# Algae problem - nice images - don't know what to do anymore



## Raymond S. (Dec 29, 2012)

Can you be more specific in describing exactly what the lights are/how much it is.
Depth of water comes into play, but not as much as the other info.
Basically, you have just too much light. But to what extent I can determine much better/w an exact description of it.
People like darkblade go into depth about the three things needed for high teck
plant growth. But...what about plants ? You have the three things, light/CO2/ferts
but are very low on plants to utilize it. Result, instant algae. Something is going to use all that perfect growing fuel...and it is.
BTW Excel is only effective on A certain algae's...B mostly keeping it from spreading as opposed to killing it...and C only when used daily. It will kill lots of kinds if dosed directly onto it with the filter off for a few minuits after use. But you shouldn't exceed the directed amount unless you get the shrimp(?) and those plants which are sensative to it accustomed to it at regular doses and then increase it. RCS even seem to not like it but mine are OK with it. Can't say about any other "brands" of them though.


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## gabriel.mi (Jun 16, 2014)

I only have a smartphone I could use to measure the light, that if I would submerge it into the water, which is not going to happen . Another way would be with my photo camera, measure the exposure and somehow approximate it to lux or candela - unfortunately I can't do that with accuracy.
I have 4 27 watts CFL 6500k full spectrum in the hood, a light blue cardboard and plywood as reflection surfaces, and the max water depth would be about 19 inches. Originally the tank came with a 17 watts T8, not enough for plants to grow nicely.

I got some Staurogyne Repens and it seems to grow twice as fast in Floramax than gravel - I have two bunches in the tank, one in gravel one in floramax.

I guess the best move would be to wait until the household move, replace the substrate (gravel) with Floramax and rearrange the plants a bit... and maybe ask for more advice later in the fall, if needed. Maybe use some bleach at that point, and a really good cleanout as a startup point.

Trust me, at this point I am trying to get my plants up to eat the nutrients, but they only grow at a certain rate.


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## Raymond S. (Dec 29, 2012)

CFL bulbs have twice as much effect if used virtically than if used horizontally.
If you have it mounted virtical, then two of those is enough light for that tank.


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## gabriel.mi (Jun 16, 2014)

Well, when I designed the hood I did not leave enough room for them to be mounted vertically  so I guess using all four should be ok. I read somewhere about that and I wanted to make sure I have enough light - that's why the 4 bulbs, even if I don't get to a real 3 watts/gallon - I know that's not a real measurement unit


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## MedRed (May 20, 2008)

If you can live with the eggs, nerites will take care of what you've got.


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## ChadKruger (Mar 27, 2013)

The algae on the plant leaves is from your plants dying and leaching off nutrients at least IMO. You doing any kind of EI dosing? Your light is high enough you have Co2 you just need to get better ferts in the mix.


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## MedRed (May 20, 2008)

How are you measuring your CO2? Drop checker? PH controller?


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## gabriel.mi (Jun 16, 2014)

MedRed said:


> If you can live with the eggs, nerites will take care of what you've got.


There has to be a downside to everything, right? 

CO2 measured using dropchecker.

No EI dosing - I'll have to look into it and probably start doing that.


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## gabriel.mi (Jun 16, 2014)

Question: should I keep the UV light ON/OFF night/day instead of 5 days per week continuously? And with this should I dose Seachem flourish each couple of days?

You guys are so helpful in opening my eyes to some things.


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## gabriel.mi (Jun 16, 2014)

Found here an article that seems to be helpful:
http://www.ukaps.org/index.php?page=dosing-with-dry-salts


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## Dzrtman (Mar 4, 2014)

How many hours per day are your lights on?

Have you tried reducing the number of hours?


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## Raymond S. (Dec 29, 2012)

Excel is a product which has a useful life span of less than 24 hrs. As such, it is
almost completely ineffective when not used daily. This is not a comment about using it to spot dose directly onto an aria of algae.
I do not recall your stating the amount of hrs your lights are on each day.


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## Skeetz (Jan 25, 2014)

4th pic down what fish? i assume that you are using the 1 inch per gallon rule when you say "36 gallons, 36 inches of fish." please do not use that rule. sorry for off topic...


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## greaser84 (Feb 2, 2014)

Skeetz said:


> 4th pic down what fish? i assume that you are using the 1 inch per gallon rule when you say "36 gallons, 36 inches of fish." please do not use that rule. sorry for off topic...


Its not a rule more of a guideline. Original poster http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=203684


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## gabriel.mi (Jun 16, 2014)

Lights on 8-8.5 hours per day (11 AM - 7 PM). Fish tank is close to a window, but not directly in front of it. Window is facing north (towards woods), not too much light coming through it, anyways.

