# Green algae issues



## Richard40 (13 Apr 2020)

Hi im having some problems with my plants.

Trimmed my plants at the back right down, noticed a lot of the leaves were showing green spots or wasting away and some of the tips of the ferns are looking a different colour as if dying or have green spots. This must be something I can address so thought I’d ask for advice to get them green again. I’ve pulled as many leaves off that were green including the ferns.

Since I noticed this I’ve been doing 75% water changes every 3 days, this is only the second one I’ve done in 6 days so far. I’ve been dosing Ei ferts, micro one day and macro another day to their letter of law what they send out to you. It’s 23ml daily.

Maybe the leaves aren’t getting enough CO2, I’m not sure but sure someone will help clear it up. CO2 is coming on at 12, lights on at 3.15 till 10. Drop checker is lime green by 3.15/3.20 and stays that way until 10. So 7 hours and Twinstar is at 70%.

I have my neo diffuser on the left side of the tank, and the glass outlet lily pipe at the other side in the middle. Circulation via the Oase is at least three quarters flow. Lots of the bubbles are reaching the surface and staying there on the left hand side.

I still have slightly too many fish in there but can’t do anything about that at the moment. Currently at 36 until I can take 11 back.

Feeding wise Mon, Wed, Fri is either flake or pellet and a Plec pellet for two minutes. Tues and Thurs one block of frozen live food. Sat and Sun I don’t feed them.


Any help would be appreciated.


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## Zeus. (14 Apr 2020)

What clean up crew 'shrimp, amanos or snails' do you have ?


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## Richard40 (15 Apr 2020)

I’ve 4 amanos, got another 6 coming today. Got 5 blue shrimp also arriving today. When I can get some am getting some Nerite snails. Maybe 3


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## Hudson (18 Apr 2020)

Richard40 said:


> I’ve 4 amanos, got another 6 coming today. Got 5 blue shrimp also arriving today. When I can get some am getting some Nerite snails. Maybe 3


If you can get the "Clithon Corona"  Zebra/Bumble Bee Nerites.There smaller so can have a few more in the tank, also there far less likely to lay eggs in the tank.

Also once you have you fish stock levels down it would be worth while adding some Otocinclus as there very good CUC.


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## Richard40 (18 Apr 2020)

Hudson said:


> If you can get the "Clithon Corona"  Zebra/Bumble Bee Nerites.There smaller so can have a few more in the tank, also there far less likely to lay eggs in the tank.
> 
> How many would you suggest of these 6?
> Will get some OTO’s once I’ve moved my glass catfish to my smaller tank. Be a few weeks yet.


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## Hudson (18 Apr 2020)

Richard40 said:


> Hi im having some problems with my plants.
> Maybe the leaves aren’t getting enough CO2, I’m not sure but sure someone will help clear it up. CO2 is coming on at 12, lights on at 3.15 till 10. Drop checker is lime green by 3.15/3.20 and stays that way until 10. So 7 hours and Twinstar is at 70%.
> 
> I have my neo diffuser on the left side of the tank, and the glass outlet lily pipe at the other side in the middle. Circulation via the Oase is at least three quarters flow. Lots of the bubbles are reaching the surface and staying there on the left hand side.



I'm no expert and currently have a thread running on Co2 profiling, but over the last few days the one thing i have discovered through others and ready threads for the likes of @Zeus. is that flow is king.

Have you created a Co2 profile from gas on until 


Really depends on how much food is in the tank for the snails longterm.

I would add 1 snail per 10 litres of water (with other CUC) and 1 amano Shrimp per 10L

The biomass from CUC is tiny so in theory you can add as many as you like as long as there is food for them.


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## Richard40 (18 Apr 2020)

I’ve now 10 amano shrimp. No nerites yet but thinking 6 to start off with and once removed 8 glass catfish and two female Apisto’s I would also get 5 Oto’s.


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## Richard40 (18 Apr 2020)

Am going to to a PH check every half hour from lights on to lights off soon once my Hanna PH checker arrives.


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## Zeus. (18 Apr 2020)

Richard40 said:


> Am going to to a PH check every half hour from lights on to lights off



Take pH from CO2 on till CO2 off, you can do it till lights off and see how much the pH increases after CO2 off for completeness


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## Richard40 (18 Apr 2020)

I’ve also put a Twinstar steriliser in there this week, and off to buy 6 nerites tomorrow.
I’ve cut all the bad leaves and green algae leaves off. Been doing 75% water changes every 3 days and doing that for another week. 
Noticed my tank was getting a lot of sunlight from the side where my bi-folds are during the day, so I’ve blocked it off from hitting the tank. This must have been a factor for the algae. 
Light is on for 8 hours and 80% at the moment.


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## Zeus. (18 Apr 2020)

Richard40 said:


> Light is on for 8 hours and 80% at the moment.





Richard40 said:


> lights on at 3.15 till 10. Drop checker is lime green by 3.15/3.20 and stays that way until 10. So 7 hours and Twinstar is at 70%.



Which is it 8hrs or 7hrs ? But if having algae issues 6hrs is plenty, turn intensity down from 80 or 70 !


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## Richard40 (18 Apr 2020)

Sorry 7 hours. So reduce it back to 6? Turn intensity to 60 also?


