# Hair algae - is the Fluval Ebi light too much?



## LancsRick (1 Feb 2013)

Doing my weekly inspection of my tanks, I was amazed to see a fair amount of hair algae on some of the ele. acic. in my Fluval Ebi tank. The reason I say amazed is that I'm just using the Ebi light (4 hour photoperiod), and have a JBL e700 (at half throttle) on it, which is giving significant movement on all stems within the tank. I'm double dosing all-in-one ferts at the moment, but I'm not aware of that having a bearing on hair algae?

Regardless of that, the fact is that hair algae is there, and since (as far as I know), it's always too much light/too little CO2, so I'll have to either reduce my lighting duration, or put some frosted film on the top lid of the tank.

My question is - from other people's experiences out there, is the Fluval Ebi light too much for the tank, or is this potentially just the tank getting established, and something that will subside once I've got a plethora of cherry shrimp in there?


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## nayr88 (1 Feb 2013)

I had a fluval ebi light on for 10hours a day mate with no algae. I'm currently running 27w for 8 hours over mine with non.

Get co2  


Cheeeeeeeeeers


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## LancsRick (1 Feb 2013)

Not going for CO2 just yet . I'll drop it to 3 hours, but it seems like a very low photoperiod for a low tech tank!


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## nayr88 (1 Feb 2013)

The light is really bright. I have an 18w thats half as bright as the fluval I sold.

Mate 3 hours your never gonna get time to admire the tank, treat yourself to co2.

Whats LPH on the filter? Even if you injected 1bubble every 3 seconds 24-7 you'd be tons better off.


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## Nathaniel Whiteside (1 Feb 2013)

Or go easy carbo. Simples


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## jack-rythm (2 Feb 2013)

Whitey89 said:


> Or go easy carbo. Simples


Or get a lower wattage light and add easy carbo   3 hours is silly so just reduce the light wattage, eventually u can build it back up too.

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## LancsRick (2 Feb 2013)

Looks like I'm going to be buying some glut!

If I was to sometimes go away for, say, 3 days, how big a problem would that be if I was dosing liquid carbon every day?


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## jack-rythm (2 Feb 2013)

LancsRick said:


> Looks like I'm going to be buying some glut!
> 
> If I was to sometimes go away for, say, 3 days, how big a problem would that be if I was dosing liquid carbon every day?


I'm not sure if u wanna be doing it every day, it would ultimately cost far to much in the long run. I use it once or 2ce a week..but I guess this is preference. It all depends on your overall tank balance bud.

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## Nathaniel Whiteside (2 Feb 2013)

Ive got a 27w ADA solar over a 20 litre without co2 , w/ hair algae. Give a flock.


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## DrRob (2 Feb 2013)

I'm not a fan of the light on the ebi. Mine faded considerably within 6 months and the bulbs are a pain to change (dremmel helps), so if you have the same bulb as me then there is an option to hang in there and wait for it to fade. Personally I'd just replace the light, but I think that's just because I've got sick of the stock one.


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## LancsRick (2 Feb 2013)

I've just put frosted film over the glass this morning, so I'll see what effect that has over the next week or so.

I'd really rather avoid the need to go high tech, so I'm more likely to get a weaker bulb if needs be I think (or maybe mask the reflective coating on the inside of the lamp.


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## Ady34 (3 Feb 2013)

Hi Rick,
It's the lighting intensity rather than the duration that causes issues. The issue will also be that there is no co2, the 11w light over the 30l tank would drive the plants need for co2. I run the same light over my 55l nano and add 1 ml liquid carbon per day, I have hair grass which is far from prolific, but is algae free. 
If your set on not going the liquid carbon route then what you have done already with....





LancsRick said:


> I've just put frosted film over the glass this morning, so I'll see what effect that has over the next week


....is by far the best thing to do. Reducing lighting intensity is the key. I'd increase water changes for a week or two also to try and eradicate the algae.




jack-rythm said:


> I'm not sure if u wanna be doing it every day, it would ultimately cost far to much in the long run. I use it once or 2ce a week..but I guess this is preference. It all depends on your overall tank balance bud.
> 
> Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2


If your dosing liquid carbon, then it's high tech and you ideally need to be dosing consistently every day at around the same time. If you don't you risk running into co2 related algae issues as fluctuating co2 levels stress the plants and allow the algae to thrive.

Cheerio,
Ady.


