# Algae Infested Tank Please Help



## lokobreed (Dec 30, 2003)

*anyone*

please anyone know whats wrong?


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## ninoboy (Jan 26, 2004)

Lokobreed,

How do you dissolve CO2? If your KH is 9 and pH at 8, it doesn't seem like you're injecting any. You need to inject CO2 to bring down your pH around 7. Also, you can add nitrate a bit to 5-10ppm. But I suspect your CO2 level is the main problem especially with that kind of lighting.


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## lokobreed (Dec 30, 2003)

*hey*

I use a power reactor to dissolve, but I just went over there and our power went out last night and I just checked it this morning and nothing was working, but fixed and its now pumping 2 bubbles every 3 seconds

Also I calculated my Co2 ppm and its 2.7 ppm, should I just increase the amount of Co2?

And how long after I get all my paramaters right for the algae to satart going away?

Thanks


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## ninoboy (Jan 26, 2004)

CO2 level of 2.7 is as good as not injecting any. That's the regular cO2 level of tap water. You want to increase it to 20-30ppm. 

Once you have all the parameters in check, eventually, the algae will stop growing. But it's really a period that most planted tanks have to go thru. If you maximize hte plant growth, you won't have that bad of algae period. It's hard to give the time frame. All depends on how dense you plant the tank also and how fast your tank reaches its balance. My last tank got infested by algaes going into the 6th weeks (found out my NO3 and PO4 were 0) and all dissapeared a month after that.


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## lokobreed (Dec 30, 2003)

*k*

What should my No3 and PO4 be?

And the algae is so thick it picked most of my glosso up, but once I get the parameters right will the algae start to go away and then i can replant the glosso?

Also should I dose any supplements for the plants, if so what?


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## ninoboy (Jan 26, 2004)

Get the nitrate up to 5ppm first and PO4 to 0.25-0.5. After your tank is established, you can increase nitrate to 10ppm. Don't dose any trace or micro yet for the first 6-8 weeks. After that, dose it slowly. If you have root feeders plants, you can safely add root tabs underneath them. They won't leach any nutrients into the water column as long as you don't disturb the substrate.


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## lokobreed (Dec 30, 2003)

*little more help*

trace or micro - is that what I should use to dose for phosphate and nitrate?

If so where can I get some?

Also I heard of stump remover good for nitrate, am i wrong?


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## Urkevitz (Jan 12, 2004)

Spectracide stump remover 1 pound for $5. I get it at walmart, 1 pound should last a looong time.


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## lokobreed (Dec 30, 2003)

*thanks*

Thanks, what about phosphate?

And what is trace and macro that ninoboy mentioned?


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## ninoboy (Jan 26, 2004)

Lokobreed,

Macros are Nitrogen, Phophate and Potassium. Micros are the traces or ferts like Flourish or Plantex.

You can dose Phosphate by using fleet enema from any drugstore. Just tell them you're constipated:icon_redf . 0.3ml of fleet will increase 1 ppm of PO4 for each 10gl. So you dose it by counting drops not pouring it.
If you want to save the trouble, go to www.gregwatson.com. He has everything you need, cheap and 1 pound each will last you very long time.


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## Coltrain (Jun 9, 2004)

Too me I'd suspect a lil too much lighting. 5wpg seems a lil excessive and it probably is if the algae are out competing your fast growing plants.


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## Urkevitz (Jan 12, 2004)

Coltrain said:


> Too me I'd suspect a lil too much lighting. 5wpg seems a lil excessive and it probably is if the algae are out competing your fast growing plants.


 I disagree, I have the same setup, and without the addition of nitrates my fast growers did not grow fast enough to out compete algae. Once nitrates were added algae disappeared. However I do agree it is too much lighting if there is no nitrate supplementation.


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## lokobreed (Dec 30, 2003)

*k*

Three things,

1) For nitrates, what should I get, stump remover?? If so what type, like brand name ?

2) Also what type of ferts should I get... floruish...?

3) How can I remove my ammonia?

-- at gregwatson.com is the potassium nitrate and pottasium phosphurus also what I could use?


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## ninoboy (Jan 26, 2004)

I agree with Urkevitz. If you stunt your plants growth (no nitrate), algae will make use of the extra light. If you have all the nutrients in check, they should dissapear.

If you want to order online, just go to gregwatson. If you choose to go to nursery, many use stump remover called greenlight. Some may not have the ingredient listed but if they do, look for those which contain 100% Potassium Nitrate.

Don't dose any micro fert (Flourish or Plantex CSM) yet since your tank is still new and having algae problems. 

Ammonia reading you're getting maybe harmless. It might be ammonium instead from your tap. If your tap has chloramine, the dechlor product will break down the chlorine and convert ammonia to ammonium. If your plants thrive, they should suck up any ammonium quickly.


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## ninoboy (Jan 26, 2004)

Oh, if you order from GW, just get Plantex CSM+B and KNO3. I prefer using fleet enema to dose Phosphate but it's up to you. If your tap contain low magnesium, you can also order the Mg2SO4 or just buy Epsom salt at your drugstore.


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## lokobreed (Dec 30, 2003)

*k*

I got Fleet Enema for phosphate.

Is Plantex CSM+B for phosphate?

And Potassium Nitrate (KNO3) is for nitrate, correct?


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## bharada (Mar 5, 2004)

The Plantex CSM+B would be for trace elements. Or you could use Flourish or Tropica Master Grow.


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## lokobreed (Dec 30, 2003)

*k*

Which is better?


