Help Identifying Algae
- Thread starter tata
- Start date
You have A LOT of detritus within what looks like hair algae. I would probably think this is due to a flow problem around the tank by seeing the detritus.
give us a few more stats...ie C02, Fert regime and lighting.
give us a few more stats...ie C02, Fert regime and lighting.
Tank Specifications:
120 L (30Gal)
26ºC (78 F)
2x39W - T5
PH=6.3, KH=2
CO2 = 0.5 bubble per sec
Eheim 2213 (450L/110Gal p/ hour)
Fish: L200, 5 Otocinclus, 8 Neons, 2 Appistogramma, 5 neritine snails, 1 Cory Sterbai
Fert: 5ml TPN+ 2X per week, 3ml Seachem PO4 2x per week, 5ml Seachem K 2x per week
120 L (30Gal)
26ºC (78 F)
2x39W - T5
PH=6.3, KH=2
CO2 = 0.5 bubble per sec
Eheim 2213 (450L/110Gal p/ hour)
Fish: L200, 5 Otocinclus, 8 Neons, 2 Appistogramma, 5 neritine snails, 1 Cory Sterbai
Fert: 5ml TPN+ 2X per week, 3ml Seachem PO4 2x per week, 5ml Seachem K 2x per week
I would personally up the C02 and flow around the tank. Whether that is done by a small powerhead, it's up to you. Can i ask why you are dosing TPN+, Seachem PO4 and N03?
It would also be beneficial to dose the TPN+ daily. We would normally start with 1ml per 20lts daily.
It would also be beneficial to dose the TPN+ daily. We would normally start with 1ml per 20lts daily.
Thanks for the advice.
I agree there is a problem of water circulation on my aquarium.
As you can see, I have the outlet on the tight side of aquarium, and on that side detritus are not significant.
On other hand, the left side has much lower circulation, consequently much more detritus.
I will add a powerhead on the left side of aquarium, as the picture shows.
Well, I have Cabomba caroliniana, Heteranthera zosterifolia, Anubias barteri, Vallisneria, Staurogyn and Pogostemon helferi.
Basically I want to give all the necessary nutrients to my plants.
Although, ODing your ferts aren't really gonna cause a problems (as long as you keep up with water changes). Its just TPN+ contains NO3 and P04. It just seems a waste of money buying the Seachem stuff, when you TPN+ is doing the same job. You may see a difference when dosing the TPN+ daily.
StandbySetting
Fish Aficionado
How are you measuring CO[sub]2[/sub]? Presumably using a drop checker? And are you using a diffuser too?
Supposedly NO3 and PO4 concentrations on TPN+ are so low, that is advisable to fert them separately.
And in fact, before I started with Seachem PO4, PO4 concentration was around 0.05 ppm.
That what I have read. I might be wrong though.
I adjusted my needle valve to 1 bubble every 2 seconds, when I had one of those Hagen ladders.
I switched from the ladder to a glass diffuser 3 weeks ago, but I didn't touch the needle valve.
According to CO2 tables (PHxKH), my Co2 concentration should be around 30ppm. But I doubt, that with only 0.5 bubble per second, this value is correct.
StandbySetting
Fish Aficionado
Nitrate and Phoshpate concentrations in TPN+ are good, if you dose as recommended your tank will receive 3PPM of Nitrate and 0.5PPM of Phosphate daily, this means dosing 1ml per 20 litres daily.
What are you testing the Phosphate concentration with? Most hobby test kits very inaccurate and not very precise.
Also, KH/PH relationships don't work using aquarium water as there are compounds in our tanks that will affect the PH but not the KH, Nitric acid for example, get yourself a drop checker or you really are having a stab in the dark with regards to CO2 concentrations.
What about K? Shouldn't you fert K?
I am testing PO4 with a cheap Aquili test kit. I will try to find a better alternative.
Yep, i know. I have the JBL Co2 test, but to be honest I don't pay to much attention to it.
I just added a small powerhead connected to a eheim spraybar. This definitely seems to improve the aquarium circulation.
Other actions I have on my list to fight algaes:
-> Change T5 lamps. They are now 9 month old
-> Add 1 or 2 SAE
-> Check PO4 with a better test kit, and probably reduce PO4 fertilization
-> Buy a 10W UV filter
StandbySetting
Fish Aficionado
K is in TPN+, and there is really no need to test for phosphate if you dose TPN+ as recommended you know how much phosphate is in the tank.
Add 'buy some 4DKH water' to that list as well, you need it in the JBL CO[sub]2[/sub] test for it to work properly.
No need to test for PO[sub]4[/sub][sup]3-[/sup].
And there's no real need for a UV steriliser either, they tend to mask problems.
StandbySetting
Fish Aficionado
Mineral water isn't ideal either, you need pure water, so RO or distilled.
TPN+ contains all of the 17 nutrients your plants require when dosed properly, that includes the macro's (Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium) and the micro's (Iron, Sulphur, Zinc, Molybednum, Manganese, Magnesium, Calcium, Copper, Boron, Chloride, Silicon, Selenium, Sodium and Nickel).
Standard dosing is 1ml per 20 litres.
There is no need to test for phosphate as you'll know if there isn't enough, your plants will show deficiencies, if I were you I'd dose TPN+ exclusively and ditch the other fertilisers you're dosing.
TPN+ contains all of the 17 nutrients your plants require when dosed properly, that includes the macro's (Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium) and the micro's (Iron, Sulphur, Zinc, Molybednum, Manganese, Magnesium, Calcium, Copper, Boron, Chloride, Silicon, Selenium, Sodium and Nickel).
Standard dosing is 1ml per 20 litres.
There is no need to test for phosphate as you'll know if there isn't enough, your plants will show deficiencies, if I were you I'd dose TPN+ exclusively and ditch the other fertilisers you're dosing.
I will follow your advice, and I will stick to daily TPN+ exclusively.
There is any recommended time to do the fertilization (before the lights on?) or any time is just ok?
By the way, I have set up a nice auto fertilizer system, using a power head and a minute based digital timer.
This way, I am sure I wont forget to fertilize ;-)
The timer:
The old boyu powerhead:
And the thing working:
Similar threads
Most reactions
-
377 -
245 -
223 -
216 -
210 -
160 -
144 -
132 -
119 -
116 -
113 -
102 -
101 -
F
94
-
90