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## dw1305 (19 Apr 2020)

Hi all, 





Richard40 said:


> and some of the tips of the ferns are looking a different colour as if dying or have green spots


The <"darker translucent tips on the Java fern"> is just where the leaves are growing.

cheers Darrel


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## Richard40 (24 Apr 2020)

I’ve done 70% water changes for 2 weeks now every 3 days, stopped any daylight sun hitting the tank. Carried on with fertilisers, hoovered two buckets every time I do a water change and can see much better growth on the plants.  I’ve added a Twinstar Nano, 6 zebra snails and 6 more amano shrimp. The only thing left to do is sell my 8 glass catfish which I’m trying to do as well as two female apisto’s to reduce stock. Should I now revert back to one 50% water change a week every Sunday?


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## Zeus. (24 Apr 2020)

Richard40 said:


> Should I now revert back to one 50% water change a week every Sunday?



Well if you have the time going to biweekly 50% WC may be a slightly better option


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## Richard40 (24 Apr 2020)

For a couple of weeks?


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## Zeus. (24 Apr 2020)

See how the plants/algae are responding and review weekly


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## Richard40 (25 Apr 2020)

Zeus. said:


> Take pH from CO2 on till CO2 off, you can do it till lights off and see how much the pH increases after CO2 off for completeness


PH checker arrived today, so will take these readings tomorrow and keep you posted.


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## Richard40 (25 Apr 2020)

If after 2 weeks of 70-75% water changes and moving to two 50% water changes a week, and no signs of new algae can you put the light up 10%? Then wait another 4-6 weeks?


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## Zeus. (25 Apr 2020)

I would advise checking your pH profile with your new pH checker first, as if you turn your lights up it will affect the pH profile, so see how stable it is first  But its your call OFC


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## Richard40 (25 Apr 2020)

No, I’ll do the PH check tomorrow and post the results.


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## Richard40 (27 Apr 2020)

Right here are my results

CO2 on at 12.30 - 7
1 - 6.65
1.30 - 6.45
2 - 6.37
2.30 - 6.41
3 - 6.3
3.30 - 6.23
4 - 6.21
4.30 - 6..15
5 - 6.14
5.30 - 6.14
6 - 6.18
6.30 - 6.25
7 - 6.16
7.30 - 6.19
8 - 6.09
CO2 off 9 - 6.23
9.30 - 6.26
10 - 6.42


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## Zeus. (28 Apr 2020)

Lights on/off times?



Richard40 said:


> 6.30 - 6.25



Bit of an increase in pH


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## Richard40 (28 Apr 2020)

Could have been a reading that took a while, some the egg timer went off after a few seconds, sometimes it took ages.

Lights on is at 16.15 and off at 22.15.


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## Zeus. (28 Apr 2020)

So if we say the 6.30 - 6.25pH was an possible error, the pH profile looks pretty good to me. 

Rinse repeat OFC to check again well worth the effort IMO. I would take the pH at 4.15 (lights on) as well, the other times dont need to be spot on but lights on is important IMO as thats when the plants kick start photosynthesis 

what timer device are you using to control the CO2 on/off time ?

What was the DC colour after lights had been on 2-3 hours?

If the pH reads a different pH on next pH profile dont worry its the change in pH in the profile we are interested in not the pH reading itself, as the pH probe may off gone off a little overnight


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## Richard40 (28 Apr 2020)

Are you saying do it every half an hour again or just at 16.15?

I'm using a Kasa plug that's operated via a schedule on my phone so it can be controlled easily.

Drop checker is a lime green after lights had been on 2-3 hours.


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## Zeus. (28 Apr 2020)

Richard40 said:


> Are you saying do it every half an hour again or just at 16.15?



well I would do it at quarter past the hour and quarter to the hour so it works with your lights on time, after doing the pH profile a few times and getting it fairly stable, I just went for lights on time and just before CO2 off



Richard40 said:


> Drop checker is a lime green after lights had been on 2-3 hours.


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## Richard40 (28 Apr 2020)

O'k I'll do this again tomorrow and share the results. If it's stable would I be able to increase the photo period and intensity?


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## Richard40 (29 Apr 2020)

Ok, so second time round 

CO2 on at 12.30
12.45 - 6.97
1.15 -  6.87
1.45 - 6.77
2.15 - 6.63
2.45 - 6.53
3.15 - 6.47
3.45 - 6.39
4.15 - 6.36
4.45 - 6.36
5.15 - 6.32
5.45 - 6.32
6.15 - 6.32
6.45 - 6.32
7.15 - 6.3
7.45 - 6.3
8.15 - 6.28
8.45 - 6.27
CO2 off 9
9.15 - 6.26
9.45 - 6.36
10.15 Lights off - 6.53


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## Ghettofarmulous (29 Apr 2020)

Hi Richard. What ph meter are you using?


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## Richard40 (30 Apr 2020)

Hanna PH checker. Got one on eBay for £38 with postage


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## Richard40 (30 Apr 2020)

Zeus. said:


> after doing the pH profile a few times and getting it fairly stable



Now it seems stable and been doing two 50% water changes a week. Shall I up the lighting to 7 hours and 70% or leave it?


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## Zeus. (30 Apr 2020)

Richard40 said:


> Now it seems stable and been doing two 50% water changes a week. Shall I up the lighting to 7 hours and 70% or leave it?



Has the pH been stable of at least a week ? and present intensity ? why increase the photoperiod? plants have had their fill after 4-5hours of high light


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## Richard40 (30 Apr 2020)

I’ve not changed the CO2 for over a week so it will have been stable. Light is at 60%, so I should just leave it?
Just read should work up to 8 hours a day and each week move the intensity up 10%.


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