# Hair Algae on return Spraybar and plants directly under the spraybar



## markl (2 Jan 2013)

Hi There,

I am starting to see some light coloured (pale Green) hair algae, on my spraybay filter outlet and the plants directly under the outlet.

The tank is 518 ltrs
4 x 54w T5 Tubes on for 7 hours per day
DIY Co2 - on one hour before lights on and off one hour before lights off, CO2 is difused into the filter inlets via glass diffuser, drop checker is light green.
I use an all in one fertilizer, twice weekly

The tank is reletivley new, only been set up for three months.
I also have had some green spot algea on glass, but that gets cleaned and seems to be subsiding.
I do a 30% water change once weekly.

Can you give me any advice or see anything that i am doing that is abviously wrong and anything i can do to get rid of this please?

Many Thanks
Mark


----------



## anttthony (2 Jan 2013)

Try dosing liquid carbon. As lond as none of your plants are sensitive to it. the diy co2 can cause algee as it fluctuates alot and algee loves unstable co2 especially in area's where there is flow

ant


----------



## foxfish (2 Jan 2013)

That is a nice big tank! If you have only a little algae after 3 months then things must be close to ideal.
Two 30% water changes would be great but if not one at 50% would be an improvement.
Most Algae are caused by to much light for the amount of CO2 supplied, so more gas or less light or perhaps there is enough gas but it is not being distributed as well as it could be.
Do you have about 10 x your tank volume as flow within the display?
To be honest i have never come across a successful 500l tank running on DIY gas!


----------



## markl (2 Jan 2013)

Thanks Ant,

But when I said DIY Co2 i mean't fire extingushisher with regulator etc, so the dose shouldnt fluctuate? (Sorry i wasnt very clear)

You think i should try lowering the light hours?


----------



## anttthony (2 Jan 2013)

Sorry mate thought you meant a yeast based one which caused me a world of problems! 

ant


----------



## markl (2 Jan 2013)

Foxfish,

Sorry i think i described it wrong as DIY as it is a Fire Extinguisher, as i said to ant. 

Re the filtration i have a 2000lph all ponds solutions external, and a 1200lph Aqua One external, with a 3000ltr ph internal circulation pump, so i believe my flow is pretty good?

Would you advise that i start twice weekly water changes?

Many Thanks for your help


----------



## foxfish (2 Jan 2013)

The more water you change the heather the tank will be, most folk change 50% once a week I favour 15 -20% a day but if it is not an issue then 2 x 30 would be good, like I sat the more the merrier.
It seems you have the pump power but how is it distributed, do you have a spray bar?
Pictures paint a thousand words ......


----------



## markl (2 Jan 2013)

Thanks,
Yes i have a spraybar - One at each each end of the tank, outletting from each external filter.
I would post a picture of the tank but i dont know how  ??


----------



## anttthony (2 Jan 2013)

Download photo bucket if you upload the image to that, then copy the link on the picture to your post it comes up. its easier if your using a phone or tablet. 

ant


----------



## foxfish (2 Jan 2013)

OK well that doesn't sound to good, you have opposing spray bars! far better to have the two placed along the back wall end to end & the full length of the tank.
I guess you are only introducing gas into one spray bar?
Re the photos... very easy but you first need to join a photo hosting site like phtobucket, then it is just a matter of copying the link.


----------



## markl (2 Jan 2013)

Edited LondonDragon: Fixed image tags!


----------



## markl (2 Jan 2013)

http://i1341.photobucket.com/albums/o754/Lisa_Ann_Luce/Tank2_zpse8645cab.jpg

http://i1341.photobucket.com/albums/o754/Lisa_Ann_Luce/Tank3_zpsf6b1811b.jpg

http://i1341.photobucket.com/albums/o754/Lisa_Ann_Luce/Tank1_zpsc21ba3b5.jpg


Hopefully you can see those, the tank comes out longways from the wall, so my spraybars are along the length of the tank, the gas goes into both inlets of the external filters.

Thanks
Mark


----------



## LondonDragon (2 Jan 2013)

Mark refer to this topic on how to post a photo: Resolved! - How do you post a picture | UK Aquatic Plant Society you need to correct the tags or use the photo icon as described on the last posts of that topic.


----------



## anttthony (2 Jan 2013)

Have ago with liquid carbon to keep on top of it 

ant


----------



## markl (2 Jan 2013)

Ant can you point me to information on dosing and where to buy please? 

Many thanks
Mark


----------



## LondonDragon (2 Jan 2013)

markl said:


> Ant can you point me to information on dosing and where to buy please?


What you need is EasyCarbo, have a look at the sponsors websites, some of them sell it.


----------



## markl (2 Jan 2013)

Thank you very much I will have a look


----------



## LondonDragon (2 Jan 2013)

markl said:


> Thank you very much I will have a look


For a tank your size it will become very expensive, you can make your own by obtaining Glutaraldehyde, this stuff is dangerous if not handled correctly, even EasyCarbo can be dangerous.

Have a read though this thread and make your mind up: What's in AE excel/easycarbo | UK Aquatic Plant Society


----------

