So, I have been battling algae problems since my 55 gal was set up at Thanksgiving. First it was brush and hair algae, now it is some serious green water. I did do a couple of blackouts to try to deal with it, but (1) my E tenellus did not ride out the blackouts so well and (2) a blackout is treating symptoms, not the problem. So, based on posts I read on this and other forums, I have been trying to get my fert dosing set so my plants can out-compete the algae. It has been frustrating, because I have thought that I have been doing it right, but the algae just keeps on coming. Well, I recently got a pH kit that I can actually read, and the tank read 7.4. The KH is 6.1 degrees, so that is only 7 ppm CO2! I thought I had a good amount, but obviously not. I have four 2-liter bottles, and there are lots of bubbles on my Nutrafin ladder that are almost completely dissolved by the top, but it is obviously not enough. I am going to buy some Flourish Excel tonight and hopefully that will turn the tide in my algae war. Once I have the money I will have to get a pressurized system.
