String Algae

[coolie]

So I've been dosing EasyCarbo to try to help with a string algae problem, I've also got DIY CO2 going, although not at full speed yet.

The string algae is definately halted by the easy carbo, but it stays green and does not die. I forgot the easy carbo for just one day

and the algae immediately started growing again very strongly quickly. I've notched the twin light down from 8 hours to 7 hours.

Now I never had these problems before when I kept fish years ago, with the same water type but plastic plants. This time I'm

trying to create a well planted tank but am plagued with string algae.

Some people on here suggest over-dosing easy carbo to kill it, I put in 5ml today instead of 4, I don't want to kill the fish.

Most of it is lower down in the tank on my plants, so removing water and spraying is not an option.

I wonder if other proprietary brands may be my only option?

 

[mike455555]

if i have a algae problem i double the dose from 1ml / 50l to 2ml /50l (only a small 60l tank ,50l with substrate) so you should be fine it gets rid of BBA as well, great stuff :L

 

[coolie]

With the fish in the tank Mike?

 

[mike455555]

well i have overdosed. mines 1ml/50l, i often used 2ml with shrimp in the tank. no deaths that i know of, but i have, by mistake used 10ml and it killed a baby platty quickly. so id say you should be okay with double does but not to much higher, really though you should find the cause of the algae and try to fix that, if your doesing other ferts try rising / lowering the amount of 1 type (look on the net for what hair algae likes) and prevent it from getting it if u can, thats why i mix my own ferts

 

[coolie]

Hi Mike, I figure the reason for the string algae is I was dosing dry fertilisers (I work with chemicals)
and had high light before setting up DIY CO2. The spores could hve come on plants as I collected them from a lake.
On looking under the microscope, it appears strand like, and therefore not cyanobacteria (cell like)
The dosing carbon is only keeping it at bay - since posting this I upped the dose to 5 - 6ml for a 240 litre tank
and all it does is slow or stop the growth. Not dosing for a day and it all comes back with avengence.

 

[mike455555]

if i were you id search the net to see what's causing it im using dry ferts as well, so you can easily change the amount of 1, just increase or reduced one, my LFS also said to me that spliting the photo period helps keep algae down, im not sure if its true but you could try it. or reducing light

 

[coolie]

I'm going to do a water change of more than the usual couple of buckets and treat with algumin (algaecide) as a last resort. Don't like brute force but... needs must. I'll get it mail order so it wont be until the new year.