# What kind of algae and how to fix.



## Alphazygma (Mar 19, 2014)

Hello everyone, 
I recently went through an algae problem, due to some time away from the tank (didn't have timer lights and CO2 yet) and then bought a plant that had hair algae. 

I took out my rocks and cleaned them with peroxide, same thing with the driftwood.

But the Anubias got dots and now it is growing some more algae (see image)









Hope you can help me and guide me.

Some details that may be of help:
* ammonia : 0ppm
* nitrites : 0ppm
* nitrates : 10~20ppm
* 7.5 Gal tank
* Injected CO2 (2bps - green on the ista liquid meter)
* Lights set to timed 8hrs
* Just started also adding very little doses of iron and potassium.


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## lee739 (Oct 12, 2014)

Looks like BBA and GSA.
Simply - BBA is due to inadequate CO2, and GSA due to inadequate phosphate.


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## Zorfox (Jun 24, 2012)

I second Lees comment. 

In addition, you appear to have a few strands of staghorn. This algae seems to like high organics (dirty tank/filter) or heavy bioload in my experience. 

Also, with poor CO2 delivery (IMO more fluctuations) BBA seems to appear. Adding organics to the mix and both BBA and staghorn seem particularly happy. Both by the way are red algae so they behave in a similar fashion.

To reduce the red algae first reduce the organics by maintenance such as vacuuming substrate, trimming dead and decaying plant matter then cleaning your filtration. Several large water changes will remove the bulk of them.

After all this focus on even CO2 delivery. This should help with the red algae.

As far as the GSA, you need to look at your fertilizing regimen. If your deficient in PO4, your most likely going to struggle with others. So simply supply non-limiting nutrients and problem solved. Here is a post, The EI Concept explained, I made about this subject. Give it a read and the fertilizing confusions may subside.


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## Alphazygma (Mar 19, 2014)

Thank you so much Zorfox and lee.
By the way, fantastic guide, very helpful.

I'm seem to arrived to a tough position, have BBA, GSA, Staghorn algae, and though not shown in the picture, little GHA.
All a result of some bad decisions and events. _(A week vacation trip where no lights and CO2 was supplied, then overcompensated photo exposure time to 10hours in hopes of helping the plants, and then buying a Fissidens bunch that came with GHA. After that, about 1 month ago, all algae hell broke lose)_


Based on a couple previous posts, I'm certainly overstocked for a 7.5 Gal tank (1 betta, 4 harlequin rasboras, 2 Amano shrimps, 3 ottos, and tons of MTS)
_Got the MTS to keep the substrate fluffed and avoid the creation of anaerobic bacteria.
When I got the ottos, I got 2, but one passed away the next day, so based on that experience I got two more in case one more passed away and at least there would be two to keep each other some company, well, the three of them are alive which is good.
Then I got the Amanos to deal with some other algae.)_


*I would like to ask you a couple more questions to understand better the state of my tank.*

_When saying "inadequate CO2", what does this mean?_ (With a kH of 3~4, I have CO2 set to 2 bubbles per second, which after about 45 minutes it brings the PH to 6.8 right before the lights come up, I'm basing this process on the chart below)









On nutrients, I have inert sand substrate where I use Osmocote root tabs, sometimes I see one or two out, I guess the MTS push it out as they move.
_If I'm going to dose nutrients, based on this fantastic guide, does the root tabs interfere?_

_When talking about water quality, what other parameters aside from NO3 should I track? And if possible, how?_
I was only aware of NO3 as measurement of water quality, and it is between 10~20, it seemed to be good, and also seems to be good according to the EI guide. 
Regarding the filter, I rinse it of and clean the intake pipe whenever I see some of that brown scum forming inside.
I rinse and squeeze the pre-filter sponge on every water change.
However, after about ~9months, it is the first time I discarded the carbon media for a new one., but still keep using the same in-filter sponge and BioMax media, *any recommendations here?*


FINALLY, some more info on the algae on the tank.
The Anubias, driftwood and seiryu stones are the most affected by BBA and Staghorn.
The Anubias and the tank glass is affected as well by the GSA
The tank glass also sometimes shows 2 to 5 spots of BBA. 
My ludwigia, though not a nice red, does not seem to be very affected.
I have trimmed the leaves of the Anubias that are most overrun by algae, and since some portion of the plant was pretty much leafless, I cut that last part of the rhizome.


Apologies for the long text and thank you all so much once again for taking the time to help me with your knowledge.


