Right Levels

[Burkhill]

Right had my tank set up for a few weeks now, and I've got some algae issues the algea looks like some sort of stringy candy floss will try and get an Id on it


Well was hoping some one with a bit more know hoe will tell me were I'm going wrong


What I'm doing is

Pressurised co2 to about 10-15ppm
1.5ml a day of seachem flourish
Two 39watt t5's on for 8 1/2 hours aday both iquatices one tropical for plant growth on is the new 50/50
Ph level is at about 7.3 and about 6.7 with co2 on
Kh is a 4
Nitrate is 1-2
Phosphate is 0 my be 0.03

I'm getting some growth in my plants moss as been in for a couple of weeks and has got new shoots coming off ever were
Java fern got loads off new leafs sprouting up
Only thing not really growing is some amazon swords just going a bit yellow around the edges of leafs

The thing I can't keep on top of is the algae it seems to like growing on my plants or my bogwood don't seem to get any on the glass or sand

So if any one can point out what they think I my be doing wrong please just say

Cheers

And the tank is about 400ltrs with a sump

 

[Ps3Steveo]

I'd drop ya photo period to 6 hours esp as its not been set up long

 

[Burkhill]

I'd drop ya photo period to 6 hours esp as its not been set up long

What about the plants I've got

 

[Burkhill]

Any more ideas

Must be someone out there what knows what I'm doing wrong


Or is it just new tank syndrome

 

[RadaR]

Right had my tank set up for a few weeks now, and I've got some algae issues the algea looks like some sort of stringy candy floss will try and get an Id on it

Indicates a CO2 problem whether it be distribution, concentration or both.
How are you determining that the CO2 is 10-15ppm?
We usually reccomend a turn over of 10x the volume of the tank. In your case, 4000litres per hour.
A good method is to turn the CO2 on two hours before the lights come on. Then, turn the CO2 off two hours before the lights go off.

Nitrate is 1-2
Phosphate is 0 my be 0.03

Are you adding this daily? Or are these the values you believe to be in the tank when you tested?

When folks inject CO2, they should also be dosing macro nutrients (NPK) regularly. A minimum of 20ppm of nitrate per week, 20ppm of potassium per week and 1-2ppm of phosphate. Each tank is different though, these are only averages. Listen to the plants and if they suffer and you start to get algae, then increase the dosage.


Check out these links.

Back to basics

James algae guide

UKAPS articles

 

[Burkhill]

Cheers for the reply radar read through the threads

I've got 3800 ltr per hour turn over
I've got the co2 reading through kh/ph method


The problem seems to be my nitrates and prostrate levels ( the problems I had keeping these down in my marine tank )

Just done a quick google and eBay search didn't come up with any products to add them so a link or a push in the right directions would be grand, just while I do a more detailed search


Cheers hopefully this should sort it out

 

[RadaR]

The KH and pH charts shouldnt really be trusted. Those charts/tables assume that any change of pH in that certain KH water is solely down to carbonic acid (dissolved CO2). Using a drop checker filled with 4dkh water and bromo blue reagent is a popular method these days. Also observing the health of the plants, fish and algae. Hair algae or anything similar really points towards a CO2 issue.
It would be cost effective yo dose EI on your tank. The back to basics should explain what that is.

 

[Burkhill]

Cheers

Just ordered some potassium nitrate and phosphate so should have that up to the needed level by weekend

Got one of the drop checkers always showed a mid green colour, got it of eBay so never really trusted it 100%

I'll another look at the ei

 

[Burkhill]

Ei looked at it earlier that's what I'm going to give a try

So hopefully by a week or so tank and I should be feeling a lot better


Thanks again feeling so much better about it now