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## bharada (Mar 5, 2004)

I don't know that any one is better than the other, but the Plantex CSM is probably the most economical in the long run. 5 liters of Tropica Mater Grow or Flourish is $50 at Big Al's. It only takes 10 Tbs of CSM+B to make 5 liters of solution. For $50 you can buy over 5lbs of CSM+B which will make *a lot* of trace solution.


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## Fish Tank (Feb 11, 2004)

I also had a LOT of hair algae in my 30 gallon. To the point where I wanted to give up. It was chocking my glosso and a lot of my plants. 

I never do any readings, so I can't help you there, but here's what _I_ did.

ALL my water changes are now with RO from a local water company. $4 CDN for a 4 gallon jug. I usually do 8 gallons every week and a half. I trimmed any infected leaves (that wouldn't affect the plant growth rate. MOST IMPORTANTLY I started dosing Magnesium and Iron. I noticed a DRASTIC change by doing this, in combination with a lot of Amano and Cherry Shrimp as well as 2 SAEs. The shrimp are pretty much useless for large-scale algae wipe-out, but every bit helps. Magnesium seems to be a key element in getting the existing plants to absorb nutrients. The thought was that the plants hit a plateau for absorbtion, and needed a kick-start. I also does with ferts sparingly since I have some Tetras and figure they should poop some good stuff.

It's 3 weeks later and there is almost NO hair algae in the tank. No normal human being (save for s fish freak) could tell if there is. I actually need some more to help feed the shrimp, but I'm not going through that again - so they get sinking algae wafers (without copper) to supplement.

I'm not saying that's what you should do, just relating MY story ;-)

Cheers and Good Luck,
John


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## mpb (Jun 6, 2004)

Plants prefer ammonia to nitrate. If the tank is heavy planted and with this amount of light you should have 0 ammonia unless the tank is over stocked with fish. The plants are not using the ammonia because of the lack of other macronutrients. IMO it is lack of potassium or CO2.


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## lokobreed (Dec 30, 2003)

*k*

Dosing,

What can I use to dose for iron, potassium, and magnesium


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## mpb (Jun 6, 2004)

Lookbreed,

For potassium you can use Flourish Potassium or potassium sulfate (H2SO4). You can buy H2SO4 from www.gregwatson.com. For magnesium you can add Epson salt. But start adjusting nitrate and phosphates levels and add potassium. Unfortunately there is no easy/cheap way to measure potassium level. Start adding slowly until you dose weekly the amount that would make your tank to have 10 or 20 ppm of potassium. Do not add any micronutrients right now. Let the algae go away first.


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## ninoboy (Jan 26, 2004)

I think Mpb meant K2SO4 

If you dose nitrate with KNO3, you may not need to dose that.


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## Clone (Feb 29, 2004)

I don't think that Spectricide is the right choice. I am positive that it is not KNO3 but rather a sulphur compound. Green Light stump remover is for sure. If the ingredents are not listed on the container go to the company website. There you should be able to review the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet). The MSDS will tell you the chemical composition of the product.


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## Bol (Nov 28, 2003)

Spectracide Stump Remover does appear to be pure KNO3, unless someone made a fake MSDS: http://members.aol.com/nonillion/pix/msds_spe.gif


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## Fish Tank (Feb 11, 2004)

lokobreed said:


> Dosing,
> 
> What can I use to dose for iron, potassium, and magnesium


I use Kent Marine for Magnesium - you won't find it in the freshwater section, it'll be in saltwater. I wouldn't add Epsom Salts personally, as it introduces other elements, and is difficult to measure proper results (IMHO).


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## lokobreed (Dec 30, 2003)

*k*

Can anyone tell me the correct water parameters to have almost an algae free tank...

Magnesium:
Phosphates:
Nitrate:
PH:
Potassium:
KH:
GH:
Nitrite:

Thanks
Lee

Also how can I measure magnesium and potassium - do I have to get a test kit for that?

And what is a good test kit that contains PH Nitrite GH KH (Because Right now I have tetra master kit but ph is kind of hard to tell)


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## lokobreed (Dec 30, 2003)

*aynone?*

please?

Thanks
Lee


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## bharada (Mar 5, 2004)

*Magnesium:* Don't know if anyone even measures this. Dosing is based more on knowing what comes out of your tap (request a water report from the water company) and observing the condition of your plants
*Phosphates:* .5-1ppm
*Nitrate:* 5-10ppm
*PH:* Whatever gets you to ~30ppm of CO2 (using Chuck's calculator)
*Potassium:* Another one that people usually dose by observing plant conditions
*KH:* Anything above 3 will do
*GH:* Not crucial unless you're looking to grow soft-water specific plants (e.g. Tonina)
*Nitrite:* 0

I typically only test NO3 and PO4 weekly, and even then only if things don't seem to be going quite right with the plants. All the other ferts I dose based on what the plants are doing. Again, browse through Chuck Gadd's site (through the link I provided above). He has a load of info there.

But this has been covered pretty well already throughout the thread.


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## lokobreed (Dec 30, 2003)

*k*

so if plants are not looking healthy u should dose magnessium and potassium?


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## bharada (Mar 5, 2004)

If it only were that easy 

No, you need to know what is/may be causing the problem in order to treat it. Chuck's website has a nutrient deficiency symptoms page that is a good place to start diagnosing what's ailing your plants. Then ask questions/search here or on other aquatic plant forums like AquaBotanic, Aquatic Plant Centralor PlantGeek.net.


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