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## LancsRick (3 Feb 2013)

Thanks Ady


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## jack-rythm (3 Feb 2013)

Ady34 said:


> If your dosing liquid carbon, then it's high tech and you ideally need to be dosing consistently every day at around the same time. If you don't you risk running into co2 related algae issues as fluctuating co2 levels stress the plants and allow the algae to thrive.


Sorry Ady,
I guess I have never experienced problems with this before, Are you suggesting smaller amounts daily? So if you were initially dosing 6ml a week you would do 1ml a day with a break period on another day? I guess I have never done this before. I do 6ml every 3 days on a guess. With a water change on the 4th day. I have not seen signs of depletion or algae as of yet, and being 4 months in do you think it will ever set in?.  I believe that my dosing methods are key to my plants success, including my cuba and my P. helferi. Ill keep a closer eye on this from now on and remember your advice in case I start to notice fluctuations for sure  It makes sense to divide the 6ml amount over the 3 days but then I feel having a water change every 4th day of the schedule would mean I would need to dose 2ml per day to balance it out and that just seems to little amount?. Is this what you suggest? I will of course be open to advice


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## jack-rythm (3 Feb 2013)

Ady34 said:


> If your dosing liquid carbon, then it's high tech and you ideally need to be dosing consistently every day at around the same time. If you don't you risk running into co2 related algae issues as fluctuating co2 levels stress the plants and allow the algae to thrive.


If this is true then I believe a automatic dosing device is in order! lol or just come away from hightech as i have a memory like an actual sieve! lol


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## Ady34 (3 Feb 2013)

jack-rythm said:


> If this is true then I believe a automatic dosing device is in order! lol or just come away from hightech as i have a memory like an actual sieve! lol


Sure is, if your lights are still coming on and your not dosing liquid carbon consistently then they're starving on the days they don't get it!
Cheerio,
Ady.


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## jack-rythm (3 Feb 2013)

Ady34 said:


> Sure is, if your lights are still coming on and your not dosing liquid carbon consistently then they're starving on the days they don't get it!
> Cheerio,
> Ady.


Ok understood, I'll go to 2ml a day, I'll have to start setting a reminder on my damn phone!

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## Ady34 (3 Feb 2013)

jack-rythm said:


> Sorry Ady,
> I guess I have never experienced problems with this before, Are you suggesting smaller amounts daily? So if you were initially dosing 6ml a week you would do 1ml a day with a break period on another day? I guess I have never done this before. I do 6ml every 3 days on a guess. With a water change on the 4th day. I have not seen signs of depletion or algae as of yet, and being 4 months in do you think it will ever set in?.  I believe that my dosing methods are key to my plants success, including my cuba and my P. helferi. Ill keep a closer eye on this from now on and remember your advice in case I start to notice fluctuations for sure  It makes sense to divide the 6ml amount over the 3 days but then I feel having a water change every 4th day of the schedule would mean I would need to dose 2ml per day to balance it out and that just seems to little amount?. Is this what you suggest? I will of course be open to advice


The thing with liquid carbon is that it only has a maximum of 24hr active life once in the aquarium before it is either used up by your plants or broken down into ineffective compounds. If you put 6ml in one day, then leave it for three days, then your plants are getting a huge hit of carbon for the first 24hrs, then going hungry for the rest of the time.....additionally it is more likely to have a detrimental effect on livestock overdosing in such a way. There is also no benefit to having a rest day with carbon either as you cannot build up an excess as with pressurised it gasses off continuously, and with liquid products it has a shelf life in the water. I'm sure if you offered less, but every day things would improve further for you. You just need to get the right amount to feed their needs. I'd start at double the recommended dosage on your mature systems.
Here's a nice synopsis of liquid carbon from Richard at Aquaessentials:
Liquid Carbon in a planted aquarium | The Planted Aquarium Blog
Having said all that, if your tanks are working for you then happy days, but do you not also dose carbonated water to boost co2? This could be helping the plants get the extra carbon......what days do you add the carbonated water, consistently, the days you don't dose liquid carbon?
Cheerio,


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## MARKCOUSINS (3 Feb 2013)

Sorry to diverse a bit just read Ady wrote LC has a 24 hour active life.I have been dosing mine normaly with water flow off just before lights off would it be better to do this just before lights on?Cheers mark


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## Ady34 (3 Feb 2013)

MARKCOUSINS said:


> Sorry to diverse a bit just read Ady wrote LC has a 24 hour active life.I have been dosing mine normaly with water flow off just before lights off would it be better to do this just before lights on?Cheers mark


