. ferts probably at low dosage. Flourish has very low concentrations, so is ideally for slow plants. Make sure you provide C too... either CO2 or maybe Flourish Excel. I think I remember someone saying that nubias is able to extract C from carbonates in the tank (someone can confirm this?). If so, just maintain some KH in your tank as a C source.

Frankly, you have to tweak the tank to find the answer. Hopefully the above gives you some ideas.

[David]

Hi Vinz

Most if not all aquatic plants is able to get their carbon needs for KH.....in fact with very good lighting and high KH, you need not have to inject CO2

[bclee]

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On 6/25/2003 7:52:53 PM

Guys, need some help. I have a 2-ft tank with some Anubias barteri var. barteri tied to some drift wood. The tank is lit with a 36w PL (from retired planted tank project months ago) and the tank is constantly being attacked by algae.

prob is, i like the bright lights from the 36w and sometimes i even blast it with 72w as my light comes with twin tubes.

how do i stop the algae without changing the lights? any chems i can add? harmful to my precious fishies? what should i do to get rid of the extra nutrients? more plants(dun really want to)?

will sae's help? the algae is really quite outta control as any rock, leaf or wood that is exposed to light (not in shade is covered with algae). will sae's be sufficient to control the growth?

need help.....

thanks in advance,

MetaSard

----------------

If you want to keep the light, you got to add some fertilisers and some faster growing plants. CO2 addition will be good especially with high lights. If I am not wrong, plants will be more dependent on CO2 at higher lighting than HCO3- (KH).

CO2, KH & pH are interelated.

CO2 + H20 <--> H2CO3 <---> H+ + HCO3- <---> 2H+ + CO3--

The equilibrium goes toward the left at low pH and to the right at high pH. The problem is with high KH you get high pH and most of the C exist as CO3-- which I think is not so readily (if at all) absorbed by plants.

BC

[naturetan]

It seems like you've a major problem with algae in your tank. It would be good if you could provide us as much information as possible about your tank with the data sheet.

Your tank might not be having extra nutrients problem, but lack of nutrients instead. Anubias barteri are vulnerable to algae if your tank water chemistry is not right. Let us know what sort of algae you're having too. Spot? BGA? BBA?...

[Metallic Sardine]

Hi Guys!

Thanks for your replies. I am not keeping a planted tank as I have given that up months ago when I realised that I do not have sufficient time to keep it in bonzai condition.

I now have an all fish tank with some Anubias barteri tied to a piece of wood the algae is driving me insane.

The reason why I posted this question on this forum, even though I have an all fish tank, is that I know you guys are the experts in tackling problems like these. Many times when I still had my planted tank, I got plenty of invaluable lessons here.[]

I have no ferts in my tank, just sandy gravel but quite a lot of fish. I suspect that the waste of the fish is providing way too much nutrients to the water, thus, even 36w of light is causing the algae "blossom".[]

I do not really know what type of algae it is but it coats my plants, rocks and pebbles with a reddish layer. After some research, I think it might be called Brown Algae but I am not sure.

I have also read that I should get some stuff to soak up the excess phosphates?? (my chemistry has never been my forte), or some SAEs (I have one who does not seem to be doing a great job[:] ) or OTOs, or even some floating plants to shade the tank from too much light, as well as to suck up the excess nutrients.

What do you think about those suggestions? What kind of floating plants should I get? Duck weed? Where can I get them?

The final, last resort solution I guess would be to change the lights Im using to maybe 18W? I like the effect that 36W has on my tank as it makes the water really clear. But if there is no choice, I guess I will change it.

Please help guys. Thanks!!

Meta Sard[:]

[PeterGwee]

You can do the following for 3 weeks to see if it helps.

1)Take out the anubias if possible and scrub well to remove all the attached algae..trim off the leaves if needed.( Don't worry, they will grow back when the conditions are good.)..Remove algae on the tank glass if existant.
2)Do a 50% water change and add some floating plants to cut out the extra light.
3)Add CO2 if possible..plants grow better with CO2...

Do the following regime only when you add CO2..keep within 20-30ppm of CO2. If not, feed the fish well daily and change the water every 2-3 months for buildup of nutrients (Only if bioload is light).....if not do the CO2 way!
4)Add fresh nutrients back...Assume its a 20gallon tank..
1/4tsp of KNO3 1X a week
1/4-1/2tsp of K2SO4 after water change
5ml of traces (TMG,Sera,Flourish) 1X a week
1 rice grain of KH2PO4
Repeat for 3 weeks and should see improvement.

[axel_wong]

Just buy 2 otocinclus affinis will do.
They love brown algae very much.
Hope this helps.