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## lee739 (Oct 12, 2014)

My KH has been in the 3-4 range, I run CO2 to a pH of 6.6, from a morning CO2 of 7.7, but my lighting is medium at best.
What lights are you using? Can you reduce the intensity easily?

If you are having GSA problems, you may want to check, or just dose some phosphate. I'm a tester - I test for NO3, PO4 and iron weekly before water changes, and am testing KH weekly also as I'm bringing it down to a lower level.

I don't know much about using osmocote root tabs (I use these from a local supplier in Aus) - I suspect it is easy to overdo them though, especially in smaller tanks. Any ammonium that is released may exacerbate your algae woes.


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## Zorfox (Jun 24, 2012)

Alphazygma said:


> Thank you so much Zorfox and lee.
> By the way, fantastic guide, very helpful.


Glad you found it useful. Just curious but after reading it did all this jargon kind of fall in place? It seems to be SO much easier to learn the why before the how. 



Alphazygma said:


> I'm seem to arrived to a tough position, have BBA, GSA, Staghorn algae, and though not shown in the picture, little GHA.
> All a result of some bad decisions and events. _(A week vacation trip where no lights and CO2 was supplied, then overcompensated photo exposure time to 10hours in hopes of helping the plants, and then buying a Fissidens bunch that came with GHA. After that, about 1 month ago, all algae hell broke lose)_


Sounds like a perfect storm setup for algae. lol 



Alphazygma said:


> Based on a couple previous posts, I'm certainly overstocked for a 7.5 Gal tank (1 betta, 4 harlequin rasboras, 2 Amano shrimps, 3 ottos, and tons of MTS)
> _Got the MTS to keep the substrate fluffed and avoid the creation of anaerobic bacteria.
> When I got the ottos, I got 2, but one passed away the next day, so based on that experience I got two more in case one more passed away and at least there would be two to keep each other some company, well, the three of them are alive which is good.
> Then I got the Amanos to deal with some other algae.)_


This combined with lax tank maintenance increases those organics. If your plants aren't happy enough to suck them up algae will. 




Alphazygma said:


> _When saying "inadequate CO2", what does this mean?_ (With a kH of 3~4, I have CO2 set to 2 bubbles per second, which after about 45 minutes it brings the PH to 6.8 right before the lights come up, I'm basing this process on the chart below)


Based on the PH drop you should be around the right CO2 level. So that leaves light. Light greater than the CO2 compensation point will cause algae. So a check would be in order. Although I doubt that's your problem.



Alphazygma said:


> On nutrients, I have inert sand substrate where I use Osmocote root tabs, sometimes I see one or two out, I guess the MTS push it out as they move.
> _If I'm going to dose nutrients, based on this fantastic guide, does the root tabs interfere?_


Certainly they do. For the most part it's not an issue. Given that you used the right amount. I can tell you surfacing osmocote tabs are light little bombs. They release their contents into the water column MUCH faster.

If you use the right amount (just google, sitelantedtank.net osmocote spacing) then dosing full EI should be fine. PROVIDED you do the water changes. 



Alphazygma said:


> _When talking about water quality, what other parameters aside from NO3 should I track? And if possible, how?_
> I was only aware of NO3 as measurement of water quality, and it is between 10~20, it seemed to be good, and also seems to be good according to the EI guide.


Well you could buy a master API kit, GH/KH and phosphate. That seems about all anyone would need. However, if you follow a classic EI regimne you'll find you won't be testing anymore. In fact, that was the impetus for the method. No testing!



Alphazygma said:


> Regarding the filter, I rinse it of and clean the intake pipe whenever I see some of that brown scum forming inside.
> I rinse and squeeze the pre-filter sponge on every water change.
> However, after about ~9months, it is the first time I discarded the carbon media for a new one., but still keep using the same in-filter sponge and BioMax media, *any recommendations here?*


I would forget the carbon media. It becomes saturated too fast. With a properly maintained planted tank it's simply not needed. Water clarity issues are better left to things like Purigen. Otherwise, you schedule looks fine to me. 




Alphazygma said:


> FINALLY, some more info on the algae on the tank.


This is when I warn people about chasing algae causes. The fact is, you need to be focused on growing the plants and maximizing health there. 99.9% of the time, that single change in your approach will eliminate algae. Healthy plants = healthy tank. 

How we keep plants healthy seems to evoke more debates and squabbles than a unsupervised kindergarten. When it's all said and done it boils down to three things light, carbon and nutrients.

