need some help with fert schedule and algae control

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fl4ian

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Feb 22, 2009
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I'm very new to planted tanks, and right now have a big hair algae outbreak. I've determined that it was because my lights were on too long. I've cut the photoperiod down to 6 hours from 12, and reduced my output from 243w to 108w to help control the outbreak, lest I lose all my plants.

I've read that algae outbreaks usually signal imbalance, and I'm thinking that besides the imbalance in lighting, I need to do some fertilization.

I have a 100g tank and am doing 2g of DIY CO2 into a powerhead diffuser. I use Seachem Flourish twice a week at the recommended doses. I do water changes of approx 30% every 10 days. Parameters = 0, 0, 7.5.

What type of fertilization should I consider, and what else am I doing wrong or not quite right? I would like to be successful at this, so any help and/or criticism is welcomed.

Stocking
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Plants - Wisteria, Glossostigma, Najas Roraima, Corscrew Val, Java Moss.
Fish/Inv - 3 swordtails, 2 guppies, 1 rosy barb, 1 BN pleco, 4 glass cats, 8 otos, ~18 rasboras of different types under an inch, half dozen RCS, 2 mystery snails.
 
There are many on this board that are better versed in the specifics but some of the things I have done in the past are as follows:

Restore some or all of your lighting, following a possible 2-3 day blackout, restoring the light may give your plants a chance to out compete the algae.
Increase your ferts, possibly going to dry mixes and following an EI schedule of feeding the water.
What K factor is your lighting?
Don't know if DIY CO2, will supply a 100g tank, I am running DIY on my 58 supplementing with excel and using a Korallia(sp?) for circulation.
Only been going for about 1 month but growth is good and no algae problems YET(fingers crossed).
I do dose roughly following EI schedule backed up by testing.

Good luck I am sure someone better able to assist will chime in, in the mean time maybe some things to think about.
All IMHO

Good luck and will monitor the responses.
 
roscoe70 said:
Increase your ferts, possibly going to dry mixes and following an EI schedule of feeding the water. What K factor is your lighting? Don't know if DIY CO2, will supply a 100g tank
Click to expand...

I keep hearing about EI, I need to look it up. The bulbs are 6500k (daylight). I know that my CO2 will be lacking on such a large tank, however, I'm really just trying it out to see if it's worth the compressed CO2 investment...

Thanks for the EI suggestion.
 
You can check on the Barr Report, if I was better at this I could provide a link. But there several forums you can visit. I have mainly gone there to read the sticky, I do know that Tom posts here at times. Good luck and I think the EI is a good place to start.

Like a dummy I just noticed there is a sticky in this section that talks about EI, man I am becoming a computer genius. LOL
 
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DIY CO2 for such a large tank is not worth the effort, IMO it's not worth the effort for a 50g tank.

Pressurized CO2 is the best investment you can make to improve plant growth. People tend to overdo the lighting while neglecting the CO2. Well, what's involved in the photosynthesis process?

With CO2 and ferts 243w is fine, without them stick to low light plants and stay at the reduced wattage.

Read up on dry ferts and save a ton of money in the long run. Using the Flourish line for such a tank will get expensive, especially if you wish to maintain 243w.
 
do you know of any specific nutrient deficiency that provokes a hair algae outbreak?
 
Any nutrient deficiency will lead to an algae outbreak. When plants stop growing well it allows algae, being smaller organisms hence requiring less, to take advantage of what's there. Plants need the full range of nutrients, NPK+micros+calcium&magnesium, lacking any of these for an extended period of time will slow plant growth.
 
i haven't noticed Ca being in the mix recommended for the EI traces. It shows the magnesium, boron, copper, iron, manganese, zinc, & molybdenum, but no calcium. this is from the CSM+B product recommended for the traces... Is this something I should find another product for?
 
Calcium and magnesium isn't mentioned often because there is usually a good amount in tapwater, unless you use water with a very low GH. If you have soft water then there are GH boosters which essentially add both. If you use high lighting or skip a water change now and then its a good idea to have it on hand as well.
 
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