# EI index,problem with algae!



## Stefan34 (18 Aug 2019)

Hello All.
My aquarium 540l {water 370-400l] 150x60x60
Dosing Ei index micro and macro 3x times a week{Every sunday 50% water change] - Only RO water { no added equlibrium booster] - Using 35 kg Seryiu Stones!

Aquarium equipment:
Lights 6x80w T5 tubes Ati sunpower unit {lighting 8 hours each day] lights 55 cm above the water level.
Co2 from presurize bootle 2h on before lights on , 1h of before lights goes of!
Tropica soil = tropica ferts sand = Npk tablets in a substrate aded.
Filter 2x Oase Biomaster thermo 600 ..Flow 1250l/h { media Bio media Eheim,Seachem purigen 6x,Seachem matrix,Eheim bio balls] ,connected to the lilly pipe and skimmer.
First filter is coonect to the external reactor with bio media in it so real flow of the filter is propably arround 500l/h
will have to add  adjustable flow external pump connect to the filter {remove it the impeller] as the reactor have problem disolving all co2 and is filled up with air on the top and boobles comming out from the lilly pipe outlet.
Second filter real flow 600l/h its full of media.
Im using as well 2x power head 2000l/h as i hjave some death spots in a tank .
Skimmer flow 250l/h
All together is arround 5300l/h
2x chihiros doctor 
Dosing as i calculate in a butterfly calculator for 370l water value 

Mo,Wed,Fri:

Kno3 - Not doosing constantly 5ppm of No3 in a RO water

Kh2po4 - solution of 500ml RO water + 3.31g   dosing 80ml 3x times a week.
Po4= 1.0ppm
P=0.41ppm
K=0.33ppm

Mg2so47h2o - solution of 500ml RO water + 117,25g dosing 40ml 3x times a week 
Mg=2.5ppm
S=3.3ppm
Dgh=0.62

K2so4 - Solution of 500ml RO water + 51,53g dosing 80ml 3x times a week.
K= 10ppm 

CSM+B Solution of 500ml RO water + 10g dosing 80ml 3x times a week 

FE 13% chelated EDTTA  solution of 500ml Ro water + 10g doosing 80ml 3x times a week.
Fe= 0.56ppm

Fighting still with some algea and im completely lost as i dont know what im doing wrong and where can be a problem.

Algea i have is 

Cladophora On HC 
Oedogonium on blyxa japonica
GSA on front glasses but not much.

My plants are suffering 
Reinieckii mini holes in a leaves and GSA  or green algea 

Im asking you ALL as you are much more experience then my for a HELP what i should change to have it eventualy nice tank without or less algea PLEASE!!!

every week im measuring water parameters

The parameters they are:
NO3-5ppm
NO2-0ppm
NH4-0-0.2ppm { its hard to judge the colour} Using API freswater test kit]
PO4-is 0ppm {now on sunday] Dosing 0.5ppm 3x times a week TUE,THU,SAT.
KH-3
GH-8 { would like to get under 6 but dont know how as the seryiu stones increase GH]
PH- 6.6

Any Tips guys PLEASE!

Sorry for the long story i try it put as many information as i know!


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## Zeus. (18 Aug 2019)

Stefan34 said:


> Reinieckii *mini holes* in a leaves



Sounds like too intense light or CO2 not dailed in enough low /Flucuating [CO2]



Stefan34 said:


> Lights 6x80w T5 tubes



So say 6300 lumen per T5 tube x 6 = 37,800lumen :500litres so 75.6Lm per litre thats High Tropica guide - its Lumen which we dont like we prefer PAR be we use what we have.

Sounds like light too intense and photoperiod quite high at 8Hrs - 5-6hrs is normally plenty ( Shops use 8hrs because they are open 8Hrs)

Dont think its the ferts is the primary issue but D Wong Nutrient dosing worth a read




Stefan34 said:


> every week im measuring water parameters



*What about Test Kits ?**  *Havent tested my water parameters in 2 years, except pH and temp , I use ferts in Excess, high/stable [CO2] for photoperiod, weekly WC50%+ 

I would dose some Epsom salts weekly


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## Siege (18 Aug 2019)

Co2 on 2 hours before lights is a short period. 