Balance those three things and life will be good.

Here is a crude image. 









Imagine light as water droplets flowing from a faucet as pictured.

The water flowing from that light (faucet) drains into a tank containing Mr. CO2 and Mr. Nutrients. Their job is to keep the water (light) off the floor of the room in the picture. 

Both can use light to metabolize what they have, CO2 or nutrients. When one runs out it becomes limited. If we look at Mr CO2 if he runs out of CO2 then the floor will flood. If Mr. Nutrients runs out of fertilizers then the floor will flood. In both cases we have a limitation based on what went wrong. If we have plenty of nutrients and CO2 then light alone can flood the floor. In that case we need to reduce the flow (light).

So basically we want to keep the floor from flooding. Balance those and we only have to worry about the garbage. 

Taking out the garbage is as easy as a water change. How much garbage you want to keep around is up to you. New tanks typically produce a lot more garbage. So frequent trips to the curb (water changes) are needed.

So where does that leave us with you?

Well it seems you've been ignoring Mr. Nutrient. Time to feed him. Simply follow the EI dosing guide. Mr CO2 seems decent for now. The trash seems a little overwhelming. Try taking out the trash 2-3 times a week for a couple of weeks.

Do those things and go from there. I purposely tried to over simplify the management of the planted tank. When it's all said and done, people with problems fail to do the basics first. Just trying to make life easier for you. :icon_wink


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## Alphazygma (Mar 19, 2014)

Thank you both, you are amazing.

@Lee: I'm using Finnex Planted+, so unfortunately it is not adjustable. (But I could certainly adjust the photo period)

@Zorfox: It is a great document, all I had to do extra was just research what the nomenclature meant, but that's it. Fantastic references.


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## Alphazygma (Mar 19, 2014)

Hello Zorfox,

I wanted to get a second pair of eyes to see if I'm going to fix this problem the correct way.

So I went to my aquatics store and got me some nutrients according to the EI approach.

Flourish Phosphorus
Flourish Iron
Flourish Potassium
Flourish Trace

Now, as I was reading the instructions there and trying to match them to the EI, it became a little tricky.
Flourish uses *mg/L* instead of *ppm*, but some research showed me that they are pretty much the same 1mg/L = 1.001142303ppm, so since the EI is pretty much based on estimation, I went with 1mg/L = 1ppm.

That said, 

NO3 will be released by fish and food and some detritus before I remove them.
CO2 will be injected to keep it at close to 30ppm

As per the Nutrients, I will divide them by type for each had some instructions that were either confusing or I'm trying to figure out how to match it to the EI numbers.
Based on the formula provided by the Flourish Phosphorous directions, I was able to revers engineer formulas for all the other nutrients, except Trace.

Formula: Nutrient Constant * Tank Size in Gallons * Increase desired (ppm or mg/L) = dose in mL

_*Note*: I'll be using 7.5 Gal for that is the size of my tank._


Phosphorous (PO4)(Flourish P2O5, K2O)
Directions: 2.5ml per 20Gal = 0.15mg/L, twice a week

Formula: 0.84 * 20Gal * .15ppm = 2.5ml

So, to reach 1ppm ~ 3ppm
*0.84 * 7.5Gal * 1ppm = 6.3ml* -----> and dose this *two to three* times a week


Potassium (K)(Flourish K2O)
Directions: 5ml per 30Gal = 2mg/L, repeat 2 - 3 times a week

Formula: 0.084 * 30Gal * 2ppm = 5ml

So, to reach 10ppm ~ 30ppm
*0.084 * 7.5Gal * 10ppm = 6.3ml* -----> and dose this *two to three* times a week


Iron (Fe)(Flourish Fe)
Directions: 5ml per 50Gal = .10mg/L

Formula: 1 * 50Gal * .10ppm = 5ml

So, to reach 0.2ppm ~ 0.3ppm
*1 * 7.5Gal * 0.2ppm = 1.5ml* -----> and dose this *once* a week


Trace
Directions: 5ml per 20Gal = ? (not expressed, I guess because there is many micro nutrients), twice a week

Since there is no info on the EI nor the Trace bottle regarding ppm, I guess just an inferred amount then

20Gal = 5ml -> 7.5 Gal = ?ml, does is then 1.8ml twice a week.


Those these calculations sound accurate?
One last thing, I notice that Flourish Phosphorous contains K2O which is the same nutrient on the Flourish Potassium, should I avoid dosing Potassium?


