# Algae Problem in Newly Established Tank



## Wheely34 (Jul 15, 2011)

Some information about my tank before I continue:

-4 Gallons (is holding exactly 3 gallons of water
-26 Watt 6500K
-Flourite Black Sand Clay Substrate
-Weekly water changes, about 20%
-At every water change I dose a few drops of the macros and micros (All Seachem liquid)
-Dose a few drops of Excel daily
-Light is on about 7-8 hours a day with a 2 hour shut off in the middle of the day
-Also have Flourish tabs in the substrate

*Parameters:*

PH - 7.6
Ammonia - 0ppm
Nitrite - 0ppm
Nitrate - 4ppm
GH - 15 (about 280ppm I guess)
KH - 4
Temperature - 77F

I have passed that brownish algae stage and am currently plagued by the vibrant green hair algae. It seems to be the worst around my Dwarf Baby Tears, but is also around the tank in general. My questions is, what is the best way to eliminate this algae? My Baby Tears seems to be doing okay despite being engulfed in algae, but I'm finding it extremely difficult removing the algae without uprooting the very delicate baby tears. I thought of throwing an Oto in there, but I don't even think one of them will be gentle enough and will probably uproot the baby tears. I have a feeling I just have too much light going in there, but I thought I was balancing it out pretty well with the nutrient and Excel doses...

I've been dosing Excel daily, but it doesn't seem to be combating it too well. Are there any other methods I can try that won't damage my baby tears?


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## mfurufuru (Mar 20, 2012)

hair algae is usually caused by too much nutrients in the water coloum. What are your plants and fauna?. i had a simillar issue when i started my tank. I cleaned my by 50% WC
and physically removing as much algae as i can. Then I added a SAE which did wonders for my tank. I also stopped dosing during that period as well.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

What kind of lighting are you using - a screw-in CFL bulb in a dome-like reflector? And, how far is the bulb from the substrate? Algae are primarily a result of high light.


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## Wheely34 (Jul 15, 2011)

Yes, it is a 6500K screw-in CFL bulb with dome reflector:

http://www.finnex.net/index.php?opt...ge.tpl&category_id=4&product_id=176&Itemid=61

I'd say the bulb is about 1 1/4 or 1 1/2 feet from the substrate.

I guess I'm not sure what I'm going overboard with: light or nutrients... Either way, it seems the ratio is off or else I wouldn't be having this much of a problem correct?


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

nutrients do not cause algae. that has been proven. my tank hovers between 15-30 ppm nitrates and 3-8 ppm phosphates.. algae is not a common occurence in my tank unless i mess with my lights or c02 which i still often do.


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## The Trigger (May 9, 2012)

Yeah if you're running co2, crank it as high as the fish will allow. Blazingwolf is right its not too much nutrients. Chances are your lighting is too high and your co2 is low. My nitrates stay about 30ppm and phosphates about 3ppm at any given time


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## BBradbury (Nov 8, 2010)

*Green Hair Algae*

Hello Wheel...

You can remove it with a small bottle brush or a toothbrush. Just twirl the tool around in the hair and carefully pull it up. Don't use "algae killers", they'll kill the algae, but the dead stuff can sometimes float around and just makes more food for the next algae bloom.

Once the tank ages and the water chemistry is established, it won't be a problem. Large, frequent water changes will help remove some the nutrients algae uses for food. You can also plant some Amazon Sword and float some Water wisteria in the tank. These plants use the same basic nutrients as the algae. But, don't fret over it too much, it's the sign of a healthy tank and is good nutrition for your fish.

B


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## The Trigger (May 9, 2012)

Anything that photosynthesizes uses the same nutrients. It's not just certain plants that use certain nutrients. All plants and algae need the same nutrients. It's simply a matter of growing the plants well enough so that they out compete the algae for the nutrients in the water


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## chicken (Aug 22, 2007)

I'd remove as much of it as possible with a toothbrush, as suggested above. Just get in there every day or two and remove what you can, and do a big water change afterwards (I find that helps remove the stray bits I dislodged from plants or substrate, that didn't stay on the toothbrush). 

Depending on the fauna in the tank, you can probably dose more Excel than you have been. I routinely add 1 ml daily in my 2.5 gallon tanks, and have on occasion used as much as 1-2 ml for brief periods. Red cherry shrimp do not seem affected by this, but I don't know how more sensitive species would fare. By Dwarf Baby Tears, I assume you mean Hemianthus callitrichoides? If so, good news --HC loves Excel! Seriously, it is one plant that responds very well to high doses of Excel, in my experience. 

It's also very easy to do diy co2 on a tank of that size, which will be even better than Excel for plant growth and algae prevention (although if you really want to see HC go crazy, do both co2 and Excel! :hihi. For my 2.5 gallon tanks, I use 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/8 t. of yeast, in a 20 oz. (591 ml) soda bottle. I run the tubing into the filter intake. It works pretty well, although I have found if I don't stay on top of refreshing the yeast mixture, that's when I may see algae.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

You probably have low light - the bulb is horizontal, which gives a lot less PAR than if it is vertical. But, the amount of algae you have suggests that it is still a bit higher than you need or can use without using CO2. Anything that causes the plants to not grow at the rate the light is driving them to will tend to cause algae to take over. So, you may also be dosing too little fertilizer. Remember you need nitrates, potassium and phosphates, not just 1 or 2 of those. Some people still believe that phosphates cause algae, so they don't dose any. That is a mistake, and can stall the plant growth, causing algae.


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## The Trigger (May 9, 2012)

Hoppy's right its very very rarely a high nutrient issue. 99% of the time its too much or too little light and/or too little co2


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## Wheely34 (Jul 15, 2011)

Yes, it is the Hemianthus callitrichoides I am referring too.

Well, it seems it's just too much light for my application. My other plants consist of Cryptocoryne parva, Heteranthera zosterifolia (Stargrass), and Hygrophila corymbosa (Giant hygro), which all are growing great with minimal algae.

I am dosing potassium, phosphorus, and nitrogen, along with Flourish, Iron, and Excel. I'll try increasing it all, especially the Excel, while physically removing as much algae as I can. I'll also add my DIY Co2 in there and see what happens. I currently have no fish in there yet so I am free to experiment a little more freely with the Co2.

Thanks for all the useful input everyone, really appreciate it.


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## chicken (Aug 22, 2007)

As far as dosing goes, instead of dosing just once a week after water changes, it is best to dose smaller amounts 2-3 times a week. 

Oh, and by the way the Hygrophila corymbosa may soon get rather large for that tank!


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## Wheely34 (Jul 15, 2011)

Yes, i have already realized the error of my ways in regards to choosing the Hygrophila corymbosa... I guess the word "Giant" in Giant Hygro should have set off a light bulb. Either way, it's alright for now.


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