Do you have a drop checker, is it a light green colour at lights on?


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## Edvet (18 Aug 2019)

6x T5 80w is (too) high light, you'll need optimal CO2. I use 4x 80W over my 400 gallon.


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## GHNelson (18 Aug 2019)

Hi Stefan
Quote>>>>GH-8 { would like to get under 6 but don't know how}
Why?
Quote>>>>>Dosing as i calculate in a butterfly calculator for 370l water value.
Just dose for your required aquarium volume...don't worry about water displacement due to substrate/hardscape.
Firstly....if your content in using RO...cut Ratio would be 3 RO to 1 Tap water!
Then you don't need to use remineraliser, you may have to add Mgso4 occasionally.
Pinholes are sometimes a Potassium shortage!
Your Nitrate is a tad low aim for 20ppm
You need to add more Phosphate.....Blyxa japonica like between 1 and 3 ppm.
This will also combat the GSA problem.
Reduce your lighting as Edvet stated.
Get some fast growing stem plants that can be used as floaters!
These will be beneficial for the aquarium, you can always remove them once the aquarium is in a stable condition.

Nitrate 20–30 ppm
Phosphate 1-3 ppm
Potassium 20-30ppm
CO2 30ppm
hoggie


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## Stefan34 (18 Aug 2019)

Zeus. said:


> Sounds like too intense light or CO2 not dailed in enough low /Flucuating [CO2]
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Hello.
It doesnt have it that much lumens..Im using 2x Silvania grolux,1x silvania aquastar,phillips 865,phillips 830,Aqua flora ...As i calculated the lumens i dont remember but it was 18000 +- ..not each lumens have it 6500lm...


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## Stefan34 (18 Aug 2019)

Stefan34 said:


> Hello.
> It doesnt have it that much lumens..Im using 2x Silvania grolux,1x silvania aquastar,phillips 865,phillips 830,Aqua flora ...As i calculated the lumens i dont remember but it was 18000 +- ..not eacht5 have it 6500lm...


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## Stefan34 (18 Aug 2019)

hogan53 said:


> Hi Stefan
> Quote>>>>GH-8 { would like to get under 6 but don't know how}
> Why?
> Quote>>>>>Dosing as i calculate in a butterfly calculator for 370l water value.
> ...



Hello thank you for ansfer .
I have quiet big surface as im trying to get co2 everywhere in a tank..in the moment not much effect..dont know where to put it twice power head 2000l..Lilly pipe on both sides  and wach powerhead is under the lilly outfllow.
if i will put floating plants all of them will be suck by skimmer i think so.But im not sure.


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## Stefan34 (18 Aug 2019)

Edvet said:


> 6x T5 80w is (too) high light, you'll need optimal CO2. I use 4x 80W over my 400 gallon.


propably too much so i have to distribute better the co2?im thinking to put external pump on co2 reactor as the lilly pipe outlet its full of undisolved co2.


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## Stefan34 (18 Aug 2019)

hogan53 said:


> Hi Stefan
> Quote>>>>GH-8 { would like to get under 6 but don't know how}
> Why?
> Quote>>>>>Dosing as i calculate in a butterfly calculator for 370l water value.
> ...




Hello.thanks for ansfer..Im not using tap water is my tap water its too hard  Kh 20 Gh 20 and 50ppm on no3..I decide to use only ro water and as i have seryiu stones they disolving some calcium and change the water parameters...So if i will start adding 20 ppm of no3 that will be good ratio with po4?.....The problem was my ro water have it already 5ppm of no3  ..And i didnt change it and on end of the week there was still 5ppm in a water.thank you


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## Stefan34 (18 Aug 2019)

Siege said:


> Co2 on 2 hours before lights is a short period.
> 
> Do you have a drop checker, is it a light green colour at lights on?


 hello my booble counter running like crazy cant count the boobles...propably i dont have inaf flow in a reactor and doesnt disolve all co2 cose some boobles comming out from lilly pipe outlet..drop checker is lime green.but i will check it again in a morning incase..If not ishold set up 3 or 4 hours before lights go on?


