# Blue Green Algae on Pogostemon Erecutus. WHY?



## Matt Warner (18 Aug 2011)

Hi all, I keep getting blue green algae on my pogostemon erectus and I can't seem to figure out why. It starts to cover a few leaves so I remove it and then within a week it comes back.
I have a Juwel Rio 125
Filter:Standard Juwel filter with uprated impellor, Tetra EX700 filter, Koralia 1600lh powerhead
Lighting is about a year old and is the Juwel nature and daylight T5 28w Tubes. Lights on for about 9 hours a day
CO2 is pressurized system running at 1bps. Drop checker is green
Ferts are EI dosing
I just cant understand why im getting BGA in the first place when my nitrate levels are high as I am EI dosing and circulation is good and all plants are swaying nicely. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated


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## ceg4048 (18 Aug 2011)

Hi,
    Are you certain you actually have KNO3? Check the thread http://ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=16077

Cheers,


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## Matt Warner (18 Aug 2011)

Yes I'm certain. I bought it from APF uk which is one of UKAPS sponsors. I saw John from APF put something on here saying that his KN03 was proper KN03 and not poor quality.
Cheers


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## Matt Warner (18 Aug 2011)

If the plant was getting debris caught up in it, would this cause the algae to grow on the plant? Just a thought as it does seem to get stuff caught up in its needles.


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## ceg4048 (18 Aug 2011)

It's possible but I would look at you filter. How often do you clean it? Also, are you using new Amazonia Aquasoil or other Nitrogen laced sediment? Could you have miscalculated the dosing? Increase the KNO3 dosages by 50% and see what happens.

Cheers,


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## Matt Warner (18 Aug 2011)

I am just using plain gravel and it's been like that for nearly a year now! I clean the internal filter top sponge every week. Should I be cleaning the other sponges more often too? The external filter I just replace the top sponge once a month or clean it out. I have noticed fish poop getting trapped in the plant which I forgot to remove which I was thinking if it is rotting it could cause algae on the plant. I have checked the nitrate level and I know they aren't 100% accurate but it was reading around 30-40ppm. I do a 50% water change every week and the nitrate level of the tap water is at 20ppm.


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## Matt Warner (18 Aug 2011)

As for the dosing it is as follows
4tsp potassium nitrate
1tsp potassium phosphate
6tsp magnesium sulphate
500ml water
I dose 20ml every other day and 20ml of trace mix every other day


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## ceg4048 (18 Aug 2011)

OK, well, i just did a quick calculation. Don't hold me to these numbers because I might have missed a decimal place but it says here on my calculator that you are only dosing around 3 to 4ppm NO3 per dose. Done 3 time weekly would only give you about 9  to 12ppm, which, for the typical megawatt loving Klingon, is a popular recipe for BGA.



			
				Matty1983 said:
			
		

> I have checked the nitrate level and I know they aren't 100% accurate but it was reading around 30-40ppm. I do a 50% water change every week and the nitrate level of the tap water is at 20ppm.


Oooh you're really winding me up now.   OK, so you know that NO3 test kit isn't 100% accurate. Great. So just how accurate do you think they are? I mean, do you think they are 90% accurate? If so then they would still be OK right? But suppose they were only 9% accurate. If that's the case then you real number might be as low as 2.7-3.6ppm or as high as 57-76ppm. Would that still be OK?

Suppose the speedometer on your car had similar accuracy. You'd either be in prison for reckless driving or you'd be so slow you'd never reach your destination.  

Cheers,


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## Matt Warner (18 Aug 2011)

Ok thanks I appreciate the advice. So what do I do then? Add more nitrate to the macro mix or just add 40ml a time rather than 20ml?


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## Matt Warner (18 Aug 2011)

Sorry I re read what you said now and I understand. So with about 2wpg which is I think what I have, how much nitrate do you think I should be aiming for on each dose?
Cheers


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## Matt Warner (18 Aug 2011)

It seems I have made a mis calculation! Would 6tsp of potassium nitrate sound ok? I am nearly out of macro mix so I'll make another mix up.
Cheers


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## ceg4048 (19 Aug 2011)

Sounds about right to me.

Cheers,


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## clonitza (19 Aug 2011)

I'd do also:
- first week I'd change (or rinse) all the media in your juwel filter. Before doing that suck all the dirt accumulated in both chambers.
- second week rinse in aquarium water all the media of your tetratec filter and add one bottle of JBL FilterStart just in case, it's rather cheap.
Clean the BGA affected area and see if it appears again.

Mike


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## Matt Warner (19 Aug 2011)

Ok thanks everyone for the advice. I will do 50% water change tomorrow and will start the new dosing. I will also clean both filters out too and hopefully will see an improvement. I only had a tiny bit of the old mix left so I made a new mix up and used James website calculator as a guide.
Cheers


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## Richard Dowling (27 Aug 2011)

Could you keep us posted Matty? I have exactly the same tank, exactly the same dosing, similar lighting and the same Algae Issues as you. Ive been told I could be dosing too little nitrate. Your situation may help me solve mine.


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## Matt Warner (28 Aug 2011)

*Re: Blue Green Algae on Pogostemon Erecutus. WHY? UPDATE*

HI dowheim. Ok a quick update for you. I made a new solution of 6tsp potassium nitrate, 1 tsp potassium phosphate, 6 tsp magnesium sulphate. 25ml added 3x a week. 
I have been dosing these new values for a week now and left a small amount of BGA on the plant to see what happens. It is a massive improvement, the plants are growing much healthier and quicker and any BGA has just turned into little balls now rather than sheets. I have now removed the little balls of BGA and everything seems to be growing again without any deficiencies. I was also getting small amounts of BGA on the gravel too and this has improved too. The front glass gets less algae now too which is good.
Thank you all for your advice in solving my problem it was much appreciated!


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## Richard Dowling (14 Oct 2011)

Thanks Matty, I too had upped my potassium nitrate to 6 tsp but I was only adding about 20-22ml 3 times a week instead of your 25. Ive now moved house and downsized from my Rio to a Fluval Ebi that I got with a PFK subscription, I have unfortunately got BGA growing already. Im hoping that the 11w lights will not be to the BGA's liking! If it carries on I'll match your dose sizes to scale and see how it goes.


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