Excel - good to know.

4th pic - black skirt tetra - I left its face there for scale comparison. The tank has: 10 neons, 4 black skirts, 6 male guppies, 3 female guppies, 1 x 3" platy, 1 molly, 1 otto.

I could move a couple fish fish in the tank upstairs (bedroom - 20 g tank with 6 neons, 4 guppy, 4 cory cats; tank clean as a whistle for months!).

Eheim output is on the right side (see photo), bottom, single 1/2" pipe open (for better flow), blowing towards the front. Flow follows the tank front bow and goes to the left back, where the intake is.

I also have an air pump, starting every once in a while, not on a fixed schedule.


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## gabriel.mi (Jun 16, 2014)

greaser84 said:


> Its not a rule more of a guideline. Original poster http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=203684


I read this guide yesterday, before posting, I was not sure if it would suit eliminating the kind of algae present in my case ( I believe to be about three types in my tank). I generally want to do some research before applying something to my tank. That's why I don't want to use any chemicals of "algae removal" kind


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## greaser84 (Feb 2, 2014)

gabriel.mi said:


> I read this guide yesterday, before posting, I was not sure if it would suit eliminating the kind of algae present in my case ( I believe to be about three types in my tank). I generally want to do some research before applying something to my tank. That's why I don't want to use any chemicals of "algae removal" kind


Fair enough, if you don't want to use chemical then I suggest a total blackout for 3-5 days. It can hurt plants but does some serious damage to algae. Also if you have blue green algae its actually a cyanobacteria. I don't like putting chemicals in my tanks either but sometimes you have too. If you can remove some of the plants a bleach dip in 20 parts water one part bleach will kill algae, bacteria and any other nasty's. Good luck.


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## gabriel.mi (Jun 16, 2014)

I will probably use the H2O2 method, but I will try to avoid AlgaeFix. H2O2 method seems ok if well executed. Thanks *greaser*.

I will also probably use the bleach on some plants. Anubias are stuck to the mopani wood, so I can get the wood out and bleach the entire thing. I have to check if it affects the roots, though, before dumping everything into the bleach mix.


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## Little Soprano (Mar 13, 2014)

For the algae on the glass, I've found that "personally" bladder snails are absolutely wonderful for it. I got some hitchhikers in on some moss and I hate their eggs, but they have out performed my nerites by a mile. I also dropped my lighting on my 40 gal (which is my algae farm practically) to 6 hours a day and noticed a BIG difference in just about every type of algae that was in there. Now I'm currently working on making stilts for it so it sits up a few inches above the glass.


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## MadRiverPat (May 3, 2013)

I have to agree with chad above. This sounds like nutrient deficiency. You are pumping in co2 and have high light which is driving the plant to grow faster but your limiting factor is ferts. You might have seen the pearling and growth after the low light because there was a sufficient buildup of ferts at that point. Nerites will help but aren't going to solve the problem. You need to get to the source of the problem.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Raymond S. (Dec 29, 2012)

If you would drop those bulbs to 13W kind it will clear up without using chemicals.
You could always change two of them back to the 27W ones later when the plants are gowing well.


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## gabriel.mi (Jun 16, 2014)

Thank you all for your contributions, all the posts are very useful in establishing a "treatment" plan. You really opened my eyes to some things (like EI and EXCEL treatment) that I did not find in the last 6 months of searching for algae treatments.

I read lots of documentation about EXCEL, EI and dry fertilizers in the last few days and found lots of interesting things.

I measured again my nitrates and it seems they are zero => nutrients deficiency.

Turned off the UV light a couple days ago.

Following this thread discussion, with my CO2 at around 30-40 ppm (drop checker), I started dosing EXCEL - 3 ml/day for first two days, now 4ml/day. 

I am also dosing Flourish comprehensive - 3ml/day (although today I saw here http://calc.petalphile.com/ that I should do a bit more than that) and will do about 6-7 ml/day starting tomorrow.

Reduced light from 4x27 to 3x27 watts CFL.

I have to be careful, though, with EXCEL, since I would like to keep my Anacharis and a few crypts I have - these are the only ones in my tank that seem to be sensitive to EXCEL overdosing.

I already have GOOD RESULTS (even with somewhat regular EXCEL dosing):
- algae on wood and plants are about 1/4 of the initial length - GREAT!!!
- plants seem to be happy

I'll keep you posted.

*Thanks again for opening my eyes to these methods!*


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