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## GHNelson (18 Aug 2019)

Stefan34 said:


> hello my booble counter running like crazy cant count the boobles...propably i dont have inaf flow in a reactor and doesnt disolve all co2 cose some boobles comming out from lilly pipe outlet..drop checker is lime green.but i will check it again in a morning incase..If not ishold set up 3 or 4 hours before lights go on?


I would not increase the Co2....you may gas your fish


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## GHNelson (18 Aug 2019)

Plants are not too bothered about GH....they are more interested in Co2 ferritization/flow....water quality!
hoggie


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## sparkyweasel (18 Aug 2019)

Stefan34 said:


> PO4-is 0ppm {now on sunday]


If phosphate drops to zero your plants are using it faster than you are supplying it, need to increase the dose.
As @Zeus said, holes in the leaves of reinickii is usualy a sign of insufficient CO2 reaching them, probably due to the flow. Reducing the light a bit would reduce their CO2 requirement. Could you place your drop checker close the reinickii to monitor the CO2 in that spot? Do those leaves wave in the current?
btw, your tank looks good overall in spite of the problems


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## Stefan34 (18 Aug 2019)

hello.Im using just fo now two drop checkers on the bottom left and right..booth was lime green....And the reiniecki mini and blyxa have it as well grean hair algea on the leaves..same with HC..This is as well cose of low co2?.....It wasnt before..But i added new fish in a tank and they start to gasping for air so i have reduce the co2 lower and now im trying to increase slowly..but drop checker was still lime green so i dont know really..To day i take off almost all the poor leaves from reniecki and lets see..But im start to be desperate....


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## Zeus. (18 Aug 2019)

You seem to have quite a bit of biomedia in your filters which will reduce the filters output as well as the purigen, esp if it's packed in their. Taking some off it out will increase the flow help. I only use course and medium foam and a little ceramic. The main biological filter in your tank are the plants so IMO reviewing your filter media will help.
Then reduce photoperiod and turn a T5 off or two.
Increasing the ferts will do no harm to the levels hoggie surgests with weekly 50% WC


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## Stefan34 (19 Aug 2019)

Zeus. said:


> You seem to have quite a bit of biomedia in your filters which will reduce the filters output as well as the purigen, esp if it's packed in their. Taking some off it out will increase the flow help. I only use course and medium foam and a little ceramic. The main biological filter in your tank are the plants so IMO reviewing your filter media will help.
> Then reduce photoperiod and turn a T5 off or two.
> Increasing the ferts will do no harm to the levels hoggie surgests with weekly 50% WC


 
Thank you Zeus..I already did what you said and as well i aplied 3% hydrogen peroxide to kill the algea...Hope it will help...As well my next qustion is ..Rotala co2 calculator when you add volume of your tank that mean water volume or fish tank volume?..I measure today bu add water volume  kh 4 ph 6.4 result  co2 30,1ppm   with tank volume 540l  kh 4 ph 6.4  co2 47ppm....im just wondering which is correct...i think dennis wong said in one video you cannot get proper result of co2 measuring if you have soil and stones that chanding chemistry of water..correct me if im wrong....so for what i should relay on ?  thanks.


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## Edvet (20 Aug 2019)

If you are using that colorchart to determine CO2 levels, better chuck that in the bin, everything that influences pH will render that chart invaluable. People thinking  they are adding plenty CO2 based on that chart have been proven wrong time and time again.
Best way to see wether there is plenty CO2 is a ph plot over time.


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## Zeus. (20 Aug 2019)

Edvet said:


> Best way to see wether there is plenty CO2 is a ph plot over time.



A DC,pH pen, pencil &paper, take pH every 30mins, watch DC, and repeat till pH drop stable FTW


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