Algae, and water parameters

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J

Jemflowers

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Aug 16, 2013
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Hello,
I'm having some green slime algae near my substrate and some green spot algae on my glass. I understand that algae like phosphates.
My Ammonia reads 0ppm Nitrite 0ppm and Nitrates are at 10ppm. I have 2 6700k bulbs and one 120000k T5 HO bulb. I have my lights on a timer for 10 hrs a day and and using DIY Co2. I do a 25% water change once a week. What can I do to keep the algae at bay? What other testing kits should I be using? 20130826_165409.jpg

20130826_165409.jpg
 
jpappy789

jpappy789

Plants need meat too
Feb 18, 2007
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Josh
Looks like you have some BGA/cyanobacteria, which isn't an algae but a bacteria.

I'd say you have too much light, for starters. What size tank is that? It kind of looks like a 30g but want to make sure. Generally you aren't going to need more than even 2 x T5HO unless you have really large/deep tanks. And even then you're gearing up for a high tech tank.

DIY CO2 also has limits. How large of a batch are you running? I found that it wasn't worth it on my 30g with only 2 or 3 2L bottles. High light + low CO2 tends to be favorable for algae. Are you dosing any ferts at all either?

I'd start by lowering the light intensity (are you able to run less bulbs or raise the fixture?) and possibly tone down the photoperiod a few hours. Manual removal would help, you could try getting into the substrate with your gravel vac. There are some antibiotics that get rid of it, but they tend to just be a bandaid rather than get rid of the underlying problem.

Just what I would do first, the tank looks really nice though!
 
ktrom13

ktrom13

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Feb 4, 2013
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boston
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Try cutting the lights back a few hours. 10 hours is pretty long and people usually run the lights for about 6-8 hours. But each set up is different. In my case, i only have green slime algae where there is higher flow. I have green spot algae growing in my 10gal and my ottos cant keep up with it so im doing a black out

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J

Jemflowers

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Aug 16, 2013
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Thanks for the replies!:) It's a 55 gal with 2 CO2 bottles, I can alter the lighting by each bulb so maybe I'll cut back on a bulb (or bulbs) for a few hrs a day. i'm dosing Kent Pro Plant 2-3 times a week. My substrate is Flourite.
 
jpappy789

jpappy789

Plants need meat too
Feb 18, 2007
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Josh
Well, if that's the case then you're likely lacking in the CO2/ferts department given the current lighting. DIY is really only good on 20-30g or less unless you want a lot of batches. And from the looks of it the Kent Pro fert is only really supplying N, Mg and some other micros. Might be some deficiencies too, specifically P and K.
 
authmal

authmal

Pseudonovice
Aug 4, 2011
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Phoenix, AZ
DIY CO2 on a tank that size can also cause swinging levels of CO2, encouraging algae growth.
 
J

Jemflowers

AC Members
Aug 16, 2013
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I'd like to start saving up for a CO2 system, do you guys have any suggestions as to what ones I should be looking at?
 
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