quick question

[hmt321]

I have had a 125 gal heavily plante tank set up for about 4 months, about 2 weeks ago I noticed some green algea growing on the tops of some of the plants,

here is tank info
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125 gal
2 eheim 2028 pro II
1 fluval 404

Lights:
304 watts (2.4 watt PG)
11 hour photo period

CO2 injection

Weekly 50% WC

Following dosed at WC

Calcium sulfate 9 tsp
Epsom salt 6 tsp
Potassium Nitrate 1 1/8 tsp
Fleet 1 ml

I dose trace once per day

Fish list
Orange spot sunfish 6
Assorted shiners 25
Fat sleepers 3
Speckled madtoms 2
Olive nerites (snails) 100

Substrate:
2” of florite covered with 1” of small pea gravel

Water temp = 66 - 70 f
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here is test from this morning

ph 6.6
ammonia 0.0
Phosphate 1.0
Nitrate 0.0

my co2 sat used to be between 22 and 19, could not find my kh test, i can check that later today

this is what i think is going on

plants are using up all the nitrate and allowing algea to grow

do i need to up my potasium nitrate?

thanks

here is a pict of the tank
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/hmt321/IMG_0610.jpg

plant mass is probably 30% more now

[fresh_newby]

ok I have a couple of questions
First is why is your photoperiod so long <8-10 more than enough>
Second, why do you dose so much Calcium sulfate
Third why do you dose traces daily <ouch> too much
And last but not least....your CO2 needs to be more like 30 ppm

Test you KH and GH and post please. this will also help.
Most alage situations begin with lack of CO2 so start from there.

[John N.]

I suggest changing your photoperiod to 9-10 hours to help control/prevent some of the green algae. I also would increase your KNO3 dosage to 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 as the readings are bottomed out at zero, and you apparently need more nitrates.

-John N.

[Star_Rider]

good advice here..I am adjusting my photoperiod and my CO2. to combat the same sort of issues.

it seems to be working as I get the hours adjusted. and CO2 increased.

[hmt321]

my doseing schedule came from Djeilin (a poster on this sight)

I have been watching my Nitrate and keeping it about 10 or so, I think that my traces are way out of wack, so i will start doseing only 2 times a week.

ill bump co2 up too

[fresh_newby]

ANother thing I am noticing is that you are not dosing Phosphates. it has been proven that Phosphates are needed in order for the plant to properly utilize Nitrates. A good ratio is 1:10 or 2:10 PO4:NO3. Any reason why you dose the macros at WC and not evenly throughout your week? I would alternate macros and micros each 2 times a week, then by day seven do a 50% change to reset the tank. Again, I think the best start is to up the CO2, then we can start fine-tuning the fert dosing schedule.

[hmt321]

fleet enema is my phosphate fert

i keep it between .75 and 1

I dose the macros at wc simply because it is more convenient for me, and it worked very well for so long, i just got a little lazy about testing

[Squawkbert]

I'm thinking more nitrate, more CO2, lower amount of water change to 25%/wk or up post change dosages (taking 50% cuts into your CO2 & dosed items by 50%).