Algal Rollercoaster Ride

[mark4785]

Mark means color temp not Watts!

At least that's what I hope he means. Man, imagine 8000w!!

Sorry lol, I was indeed referring to the Kelvin level or 'K' when I was talking about my lighting. Not sure why I put 'W'!

 

[mark4785]

3. Two 4000w HO T5 tubes (instead of 1x 4000w and a 16000w) means less powerful light.

how many watts?

The reason I have had an outbreak of algae recently is because I let the CO2 run dry. (Ive been getting lazy!)

I believe another cause is when the substrate has been disturbed. I have a sand substrate that I havent touched for at least 6 months. (I dont even vac it, just syphon water from about half way up when doing changes).

Would you consider a sand substrate?

If you'd like to try some Dwarf Sag (Sagittaria Subulata) in your tank, I have plenty going spare I can send you! (PM me your addy if you do)

Whats your co2 setup and regime. Do you 'mess' about with it much? or is it a nice constant supply?

I no longer disturb the substrate at all. I just syphon detritus of the surface. I'd definitely recommend a sand substrate, but be sure to go for clean plain sand. Do not buy specially prepared sands like the 'instant aquarium sand' range from 'Caribsea'. These kinds of sand can influence PH despite the manufacturer stating it doesn't influence PH. Without my c02 injection, which keeps the PH steady at a PH of 6.6, the sand substrate that I have which was one of the specially prepared types, would have my PH go to 8.4+ within 3 days of fresh tapwater (with a PH of 7.2) being introduced.

I will research Dwarf sag before I consider your offer if thats alright. I'm finding my plants that grow really fast (mainly the limnophilla sessiflora's) are the only one's resisting the hair algae so while I have this hair algae problem I think it would be wise of me not to waste my money and/or your time in putting slow-growers in my tank just to watch them be attacked. I'll get back to about the Dwarf sag once I've read up about them .

My c02 set-up involves the 'Dennerle Comfort Range' apparatus. The c02 is switched on 3 hours prior to lights on ensuring around 30ppm of c02 in the tank at lights on and continues right up until lights off. I never alter the rate of c02 entering the tank unless I need to replace the c02 cylinder which inevitably involves me turning off the needle valve etc.


One thing that may not be helping the algae situation and be the equivalent to substrate disturbance is the fact that during filter maintenance, I have to remove the filter media for 2 internal filter systems, and when returning this filter media, any remaining detritus contained in the filter box compartment or the filter media itself will spew out of the intake grills. The effect is small pieces of detritus all over which I have to spend time sucking up. With it being so tiny I can't guarantee I get every piece.



Here are some pics of the state of my tank as of 5/4/11:

I have enabled flash so that you can better see where the green hair algae is. From a distance it looks like normal dust algae but it's actually green hair algae.

 

[mark4785]

Bump

 

[mbsqw1d]

Bump

sorry Mark, I havent been keeping a close enough eye to fully offer assistance. You have a LOT less plant mass than what I remember!?

Thanks for your info on sand. I do have a sand substrate myself (cheap argos play sand), just wondered if you would consider it yourself?..

I take it you have reduced the amount you are dosing ferts in relation to the reduction in plant mass? Whats your current fert dosing regime?

I wonder what the majority of people on here do in regards turning co2 on/off. Mine is on 24/7. I wonder if theres a chance that having it on/off can cause algae? As turning it on/off will also affect PH levels?

Martin

 

[mark4785]

Bump

sorry Mark, I havent been keeping a close enough eye to fully offer assistance. You have a LOT less plant mass than what I remember!?

Thanks for your info on sand. I do have a sand substrate myself (cheap argos play sand), just wondered if you would consider it yourself?..

I take it you have reduced the amount you are dosing ferts in relation to the reduction in plant mass? Whats your current fert dosing regime?

I wonder what the majority of people on here do in regards turning co2 on/off. Mine is on 24/7. I wonder if theres a chance that having it on/off can cause algae? As turning it on/off will also affect PH levels?

Martin

I wouldn't use play sand personally. I won't say why purely because I've explained why before and people generally don't see the legitimacy behind my reasoning.

I did indeed lower the macro and micro nutrient dosing by 40-50% but this instantly caused BGA so lowering the dosage rate isn't key to the problem, it just creates MORE problems.

At the moment this is the weekly schedule of maintenance:

Monday - Conduct 50% W/C at end of the day and add 10ml of Potassium Nitrate (effectively adds 8ppm) and 10ml of Monopotassium Phosphate (effectively adds 2ppm).

Tuesday - Add 5-6ml of EDTA trace solution (2.5ml per 50 litres is what should be applied according to http/www.plantedtank.co.uk)

Wednesday - Add the Monopotassium Phosphate and Potassium Nitrate again.

Thursday - Conduct 20-30% W/C and syphon surface of substrate. Add EDTA trace solution.

Friday - Add the Monopotassium Phosphate and Potassium Nitrate again.

Saturday - Add EDTA trace solution.

Sunday - Rest day.

Although the above seems quite sophisticated and at times can be time-consuming, clearly it is far from the answer to stopping this hair algae from growing.


Regarding your c02 question: You should ideally have it set to on 2-3 hours prior to the lights coming on and set it to go off 30-60 minutes before the lights go off. The light source is what causes photosynthesis both in algae and higher plants so whatever is occurring in terms of chemistry (i.e. PH changes etc) when the lights are off will not be influencing algae. When the lights go off your plants will begin to take in oxygen and 'breath' out c02 so the PH won't exactly jump up when you turn your c02 supply off since the plants themselves will be contributing to the levels of dissolved c02.

