# Stag Algae possibly? Need help.



## Kyle Lambert (25 Sep 2013)

So i have very minor problems with algae in my tank for the most part. I get brown diatoms every few weeks for about 2 days and then they disappear again (testing is still inconclusive here as to why it happens) and apart from what i believe to be stag algae thats the only problem i really get.

Basically the algae thats more permanent is blue/green in colour and quite vibrant. It slightly resembles seaweed with air bubbles trapped within it. the only place i find it is on my lump of driftwood that sits in the centre of my tank, mostly near the top of the tank. I have scrubbed off all the algae i can and it comes back quite quickly.

Ive limited my feeding and reduced the lighting periods of the tank and still cannot seem to get rid of this algae problem.

The tank itself is 60l. 24x12x12. I have a disposable co2 can system on it atm until i finally get my regulator and can hook up my FE system, An All Ponds Solutions HOB filter with a built in skimmer (which i find almost useless) and 2 lighting tubes. 1 is an 11w built in twin tube light fitting that came with the tank and the other is a 14w t5 tube i bought to give the plants a bit more of a pep up. The t5 has a reflector and i think gives out 10000k, the other does not. My lighting is staggered into 2 periods of light. 1 in the morning between 9 and 12 and the other in the evening between 6 and 10.

I am slightly overstocked in the tank atm but i make up for it with 2 20% water changes every week. There are 10 neons, 3 dwarf otos, 3 panda corys, 2 assassin snails and 3 cherry shrimp. They get fed sparingly in the morning and any left overs are removed after 20 minutes. I mix up the food sources between flake, catfish pellets, spirulina algae, my own haddock/spinach mix and freeze dried daphnia.

Plants seem to grow happily for the most part, cabomba is always having to be cut back, my crypts are sending out runners left right and centre, my amazon swords are bushy and beautiful, baby tears are loving the light and my amazon frogbit has doubled in the last 2 weeks. The only plant ive had die off is my HC Cuba. i dont have a single bit of cuba left. Is that because of the light?

What im wondering is if anyone knows what the problem could be? is it a lack of co2? should i be pumping more in each day? I know the Ista system i have is a piece of crap but until i get my reg its all i have available to me. Is the lighting too much? is it on for too long or is it just too much for my tank? Im planning on getting an external filter to work alongside the HOB aswell. I would appreciate any help you guys can give me.


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## ceg4048 (25 Sep 2013)

Kyle Lambert said:


> is it a lack of co2?


Yes.



Kyle Lambert said:


> should i be pumping more in each day?


Definitely, however, poor CO2 is often caused by poor flow and/or poor distribution. So if you have an inefficient filter this will be a problem.



Kyle Lambert said:


> Basically the algae thats more permanent is blue/green in colour and quite vibrant.


If this is BGA then it points to low nitrates or poor flow. Remove y hand and improve the flow/NO3 dosing.



Kyle Lambert said:


> I get brown diatoms every few weeks for about 2 days and then they disappear again (testing is still inconclusive here as to why it happens


Why it happens is because of too much light. Testing will reveal nothing.

Cheers,


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## Kyle Lambert (26 Sep 2013)

so should i get rid of one of my tubes? i got told originally i would have to at least double the 11w light i had to get decent plant growth.


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## ceg4048 (26 Sep 2013)

And now you have decent algae growth. So how good was that advice? The answer is staring back at you from the tank, so shut down one of the tubes and just accept less than decent plant growth. Plant growth does not necessarily equate to plant health. They are two separate phenomena entirely.

Cheers,


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## Kyle Lambert (27 Sep 2013)

OK cool, cheers buddy. Ill knock back the 11w and see how things go!


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