# new tank problems.



## tyke_uk (17 Mar 2009)

hiya i wonder if anyone could help me out. My  planted tank has been set up for a week and a half now (im going to do a journal when i get chance) the problem im having is im getting some vivid green alge on my bog wood its mostly on some moss i have tied to the wood. The tank is at trigon 190 which im maturing with ammonia the lighting is 56w of t5 on for 3hours in the morning and 6hours from tea time pressurised co2 thats been 24/7 2 bubbles per sec now changed to when the lights come on and go off. PH 7.2 i do weeky water changes of 25% using RO water im adding 4ml of each macro and micro solutions everyday using the ppe system thanks for any advice. id put a pic of the alge on but i know how to upload the photo from image shack.


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## Superman (17 Mar 2009)

Have a look through the sticky in the algae forum to identify the name of the algae you have.
Then you'll know whats up.

Or post a photo?


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## tyke_uk (17 Mar 2009)

sorry but struggling with photo never upload 1 before its in image shack and when i try i just get a long address instead of a photo ill try again  :?


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## tyke_uk (17 Mar 2009)




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## Superman (17 Mar 2009)

Ouch, Blue-Green Slime Algae, took me a while to get rid.
Remove as much as possible and increase nitrate dosing.
A blackout might help too.


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## tyke_uk (17 Mar 2009)

nitrate dosing ? sorry new to this .


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## Superman (18 Mar 2009)

tyke_uk said:
			
		

> nitrate dosing ? sorry new to this .


Don't you add nitrate in your macro?


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## Dan Crawford (18 Mar 2009)

Hi, have a read of this and it'll give you an idea of why we dose particular nutrients. 
http://www.ukaps.org/EI.htm


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## ceg4048 (18 Mar 2009)

Yeah, and stop adding ammonia to your tank :!: 

Cheers,


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## tyke_uk (18 Mar 2009)

sorry i was getting a bit confused for a moment i am adding nitrate in the solution i made up in a litre of ro water is
59g potass sulfate
65g potass nitrate
6g mono potass phosphate
41g magnesium sulfate

80g trace element mixed to a litre of ro water
i am adding 4.5 mls of each a day an hour before the lights come on should i continue with the alge present.

and do i stop the ammonia even though the tank hasnt matured yet.
do i need to do anything else to get rid of the alge?


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## Superman (18 Mar 2009)

Oh didnt notice you were adding ammonia to your tank to cycle it, stop that now! Best to do a water change to remove as much as possible as the rule of thumb is Light + Ammonia = Algae. In planted tanks you don't an ammonia to cycle the tank. It'll mature just using the plants.


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## Dave Spencer (18 Mar 2009)

Whilst there are several people championing the fishless cycle on other forums, they don`t seem to realise that planted tanks and this process do not necessarily go well together. I don`t think they have made the link between ammonia and light and algae. IMO, a fishless cycle should be done in the dark, with no plants, or not at all in a healthy planted tank.

Do yourself a favour by covering the substrate 75% in fast growing weeds, get the CO2 levels up above the recommended 30ppm and stop adding ammonia. When ever I start a new planted tank I rabidly remove ammonia with Zeolite and plant turbo growth.

You will ultimately end up with a bacteria colony without adding ammonia, but it is unlikely to be as numerous as one processing the ammonia at 5ppm that you are adding. However, there will be no need to propogate such a large colony, as the efficiency of plants at sequestering ammonia, when you eventually plant them, will mean less ammonia for your bacteria colony. Why spend all that time nurturing algae and a large bacteria colony when you don`t have to?

Dave.


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