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## Raymond S. (Dec 29, 2012)

http://www.fishfriend.com/fertfriend.html
Might help.


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## Alphazygma (Mar 19, 2014)

Thank you Raymond


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## lee739 (Oct 12, 2014)

I use this calc - http://calc.petalphile.com/

It recommends 24mL of Flourish Phosphorous 2-4x per week for 'full-EI'....

I think you will need an extra NO3 source if you are CO2 injecting with good lights, to get NO3 deficient is to throw out the welcome mat for a BGA explosion....

You seem happy around figures and equations.... Look at some cheap scales to read down to 0.1g or so accuracy, and get some dry ferts, then tailor make some ferts for yourself, the equivalent of Seachem, at <1% the price....


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## Zorfox (Jun 24, 2012)

Hello Alphazygma,

For solutions such as Seachem Flourish line, here is the formula.

*Desired ppm / (ppm of Fertilizer / 1,000)= ml/liter*

Beware in your calculations. Federal law requires manufactures to report fertilizer in equivalents. Phosphurus is reported as P2O5 and Potassium as K2O.

What that means is we have to convert the equivalents to what we want to use. Typically we hear NO3, PO4 and K as our target ranges. We have to make appropriate conversions as needed using the table below.


```
[B][U]From[/U][/B]	[U][B]To[/B][/U]	[B][U]Factor[/U][/B]
[B]N[/B]
N	NO3	4.429
NO3	N	0.226
N	KNO3	7.221
KNO3	N	0.1385

[B]P[/B]
P	P2O5	2.292
P2O5	P	0.436
P	PO4	3.066
PO4	P	0.326
P	KH2PO4	4.394
KH2PO4	P	0.228

[B]K[/B]
K	K2O	1.205
K2O5	K	0.830
K	KNO3	2.586
KNO3	K	0.387
K	KH2PO4	3.481
KH2PO4	K	0.287
K	K2SO4	2.229
K2SO4	K	0.449
```
Don't forget to convert gallons to liters. There are 3.78541 liters per gallon.

All that said, I use my own calculator. I know what it's calculating and how. I think everyone should learn how to dose on paper rather than relying on random calculators off the web. I will say that YANC is pretty darned accurate.


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## Alphazygma (Mar 19, 2014)

Thank you for your continuous support Lee and Zorfox

@Zorfox: I like the idea of dosing on paper, it is kinda like learning the basics, calculators are cool and help speed up things, but we don't learn by relying on them. (Just like math XD)

Now, let me see if I understood correctly, I'll use the Flourish Phosphorus as example.

Guaranteed analysis shows:
P2O5 = 0.3%
K2O = 0.2%

So, according to the table supplied, I'm only getting 0.436 P for every 1 P2O5, and every 1 P provides 3.066 of PO4.
Then, if Flourish Phosphorus provides 0.3% of P2O5, I get 0.401% of PO4 (0.3 * 0.436 * 3.66)

And according to the formula, and a target of 1ppm of PO4
1ppm / 0.401% * 10 = 24ml of solution for 1L

If my tank is 7.5 US Gal, then ~28.4L
Then I would need 28.4L * 24ml dose = 681.3ml

I think I got something wrong, because that looks like a lot needed, pretty much dose 0.6L of to just reach 1ppm.

I'm guessing it has to do with the percentages, if 1 = 100%, then 0.401% is technically 40.1%, and thus the formula changes to
1ppm / 40.1% * 10 = 0.25ml per liter.
So 28.4L * 0.25ml dose = ~7ml 
And 7ml sounds a lot more reasonable.


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## lee739 (Oct 12, 2014)

My calculations give that the Flourish Phosphorous is 4.014g/L PO4.
0.3% P2O5 = 0.401% PO4, or 4.01g/L PO4.
So to dose a 28.4L tank to reach 1ppm of PO4 (1mg/L, or 0.001g/L), we would need to dose 28.4L x 0.001g/L or 0.0284g of PO4, which you would find in (0.0284g / 4.01g/L), or 7.07mL.


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## Alphazygma (Mar 19, 2014)

Hi Lee,

Thanks for sharing your calculations, that taught me of the relationship between % and g/L

It's very interesting that using that other form of conversion, yields pretty much the same result, approx. 7mL

Very neat!!!!


