# Hair Algae, brown algae



## MedicMan (23 Feb 2015)

Hi all,

I've had a planted set up for about 6 months. Using EI + pressurised CO2. Not had algae issues in the past. 

5 Weeks ago I had a filter die. Even though I transplanted the media in to a new filter, I had a massive ammonia spike (4ppm+) along with massive nitrite spikes (4ppm+). This lasted approximately 3-4 weeks until the tank recycled and all parameters normalised.

About 1 week ago, I noticed hair algae + brown algae. Removed with a toothbrush, did some reading. Next day, back again - upped CO2, removed again, reduced lighting to 7 hours (from previous 8). Next day, same story, upped again.  Drop checker continues to show a light green 

This has been ongoing now since last week and I have finally fixed my old filter and added it back to the tank. I therefore have two filters working to create (in my mind at least!) circular flow. 

I have now started a blackout with no EI, no CO2.

My water parameters prior to blackout : 
Temp: 26
CO2: 3bps
Lights: 6 Hours total with 1 hour siesta. 
Ph 6.8
KH 10
Gh 15
Amm + Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 20ppm

I've attached an image of my current layout  - hopefully this might be helpful! 
Hopefully someone can figure this out because I'm near the end of my wits with it! I'm removing it every day and it just isn't getting rid of it! It's all over the Dwarf HG and HC.

A big thanks to everyone that reads this!


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## Paulo Soares (23 Feb 2015)

HI friend,
Honestly i can´t have a view on how you set the outflow and inflow of the two filters.

With two filters i would do something like this:









But i don´t think that flow is your only problem. As you transplanted the media from the old filter to the new one nothing of what you´re reporting should have happen. I can´t understand the relation or conecction or why. Unless you took to long to do it and all bacteria died. Never the less there should be remaining in the water and substrate so that increase og nitrits and amonia isn´t quite understandable..

But ok, if you have this issue you should have done 50% water change everyday in the following two weeks sin ce the assembling of the new filter or the amonia spike, and day yes day no in the third and finally two WC in the fourth.



MedicMan said:


> Next day, back again - upped CO2,





> Next day, same story, upped again



Uped Co2?
This must have been "UPED" and stablished since last filter assembling. Always. Co2 must be reliable all the time. You should achieved a good value and let it be untouchable.



> I have now started a blackout with no EI, no CO2.



In my opinion you should not do this at this point. You just have end the cicling period and now you´re gonna do a Blackout?
I don´t know but i think you´re gonna blow it all again.

If i were you i fix the Co2 at good good values and let it be. This is probably your pain now and the most common reason for those algae as you are still trying to estabilising it.

See the flow by the Co2 bubbles. The bubbles should be moving right next to the substrate and not so at the bottom. In the bottom is where the Co2 is needed. Upwards is O2 by good aeration (see the outflows filter).

I have had good results in the past by triming the plants and not trying to restore them or the system ecology. I rather trim plants and start new growth with all parameters stabilised.

You don´t mention the tank measures and the lights capacity in Watts and kelvins. This is very important to. Although in the first six months all look aparently well that doesn´t mean you have a proper lighting.

A big hug.


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## MedicMan (23 Feb 2015)

Hi Paulo, Thanks for your response!


Paulo Soares said:


> I can´t understand the relation or conecction or why.


To be honest, I was very confused too. The media change was done within 10 minutes and was left submerged in water the whole time.



Paulo Soares said:


> With two filters i would do something like this:



Unfortunately, neither of these set ups are viable as the tank is on a stand with two other cabinets next to it. There would be no way to place the pipes/tubes in those positions.




Paulo Soares said:


> But ok, if you have this issue you should have done 50% water change everyday in the following two weeks sin ce the assembling of the new filter or the amonia spike



This is precisely what I did to remove the ammonia  + nitrite, along with borrowing mature media from a friend. I just didn't want to bore you all with the details of that.




Paulo Soares said:


> This must have been "UPED" and stablished since last filter assembling. Always. Co2 must be reliable all the time. You should achieved a good value and let it be untouchable.



I'm not quite sure what you mean here. My drop checker indicated a bright great prior to all of this, it now indicates a lime green/yellow colour. I have not moved the CO2 since.




Paulo Soares said:


> n my opinion you should not do this at this point. You just have end the cicling period and now you´re gonna do a Blackout?
> I don´t know but i think you´re gonna blow it all again.



Would the blackout not help kill off the algae? I was under the assumption this would make no difference to the plants - maybe I'm wrong here.
Are there specific instructions on how to do a BO?




Paulo Soares said:


> See the flow by the Co2 bubbles



This is exactly what I do. At present, the bubbles rise from the diffuser, hit the circulation pump and are thrown at the carpet plants. They bounce and then are swirlled in the outflow of the filter streams.