 

[mbsqw1d]

70-80% water change per week sounds like too much to me.. not sure how this might cause algae but seeing how your tank is 'lightly' planted and understocked, you could happily do 20% change a week. Give your plants chance to adapt themselves to the water chemistry

 

[mark4785]

1st comment:

as mentioned on the previous page and as advised by me to do so months ago on another of your many algae problem pages:

your plants are too 'clumped' together!! plants need space for them to make the most of any light, nutrients and co2.

you have more surface area of bare substrate than you do plant mass, yet you clearly have enough plants to be spread out a little more.

2nd comment:

You have a LOT less plant mass than what I remember!?

All the plants have been divided up as adviced by yourself in the former reply above. A small amount of plant mass has been removed since taking up your advice in the former reply. In order for there to look as though there is more plants (when there actually isn't) would mean going back to planting things all clumped up again...

70-80% water change per week sounds like too much to me.. not sure how this might cause algae but seeing how your tank is 'lightly' planted and understocked, you could happily do 20% change a week. Give your plants chance to adapt themselves to the water chemistry

I'm doing bi-weekly W/C's in direct response to some advice given to me in this thread from Ianho, quote below:

as above...I would also add a glass diffuser so you can actually see where your C02 is being dispersed. Most algaes thrive on unstable/low C02, this can be blamed in your tank. The other thing i would do is to up your water changes, just up them to 2 a week and i'll put money on that you'll see a difference.

Taken from post/#47.

 

[ian]

doing more than one water change a week won't hurt, it will help. I am doing 3 x 30% a week water changes at present. I'm not getting any algae at all. Most scapers will do more than one water change a week when dosing EI. I still maintain this is a C02 problem, i'm not sure what others think...

 

[mark4785]

doing more than one water change a week won't hurt, it will help. I am doing 3 x 30% a week water changes at present. I'm not getting any algae at all. Most scapers will do more than one water change a week when dosing EI. I still maintain this is a C02 problem, i'm not sure what others think...

Well my DC indicates 30ppm of c02 at lights on and the circulation in there is quite good. I'm also adding EasyCarbo. I'm not sure what else people expect me to do to be honest.

The only thing that may help is the removal of all the internals, leaving just one powerhead and a suitable external. But i've already established that this is extremely tricky, costs money and the way in which I'd implement it would void my aquarium warranty. Oh, yes, and it might be all for nothing since it may not be a c02 distribution problem causing the algae.

I'm trying to order in some more Limnophila Sessiflora as they grow very fast and so are apparently good at competing with the algae for nutrients.

I personally think that if the limnophila doesn't solve the algae issue I'll convert the tank to a non-planted one as I'm just fed up with it all now.

 

[PDSimon]

I wouldn't even call it a planted tank at the moment, it needs more plants

 

[mbsqw1d]

surely this is not the outcome from separating the plants you had originally!? Did a lot die off due to being clumped together? I would definitely chuck a load more plants in there if you can afford to!? Just ensure they're removed from the rock wool and planted apart a little.

yeh ianho, i'm thinkin co2 is an issue. and a lack of plants!

 

[ian]

i see your thinking, however Mark is running pressurised C02, which will keep his C02 on an even keal.

 

[mark4785]

I've uploaded a video to Youtube showing the types of algae now growing in my aquarium, which seem to be green hair algae and bits of black beard algae.

The fact that I'm not having issues with blue-green algae is a great relief but the algaes I'm currently having to deal with aren't an aweful lot easier to eradicate.

Video URL: http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySQAr_l4iy4 .


Here's my daily EI dosing schedule, which may give a clue as to what I'm doing wrong:

Monday - Conduct 50% W/C at end of the day and add 10ml of Potassium Nitrate (effectively adds 8ppm) and 10ml of Monopotassium Phosphate (effectively adds 2ppm).

Tuesday - Add 5-6ml of TPN HEEDTA chelate trace solution (2.5ml per 50 litres is what should be applied according to http/www.plantedtank.co.uk)

Wednesday - Add the Monopotassium Phosphate and Potassium Nitrate again.

Thursday - Conduct 20-30% W/C and syphon surface of substrate. Add HEEDTA chelate TPN trace solution.

Friday - Add the Monopotassium Phosphate and Potassium Nitrate again.

Saturday - Add HEEDTA chelate TPN trace solution. Conduct 20-30% W/C and syphon surface of substrate.

Sunday - Rest day.

Note: I'm also spot-dosing 2-3ml of Easycarbo every day to get rid of algae. Kinda fighting a losing battle though since I'm not tackling the route cause of it.


Thanks again,

Mark.

 

[mark4785]

Bump.

 

[JenCliBee]

Apologies if the info has already been given but ive only just skimmed the thread .

But just a couple of questions?

How are you diffusing the co2?
How are you measuring the co2?... if a drop checker, are you using 4dkh solution?
How is the co2 managed?, through a night time shut off? (solenoid). If so when is it coming on and off? (before lights and before lights off)

why are you doing so many water changes?, has this been your regime from the start?
Is the dosing schedule you doing dumbed down for you having less plants?

Cleaning schedule?, removing algae etc.


It's seems from other threads you've posted on that you think your problems are stemming from excess nutrients?.....


The main factors for algae are usually light and bad co2 distribution contributed by bad/insufficient flow?.... the flow doesn't seen to be a problem going by what you have so it leads me to maybe a co2 problem?.

Most new tanks usually go through an algae phase, however combating it is the important part.... usually preventing cant be done to a certain degree.

Anyways..... sorry if any of these questions have been answered lol.... they probbaly have been but.. oh well

Will just wait for the above answers first before assuming to much