This post has become a very fun one for me with all the knowledge and calculations and applications to get rid of the algae and improve the health of the overall tank (plants and water quality)


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## Zorfox (Jun 24, 2012)

Sorry Lee and Alphazygma, I copy/pasted the wrong formula. That's the formula for a hydroponic injection pump. Here is the correct one.


*Desired ppm / (ppm of Fertilizer / 1,000)= ml/liter*

Example, we want 1ppm of PO4 in 7.5 gallons

First
Convert the percentage to ppm

0.3 * 10,000 = 3,000 ppm

1 ppm PO4 / (3,000 ppm P2O5 / 1000) = ml/liter


Convert P2O5 to PO4...

First, P2O5 to P

3000 * 0.436 = 1308ppm P

Second, convert P to PO4

1308ppm P * 3.066 = 4010.328 ppm PO4



1ppm PO4 / (4010.328 ppm PO4 / 1000) = ml/liter


SO

1 / 4.010328 = 0.2494 ml/Liter

Convert to ml/gallon

3.78541 * 0.2494 = 0.9441 ml/gallon

Calculate for 7.5 gallons

0.9441 * 7.5 = 7.0808 ml


Similar formula for dry fertilizers,

*desired ppm / fertilizer percentage = mg/L*

Example, 

raise NO3 to 7.5 ppm using KNO3


7.5 ppm NO3 / 0.1385 N

7.5 ppm NO3 / 0.1385 * 4.429

7.5 ppm NO3 / 0.6134165% NO3

12.2266 mg/l

Or

347.2184 mg per 7.5 gallons


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## lee739 (Oct 12, 2014)

It's what I love about the physical sciences.... one correct answer, and you can you whatever route to it to want...


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## Alphazygma (Mar 19, 2014)

Hey guys, I got a question, I've been looking around but with not much success.

How can I test how many pond of potassium my tank currently have?
I now know base on the formulas how much ml to dose for my tank size, but how often do I do so to avoid over dosing or checking if more is needed?

With API I can test pretty much all main ones, and just got the Seachem Fe test.

I kinda want to now figure out how to come up with a dosing schedule.

I know according to the EI and formulas, I should be dosing correct amounts, but shall that be once between each water change? Or how many times between water changes?

Any guidance you can provide?

On a separate note, i created a little spreadsheet for me to calculate doses based on the different nutrients in each bottle.
I'll share it when I get to my computer, and also one extra formula (pretty much isolating the ppm in function of the supplied ml/L, to calculate the ppm amount of the secondary nutrient based on the dose needed of the to reach the ppm of the desired primary nutrient)


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## lee739 (Oct 12, 2014)

Testing potassium isn't easy. Test kits are designed for very high levels found in marine tanks. Thankfully you really don't need to.
I add about 10ppm worth to my tank a week with ferts (KNO3, KH2PO4 and KHCO3), with 50% water change my levels should fluctuate between 10 and 20ppm. If I were to see signs of deficiency, I'd consider increasing the amounts dosed.


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## Alphazygma (Mar 19, 2014)

Hi Lee & Zorfox

I just thought more on the first replies regarding bad CO2 delivery, and in reading causes of BBA and GHA, they say that swings of CO2 (inconsistent) could lead to these algae.

Just wanted to check whether I'm doing the right thing regarding the injection of CO2

I turn the CO2 about 30mins before lights come on. (Bring my PH from 7.2 to 6.4 so it reaches good ppm based on my KH)
Photoperiod is set to 7hrs (4:30pm to 11:30pm)
After that, CO2 and lights are stopped.
Sometimes until I wake the next day, I run an air stone to increase water surface for I've read when there is no light, plants start consuming O2 and thus competing for it with the fish.

Is this OK, or inconsistent swings of CO2?

Also, I noticed that when I don't run the air stone and check the next night, there is an oily film on the top with reduces water agitation from the filter.
This has happened more consistently since I started dosing the nutrients.
Any ideas here?

Thanks again for all your awesomeness.


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## lee739 (Oct 12, 2014)

I run an airstone at night from lights out until CO2 comes back on next morning. I haven't seen any BBA, actually apart from some that started on the top of a powerhead last week, I swabbed it with a strong Excel solution at water change, and it died pretty much instantly....


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## Alphazygma (Mar 19, 2014)

Hi again Zorfox and Lee,

It's been a little while since I started implementing all your recommendations and I have some news.

Overall, the algae outbreak seems to have ceased, and some plants are liking it.

