Got plants, still getting algae...

[tekonus]

How long do you leave your lights on?

 

[kreesdqban]

no moss isn't. you want a stem plant. like mentioned up above HYGRO! stuff grows like crazy. remember that most algae issues are from lack of nutrients so you need to make sure you have enough of them all.

also... certain fish will eat that stuff up like crazy. brown algae (diatoms ) will be eaten by ottos, which are all around good algae eaters..

do you have any pics? green carpet algae sounds more like bga (blue green algae which isn't algae, its bacteria). if it's bga you might want to consider using maracyn

I'll look into getting some ottos and maybe a hygro or 2 next time i go to the LFS. I'll put pics up as soon as i can.

if it's bga (cyanobacteria) you might want to consider dosing nitrates first. then you can run the gambit doing blackouts, cleaning filters, gravel vac'ing, increasing circulation and last resort medicating with either direct excel doses, direct dosing h2o2 and finally hitting it with erythromycin. the antibiotics are a last resort though. it doesn't address the underlying issue, can kill off beneficial bacteria, is unnecessarily medicating your fish...

look up the root tab recipe by riiz in the sticky in the planted section. they're a lot better and cheaper than anything else i've tried.

www.aquariumfertilizer.com ... dry ferts work better and last longer.

Yeah, I want to avoid medicating unless I really have to... and I'll definitely check out that root tab recipe, I was planning on buying dry ferts from aquariumfertilizer.com in the near future. For now I just dosing with Flourish.

EDIT: I have my lights on for 10 hours

 

[tekonus]

I have my lights on for 10 hours

That's why you have algae, IMO. There is no reason to have that much light on for that long. Think about it, in the wild do you think those plants get that intense light all day long? No, the sun isn't always in the same spot in the sky. (well, technically yes it is... but you get my point.)

 

[kreesdqban]

Will do!

 

[dundadundun]

my lights stay on for up to 15 hours. no algae! not saying it can't help... but something to think about.

do not depend on fish to solve a problem... more waste = more problems.

 

[ghengis]

With that sort of lighting (particularly with such a sudden, dramatic leap from 15w) and no CO2, you are almost guarenteed to have issues with algae. You need to more closely match the CO2 content in your tank to the light you are providing...having 15w and no CO2 (aside from that which the fish give off) would work great, and obviously has done for you, but if you boost one area, you need to boost the other areas...CO2, fertz, etc.

To put it another way...you can't put a massive motor in your car, without beefing the clutch, gearbox, diff etc. It all needs to equal out, or something is gonna give...same story with your tank.

 

[kreesdqban]

So i have lighting done (just need to get the right schedule), I'm starting ferts (currently using Flourish, will soon use NKP and root tabs), and lastly would be CO2. For now I will try and get (as suggested) more plants, and specifiaclly faster growing plants such as Hygros.

We'll see how it all works out. Thanks everybody for your help.

 

[tekonus]

my lights stay on for up to 15 hours. no algae! not saying it can't help... but something to think about.

do not depend on fish to solve a problem... more waste = more problems.

How tall is your tank and how much lighting do you have? If you have a taller tank with a lower wattage of light you will not have the same problems... My friend and I have the same 40watt light strip from the same store with the same bulb in them, mine on my 33g which is only 13" tall and his on a 55g which is over 20" tall. My plants get algae a heck of a lot easier from the same amount of lighting, as it penetrates more.

 

[ghengis]

But I bet you have better plant growth also, yeah...?

It's all swings and roundabouts, IMO.

 

[tekonus]

But I bet you have better plant growth also, yeah...?

It's all swings and roundabouts, IMO.

Yes, I do have better plant growth in the shallower tank, but it is a double-edged sword. I have to trim things like my swords down more often cause they look like crap all overgrown in a shallow tank.