Algae!

[alanchown]

My tank has been running for almost 3 weeks, and has been cycling with some cardinals, which are doing fine. The tank was heavily planted, with a 36 inch tank collection from Greenline. plants were doing well-maybe too well-never been able to grow them before! Just chucked them in and was going to see what grew-but they all seem to have done so-tank looked a bit like a jungle, so I definately had well over 50% of the gravel covered!
But I have had a bit of an algae breakout, and had by first unconfirmed sighting of Black beard Algae-it may not have been though, might just have been blobs of green stuff collecting around plants-I found it impossible to remove from my tanks when I had them before. I cut my light down to 10 hrs per day, and have given my plants a serious thinning out as I think I may have been blocking too much light. I've chucked some of the ones I didn't like.
Question is, is the algae just a consequence of a new tank and will go when things have matured a bit, or have I seriously cocked something up? If so what can I do?

Tank: 36*15*12- 100L/20UK G
Lighting: 2 x 39W T5 Freshwater type 10 hrs per day
PH:7.2
KH: 180 ppm
GH: 280 ppm
PO:1ppm
Nitrate: 5ppm
Nitrite: 0.3ppm
Ammonia:0
CO2 ( 2 X Nutrafin): 20 ppm
Fertilzation: Seachem Flourish/Excel as per manufactures instruction
Substrate: Aquagrit

Thanks

Alan

 

[Themuleous]

Hi Alan,

You sound like you're the same position as me! I just changed one of my tanks over to EI and the algae menace has taken hold, especailly the hair algae type one.

I see you've got nearly 4WPG, am I to assume you're going the EI method? It should clear up once the tank has settled, all new tanks go through the whole 'settling' stage, so just keep up with the ferts and get the plants growing really well (although it sounds like you're going that pretty well already) and the algae will soon loose its foot hold, the plants will see to that.

If you are doing EI you might want to increase the NO3 to around 10-15ppm. But other poeple can probably help you with this Im still learning!

Hope this helps

Sam

 

[alanchown]

My tank has been running for almost 3 weeks, and has been cycling with some cardinals, which are doing fine. The tank was heavily planted, with a 36 inch tank collection from Greenline. plants were doing well-maybe too well-never been able to grow them before! Just chucked them in and was going to see what grew-but they all seem to have done so-tank looked a bit like a jungle, so I definately had well over 50% of the gravel covered!
But I have had a bit of an algae breakout, and had by first unconfirmed sighting of Black beard Algae-it may not have been though, might just have been blobs of green stuff collecting around plants-I found it impossible to remove from my tanks when I had them before. I cut my light down to 10 hrs per day, and have given my plants a serious thinning out as I think I may have been blocking too much light. I've chucked some of the ones I didn't like.
Question is, is the algae just a consequence of a new tank and will go when things have matured a bit, or have I seriously cocked something up? If so what can I do?

Tank: 36*15*12- 100L/20UK G
Lighting: 2 x 39W T5 Freshwater type 10 hrs per day
PH:7.2
KH: 180 ppm
GH: 280 ppm
PO:1ppm
Nitrate: 5ppm
Nitrite: 0.3ppm
Ammonia:0
CO2 ( 2 X Nutrafin): 20 ppm
Fertilzation: Seachem Flourish/Excel as per manufactures instruction
Substrate: Aquagrit

Thanks

Alan

Havent gone EI yet-new to this game after a long layoff. Surprised to have any growth to be honest.!

Alan

 

[craynerd]

WOW! you seem to have an identical setup, i`m also 3 weeks into cycle, heavily (+50%) planted and cycling with cardinals (tut tut!! ...says me!)


I have seen no algae as of yet and i am about to definately go the EI route...check the sticky and read up about it!


...good luck!