[naturetan]

What 2ft tank size you're having?

It's not easy to keep your light high while you've very little plants, IMO. Floating plants can help but it's a temporary solution. It blocks off light, which in the end, you're better off with lower light.

You may keep to non-CO2 tank, but you need to decrease your light to about 1-2 W/gal. Lower range, would be better if less plants.

If you're keeping light at a higher range (say 2W/gal but not higher), then put in more plants, Anubias, Fern, Bolbitis, crypto, etc, whichever that suit you with minimum maintainance. This would naturally balanced up your tank in the long run - with less water changes, filtration and fertilization.

[Darkkon]

From what i know, SAEs are particularly effective towards brush algae (worked GREAT for me), so i guess it depends on what type of algae is bothering you right now. Just a point do make sure that it is the REAL SAE and not some lookalike (CAE for example) cos they dun really work. [:]

[bclee]

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On 6/29/2003 10:19:50 AM

Hi Guys!

Thanks for your replies. I am not keeping a planted tank as I have given that up months ago when I realised that I do not have sufficient time to keep it in bonzai condition.

I now have an all fish tank with some Anubias barteri tied to a piece of wood the algae is driving me insane.

The reason why I posted this question on this forum, even though I have an all fish tank, is that I know you guys are the experts in tackling problems like these. Many times when I still had my planted tank, I got plenty of invaluable lessons here.[]

I have no ferts in my tank, just sandy gravel but quite a lot of fish. I suspect that the waste of the fish is providing way too much nutrients to the water, thus, even 36w of light is causing the algae "blossom".[]

I do not really know what type of algae it is but it coats my plants, rocks and pebbles with a reddish layer. After some research, I think it might be called Brown Algae but I am not sure.

I have also read that I should get some stuff to soak up the excess phosphates?? (my chemistry has never been my forte), or some SAEs (I have one who does not seem to be doing a great job[:] ) or OTOs, or even some floating plants to shade the tank from too much light, as well as to suck up the excess nutrients.

What do you think about those suggestions? What kind of floating plants should I get? Duck weed? Where can I get them?

The final, last resort solution I guess would be to change the lights Im using to maybe 18W? I like the effect that 36W has on my tank as it makes the water really clear. But if there is no choice, I guess I will change it.

Please help guys. Thanks!!

Meta Sard[:]
----------------

Hi Meta Sard, let me try to get the concept right. It is not the light alone that is causing the problem.

Plants need light. The higher is the light, the faster the plant grow. Plants will need nutrients(including CO2)/fertilisers as they grow. Higher light ---> faster growth ---> more nutrients needed.

You can lower the light to lower the nutrients demand. But the lower limit is about 1.5~2.0W/gal depending on type of plants. Therefore 18W may not be sufficient. 30W will be a good bet for a standard 2'x1'x1' tank.

So if your plant do not get what it needed, it will stunt. Algae being more adaptable and probably need less nutrients will thrive.

BC

[naturetan]

Meta Sard, just in case you're confused, my suggestion are only for non-CO2 tank which I've seen success from friend. It adopts Diana Walstad's concept, since your several Anubias are hardy plants and undemanding to grow, and don't really like to add more plants and maintain it. A non-CO2 tank are more naturally balanced, but grows very slow, thus low cost & maintainance. Refer to this book "Ecology of the Planted Aquarium" if like to know more.

Alternatively, you may choose the CO2 concept, as suggested by the rest, and many of us keep. Plants grow faster, and nutrients become very important in taking care of algae.

[Metallic Sardine]

Hi guys,

Many thanks for your invaluable replies. Really made me learn alot. After reading the advice given, I think I will go with more plants as I think that would be the proper solution if I want to keep my lights.

Does anyone have any low low maintenance plants to recommend. It would be preferable if the plants are able to grow tied to some wood or rock or something such that I do not have to do any digging if I want to shift them around. [:]

I still have some SERA traces from my last planted tank attempt and will use that to supply some trace elements to my new plants.

I will also buy some otos and saes to keep the algae under control. I feel like adding some prawns as well but as my tank is heated, I might end up with a seafood steamboat!!![] I could take the heater away but my fish (ESP THE clown loaches) seem to suffer from less diseases (white spots) when I heat my tank.

And if all the above doesnt work, I guess I will then have to reduce my lights!![]

Thanks again guys! Really appreciate your help and replies!

Will definitely keep you updated.

MetaSard

[vinz]

Anubias, Java fern, Moss, Bolbitis. All low light, can tie to rocks/wood. But cooler water are better for these guys.