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Algae Identyfication

atomicus

atomicus

Seedling
Joined
16 Dec 2015
Messages
6
Location
Poland
Hi All, that's my first post here:)

I'm having problem with alge as on pictures. I'm not sure if they are different or the same, and I can't get rid of them from a longer time.

My set:
  • Size:~175L (100x50x45)
  • Lights: DYI Led lights, in total around 45W, including:
    • 3 GU5.4 Lamps, 450lm each
    • Many small diods, around 2000lm
    • 12h per day (10 am to 10pm)
  • Filter: Tetra EX 800 plus (designed for max 300l).
  • Started around 04.2014
Nutritions:

Daily dosing of powders (mixed in RO water for convinience)
50% water change each Sat.
  • NO3: 33ppm
  • K: 28ppm
  • PO4: 2ppm
  • Fe: 0.89
  • Mg: 0.1
  • Traces: 0.22ppm of Fe (CSM+B)
Measurements:
(As for 06.12), using liquid tests:
  • PH: 7
  • KH: 10d*
  • GH: 28d*
  • CO2(calculated): 47
  • NH3: 1ppm
  • NO3: 20-30ppm (color was in-between)
  • PO4: 1ppm
  • Fe: 0.5ppm
  • Si: 40ppm (not measured, for tap water, got this info from local shop)
So, more or less EI is as it should, plants are eating stuff.

History:

  • Got rid of cyans by turning off light for a week.
  • Got rid of hair-algae by turning off light for a week.
  • Since 4 months, no more outbreaks.
Pets
  • 20 Tetra neons
  • 50-70 Red Cherry shrimps (bought 5....)
  • 2 Amanos
  • 2 Corydoras (bronze)
  • 1 golden otocinlus
  • A bit of snails.
Plants:
  • Hemiiantus (50% of surface)
  • 1 big Mirosorium
  • Eleocharis acicularis (15% of surface)
  • Small flame moss
Finally, the problem:

Algaes are covering slow-growing, old parts of plants and stones.
It's not a big problem, but looks bad. Also, I've noticed that plants do not grow as they did. I had to cut everything each weak, now i do it only each 2 weeks and mostly Microsorium.
Algae is brown/red, looks a bit as plant "rusted". It has not visible height, it's hard to remove from surface.

What is funny:
I had a problem with Hemianthus - it separated from ground. I thought it would be easiest to cut a piece of acrylic sheet, cover Hemianthus with it like a lid, with help of some weight.
Did worked as should, hemianthus had acces to light, and rooted again. But, after I removed the acrylic cover, hemianthus was totally free from alge, green as Tokashi Amano pictures. Difference in color was so big that you could exactly tell where acril ended.

I don't know why it happens, but It happens every time. It's enought to cover plant with acryl for a week, and it's astonishing.
I've put acryl under my leds, but didn't work. I though acryl may change some light spectrum, but seems it's not that.

Please look at pictures, sorry they're not perfect, I couldn't do anything better.

Looking for your advice.
Zrzut ekranu 2015-12-16 o 18.53.44.png aq1.jpg aq2.jpg aq3.jpg
 
If dosing EI your Mg levels should be in order of 2ppm.

Throw your test kits away they are clearly wrong. You are showing why hobby grade test kits are completely hopelessly wrong.

I doubt you have 1ppm NH3 as at this level your tank would be a veritable algae farm and all the fish would be dead. And what is providing this source in a mature tank ???? Should be 0ppm.

Also K at 28ppm, doubt that, EI dose is in order of 5ppm.
And PO4 at 2ppm, again unlikely if you are correctly dosing EI.
GH is unlikely as well, where abouts in country are you ?
As Si at 40ppm again very unlikely in domestic water, normally 0.

The idea of EI is you don't test, as if you dose correctly, the levels will be sufficient for plant growth.

You haven't stated your carbon source, liquid carbon or CO2 gas ? Your light levels clearly need CO2.

I suspect in the end, that your light levels are far too high for the CO2 levels in your tank, killing the plants and feeding the algae. You need to lower your light levels whilst you master CO2 flow and distribution and ensure your are really dosing EI correctly.
 
Hi ian_m.

Yep, I'm aware that tests are quit wrong, just did it for first time since a half of a year to check if I did not mess anything with EI.

If it comes to H3, I agree.
For K, 28ppm is what I put into aquarium (With KNO3 and KH2PO4 salts), not what I've measured, as far as I know, it's in levels sugested by Barr (20 to 30).
PO4 is also what I give to auqarium.
GH and Si are correct for sure. I've tested that, and it's the official level given by water company for my region too. I live in Silesia, in Poland, which is highly urbanized area and this kind of water is normal here. It's dam hard water, You can't even imagine how bad is tea or coffee made from this water without softening it.
30km further, my Father has Ph 6.8, GH 4, KH 4.... He never added anything to his tank and needs to cut plants twice a week to keep it in order..

EI - I agree, I put this measurements just to asure myself, give you more information.

Carbon is CO2 gas, high pres. Distributed by diffuser right under the filter inflow, so around 80% of bubels are sucked inside, blended by filter, and distributed everywhere.

Again, having in mind that GH/KH tests results and official goverment data are the same, I assume the are correct, and calculations of CO2 level are also ok.
Drop checker seems to confirm that too (green to yellow).

But, I'll try putting more CO2 and lowering light.
 
Big Clow

Which shrimps do eat diatoms? My cherry/amanos do not, and I'm not feeding them more than 2 a week.
I've added SI removal substrate to filter two weeks ago, no changes.
 
Time for report.
What I've done:
  • Increased CO2 dosage
  • Shortened light period (cut down to 6 hours per day)
  • Dimmed lights for half of aquarium to around 70%
Result:
  • Half of aquarium with litghts dimmed has now around 40-50% less of diatoms. Started growing quite fast again.
Possible reasons:
  • To much of light (either in means of power or time of exposure)
  • Tu low on nutritiens/co2 for such high levels of light.
I'll try to go back with 100% of light level, but still shorter time, increase salt dosage to check if I can keep lights high.
 
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