# Brown type algae



## buttons (26 Aug 2017)

Looking for some advice on whether this an algae or a bad break out of diatoms on my iwagumi, the tank has been set up just over 4 weeks. 













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## PARAGUAY (27 Aug 2017)

Could be a bit of both? Not long been set up so you could increase w/c s,manually take out algae daily,increase CO2 slowly.add a few floaters (temporary if needed) or/and a few fast growing weeds. I recently had similar issue a 50per cent wchange daily ,thanks to advice from forum moderator tim,improved things


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## Silviu Man (27 Aug 2017)

From my personal experience, the best solution for brown algae is a combination of shrimps and snails. No matter how many water changes you made if there is nothing to stop develop of the algae. The presence of the algae is a result, in first place, of the light strategy and nutrients content of water. Unfortunately, to keep plants in good shape, we need both at certain level so, in between these, we need to have something that aloud good light and fertilisation but also limit the algae. So ... best solution is something that eat algae.
This means shrimps (preferably Amano) and snails (preferably Spira and Zebra).


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## Dolly Sprint 16v (27 Aug 2017)

James 

Could you advise of the lighting period - if its greater than 5 hrs especially with LED lighting as it very bright - I would turn down your lighting period to 5 hours max. 

High lighting Inc. excessive time period trips the algea into growing ( that my view), so balance your fertz + co2 + lighting = superb looking tanks 

Paul


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## buttons (27 Aug 2017)

Thanks for the replys guys. I will be looking for a clean up crew, soon as possible. I dosed easy carbo on it this morning and it seems to be turning white, my led lights are on 6 hours and on setting 3/7, was on 4:7 probably in this photo. I think I need to balance my ferts and co2 and lights. I'm still unsure on how much ferts I should be dosing at the moment, I using E.i and brand new Ada Amazonia soil. 


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## Dolly Sprint 16v (27 Aug 2017)

buttons said:


> I think I need to balance my ferts and co2 and lights. I'm still unsure on how much ferts I should be dosing at the moment, I using E.i and brand new Ada Amazonia soil.



James

What quantity of fertz are you dosing at the moment. 

I too dose with E.I but I mix my fertz to what I thing is right, I started off low dosing and tweeked my fertz to suit and I dose my NPK & trace on the same day not alternative days and its worked for me.

Paul


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## buttons (28 Aug 2017)

I'm dosing 5ml a day of a slightly more tweak mix to the aquarium plant food one, it was mixed from my last tank. It's about to run out so I will need to mix up the stander aquarium plant mix again. 



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## Dolly Sprint 16v (28 Aug 2017)

buttons said:


> I'm dosing 5ml a day of a slightly more tweak mix to the aquarium plant food one, it was mixed from my last tank. It's about to run out so I will need to mix up the stander aquarium plant mix again.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



James

5mls of fertz does not seem a lot - could you advise on the fertz you are using.

I use E.I for my 60 ltr tank, but I treble the quantity of dry salts used in my mix, but reduced the amount of mls added daily to the tank by 1/3. This is what I was refering to when I said tweeking your fertz. 

Paul


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## buttons (28 Aug 2017)

I'm using e.i Salts with a mixture of:

Macro Solution 
6tsp Potassium Nitrate
3tsp Potassium Phosphate
6tsp Magnesium Sulphate
500ml Water

Micro Solution 
2tsp Chelated Trace Elements
500ml Water

Dosing 
Macro 3x a week. (10ml per 50ltr of Aquarium water)
Micro 3x a week. (10ml per 50ltr of Aquarium water)
Dosing half (5ml) as of now though. 

Was recommended to dose half as I have a small plant mass also brand new soil that will be full of nutrients. 

They bottles are running out so I going to mix the original mixture as recommended by aquarium plant foods. 



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## ian_m (29 Aug 2017)

Dolly Sprint 16v said:


> NPK & trace on the same day not alternative days and its worked for me


You will eventually suffer Fe deficiency as the Fe chelate reacts with the PO4 and precipitates out. Been there, got tee shirt and deficient plants


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## PARAGUAY (29 Aug 2017)

ian_m said:


> You will eventually suffer Fe deficiency as the Fe chelate reacts with the PO4 and precipitates out. Been there, got tee shirt and deficient plants


As Ian says defeating the object by dosing like that ,probably better with a all in one fertiliser e.g. Neutro or Tropica if that is your preffered method


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## Dolly Sprint 16v (29 Aug 2017)

James

How many ltr of water does you tank hold.

Paul


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## buttons (29 Aug 2017)

Dolly Sprint 16v said:


> James
> 
> How many ltr of water does you tank hold.
> 
> Paul



It's Ada 60p tank (60L)


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## Dolly Sprint 16v (29 Aug 2017)

ian_m said:


> You will eventually suffer Fe deficiency as the Fe chelate reacts with the PO4 and precipitates out. Been there, got tee shirt and deficient plants



Ian 
Well I have to disagree - been running like this for 12 mouths with no issues at all.




PARAGUAY said:


> As Ian says defeating the object by dosing like that ,probably better with a all in one fertiliser e.g. Neutro or Tropica if that is your preffered method



Depends which Neutro or Tropica fertz your purchase.

Tropica Premium & Neutro T fertz is just a trace mix - for low tech tank with out Co2 

hightech tank with Co2 injection.
Neutro + contains trace element which usually contains Iron + NPK but does not state this 
https://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/ne...Path=544_208&zenid=8em1gc6bl23tamp086p168knp1

where with the Tropica Specialised fertz actually states that it contains Fe.
http://tropica.com/en/plant-care/liquid-fertilisers/specialised-fertiliser/

So if I purchased an all in one fertz it would be no different than what I am doing now.

Paul


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## PARAGUAY (30 Aug 2017)

Hi Paul, if you have a fertiliser regime that giving good plant healthy plant growth carry on

I use APFUK EI system to John Whelans suggested dosing regime . I have used Neutro+ with good results as a all in one as I have Tropica Specalised it more from a cost and value that I use dry salts in the CO2 aquarium. As I understand it dosing it, EI,dosing micros and macros the same day means some elements bind together to combine with each other making them unavailable to plants. I think all in ones other than dry salt mixes are formulated to not let this happen.The new one from Evolution Aqua seems interesting as it claims to be for low tech or high tech just scale it to suit your aquarium


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