# Staghorn Algae...what causes it?



## Wö£fëñxXx (Dec 2, 2003)

Kristin, you need C02 and fert's for that light, lift the light above the tank 4" to 6", you need to reduce the intensity, or get a weaker light.
Clean out what algae you can by hand and reduce the lighting.
If you have not injected C02 before, that is a new beast, do your homework, the tank will be much more enjoyable.

Welcome to TPT.


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## JustOneMore21 (May 23, 2006)

Thanks. I have been toying with the idea of CO2. It will be DIY though. I have everything I need. I am thinking about getting a Hagen ladder thing to diffuse it though. I have limewood airstones, but have been told that's not a good way to diffuse the CO2. Once I order the ladder, I will set it up.

The light is about 3 inches off the tank now. I have a glass cover underneath.

By reducing intensity, do you mean reducing the time they are on? I have a 6700K 65w bulb. That's only 2.24wpg. I don't want to go lower with the wpg. What else could I do? I will try to get the light higher off the tank. I have had the same light for about 5 months...since the tanks been setup. The ludwidgia and alternantha have been in the tank for about 2-3months and have just recently started growing the staghorn. 

I listed my ferts in the first post. How much and how often should I fertilize? I'm kind of confused on that. I don't want to fertilize too much.

I don't use phosphate or nitrate because I have phosphate in the tap water (about 2-3ppm) and my nitrates usually stay around 10-15ppm. Should I still be adding those?


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

If you are depending on either the water company report or your test kits to tell you how much nitrate and phosphate you have in the water, you are probably wrong. The water company report is an average and the high and low readings they get. Even if they are accurate for the water you are getting right now, the plants will use it up pretty quickly, so you still need to add them. Our text kits only work well if we can calibrate them, and that isn't an easy job unless you have a good gram scale and do some good math. Much better to just dose all of the ferts and do a weekly water change in case you are dosing too much.


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## JustOneMore21 (May 23, 2006)

I am going by test kits. The water report had a very small amount of nitrates...but didn't say anything about phosphate. I am thinking about getting some dry ferts. Should I get the Phosphate? I just don't want to have too much in the tank.


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## Wö£fëñxXx (Dec 2, 2003)

If you are not going to inject C02 you really don't need any fert's, just reduce the light intensity a bit you can also reduce the duration a bit too, especially when you are away/ simulate cloudy days etc..
Balancing light a fish food for nutrients will suffice in a low tech tank.

If you decide to go C02, get KN03, KH2P04, and Plantex CSM+B from www.gregwatson.com
Get the nutrients before you start the C02.. do your homework


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