Paulo Soares said:


> have had good results in the past by triming


I think I may have to go ahead and do this. It's a shame as I had some great growth under all that algae - How far back should I trim as it's on most if not all the DHG?




Paulo Soares said:


> You don´t mention the tank measures and the lights capacity



My tank is a 150L, 80cm wide, 60cm Deep. I am using two T5's (28W) and two LED wavepoint strips (~20W each). I was under the assumption that Kelvin are simply viewers preference and that the ideology of plants requiring a certain temperature was invalid. Nonetheless - my LED's are 6500K, my Tubes are the Juwel Day + Colour.

Once again Paulo, a massive thanks for your suggestions. I hope my post clarified things.


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## Dantrasy (23 Feb 2015)

Got any plants is there? If you are using ADA soil you'll always get a massive ammonia spike. You need need plants, wc and time to get it to cycle (actually, all you _need_ is time).  But to speed up the cycle you'll find plants soak up ammonia. Regular wc and seeded filter media help too. 

Brown algae is perfectly normal when first establishing a tank. They go away in time. A blackout so early on seems a bit extreme ... but I haven't seen a pic.

2ft deep is pretty deep. Are the algae at the substrate level? Or up higher? Your t5+led combo seems good to me, not excessive. 

Last thing, a pic would be great!


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## MedicMan (23 Feb 2015)

Hi Danstray, thanks for your help! To answer a few of your questions: 




Dantrasy said:


> Got any plants is there?


I currently have a DHG carpet with bits of HC , one amazon sword, a crap ton of cabomba, a crap ton of ?rotala (I think) and some water sprite.



Dantrasy said:


> Brown algae is perfectly normal when first establishing a tank



I'm starting to wonder if it's actually staghorn and not brown algae. The picture below is 12 hours after manual clean up. It's mostly on the DHG but also spreading to the amazon swords.



 



 
These images may help : http://imgur.com/gallery/sznGE - At present, the circulation fan in the top left is off.



Dantrasy said:


> If you are using ADA soil



Not using yet in this tank, but I will be switching over. This substrate is simply bog standard gravel with some ferropol clay balls dotted around the place.



Dantrasy said:


> Your t5+led combo seems good to me, not excessive.


That's good! I was worried I might have had too much. I've upped the CO2 and I can visibly see all the bubbles bouncing around the whole tank. Hopefully this solves it!


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## Jose (24 Feb 2015)

Do a total black out but keep god nutrient levels eve in the dark. Do a search on black outs.


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## Pedro Rosa (24 Feb 2015)

Hi there,

I recently had a diatom problem in the first weeks of one of my new aquariums. With seven weeks i was having diatoms for more then 5 weeks, making some 2x to 3x water changes a week.
So one weekend i decided it was time to make something that ended that problem:

First day: Took all that i could from the aquarium (vacuum) and made a 50% water change. Start giving Excel 2x the dose for water changes.
Second Day: The same and a trim on the plants. Another 2x Excel dose.
Third Day: 50% water change. Regular dose of Excel for water change.
On day 5 and 7 another Excel dose for water change.
By day 4 things were much better. Seven days after they were gone. It seems that it solved the problem. Will know exactly in one or two weeks.

Pedro.


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## ian_m (25 Feb 2015)

My diatoms after high tech start up were completely scoffed by a couple of Ottos I bought.


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## roadmaster (25 Feb 2015)

Is odd to me that after six month's,that a filter swap could/would cause such a ammonia/nitrites issue but this may have been trigger for the algae.
If the tank ran without algae issues for six month's,then you should be able to back track any changes other than the filter swap to maybe get a idea.?
I might also consider giving the carpet plant's an aggressive haircut to remove much of the algae,move drop checker lower in the tank to see if the gas is getting down to the area.
Check for leaks on CO2 system.??


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## sciencefiction (25 Feb 2015)

From what you've mentioned, there are two things that may have triggered the algae. Either the ammonia/nitrite spike alone  or the spike along with change of flow pattern. Why the spike happen is a different story, possibly the new filter's flow rate wasn't adequate enough.

Your outflows seem to be facing each other pointing at the bottom middle of the track diagonally.  Now imagine if you hold two hoses in that position against each other in the garden, what will happen to the water? The water from both hoses will meet in the middle cancelling the velocity and from there flowing in all unpredictable directions, showering the neighbour's dog possibly  So not a very good setup if you want circular flow. Especially that the circulation pump is adding an additional confusion, sweeping
 You need to align both outflows to be pushing water out in the same direction, at the same level,  this will provide good flow pattern around the tank. 

Sorry for the amateur drawing but that's how your flow currently looks to me like....a fountain in the middle and no flow in most of the rest of the tank. The green are the outflows and the red and black the flow


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