# algae problem



## welshwizard (13 Jan 2009)

i have a juwel rio 180 been set up now for 8 months, had a problem cyno bacteria when i first set up the tank but thats gone now, im having problems with a brown dirt / algae on my plants, not sure if it is algae even, in its first stage (day 1) it looks like dirt the after time is starts to become very stringy & hair like. i had hygro polysperma in the tank & decided to swap it for Limnophila aquatica, now the plant is covered in this stuff, it does come of with syphoning but jusy comes back next day its also afecting my moss with is slowly going brown too but the moss ist as easy to clean, 
tank stats

180l 
2 x 45w t5 with reflectors on for 8 hours
standard 600lph filter
tetra tec ext 1200 filter
pres co2 set to 30ppm
70% planted tank
dosing 4ml of tropica every day
10ml easy carbo daily (when i remember)
i had just added a hydor curculation pump 1500lph to help with circulation

since this problem started the water doesnt look so clear & i can see small particles floating in water
i change 50 litres every week
i was going to add rhowpos to filter to try & remove phosfates & silica, is this ok?
ant help welcome, 
thanks in advance


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## Ed Seeley (13 Jan 2009)

It sounds like you're doing most things right here.

Just a few questions.
You say you're dosing 'Tropica'.  I assume you mean Plant Nutrition, but is it the standard or Plant nutrition plus that contains N and P?
10ml Easy carbo a day is probably a little high - I dose 7ml on the same tank.
You say you're doing 50l water changes (Ideally you should be doing more like 90l a week if you're dosing heavily or having any problems like algae) but are you cleaning the filters?  A lot of organic debris will build up in the filter and break down there putting organics in the water column which can encourage algae.
You also haven't mentioned what your fish load is in there?  How heavily stocked are you?

To start with I'd up the water changes to 90l a week (or maybe even twice weekly while you are having problems) and give both of your filters a really good clean.  There's no need to replace any media just give it all a really good clean in the old tank water.  Make sure the Juwel filter box isn't holding a load of detritus in the bottom too.


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## Themuleous (13 Jan 2009)

Yeh pretty much what Ed said 

Sam


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## welshwizard (14 Jan 2009)

Thanks for the relpyâ€™s

Right here goes, the tropica is the standard type, the easy carbo is more like 10ml every 2-3 days cos I forget sometimes. Will up water changes to 75l until I get a new 25l container. I have just removed all but 2 of bio filters from ext filter & replaced with sera ceramic hoops, I do clean standard filter once a month but have never siphoned from lower section of filter (I will give it really good clean at weekend)

Fish stock = 
10 = neon tetra
4 = glow light tetra
7 = cory cats
6 = otos
2 = angles
4 = rams
2 = dwarf neon rainbows
10 = harlequins

Is this over stocked?

I have never cleaned inside the ext filters power head (on my old fluval internal id strip the whole thing down to clean) should I remove the screws & clean its insides ???

thanks


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## Garuf (14 Jan 2009)

I'd say it's over stocked myself. 
If I were you I'd keep 2 shoals of smaller fish, my personal choice would be the rainbow fish and a shoal of otto's. It's all about aesthetics.


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## Ed Seeley (14 Jan 2009)

Once all those fish are fully grown then I'd agree with Garuf; you're going to be overstocked.  That's not the end of the world but it means you need to do more maintenance and larger water changes.  I'd start by cutting back the food slightly and feed maybe only once a day for a while - don't let the fish starve obviously but almost everyone (me included) actually feeds their fish more than they need.  As you're having algae problems I'd also look at cleaning the filters weekly for a while to remove as much waste as you possibly can to get on top of things - it will really help IME.  Some fine filter floss will rapidly take out loads of fine debris which you can then remove from the tank when you clean the filter.

If you're only dosing standard TPN then you aren't dosing any N or P and you really need to look at this in a heavily planted tank.  I'd suggest the tutorials bit on EI fertilisation for starters.


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## welshwizard (15 Jan 2009)

i will start to change 80l this week end, just bought 2 new containers so will not be a problem, as for feeding i only fed them every other day, on the other day i just put a sero "o'nop" pill on the glass, this helps me count the fish & make sure none are missing in action & too see if they all look healthy which they do. will also give they tank amajor clean this week end, filters, glass.
does anyone have any idea which tubes are best for this tank, which combinatons are best, i was thinking of acradia plant pro but dont know what to put with it, anyone have any experience (should i put this question in another section ?)
thanks


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## Dan Crawford (15 Jan 2009)

welshwizard said:
			
		

> does anyone have any idea which tubes are best for this tank, which combinatons are best, i was thinking of acradia plant pro but dont know what to put with it, anyone have any experience (should i put this question in another section ?)
> thanks


Have a look at this thread mate


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## welshwizard (15 Jan 2009)

my juwel tank has a strange size tube, they are T5's but are 895mm in length, i can only see either juwel tubes or the arcadio plant pro with do this size, any ideas ?


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## StevenA (16 Jan 2009)

Yeah i've used the Lamp Specs website a couple of times, good prices, and very good customer service, definately recommend. You'll find whatever tubes you're looking for on there.


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## Ed Seeley (17 Jan 2009)

welshwizard said:
			
		

> my juwel tank has a strange size tube, they are T5's but are 895mm in length, i can only see either juwel tubes or the arcadio plant pro with do this size, any ideas ?



Unfortunately the juwel tubes are unique sizes so you're a little bit stuck!  It's not good!


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