Algae Everywhere! :(

[KirkyArcher]

.....this can have the effect of rocketing nitrate and or phosphate levels.....

And that wouldn't matter.

(not in an established tank with strong plant growth/large amount of plant presence)

 

[CrazyDiamond88]

Also what is a complete plant food?

I use root tabs. Is that sufficient?

 

[SO19Firearms]

Also what is a complete plant food?

I use root tabs. Is that sufficient?

 
Something with plenty of Nitrate, Phosphate and Potassium in - Some root tabs have that, most don't though

 

[tunagirll]

I have a 25 litre tank with a 8W light and it's on for around 6 hours a day right now with CO2 injection - seems to be plenty for the plants and I don't seem to have many algae issues. I think maybe downgrade your light? When I was using Flourish Excel instead of CO2 injection, I was dosing about 1/10 of a cap per day.

 

[glolite]

Whenever I try flourish excell I seem to get more algae not less. It starts on the glass and spreads. If I stop using excell the algae goes away, so what's that all about?

 

[SO19Firearms]

so what's that all about?

If I had to guess I'd go with not enough Nitrate, Phosphate etc - When you provide the extra carbon for the plants to use you're giving them half a chance to grow - so when they come up short on fertiliser you get the ammonia, hormones etc that triggers the algae.
Stopping the carbon makes this the limiting factor again slowing the plants process' - so no algae.



IMO

 

[glolite]

Ok that makes sense. This is a 39 gallon livebearer tank with sunset platys and guppies breeding furiously. It's a very busy tank that seems to be working well and has been up and running for just over a year. Ammonia and nitrites always come up as nil on testing with API liquid tests, however I know that ammonia can be present in tiny amounts that can still have an effect on algae growth without affecting the fish. My nitrates always run at 40 however many waterchanges I do but I use seachem prime at double dose.
 
The water quality must be pretty good for all those tiny fry to be existing. I do my weekly water changes religiously on all 8 tanks arrrrg! MTS is bad

but I would have thought livebearers poop lots of waste to feed the plants?
 
The tank is moderately planted, probably half, with mostly java fern as livebearers eat most of the others I've tried to grow.
 
The lighting is 48 watt on for 7 hours a day in two halves. Filters are 1 x hang on double waterfall, 1 x eheim ball filter and 1 x fluval 4.
 
Any thoughts on this set up would be great and if I do need extra ferts which are the best UK products in your opinion.

 

[SO19Firearms]

Something with Nitrate and Phosphate in it like Tropica or TNC Complete.
You might want to take a look at your flow too - Make sure that all your filters aren't conflicting, if you're getting dead spots etc you might find the nutrients that you do have in your tank aren't getting around well enough.

 

[glolite]

Something with Nitrate and Phosphate in it like Tropica or TNC Complete.
You might want to take a look at your flow too - Make sure that all your filters aren't conflicting, if you're getting dead spots etc you might find the nutrients that you do have in your tank aren't getting around well enough.

Thanks for that.

 

[glolite]

I'm starting to get really disheartened!

 
I've had my tank up and cycled for about 2 months.
 
I am still getting diatoms everywhere, as well as blue green algae (or is it cyanobacteria), and black hairy algae on my rocks.
 
I am so very frustrated!
 
I do water changes every 1.5 weeks. 
 
Tank is 12 gallons and has 11 pygmy cories, a betta, and a MTS living in it.
 
I'll post readings of the water here in a bit.
 
What could it be? I'm ready to give up here

Don't get disheartened that's a lovely planted tank. If reducing your light and upping the ferts don't work, there is a product called protolon made by ESha. It's a 7 day course which works on all algae including cyanobacter. I've used it with good results. A cheaper option is a 3 day blackout, switch off aquarium lights and use a few black refuse sacks to exclude light and if you can, keep the curtains closed too. 3 days won't harm fish or plants but don't be tempted to peek.

 

[CrazyDiamond88]

Thanks! I was just about to post back here because I'm getting frustrated. Now though I have a few weeks off from work so I can spend some time on this.
 
Protolon sounds good but I do think it's something that I haven't yet resolved.
 
Will have to get more ferts I think. I did put SeaChem Flourish Tabs in about 3 months ago. Should I put in more? Or do I need something different?
 
I've also started dosing more CO2... like half a cap a day, but not sure if this would help.
 
Problem is the baby tears which I have been trying to get to cover the substrate are absolutely COVERED in the slimy black algae  
Should I get rid of all these? And replant them? It's just so depressing seeing these brownish plants everywhere in the tank

 

I'm starting to get really disheartened!

 
I've had my tank up and cycled for about 2 months.
 
I am still getting diatoms everywhere, as well as blue green algae (or is it cyanobacteria), and black hairy algae on my rocks.
 
I am so very frustrated!
 
I do water changes every 1.5 weeks. 
 
Tank is 12 gallons and has 11 pygmy cories, a betta, and a MTS living in it.
 
I'll post readings of the water here in a bit.
 
What could it be? I'm ready to give up here

Don't get disheartened that's a lovely planted tank. If reducing your light and upping the ferts don't work, there is a product called protolon made by ESha. It's a 7 day course which works on all algae including cyanobacter. I've used it with good results. A cheaper option is a 3 day blackout, switch off aquarium lights and use a few black refuse sacks to exclude light and if you can, keep the curtains closed too. 3 days won't harm fish or plants but don't be tempted to peek.

 

 

[glolite]

I'd be tempted to use protolon anyway and then start afresh. Protolon has a liquid plant feed incorporated into bottle B which you can carry on using weekly after the course of treatment is over. I've had better results using a liquid fertiliser than tabs but it also depends on the strength of lighting and duration too.