# GSA and other types!



## banthaman.jm (23 Mar 2015)

Hi I have this algae starting to appear in my tank:




 




GSA?



 
Brown spots of algae

http://[URL=http://s1379.photobucket.com/user/banthamanjm/media/20150323_081845_zpsd9i2xcf6.jpg.html][ATTACH=full]99092[/ATTACH][ATTACH=full]99092[/ATTACH] 
edges of MC and Eleocharis mini

Iam going to try turning the light down from 10hrs to 6hrs. i'm EI dosing using Co2art easy way and have just started to use easycarbo. 
My tank is a 91.25L cube
2x Beamswork with 46 PAR at substrate
Co2 injected at 2 bps

How much easycarbo should i be dosing to the water column?
Look forward to replys
Jim


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## Martin in Holland (23 Mar 2015)

I can't see any pics ....


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## banthaman.jm (23 Mar 2015)

Hi Martin, will try uploading them after work tonight, thanks for letting me know


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## Jose (23 Mar 2015)

GSA=low phosphates and/or low CO2.

If you are getting algae youll have to give much more info. Like CO2 distribution. CO2 levels and how you measure them. And also your ferts dosing?


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## ian_m (23 Mar 2015)

http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/algae.htm


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## banthaman.jm (24 Mar 2015)

here is more detail:

Dec 2014: Tank setup
3rd Jan: Plants added
10th Feb: some fish added
12th Feb: informed of EI
1st Mar: Started using EI
9th Mar: First sign of alage
15th Mar: two types of algae
16th Mar: turned down one of the light
18th Mar: Dropped photo period from 10 to 8hrs
22nd Mar: started post

*Info below:

Tank:*
45cm cube = 91.25L

*Water*:
70% WC per week
RO water tank, TMC re-mineralize:

*Substrate*:
JBL Aquabasis Plus
JBL Monado

*Plants & Decor*:
Bog Wood
Alternanthera
Eleocharis mini
Monte Carlo
Valis

*Fish*:
12 x Amano shrimp
1 x Cherry shrimp (hitch hiker....)
3 x White Cloud Mountain Danio (lovely fish, display well)
3 x Guppy (GF's idea)
2 x Golden Rams

*Filtration*:
Fluval 206 = Flow Rate: 780 LPH (206 US GPH)
Media Capacity: 4.6 L = Biological, supplied sponges only
Fluval spraybar (Mounted a the top of the tank at the rear facing forward)

*CO2*:
Complete Aquarium CO2 Sodastream System with Solenoid for Planted Tank
High Quality Precision Metal CO2 Bubble Counter with Build-in check valve
Precision CO2 Atomizer 55mm Bazooka Diffuser for Aquarium up to 120L
CO2 comes on at 06:00 and turns off at 13:30

*Circulation/Flow:*
1 x TMC V2 power  flow 1000 L/ph (Mounted a the top right of the tank at the rear facing forward)
1 x TMC V2 power flow 2000 L/ph (Mounted a the top right of the tank at the rear facing forward)










Bottom right




Bottom left

*Lighting*:
2 x 18 inch Beamsworks Green Evo 6500K
1 x 10  3 watt = 30w  (comes on at 8:00am, off at 15:00)
1 x 33 watt = 9w  (comes on at 7:00am, off at 14:00)
46 PAR measured at substrate @ 21 inches from light units











*Ferts*:
C02art EI Easy Way:
MACRO: Mon, Wed & Fri
20 ppm (20mg/L) NO3
3 ppm (3mg/L) PO4
MICRO: Tue & Thu
0.5 ppm (0.5mg/L) Fe
Mn (Trace)
Zn (Trace)
Cu (Trace)
B (Trace)
Mo (Trace)
Mg 0.15 ppm

EasyCarbo applied at 4ml per day, only for the last 5 days





Thank you for taking the time to help.
Jim


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## banthaman.jm (24 Mar 2015)

ian_m said:


> http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/algae.htm



Thank you for the info 

Jim


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## Jose (24 Mar 2015)

I would suggest a couple of things.

Lower photoperiod as you said you would do. But I think you should lower light intensity(if pos) until algae is gone.

You should IMHO start measuring co2 more devotedly. Youll need at least a couple of drop checkers and/or a ph pen. If I had to choose I would go for a cheap ph pen because you can see co2 fluctuations almost immediately in your tank.

Youll need to measure your ph of your tank water when there is no co2 in it. You can do this by letting a glass of water seat for a day at least. You can also measure the ph right before co2 comes on.

Your aim is to lower ph by 1 full unit (this is the same as 30 ppm of co2) before lights come on. Do this gradually and never change your bps during photoperiod because this will induce algae.

You ought to have  some surface ripple as well so that co2 levels dont keep climbing through the photo-period.

Every time you think that co2 changed a bit inside the photoperiod, then turn lights off for the rest of the day, so that algae doesnt appear. Obviously if the change is important enough. Also I would do the water change at the end of the photoperiod. It can be done in the beginning as well depending on how effective your diffusion is.

Youll obviously have to keep up with water changes and dosing an cleaning all algae that you can mannually.

Full tank shot please?


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## Jose (24 Mar 2015)

Another tip. You can try putting your atomizer at the tip of one of your pumps and see how small the co2 bubbles become. That just means more efficiency.


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## ian_m (24 Mar 2015)

Generally most peoples algae issues are caused by too much light for CO2 (or liquid carbon) levels. So you need to lower light levels whilst trying to get CO2 sorted.


