help w/ planted tank & algae

J

Just5398

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Mar 13, 2007
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I have a 20 gallon tank with 7 live plants. I know that there is an imbalance if I'm getting so much algae. I have a coralife 65 watt bulb on most of the day. I "fertilize" with Leaf Zone once a week and use CO2 3 times a week. How do I balance the tank so the plants outweigh the algae? It's mostly hair or thread algae. I also know that reducing the light will help too; any other suggestions?

Thanks!

PS I have guppies, mollies, tetras and shrimp.
 
If by "Use CO2" 3 times per week, you mean adding Flourish Excel, maybe you need to reduce the dosage slightly and use it daily. That & cutting back on light period may help, but at ~3WPG, you may have to eventually consider going w/ a pair of 2L DIY or a pressurized CO2 system.
 
The CO2 I add is a system by Jungle Labs (Plant Care Solutions) CO2 tablets. Is that not good? It was cheap and easy to use. I've tried setting up a DIY CO2 and failed miserably so I gave up on it and went with this system.
Should I be using Flourish Excel?

Thank you for your help!
 
I'm having an issue with algae too. This is my first planted tank, and in fact, the plants are "inherited", ie, they came with the tank when we bought it from a guy. The lights are a fixture he built, which has a lot of brushed aluminum inside the hood and 2 GE Ecolux 50w bulbs and 2 GE Ecolux 32w bulbs.

I haven't added any fertilizers.

I'll be watching this thread.

ETA: I think they're mostly lowlight type plants: cabomba, hornwort, a couple other tall types I don't know what they are yet, and a bunch of little grassy type things. Some water sprite and water wysteria and a couple of java ferns on a piece of driftwood (that one I did do myself!).
 
Cabomba is not a low light plant - it requires pretty high light levels to do well.

The rest you mentioned are low light species (except probably the "grassy things" - if they're swarf Sag, they're medium light - if they're Mondo Grass, they aren't aquatic & should probably be removed).
 
but with that much light, that's enough for cabomba isn't it? It seems pretty bright to me, but I'm new to the plant thing. I love how they look, but I don't love how messy they are. The guy we bought the tank from seemed pretty knowledgeable, so I doubt any of the plants aren't aquatic. My husband said when he was taking the tank down, he was separating all the plants and telling him the scientific names for them and he was VERY....mmm....perfectionist is a nice word. :cool:
 
mellowvision said:
co2 is effective when it's steady and constant, fluxuations lead to algae. havent read anything good about the jungle labs product.
Click to expand...

well then, I think you've answered my question. Now for more questions if that's okay?

Flourish Excel was mentined earlier as a CO2 source- should I start using that?
or Should I wait until the algae gets under control?
What should I do to get it under control?
What, if any, ferlilizers should I use - ease is most important at the moment.

Hold my hand - PLEASE?!?!?!
 
In discussions listed on other plant forums, I have read the Flourish Excel actually also helps control and eliminate algae. There is some legal reason why they do not disclose that. I think it would make sense to use the Flourish Excel in your 20g. Just make sure you don't overdose it. I would also add more plants. You have sufficient light, more plants, excel, less algae. You should manually remove what you can although to get off to a good start.

As far as dosing goes. You need to dose macro nutrients NKP, and micro nutrients namely, Fe, Mg, Ca. Seachem Flourish is excellent for trace/micro nutrients. Seachem also has specific products that dose NKP.

Good luck

Fred
 
I've tried setting up a DIY CO2 and failed miserably so I gave up on it and went with this system.
Should I be using Flourish Excel?
Click to expand...

I use the Nutrafin Natural Plant Care System for CO2 - sort of DIY already to go. It's easy, cheap (around $20.00), and the canister looks nicer than a soda bottle. Just don't buy replacement "activator/stabilizer" packets - they're just yeast and baking soda.
 
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