So, here are more details:

BBA and Staghorn seem like they are not spreading anymore and with targeted small doses of Flourish Excel, it is weakening as days go by.
However Green Hair Algae now seems to be thriving, it is not crazy fast but definitely growing fast.
Anubias is recovering from trimmed leaves and growing beautiful new ones.
HC is growing slow but well.
Myriophyllum Mini survived and now is thriving.
Myriophyllum Tuberculatum (I think, red stem but with green feathers) thrives the best.
Ludwigia (I think mine is repens) seems to be doing OK
Riccia is doing OK, creating tons of bubbles
Fissidens and Marimo are just chilling there

The two things I want to ask you and learn more from you are:
From things found on internet to the label in the Product to information from the people at the aquatic store, Iron (Fe) helps plants with red foliage to stay red or get redder if they are turning towards green or yellow.
And also found that GHA loves Iron (Fe) (reference) as well as Phosphates and Nitrogen, which I'm dosing all according to EI.

That said, Ludwigia grows slow and with a predominantly yellow-green color and few orange, but not red as it used to when I got it a while back at the store.
And GHA grows fast but not where I would consider an outbreak, just grows fast and spread apart enough that it is a complete pain to remove each hair.


So, for reference,

I'm using the numbers of EI according to the supplied formulas and the liquid tests pretty much verify the PPM amounts.
Lights run for only 7hrs


I guess the question would be, shall I keep up EI and see if GHA subsides eventually? or should I try and play with some other adjustments?
What can I do to help the Ludwigia (grow happier and redder)?


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## Alphazygma (Mar 19, 2014)

Here an updated image of my tank


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## theericafish (Apr 27, 2012)

Noticed you live in mountain view, me too.

Anywho, hair algae is pretty difficult to completely eradicate(time consuming and annoying). I had a similar situation where I had acquired some floaters and they were full of spyrogyra and other hair type algae. I dumped them in the tank before thoroughly checking them and I had a fun time battling it for a while through manual removal. I had it almost defeated but it kept popping up every once and a while and I used algae fix to finally defeat it.

Excel will help, manual removal is the best/healthy plants to outgrow and trim the algae out helps. If you don't have inverts in the tank/shrimp etc you can try api algaefix if all else fails.


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## lee739 (Oct 12, 2014)

Looking good - maybe planting heavier may help your algae too...
I know what is said about nutrients, but what I have found with my tank-
when I was keeping NO3 between 20 and 40, and PO4 between 4 and 8, I would accumulate a lot of algae on the glass, needed a good clean weekly. I reduced my levels to NO3 between 5-15 and PO4 between 1.5-3, and plant growth is still good, and glass algae vastly reduced. 
I tried NO3/PO4 around 2-6/0.5 or so and seemed to stunt the plants!


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## Alphazygma (Mar 19, 2014)

Hello fantastic people,

I'm here with an update and to seek some more help. it's been three months now since I started this thread and got wonderful help from all of you. 

I've been using EI and the plants are growing beautifully and more dense, however I still can't get rid of the algae, specifically the GHA.
BBA and Staghorn are steadily going away as I started dosing Seachem Excel.
I've also increased the amount of CO2 delivered, as I've read that helps too.
(Lights run for 6hrs and 40 mins)

Additionally, I'm trying to understand what's up with the water quality and if I should try a different regimen.

I do about a 40% water change every week and I dose EI as follows.
Day 1
* 40% water change
* Dose Phosphates, Potassium, Iron and Nitrogen (based on formulas)
* Dose excel (targeted areas)

Day 2
* Dose Trace (as recommended by bottle)
* Dose excel (targeted)

Day 3
* Phosphates test is within range, Iron is virtually gone, no presence of Nitrates.
* Dose everything as on Day 1
* Dose excel (targeted)

Day 4
* repeat day 2

Day 5
* Dose excel (targeted)
* Dose Iron.

Day 6 & 7
* Nothing
Test show
pH: 7~7.2
Fe: 0.04~0.06ppm
GH: 8dg
KH: 4.5dg
Cu: 0ppm
PO4: 2ppm
NO2: 0ppm
NO3: 0ppm

So I'm trying to figure out why is the algae so stubborn, I remove the most I can manually, but it grows a lot daily.
And though it is spread everywhere, the most condensed spot is always at the prefilter. 



















































Last but not least, my betta started behaving weird, not swimming as actively as before, less appetite.
And then I noticed the tail, he seems to have gotten fin rot

























So I just recently separated him into a 1Gal QT and have been treating him with Kanaplex and doing 100% water changes every day (70% only the first time for a less drastic change)

I read that fin/tail rot is a side effect of poor water quality.
Do I need to do more water changes? Bigger percent than 40?
How can I tell that water quality is poor?



As always, thank you so much for your support and knowledge.


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## lee739 (Oct 12, 2014)

Having nitrates at zero is never going to be good - I would add more to keep it around the 10ppm mark. How much nitrogen/nitrate are you dosing?


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## Alphazygma (Mar 19, 2014)

I bought AquaVitro Synthesis to provide N, based on the concentration of 3.2% and the formulas given before, I dose 1 ml

_Fertilizer % * 10,000 = Fertilizer ppm
ml/L = target ppm / (fertilizer ppm *0 .001)
N -> NO3 = 4.429
Tank Size: 7.5 Gal (28.39 L)_

3.2%N -> Fertilizer ppm = (3.2 * 4.429)*10,000 = 141728

Target: 5ppm NO3
ml/L = 5 / (141728 * .001) = 0.04ml/L

For 28.39L Tank
ml = 0.04ml/L * 28.39L = 1ml


I haven't tested daily, I test about once a week, and making memory, always a few days after I dosed the nitrogen, and NO3 always yield 0ppm or very close to 0.

I'll dose after the next water change and test daily to keep track of it.


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## DavidZ (Nov 17, 2009)

nice post


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## Alphazygma (Mar 19, 2014)

So I was more diligent this week about tracking.

So, just to summarize all and avoid going back and forth through posts.

Setup:

Size: 7.5Gal (28.39L)
Sand Substrate + Root Tabs
Inyected CO2
Lights: FugeRay Planted+ (about 1.5yrs old)
Running Period (w/solenoid and timer):
 CO2 : 3:40 - 10:30 (6hr 50min)
 Lights: 4:20 - 11:00 (6hr 40min)

Fish:
1 Betta
3 Otocinclus
5 Rasboras Harlequin (originally 4, 1 jumped out :icon_sad:, added 2)(all pretty much no longer than 1 inch)
2 Amano Shrimps
1 Assassin Snail
Tons of Malaysian Trumpet Snails

Plants (see image at the bottom):
On the right - Myriophyllum Mini
On the left - Ludwigia Repens and some Myriophyllum Mattogrossense Red (red stem)
On front bottom - HC (baby dwarf tears)
Floating - Riccia (pretty much gone after excel doses)
NO more mossballs (died after spot treating with Peroxide outside tank)

 

As recommended, I started dosing EI, here is a pic of my spreadsheet calculation given the shared formulas:









Here is pic of my spreadsheet where I kept tracking
From *Saturday May, 16th* to *Monday May, 25th*
One thing I did as well, is test my *Tap Water* on both days of the water change.

```
1st Water Change      2nd Water Change
            Direct | After Prime    Direct | After Prime
PH           >7.6       >7.6         >7.6       >7.6
PH High Rg    8.4        8.2          8.4        8.2
PO4             0          0            0          0
KH             1º         1º         1.5º       1.5º
GH             1º         1º         1.5º       1.5º
```

1st Saturday Water Change : 80%
2nd Saturday Water Change : 50%










One additional thing, until Thursday, I was dosing daily 1ml of Excel which helped out a lot to get rid of the BBA and Staghorn (there is still some BBA left).
I stopped the Excel dosing because my Riccia mostly melted away and am trying to see if I can salvage it.


_However, the Green Hair Algae keeps growing fast, I try manual removal daily, but when I can't, within 2 to 3 days, it has grown large and multiply a lot.
There seem to be 2 or 3 types, the long and straight, a medium long and curly, and one that looks like a hybrid and is a little slimy 
Plants most affected by it (that have it attached): HC and Myriophyllum_


On a previous post, I showed my Betta also getting Fin Rot. I quarantined him and treated him, he seems to be much better now.
I read that Fin Rot is basically due bad water conditions, I did minimally 30% to 40% water changes every week, with these last two being the ones I've done more.
Hopefully he won't get sick again and his fins will grow soon so he feels much better.
Interestingly, this did not affect any of the rasboras or otos.


Finally, here is an image of the tank.










Thank you everyone for your continuous support.
~ Alpha


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## Alphazygma (Mar 19, 2014)

bump


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## dwhite_2006 (Apr 1, 2004)

bump.


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