# Starting Over. I am beginning to dislike aquariums...



## zavikan (Jan 5, 2009)

sorry, dunno how to edit... screaming DIE was supposed to be after each step of the process.


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## DevinWolfe (Aug 1, 2009)

I definitely feel your pain. My 50G is currently completely empty with it's inhabitants in an 18G rubbermaid tote. I had major issues with my substrate and had to change it out.

The problem was that before my 50G was done, my 10G had the exact same issue, so I had to postpone the 50 until this weekend. I'm sure those fish are tired of that tote by now... It has been about a week now.


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## Postal Penguin (Mar 30, 2009)

If you want to nuke the tank I'd add enough bleach to make a 5% solution so in your case about 1.5 gallons of it to your tank. Then run the filters etc for about 15 min. This will disinfect the tank of algae and your bio-filter will be destroyed as well.

Then do several 100% WC making sure to run the filter during this to flush out the chlorinated water. At each WC add double the amount of dechlor. This should rid your tank of any and all algae.


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## captain_bu (Oct 20, 2007)

Nuking the tank will only temporarily kill any algae spores. Algae spores are airborne and impossible to keep out of the tank but whether they germinate or not is another story. What you do need to figure out and fix is the reason why your tank went from doing so well to so horribly. 

A bit more info about your tank setup would be helpful in trying to identify what might have gone wrong.


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

X2. What was the lighting, fert routine and co2 dosing. I can guarantee you issue with one of these was the cause of your heart ache.



captain_bu said:


> Nuking the tank will only temporarily kill any algae spores. Algae spores are airborne and impossible to keep out of the tank but whether they germinate or not is another story. What you do need to figure out and fix is the reason why your tank went from doing so well to so horribly.
> 
> A bit more info about your tank setup would be helpful in trying to identify what might have gone wrong.


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## zavikan (Jan 5, 2009)

Ferts: EI dosing Fleet-StumpRemover-KNO3

Lights: Coralife 6700k 96 watt over 38 gal = 2.5 wpg approx

Substrate: Flourite Black

Co2: pressurized Choice system from greenleaf. I pushed it to the limit for the fish. Reactor injected.


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## zavikan (Jan 5, 2009)

Lighting: 12-8pm

co2: 11-7:30 pm


The stupid algae comes back so fast now its just stupid. the two crypts appear healthy, except for the fact they are covered in this CRAP.


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## fibertech (Apr 29, 2009)

Just a suggestion: Alterante your lighting to on 4 hours and off 3-4 hours then on for another 4 hours. This will not let the algae photosynthesize


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## zavikan (Jan 5, 2009)

that is an interesting suggestion. I have never heard of that. I wonder how this would be done. Perm basis? semi perm? short term? it would honestly be kind of nice, as then I could have tank on in the morning when im home, and then at night when im home. What would that do to plants?

I hope some other people chime in on that idea.


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

having an overstocked tank will trigger algae too.


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

zavikan said:


> that is an interesting suggestion. I have never heard of that. I wonder how this would be done. Perm basis? semi perm? short term? it would honestly be kind of nice, as then I could have tank on in the morning when im home, and then at night when im home. What would that do to plants?
> 
> I hope some other people chime in on that idea.


fibertech's suggestion has been around for a while but I don't think there's any scientific data to show that it actually does what it says.


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## fibertech (Apr 29, 2009)

mistergreen said:


> fibertech's suggestion has been around for a while but I don't think there's any scientific data to show that it actually does what it says.


 
Doesn't hurt to try for a desperate man . I am rocking my BBAs world by using this method and Excel. My BBA was everywhere in my tank and I thought I had lost the battle but it is going away after a couple months. I have a low tech tank with no CO2, so it takes my tank longer to change.

My plants are all doing well with this schedule


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## comatoast (Mar 11, 2009)

mistergreen said:


> having an overstocked tank will trigger algae too.


Really? First time I've heard about that- how do I determine if I'm overstocked? And if I am, how do I determine which fish get the ax? (Just kidding on the last question.)


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## DanLOman (Jan 22, 2009)

I am also restarting my tank after a massive algae attack.
I got rid of all my plants. I am curious how to get rid of the GDA and GSA on the glass. Blackout? excel? Manual removal?

Sorry for the hijack


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## Tex Gal (Mar 28, 2008)

DanLOman said:


> I am also restarting my tank after a massive algae attack.
> I got rid of all my plants. I am curious how to get rid of the GDA and GSA on the glass. Blackout? excel? Manual removal?
> 
> Sorry for the hijack


Manual removal.


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## RLee (Sep 21, 2008)

I battled algae problems for awhile and finally found the cures. BBA went away when i got my co2 distribution through the tank good and the concentration close to 30ppm. I started ei dosing and got the nutrients in check. Backed off to a lean ei dose but plenty still. GSA went away went i cut my light duration from 10 to 7 hours. I still was getting hair algea of various types and could figure out why. Finally found a thread that suggested raising the light fixture. This would cut the intensity of the light and be more effective than simply adjusting the duration. Besides 7 hours a day is the least i would like the lights on. I hung the fixture above the tank 3.5", It was resting directly on top. This has solved the hair algae issues. So to recap 
1.Get co2 distributed evenly throughout tank as possible and as close to 30ppm as you can.
2. Get the fertz in the tank. Whichever method you prefer.
3. Set the light duration down to 6-7 hours.
4. If needed raise the lighting fixture. I would start with at least 3" and adjust up or down as needed. 

This should get the algae under control. Some of the existing stuff probably won't go away on its own but no new should grow.Clean up the old algae by whatever means necessary and enjoy your tank. Once the algae is under control then start adjusting the light back up in duration or intensity to suit your preferences.
my set up
25 gallon high
pressurized co2 controlled with ph monitor
aquaclear 50
65w pc
ph-5.75 to 5.95 
kh-4
gh-5
nitrate-5
phos-.5


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## MarkMc (Apr 27, 2007)

Another consideration is bio filter health/overfeeding/overstocked/excess organic matter and their effects on ammonia spikes.


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