In my opinion yes, the closer to lights on the better as you get the maximum benefit.....just like pressurised co2, on during the photoperiod when plants need it, off at lights off when they don't.
Why do you turn your flow off? Are you spot dosing as an algaecide or using it for carbon enrichment as if its the latter your better keeping flow on to distribute the product to the plants 
Cheerio,
Ady


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## MARKCOUSINS (3 Feb 2013)

I have been trying to dose 2 specific areas my HC that i had to replant as original carpet started to lift a bit because i did not trim it enough.And an algae issue in an area of Java moss i think caused by lacking of flow when the stem plants went physco while i was on holiday!Before i was dosing with flow on tank is co2 injected as well,main reason though was to try to help HC growth was i wrong?Cheers mark


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## Ady34 (3 Feb 2013)

When you say flow, do you just mean extra circulation pumps or your filter? How long do you have it off for, a few mins or all night?
If its to boost carbon availability then it definitely wants to be at the start of the photoperiod as its the only time the plants will use the carbon. At night time it's wasted as the plants want oxygen not carbon. I'd just add it to the tank pre lights on and let it circulate as a boost to your gas for the benefit of all the plants, spot dosing for a few mins may be beneficial i suppose but if your hc is struggling maybe your flow/distribution needs looking at....the trim you gave may have already helped.
Cheerio,
Ady


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## MARKCOUSINS (3 Feb 2013)

I was turning off filter plus circulation pump for 10min aprox and feeding fish and shrimp at same time.Yep is co2 injected 2.5 hours before lights on goes off 1 hour before lights off.Co2 bubbles all over the 450l tank they sweep right through the HC which is at the front of the tank covering about a 70cm length and 25cm(aprox)section,HC is swaying nicely in the flow as almost every plant in the tank.It's when i had to replant the HC it was looking worse for wear now colour is returning probably needs a trim and replant cuttings.It took over 10hours to replant with no breaks apart from the odd coffee and Jeff Hurst!Cheers mark


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## Ady34 (3 Feb 2013)

Ah, cool, you should see an improvement now, maybe it just didn't like the trim and replant and needed time to adjust. No harm in spot dosing whilst feeding etc. all sounds perfect now, as long as your not over illuminating!
Cheerio


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## MARKCOUSINS (3 Feb 2013)

I'm keeping lit just under 7 hours better open another thread think i have hijacked this one enough thanks for the good solid advice Ady.Cheers Mark


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## jack-rythm (3 Feb 2013)

Ady34 said:


> The thing with liquid carbon is that it only has a maximum of 24hr active life once in the aquarium before it is either used up by your plants or broken down into ineffective compounds. If you put 6ml in one day, then leave it for three days, then your plants are getting a huge hit of carbon for the first 24hrs, then going hungry for the rest of the time.....additionally it is more likely to have a detrimental effect on livestock overdosing in such a way. There is also no benefit to having a rest day with carbon either as you cannot build up an excess as with pressurised it gasses off continuously, and with liquid products it has a shelf life in the water. I'm sure if you offered less, but every day things would improve further for you. You just need to get the right amount to feed their needs. I'd start at double the recommended dosage on your mature systems.
> Here's a nice synopsis of liquid carbon from Richard at Aquaessentials:
> Liquid Carbon in a planted aquarium | The Planted Aquarium Blog
> Having said all that, if your tanks are working for you then happy days, but do you not also dose carbonated water to boost co2? This could be helping the plants get the extra carbon......what days do you add the carbonated water, consistently, the days you don't dose liquid carbon?
> Cheerio,


Ady,

Thanks again for the Reply Mate, as for what u said, yes I do dose 6ml of carbonated water every morning, I also do this as well as the LC every three days.. Do u suggest I continue the 6ml carbonated water but take on the 2ml LC daily also? Maybe I shouldn't use carbonated water on the days I use LC, what's your opinion on this? 

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## Ady34 (3 Feb 2013)

I say the more the merrier regards carbon input....as long as you're consistent. If you're not consistent then much like an addict, there will be a more noticeable cold turkey from the plants if you forget. Carbonated water and liquid carbon offer different carbon sources so its safe to add both at once without risk to fauna. I would definitely be more inclined to go with every day dosing of both, with the reduced quantity if liquid carbon you suggest of 2ml per day (maybe even 1ml, cant remember your tank sizes?... but im sure if youve been dosing 6ml quantities, then 2ml will be fine).
As good as your tanks are now, I think they would benefit more from consistent amounts of both.
Cheerio
Ady


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## jack-rythm (3 Feb 2013)

Thanks ady, of course there is always room for improvement, thanks for the time Mate. I'll make sure I shed more discipline into my hobby  

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