# algae knip it in the bud!!!!!



## norfolkdiscus (17 May 2011)

hi all

i am a new member and have this problem with my 5x15x24 plant tank, and hoping some one will be able to help and knip the problem in the bud with some good advise for me before it gets out of control.

i have this green algae forming on my java moss and cant seem to control it(its driving me mad)the tank has spray bars both sides and full back moving water across the surface and pushing the co2 down to the substrate.

as for water movement and filters  there are two eheim ecco filters 2231 and 2236, one at each end and a 8 ltr barrel filter pumping though a eheim 1060 pump running to spray bar that runs the full length of the back wall 5 ft.

lighting is 2 x 36 watt tritons and 2 x standard house hold tubes warm white 4000k rated 

lighting times are 10hrs on timers.
12 hours on timers with co2 1hr before lights on and 1 hr after lights off, with no added o2.
checks on water are carried out every other day by meens of  a jbl test kits.

kh is 12 / ph is 7.2 / nh4 0 / no2 0 / fe 0.2 mg/l / no3 20-30 mg/l with adding potassuim nitrate.
othe ferts are added by meens of jbl ferropol to maintane fe at 0.2 mg/l.

plants are java moss / java fern / ect
fish and others 10 haraqiuns 3 otto,s 8 cherry shrimps.

any help would be great.


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## GHNelson (17 May 2011)

Hi
I would reduce the lighting to 8 hours and start a dry fertilizer routine with also adding trace elements.
This would be less expensive than buying bottled ferts/iron....in the long run.
Do you also have other plants in the set-up :?: If not you can reduce the lighting further to 6/7 hours as moss dont need long periods of lighting.
hoggie


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## foxfish (17 May 2011)

I dont quite understand your lighting but sounds like 4 x T8 bulbs on for 10 or 12 hours!
If i am right then you would be best to reduce this to 6-7 hours, switch the gas on two hours before the lights & switch off one hour before lights out.
Most folk have very good results with 2 x T5 tubes the full length of the tank.
How are you adding the C02


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## norfolkdiscus (17 May 2011)

thanks for your replies
yes its 4 t8 bulbs and i am thinking of going over to dry mixes soon any ways 
the algae looks like its green slime, was thinking by rasing the nitrates to over 20ppm it would get rid of it, so may have to think about lights out for 4 days. and i cant see the pic of the tank in the forum but if you all can that helps.

co2 is added by meens of jbl CO2 cylinder and computer 

plants are Anubias barteri / java moss / java fern / Cryptocoryne nevillii / Aponogeton crispus


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## BigTom (17 May 2011)

Sorry can't help with the algae but seemed you image link was broken, here it is -


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## bigmatt (18 May 2011)

The other thing (apart from lights and ferts) would be to sort your flow.  It sounds like you have spraybars on three sides of the tank, which will cause very disruptive flow patterns and help the algae along nicely.  If you shift all your spraybars along the full length of the back of the tank aiming forward to the front glass (and slightly down - yours is a deep tank!) you should get much more cohesive and effective flow.  This helps delivery of nutrients (inc. co2) to plants and removes nasties, which in turn helps to minimise algae problems.  
Can't see the pic as on work computer but looking forward to seeing it - sounds like a beast!
Matt


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## norfolkdiscus (18 May 2011)

no thats java moss on lots of rockwork,trying to keep an open space for wild discus also the tank has only had plants in it for 3wks but was up and running before hand with lots of cats for years. hoping to make it look all fluffy lol.

was thinking of aiming the side spray bars down at 45 angle to help,but looking at how the co2 gas does it tends to travel all round the tank anyways,  but willing to try to improve.


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## foxfish (18 May 2011)

If you reduce the light period, get a more even flow, use EI method with dry ferts & supply plenty of C02 + 50% weekly water change then things should be as good as it gets but some of these aspects are not so easy to achieve!
I realise this is a big tank but more frequent water changes can only help!
 Can you explain about the "co2 is added by meens of jbl CO2 cylinder and computer" What part does the computer play?


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## norfolkdiscus (18 May 2011)

hi thanks conrtol of the c02 uptake day and night by meens of reading ph, was just thinking about a bigger eheim pump or maybe some other kinda pump, but i will say that with the full length spray bar it moves the dwarf swords about well across the whole length.


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## foxfish (18 May 2011)

Arr OK, well there probably lies your problem! Co2 controlled by a ph reading computer  :? 
They never seem to work well on planted tanks, I have never used one myself but, there are plenty of post on the forums stating that they are very unsuccessful at maintaining a stable & consistent C02 level!


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## norfolkdiscus (21 May 2011)

cuting down the light and doing away with the co2 controler seems to be working but i added a uv unit today and the water seems to become clowdy maybe it just needs to seatle down, will be adding lots of crpo next wk.


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