# algae on monte carlo



## Roediger (10 Oct 2017)

Hello everyone. I am having a small problem, and I quite dont understand it. I have a finnex planted plus 24/7 . I use it only on max settings. and my light cycle is 3 hrs in the morning and 5 in the afternoon. My co2 is usually green with a hint of yellow by the time the night is out. i also dose EI, but i dont dose kno3 since i have it at 30 ppm. I use a lily pipe which circulates the tanks co2 around in a circle. My repens also have some algae on them.

should i use my 24/7 settings since it dims throughout the day? 

I have a canister which circulates 265 gph

my substrate is eco complete.

I have pictures  of my tank. some advice is much appreciated

Thank you.


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## Soilwork (11 Oct 2017)

Hi Roediger

From what I understand the finnex planted plus 24/7 is quite an intense lighting fixture.  Having said that the tank also looks quite deep.  What are the dimensions?

The Monte Carlo is going to struggle to obtain enough co2 if you are you are only circulating the water around the upper sections of the column.  I’m not familiar with the principle of the Lilly pipe and although I have seen nice tanks using them, I would look in to maybe putting a spray bar along the back wall so the water hits the front glass and is pushed down and back across the substrate.

Lastly, how do you know you have 30ppm No3?  Both the test kits we use and our water companies values are unreliable in my opinion and so the only way you can know if you have 30ppm is by dosing 30ppm.  I would add nitrates back in to the mix.

Hope this helps 

Regards 
CJ


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## Roediger (11 Oct 2017)

Hello thanks for the reaponse. My tak is 18x 12x 30. 

The lily pipe sprays side ways and it hits the other side and runs down, across  back to the bottom of the lily. But i will make a spray bar going across.

I think the filter gph makes it go across


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## ian_m (11 Oct 2017)

Your drop checker should green verging yellow when lights come on not when they go off.

You plants are dying, releasing organics, feeding the algae. Most likely due poor and/or varying CO2 levels as well as lack on NO3, due to you trusting a test kit.

Having two light on periods wont help either.


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## Roediger (11 Oct 2017)

Cj, when i do nitrate test its almost red around 40. But if u say to start adding it again i will and hope it improves. I also lowered my lighting and see if this helps after a few weeks. I do remember having lower lighting and repens barely had algae. I just assumed that higher lighting was needed to hit the substrate


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## Roediger (11 Oct 2017)

Hello, Ian. What I meant to say was that yes the checker is green almost yellow at start. But my some fish like platty seem to han out top of the tank for air, Also my nerite snails.

I end up shutting it off worried, but yes its green yellow at start and yellow when lights off. Even this morning it still was yellow which is odd... might be time to change liquid? Or did tank just have that much co2.


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## Roediger (11 Oct 2017)

ian_m said:


> Your drop checker should green verging yellow when lights come on not when they go off.
> 
> You plants are dying, releasing organics, feeding the algae. Most likely due poor and/or varying CO2 levels as well as lack on NO3, due to you trusting a test kit.
> 
> Having two light on periods wont help either.


 I will make it one lighting period. Also, could my kids over feeding cause my montecarlo to have algae? She feeds them daily. If i increase co2 anymore i think my fosh will die. Only my neon tetras seem to have high tolerance for co2


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## ian_m (11 Oct 2017)

Roediger said:


> I end up shutting it off worried, but yes its green yellow at start and yellow when lights off. Even this morning it still was yellow which is odd... might be time to change liquid? Or did tank just have that much co2.


This indicates you haven't got your CO2 correct. You need to maybe increase CO2 injection BUT provide a bit more surface agitation (lift lily pipe) or reduce CO2 BUT provide less surface agitation. You are trying to balance CO2 injection rate in vs CO2 surface loss rate. With a bit of experimentation you should be able to get green drop checker at lights on and staying same green the whole of the single lighting period.

Also overfeeding does cause algae in my experience. I get carried away feeding, as my fish do appear to eat it all (and poo it out of course) and this certainly in a week or two leads to BBA algae appearing. Solution if FEED LESS and zap algae with liquid carbon and don't do it again.....


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## Konsa (11 Oct 2017)

Hi
It might be a case of better distribution of CO2 rather than ammount U are injecting.
If the dropchecker is yellow the morning after is definitely worth changing the solution.Also try to put it lower close to the substrate and get reading there.
In high tech tank is definitely better to have one continued lighting period.
Its ok to feed daily  but within reason.
Monte carlo doesn't need very strong light.It may be good idea to reduce your lighting intensity for now as it will decrease the CO2 and nutrients demmand.
Regards Konsa


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## Roediger (11 Oct 2017)

Made a spray bar! What do you think?


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## Roediger (11 Oct 2017)

Made a spray bar! What you think?


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## Edvet (12 Oct 2017)

Try to get this:


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## Roediger (12 Oct 2017)

I have an inline diffuser. Water splashing on glass wont hinder the mist? I can do that by lowering my water level


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## Edvet (12 Oct 2017)

The above photo is to show how the flow/jets from the spraybar should look, obviously you will raise the waterlevel when it functions


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## Roediger (12 Oct 2017)

Edvet said:


> The above photo is to show how the flow/jets from the spraybar should look, obviously you will raise the waterlevel when it functions



Ah ok then! I have the flow  going how soilwork explained. Which is how your picture is. Thanks everyone, i see co2 reaching the back side at the bottom and my plants have a steady movement going on


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## Soilwork (12 Oct 2017)

Roediger said:


> Ah ok then! I have the flow  going how soilwork explained. Which is how your picture is. Thanks everyone, i see co2 reaching the back side at the bottom and my plants have a steady movement going on



Good flow is important for many reasons.  Good luck 




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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