algae problems... the cause?

[jon]

hi all

been having some algae problems lately. got lots of green spot algae on my amazon swords n some hair algae also.

i havent been dosing co2 as regularly lately, coz of work n coz i never buy the auto regulator yet. could this be the cause?

i've been dosing just about the full range of seachem fert, expect for phos and excel (which i dun need =) )
its a 3 feet tank, temo range at bout 26-28, light is at 100watts (2 PL and 2 FL) ph is bout 7 (sera testkits =( ) n kh is 5.

yours sincerely,
jon.
p.s. has anyone seen their floridia flag fish actually eat algae? i nv feed any of my small fishes (only feed discus bw) but i still nv see them eat anything.

[geoffrey]

been having some algae problems lately. got lots of green spot algae on my amazon swords n some hair algae also.
A little PO4 may help with spot algae but you mentioned that you don't need, why? What is your fishload like?

i havent been dosing co2 as regularly lately, coz of work n coz i never buy the auto regulator yet. could this be the cause?
It does not matter if you have manual or auto, what is important is to ensure that CO2 is around 20~30ppm during photoperiod. When you say you dose CO2 regularly, what do you mean? It is suppose to be continuous during the photoperiod or, if without a solenoid, 24hours running.

i've been dosing just about the full range of seachem fert, expect for phos and excel (which i dun need =) )
How much of what will be helpful and what is your water parameter? How old is that tank, and when did you start to have algae?

[jon]

hi

i guess i made a couple of typos n need to provide more details. sorry.

well i meant that i dun need excel, coz i already have co2 injection. i just havent got round to buying phos yet. my fish load is : 3 semi-adult discus, 2 ballon rams, 15-20 cardinals, 2 pencil fish, 1 f. flagfish, some ottos n yamatos.

i my co2 inject is from 11-9, 10hrs, but lately i started working so havent been able to turn it on at 11. no auto regulator u see. so i should turn it on 24hrs a day? im worried bout co2 poisoning, esp with my discus inside.

my tank is bout 9 mths old, kh is 5, ph is bout 7 ( cant tell exactly coz using sera testkit, not ph-pen). i still havent tested for ammonia n nitrate yet tho. will test soon.

well, i think it started a couple weeks back, maybe 3.

jon.

[geoffrey]

You have to fix your CO2 problems first.

[Plantbrain]

Get a narrow range pH test kit.

Shoot for a pH of 6.8 or so.
Also, don't fret over CO2 poisoning, it takes a fair amount to kill anything. O2 is the main thing so have a little surface current, lots of plants etc and the O2 levels should be fairly high all the time.

Check the pH in the early am as the lights come on and when the lights go off at night. See how close you can get these values to be.

American flagfish, not Florida flag fish*(they don't look anything like the FL flag are not the best algae eaters IME/IMO.
They eat hairgrass, java moss anyhting fuzzy and delicate.

Add more shrimps but the Discus will eat the shrimp as they grow and become adult size fish.

Shrimps are the best algae eaters.
Regards,
Tom Barr