# Juwel Helilux 920 - Algae Problems



## kellyboy47 (17 Sep 2018)

Hi,

Hope someone can help.

I have a Juwel Helialux 920 LED light unit with the optional controller and am having horrendous problems with brown algae noticeably on my Anubias. If anyone has one of these Helialux units with the optional controller please could you let me know what lighting period settings you use as getting to the end of my tether with this issue. I will add photos asap

Thanks
Trev


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## Edvet (17 Sep 2018)

How old is the tank, how is maintenance, what ferts, what times for light, CO2 or not, substrate?????


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## kellyboy47 (20 Sep 2018)

Edvet said:


> How old is the tank, how is maintenance, what ferts, what times for light, CO2 or not, substrate?????



Sorry for delay in replying.

The tank is a Juwel Vision 180 and I have had it for 13 years. I change the water every week (40l). I use macro / micro ferts on alternate days with a days rest. I use Easycarbo instead of CO2 pumped, substrate is gravel.

Lighting times on Juwel Controller if this makes any sense:


 

Dawn interval 07:00 to 08:00 White intensity 5% Blue intensity 60%
Sunrise interval 09:00 to 15:00 White intensity 5% Blue intensity 40%
Sunset interval 17:00 to 20:00 White intensity 20% Blue intensity 30%
Dusk interval 20:00 to 23:00 White intensity 0% Blue intensity 30%


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## Edvet (20 Sep 2018)

Looks like to much light for your carbon.
Clean and rub leaves as much as possible (before the waterchange) and reduce the light to 5 hours ( something like 30% white only).
I would up the waterchanges to 2 times a week ( want to do at least 50% weekly).
Do this for 4-6 weeks and report back.


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## Edvet (20 Sep 2018)

Macro''s and micro''s are EI ferts? or something else?


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## jameson_uk (20 Sep 2018)

kellyboy47 said:


> Lighting times on Juwel Controller if this makes any sense:
> 
> Dawn interval 07:00 to 08:00 White intensity 5% Blue intensity 60%
> Sunrise interval 09:00 to 15:00 White intensity 5% Blue intensity 40%
> ...



I have the helialux lights on my Rio 180 that is run low tech.  I run mine
Dawn: 06:00 to 07:00 (white: 0% blue: 60%)
Sunrise: 11:30 to 12:00 (white: 70% blue: 70%)
Sunset: 19:45 to 20:15 (white: 0% blue: 70%)
Dusk: 22:00 to 22:30 (white: 0% blue: 0%)

I have no real algae issues but that said I have a thick blanket of frogbit at the surface blocking a lot of the light.

Do you really mean 5% white at sunrise?  That seems very little but the algae looks like too much...


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## Edvet (21 Sep 2018)

jameson_uk said:


> thick blanket of frogbit


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## kellyboy47 (13 Oct 2018)

Edvet said:


> Macro''s and micro''s are EI ferts? or something else?



Yes EI ferts


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## cheekycharly (25 Aug 2020)

I have similar issues using the Helialux to the point it feels like I'm constantly fighting the diatom bloom. I have just.ordered a Helialux Spectrum and hopefully that is easier to control. Your lighting is like mine. Dark with a blue hue all through the day then comes on in the evening for 6hours or so. Plants grow slowly and I also EI dose.

It may be the EI dosing.

I do the weekly waterchage once a week as specified by the EI dosing method I have.


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## dw1305 (26 Aug 2020)

Hi all, 
Ramshorn Snails should eat it.





cheekycharly said:


> It may be the EI dosing.


If you aren't adding CO2, you don't need to add as many nutrients, even with the liquid carbon source. Do you have a TDS (conductivity meter)? 





kellyboy47 said:


>


Do the new leaves on the other plants look pale? If they do, It might be lack of <"plant available iron">. 





jameson_uk said:


> I have a thick blanket of frogbit at the surface blocking a lot of the light.


Have a look at @jameson_uk 's thread <"Duckweed Index says.....">, it explains how you can use Amazon Frogbit (_Limnobium laevigatum_) as both a <"Net curtain"> and a <"diagnostic tool for nutrient deficiency">. 

We can't tell with the <"_Anubias barteri">_ whether it is <"light intensity"> or nutrient deficiency that has caused the leaf yellowing. A floating plant takes light and carbon out of the equation. 

cheers Darrel


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## kellyboy47 (26 Aug 2020)

cheekycharly said:


> I have similar issues using the Helialux to the point it feels like I'm constantly fighting the diatom bloom. I have just.ordered a Helialux Spectrum and hopefully that is easier to control. Your lighting is like mine. Dark with a blue hue all through the day then comes on in the evening for 6hours or so. Plants grow slowly and I also EI dose.
> 
> It may be the EI dosing.
> 
> I do the weekly waterchage once a week as specified by the EI dosing method I have.



I've have just looked at the prices for the Helialux Spectrum and they are very expensive and then I assume you would have to buy the SmartControl on top of that ? What size tank have you got and when you do a water change how much do you replace ? What EI ferts do you use out of interest ?


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## kellyboy47 (26 Aug 2020)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all,
> Ramshorn Snails should eat it.


Trouble is I wouldn't like to end up with a snail problem


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## dw1305 (26 Aug 2020)

Hi all, 





kellyboy47 said:


> I wouldn't like to end up with a snail problem


I'm <"a snail fan">, but I know that isn't <"true of everybody">.

cheers Darrel


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## cheekycharly (10 Sep 2020)

kellyboy47 said:


> I've have just looked at the prices for the Helialux Spectrum and they are very expensive and then I assume you would have to buy the SmartControl on top of that ? What size tank have you got and when you do a water change how much do you replace ? What EI ferts do you use out of interest ?


Yes controller is also required so I've had to buy the new model light and controller. Now selling my Helialux 1000 on eBay as well as it's Day/Night controller. Much prefer this newer model as controlling it from your mobile is a breeze.

I recently gutted the tank and removed a lot of rock just incase this was causing a silicates issue. Since I have not had the bloom the same and I'm currently doing water change every 2-3 days at around 40-50%. Water is then great using Prime.

I'm currently not EI dosing and just dosing Seachem Flourish which I had about 250ml left of a bottle. Tank is clean and fish seem happy and plants are growing albeit slowly.

I have Valli's and it never throws shoots out yet I have to trim a few feet of growth off it every few weeks.

Tank is the Juwel Rio 180.

Sent from my Mi 9T using Tapatalk


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