# brown algae covering plants



## kasslloyd (May 28, 2007)

Apparently this algae was a hitchhiker from when I bought the plants at the LFS (all from same store and tank). There appeared to be no algae problems in the store though.

My tank is a 55gal with a XP2 filter and currently 3 air stones are in there temporarily. The lighting is a 260 watt 6700°K florescent lights.


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## obet_07304 (Jul 23, 2006)

A few questions. Do you run CO2? If you do, I would turn off the Airstones. The Airstones are just de-gassing your CO2. Whats your Parameters PH, Nitrite, Nitrate? Lighting duration? Substrate?


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## tazcrash69 (Sep 27, 2005)

kasslloyd said:


> My tank is a 55gal with a XP2 filter and currently 3 air stones are in there temporarily. The lighting is a 260 watt 6700°K florescent lights.


With this much light, I hope you are running CO2 into there, and I agree with obet, turn off the air. 

In addition to the other questions, how long has the tank been set up?

The algae probably just found an opportunity, and took advantage of it.


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## kasslloyd (May 28, 2007)

The plants and fish have been in like 1.5 weeks (cycled fishless). The plants are minimal at the moment, and CO2 will be added in a few weeks. Just trying to source a location to get CO2, my local AirGas only does exchanges on 50# tanks, which I'm told is A LOT ;-). The closest filling station for AirGas can do smaller tanks but you have to buy them and the cost of the tank is more then the rental for the 50# here in town. :-\

As for the water parms, lemme go test it as of now


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## kasslloyd (May 28, 2007)

Ammonia = 0
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 10
pH = 7.2

I did a 50% water change last night and the Nitrate was like ~30 before

Lighting is on a 14 hour on schedule


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## tazcrash69 (Sep 27, 2005)

OK, also what ferts are you dosing? 

OK, the quick thing for me to say is that 260 watts of light over a 55 for 14 hours is a LOT of light. 
Not that it can't be done (actually IMHO it can't without CO2), but it's a lot of light. When I had my 55 with 4 X 65 watts, I only had the lights on for 8 hours, pumped in a lot of CO2, had lots of fast growing stems, and religious dosing, and weekly 50% water changes.

I'm still trying to remember this myself:
It's all about balance.
Lights, nutrients (includes CO2, macros, and micros), and plant mass.


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## kasslloyd (May 28, 2007)

No doseing... And I expect to be adding CO2 and dose soon. Just would rather like to clear up the algae asap, not speed it's growth. 

So identifying the algae and finding something that eats it or whatever would be higher priority then what I need to be doing later for the plants. ;-) Adusting the light schedule isn't a problem, and I own the regulator and other things necessary for the CO2, just need the tank.


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