# Algae Problems on slow growing



## brads (4 Oct 2013)

Hi there,

Could someone have a look at this photo and give me an idea of what type of algae this is and how to get rid also on some crypts and anubias nano

Tank specifications - size/litres. 240 Juewl Rio
Lighting - J5/ 54 Watts X 2 Arcadia Plant grow pro - Daily photoperiod 8hrs 10:00 - 18:00hrs
CO2 - Pressurised 08:00hrs - 17:00hrs
Filtration - Filter/LPH rating. AQuamanta EFX 1000U 1000lph
Juewl 600l internal filter
Fertilisation routine - EI/All in one Max Lush.

Have just started  EI/All in one Max Lush. Before it was Easylife carbo 10ml daily with 3ml Easylife profit o daily, from initial setup 27 July 2013.

50% waterchange weekly.

http://i.imgur.com/rck9gdo.jpg


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## Michael W (4 Oct 2013)

James' Planted Tank - Algae Guide Looks like Staghorn Algae, this is likely to be caused by poor CO2 or poor flow. Also, I think you do not need 10 hours for the photoperiod I'm pretty sure I have read some where that 8 hours is enough to grow most aquatic plants.


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## Pinkmummy79 (5 Oct 2013)

It is possibly staghorn, what is your routine maintenance of filters and hoses, it sounds like it could be a combination of things, insufficient flow and circulation, too much light (wattage) and as Michael said, reduce your photoperiod to maybe 6 or 7 hours to start with, ensure your filters and hoses are maintained and try and improve on your overall flow/circulation, maybe add a circulation pump? 
I always think there's never a bad time to do a water change so maybe add another 50% change in each week 

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## brads (5 Oct 2013)

Hi Pinkmummy,

50 - 75% water change weekly 
Bioflow 3 internal  Eccoflow 600 circulation pump.
Aquamanta EFX 1000U External.

All filter media rinsed out with tank water weekly with water change, white pads replaced weekly and hoses cleaned monthly.
Plants are dusted down weekly and light syphon of substrate is also carried out weekly.
EI all in one daily 10ml started a few days ago, before was dosing with Easylife carbo 10ml and Easylife profito.

This algae has been there for several weeks now. have just recently over the past couple of days adjusted the flow of water circulation. since joining the Ukaps forum. Before hand all info was from LFS and costing a pretty penny i.e try this or you need to buy this nothing ever worked.

Nitrate 5.0ppm
Ammonia 0.0ppm
Nitrite 0.0ppm
Phosphate 1.00ppm

Ph 7.00 before CO2 on @08:00hrs
Lights on 10:00hrs PH 6.6 
Co2 off 17:00rs
18:00hrs Ph 6.4 Lights off
All tests carried out with API TEST KITS

At the very start 27 July 2013 I was told that I required more light so I up the lighting to 4 x 54 watt under the guidance from LFS (More Money), with High daylite juewl T5 TUBES  9000k and replaced with Arcadia J5 54W Plant Pro Tube 1047mm_6700k

Aquarium is a Juewl Rio 240l

Lights 2 x 54 watt Arcadia J5 54W Plant Pro Tube 1047mm_6700k

Regards,
Billy


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## dw1305 (5 Oct 2013)

Hi all,


Michael W said:


> Looks like Staghorn Algae


 I think it is Stag'shorn as well. I'd recommend cleaning out your filter a bit more frequently, as it often occurs when you have some form of organic pollution. The aftermath of a dead fish, or a lot of bottom disturbance would be a typical triggering point.

cheers Darrel


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## brads (5 Oct 2013)

Thanks Darrel.

How do I get rid of the staghorn algae? I also have some green algae on the wood I have in the aquarium is this ok or do I have to remove this also.

Should I clean out the filters twice a week?
Regards

Billy


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## Michael W (5 Oct 2013)

Get a clean toothbrush and pretend your having spaghetti to remove the Staghorn then tackle the possible causes of the algae be it looking at the CO2/distribution, cleaning the filter as suggested by Darrel or lower the lighting. What kind of green algae is on the wood? Look at the link from my previous post and Identify it in-order to tackle the problem.


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## Pinkmummy79 (5 Oct 2013)

Hi
I've a 260 l fluval tank mate, I'm recently new to the hobby and by no means expert but after a year in I've had issues similar to what your going through now and through this forum have managed to turn things around through my own experience of staghorn Darrel is correct in that it can appear through dirty filters, pipes and disturbance of substrate.
I initially bought my tank second hand with a fluval 305 filter, not knowing at that stage it would be insufficient for a planted tank, I had play sand as substrate and also disturbed this by weekly siphoning.
My staghorn and other algae were a cause of way too little filtration,  flow and circulation as the dirt would not stay in suspension and be suitably filtered, it laid on and in the substrate and then when I hoovered it up it caused more issues:$
You will need as Michael says to manually remove the stuff, a toothbrush and elbow grease is good then I would do at least 2 x 50% water changes per week. I continued my 2 x 130 litre changes a week for over 6 months while funds were saved for my 2 large filters and circulation pump, I changed my substrate too, now using molar clay and have full spray bars with cO2 split between the two and also dose ei and liquid cO2, it's taken ages mate and I'm not quite algae free but have no major issues now 
Light wise I'm only running 2 x 39 watt t5s at the moment without reflectors and my plants are healthy and with good growth. I feel your higher wattage t5s are too much, can you dissable one bulb? If not think about diffusing the light by adding something like a cheesecloth below the light unit, I'd look to replace the internal filter too, adding another external with the general rule of thumb being a 10 x tank volume turnover per hour for a planted tank, this will mean for 2 filters the combined rate would be approx 2400 lph for your tank.
I'd also chuck away the test kits as they don't tell you antthing you already know you have algae, your plants will tell you when they're happy, it's not an easy ride bud, some hard work and water changes but with some practical changes and hard work it's worth it