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## banthaman.jm (24 Mar 2015)

Jose said:


> I would suggest a couple of things.
> 
> Lower photoperiod as you said you would do. But I think you should lower light intensity(if pos) until algae is gone.
> 
> ...




Thank you for the info, here is a FTS


 
Sorry for the quality, taken ealier today with my phone.

I am going to have a look at PH probes and pens.
Jim


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## Jose (24 Mar 2015)

Your plants look quite healthy so the pH should solve any doubts you might have on CO2. But remember off gassing is also very important. It does two things. Of gassing CO2, stabilizing its levels at the same time and also it helps with oxygenation.


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## banthaman.jm (24 Mar 2015)

Jose said:


> Another tip. You can try putting your atomizer at the tip of one of your pumps and see how small the co2 bubbles become. That just means more efficiency.



i can't dim the lights but they have a moonlight setting that just has 3 LEDs instead of 10, so i would then be running just 6 LEDs using both lights (18 watts total or 0.2 watts per litre).  That seems a bit too low IMO but what do i know, i'm the one with algae.  I will borrow the PAR meter from work tomorrow and try a combo of setting and post the results.



Jose said:


> Another tip. You can try putting your atomizer at the tip of one of your pumps and see how small the co2 bubbles become. That just means more efficiency.



I have the atomizer under the two power heads so that the bubbles are chopped up and spread around the tank as much as possible, they are quite uniform and small.  At the moment i only have the V2 2000 l/ph running as i don't want  the bubbles to be rushing past the plants to quickly, do you think i should have the other power head V2 1000 l/ph on on as well?

Do people rate in-line diffusion better than atomizers, are CO2 reactors better than both the previous?



Jose said:


> Your plants look quite healthy so the pH should solve any doubts you might have on CO2. But remember off gassing is also very important. It does two things. Of gassing CO2, stabilizing its levels at the same time and also it helps with oxygenation.



Alternanthera grows very well and i have only recently gave it a trim back.
Eleocharis parvula mini is really slow growing in my tank and have had die-back on some older leaves and have black looking leaves as well, this is reducing though.
Monte Carlo is growing well with new visible growth daily, but like the hair grass it too has some black edges to the leave (older growth), but i am seeing a reduction.  This was only added 3 weeks ago so really the coverage is quite good for that time frame.

here are some then and now shots


 
Planning stage


 
1 week after planting


 
Now

if i can get this tank right it will feed my hunger for another tank, plus i might be able to convince the other half... MTS, we all suffer from it 

Thank you to everyone who has left a post and offered advise and looking forward to more posts

Jim


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## Jose (24 Mar 2015)

Hi Jim. IMO inline atomizers are the best of the best. Reactors are just as good but are harder to dial in. With the inline atomizers you can see the co2 going around the tank so you can spot dead spots and mist co2 seems to benefit the plants. Reactors also generate a flow loss which is quite a drawback.


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## banthaman.jm (25 Mar 2015)

Jose said:


> Hi Jim. IMO inline atomizers are the best of the best. Reactors are just as good but are harder to dial in. With the inline atomizers you can see the co2 going around the tank so you can spot dead spots and mist co2 seems to benefit the plants. Reactors also generate a flow loss which is quite a drawback.



Thank you for your post, i will purchase one today as well as look for PH probe/pen.

Jim


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## Jose (25 Mar 2015)

Inline atomizers have the drawback of making the water look like 7up which is fine for me and many.
It would be nice if someone could recommend a certain kind because some tend to have leaks etc. You can also do a search.


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## banthaman.jm (26 Mar 2015)

I will do some research in to PH controller and inline atomizers, thank you for advise Jose

Jim


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## banthaman.jm (29 Mar 2015)

Hi,
I have measured the par for the beamswork lights I use, they have two settings and can't be dimmed.
here are the outputs at 21 inches from substrate:
LED - PAR
3 - 25
6 - 31
10 - 46
13 - 62
20 - 82
I will also post this in the lights forum as well.
I am running my lights at 31 PAR or 6 LEDs for 8 hours a day, fingers crossed this will help out. I have also ordered the Up precision CO2 controller for more stable CO2 and Up inline atomiser. Hope these help out and thanks for all the advise.
Jim


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## karla (25 Apr 2015)

Hi, banthaman.
I definitely recommend the in line atomiser. Incidentally, I have GSA in some areas of my tank and I add 6 ppm po4 per day. So, sometimes there is something else going on.


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## Jose (27 Apr 2015)

I think those par readings are good banthman. That kind of light is going to safe you a lot of time cleaning algae. Once you feel confortable with co2 then you can up it(light) if you want faster growth. But you can still get fast growth with that light and good co2.


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## banthaman.jm (27 Apr 2015)

Hi Karla and Jose,


karla said:


> Hi, banthaman.
> I definitely recommend the in line atomiser. Incidentally, I have GSA in some areas of my tank and I add 6 ppm po4 per day. So, sometimes there is something else going on.



In the end i have held off from buying the Ph controller for now and went with the in line atomiser from Up.  I have not fitted it as yet as i have not been around to make sure that i get everything balanced, it is a job for tomorrow.



Jose said:


> I think those par readings are good banthman. That kind of light is going to safe you a lot of time cleaning algae. Once you feel confortable with co2 then you can up it(light) if you want faster growth. But you can still get fast growth with that light and good co2.



I count myself lucky to have a PAR meter which i got from work - free!  it make lighting decisions much easier knowing what each setting gives me.  I'm getting there with algae control but since the snails attacked (my own fault for not quarantining new plants!) i don't want to turn the lights up as the alternanthera has been decimated and is primed for algae to settle in again!

Jim


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