# Dwarf Baby Tears Carpet Algae Problem



## JBlue (May 31, 2018)

Hello I currently have a tank with a dwarf baby tears carpet and it seems that algae is starting to take over the tank! Whenever I try to remove the algae within the next few days it grows back. I have had the lights on for 12 hours a day with co2 injection but have now lowered it to 6 to see how things go.


*Water Changes: * 25% weekly

*Fertilizers: * Flourish excel, potassium, and iron every other day.

*Size: * 10 gallon

*Lights:* https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013K2G5OY/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Does anyone have any ideas on what I am doing wrong? 

Thanks!



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## Surf (Jun 13, 2017)

> Fertilizers: Flourish excel, potassium, and iron every other day.


Excel provides carbon (C), then you have K and Fe. What are you doing to proved the other nutrients, Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P0, Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg), Sulfur (S), Chlorine (Cl), Boron (B), Manganese (Mn), Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), Molybdenum (Mo)?

IF that is all you are adding to the water ,,You have a serious deficiency issue. And until that is resolved you will not be able to clear out the algae. 

A few questions are injecting CO2 gas into the tank? What is your PH, CH, KH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate?


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## monkeyruler90 (Apr 13, 2008)

what livestock do you have?


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## madcrafted (Dec 23, 2017)

Cases like this prove that lighting has more of an effect on algae than nutrients do. Sit a bowl of r/o or distilled water out in the sun for a few days if you still don't believe that. It doesn't help to run a shorter photo period if the intensity of said light exceeds the nutritional needs of the plants. I would start by dimming lights by either raising them, adding a screen over the top of the tank or by the use of an inexpensive pwm dimmer. A photo period of 6-8 hours is fine. I would also recommend getting your plants on a balanced diet as mentioned by @Surf.


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## IntotheWRX (May 13, 2016)

JBlue said:


> Hello I currently have a tank with a dwarf baby tears carpet and it seems that algae is starting to take over the tank! Whenever I try to remove the algae within the next few days it grows back. I have had the lights on for 12 hours a day with co2 injection but have now lowered it to 6 to see how things go.
> 
> 
> *Water Changes: * 25% weekly
> ...


Lighting can be easily overpowering in a small nano tank. 12 hours is off the charts too much light. I would cut it as low as you can until your tank stabilizes. I would recommend 4-5 hours for a month.


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## JBlue (May 31, 2018)

Forgot to add that I also use flourish comprehensive too.


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