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## brads (5 Oct 2013)

Hi Michael,

Thanks for taking the time out in explaining the possible causes, I will get on to them straight away.

As I'm new to planted aquariums, what is the correct way to clean out the filters? I know this might seem a bit stupid in asking!

The Green Algae I have on the wood is: please see attached Photo's:

http://i.imgur.com/iK3UlDM.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/gXc7jc5.jpg


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## Michael W (5 Oct 2013)

That looks like it could be Green Dust Algae or Green Spot Algae perhaps a combination of both. The causes again could be to do with CO2/poor distribution, low phosphate levels and high lighting. This can be fixed by lowering the lighting level/photoperiod and adding more CO2/ improving the flow and adding more phosphates.

You can clean the filters by rinsing the filter media in tank water so when you're doing a water change get the filter media out and rinse it in a bucket of tank water  so you won't damage the bacteria and clean the filter parts.


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## brads (5 Oct 2013)

Hi Pinkmummy,

Because of the jewel rio 240 I'm unable to disable 1x tube as the lighting unit needs the 2 to make the circuit.
There is many different views to the lighting,  I was told to increase my light to 4 x 54 watt with lighting unit which I did now have reduced back down to 2.

Because of the size and being, "Juwel Rio 240l  the only lights I can find is the arcadia J5s to fit Juwel Light unit 1047mm, and these are 54 watt, unable to down size...

Should I reduce down to 7 hrs or take the reflectors off.

I will look at removing the filter and replacing with another Aquamanta EFX 1000U that would give me a total of 2000lph.

As to filter media what would you recommend?

Regards,

Billy


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## brads (5 Oct 2013)

Thanks again Michael,

Should I remove the wood scrape all the algae off and boil for a few hrs?

Billy


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## dw1305 (5 Oct 2013)

Hi all,


brads said:


> The Green Algae I have on the wood is: please see attached Photo's:


No-one else is going to agree, but I'm quite envious, my suggestion leave it, it looks lovely. If you really want to get rid off it Ramshorn snails will make short work of it

cheer Darrel


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## Pinkmummy79 (5 Oct 2013)

I'd certainly take off the reflectors and maybe even reduce the photoperiod to 6 hours at the moment while your getting things sorted
My filtration for a 260l is 3000 lph with the two jbl filters plus an additional 1600 lph by means of the newave circulation pump should I need it, which I do at the moment.
Something similar to my JBL e1501 which can be purchased for sensible money would give you the combined 10 x you're looking for. There are also some cracking pre used filters often available through the forum members.
My lighting us also a fixed unit do I understand your issues  lfs want your cash mate so they may give you wrong advice, first time I purchased plants was from a lfs. He told me to plant them still contained in the pots  so I did 

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## Pinkmummy79 (5 Oct 2013)

brads said:


> As to filter media what would you recommend?


 
media, media, media.....well this is a whole new ballgame, there are most likely better qualified, more experienced members than me to advise on here but there are two things to consider, first is the amount of media you need to place in the filter as I understand it with a planted tank you accumulate the good bacteria on say 10x the surfaces within the tank than say with fish only, your plants, the glass, any hardscape items such as rocks and any wood will all have beneficial bacteria together with your substrate, so by possibly only filling your filter by say 50% will do no harm and will in effect give you better flow which is what we are aiming for.
Many people don't use filter floss either as this restricts flow too much and isn't required, if you're doing the correct tank maintenance your water quality shouldn't be an issue and therefore floss isn't necessary to polish the water.
Mechanical filtration by means of prefilters and sponges are ok together with bio filter media, there are several costly options such as seachem matrix or the eheim equivalent, usually a good quality sintered glass media will suffice, I currently use Matrix and Alfagrog, the latter being dead cheap and plentyful at your lfs usually sold for pond filtration I think, it needs a hammer to it to ensure you reduce the size of the individual pieces  If you look on my journal " my 260 l second atempt" I think there's a recent pic of this being done by my 5 yr old Bob

Like I say though, try and improve the flow so no need to cram the filter to the rafters, you can always leave a whole basket empty too.


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## brads (5 Oct 2013)

Thanks ever so much a lot of learning to do!
I've learnt something: stay away from Lfs.

I have taken all on board, and will start with another ext filter system.

More water changes, increase co2,water circulation. Reduced Photo period and remove reflectors.

Again thanks ever is much for the info.

Kindest regards
Billy 






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