Green water, need help

H

hmt321

AC Members
Nov 21, 2005
254
0
0
hey, more problems but of a different nature

same 40 gal tank as this thread
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=78029

Ok my doseing schedule

KNO3 = 3/8 teaspn (2x per week)
Fleets = 4 drops (2x per week)
Calcium sulfate = 1.5 teaspn 2x per week
MG = 1 teaspn 2x per week
Plantex = 5ml (per day or 30 ml per week

I use florish excell as a carbon source (20 ml at water change, 4 ml every other day)

light is 110 watts over 40 gal

I had a bad problem with hair algae before i started to dose fertz, so i did a 3 day black out, it killed 75% of hair algea, snails and SAE have been keeping it in check since.

I have seen really good growth since i started to dose 2 weeks ago. algae bloom hit 4 days ago, i have cleared it with DE filter 2 times, it just comes back.

here are test results form tonight (i did water change yesterday, 50%) water temp is 75-78 (it ranges)

Ph - 7.8
PO4 - .25
FE (non-cleated) 0 unreadable
FE cleated - .25-.5
GH - 5 drops or 100
KH - 3 drops or 30
CA - 2 drops or 40

(hagan master test kit)

I use a 12 hour photo period

the tank does have fish, maxed out for tank size

1 Redear sunfish - like a small ocsar
5 sail fin shiners
4 otto's
1 madtom
1 Sae
12 Olive nerites (snails)


what do you think i need 2 do?
 
Re-read all my posts in your other thread. You can't listen to and do everything that everyone tells you to do with regard to dosing. If you do you will end up either dosing too little of something or too much. One should follow only one dosing regime to get the plants growing. Getting them growing will rid you of the algae.

Question: Does the plant mass look about the same today as it did in the over all picture you posted in the other thread. You know what....forget that question.
Please post another overall picture of the tank so we can see what the plants look like now and how many of them you now have.
You are dosing too much Ca and Mg and not enough Excel or PO4. Send us a picture and we'll try again to work out a proper dosing regimen for your tank.

One more question.....what is a 'DE filter'?

Len
 
Reduce lighting (try 10 hours maybe), Make sure your not dosing too much ferts, be careful not to overfeed with so many fish, and do frequent water changes and algae cleaning. If any plants have been overtaken completely by algae- pull them out, and add something inexpensive and fastgrowing (hygrophila polysperma would do the trick).. Then eventually your plants should get the upperhand, and things should be much easier.

If you have a ton of money lying around you could also consider a UV sterilizer which would kill the free-swimming algae, but the above would do just a well if you give the tank a little time and attention :)

Goodluck!
 
My dig cameria is out of batts, i will post pict tommorow.

DE = Diatomic Earth (vortex filter)

The Mg and Ca dosing did seem kinda high, I apoligise but it seems that i misunderstood, I have seen great plant growth in the tank and i think that i am definatly on the right track.

I will post tommarow
 
ok here are picts

here is tank like 3 weeks ago (before i added new plants and fertz)
IMG_0370.jpg


here is tank today before I ran the DE filter
IMG_0419.jpg


here is after DE filter
IMG_0420.jpg


I appreciate your input and thank you for bearing with me, i have lots to learn

the hair algae is still present but does not grow like before, the green water had become a nuance
 
My main concern is that the plants don't seem to be getting enough Carbon. You seem to have some decent lighting over that tank, and the plant-load is just getting to where it looks like a heavily planted tank, so I'd think heavily about adding CO2 (even DIY for now) as well as dosing Excel DAILY! The idea for cutting back your lighting period seems appropriate as well. 10 hourse should be plenty, and you can work it back up if you really want to later as the tank stabilizes.
 
Let's try again......
Here's my take on how to rid yourself of the green water/thread algae problem.
There will be a dash after your dosage and then my recommendation:

KNO3 = 3/8 teaspn (2x per week) - .75 tsp @ WC only
Fleets = 4 drops (2x per week) - 8 drops @ WC & 4 drops @ mid-week
Calcium sulfate = 1.5 teaspn 2x per week - 2.5 tsps. @ WC only
MG = 1 teaspn 2x per week - 2 tsp. @ WC only
Plantex = 5ml (per day or 30 ml per week - About 8 mls./day would be better, and don't worry about testing for Fe. Unless you've got lab grade Fe test kits (Hach or LaMotte) you're probably not getting accurate readings anyway.
Just dose your 8 mls./day and it will supply enough traces, Fe included.

Dose the Flourish Excel @ 20 mls. @ WC and 15 mls. daily. You are not supplying enough carbon unless you're dosing this daily.
I would start thinking about DIY or better yet pressurized CO2 for your tank. It is, by far, the better way to go for a carbon source.

Your photo-period is fine at 12 hours/day. Remember, the object of the game is to GROW THE PLANTS. You will now be meeting their needs nutritionally and they will appreciate the 12 hours of light.

Give this 3 - 4 weeks and see if it doesn't clear things up for you, before following 800 other people's advice also. You can't take a little bit from here and a little bit from there and be successful when it come to dosing an aquarium.

Len
 
I did my W/C this morning so i will adjust my doses to match your recomendations djlen.

I will look into the CO2, i was under the impression that my gh and kh were 2 low.

thanks for the help.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom